By Raul Espejo, Werner Schuuhmann, Markus Schwaninger & Ulbaldo Bilello (Wiley 1996) this book is both theoretical and practical... a rare feat that is carried off extermely well by these authors .

Back Cover Copy
Todays managers are increasingly busy and less inclined than ever to cope with difficult theoretical propositions. For this very reason, the managers to whom this book will appear daunting are the ones who have most to gain. This book aims to make their own jobs, and the organizations they work for, more satisfying and humane. There are no apologies for this circular argument. The theory upon which this book is based is a theory on managing complexity — those who make the effort to study it are likely to have a useful and valuable learning experience. Organizational Transformation and Learning is more than theory in isolation. The ideas have been worked out in practice to approach five fundamental issues:

• How can organizations cope with increasing environmental complexity?
• How can they maintain viability and develop further at the same time?
• How can organizational action become more effective?
• How can managers cope with increasing organizational complexity?
• How can their action become more effective?

Given that complexity is the core issue for organizations to deal with in the future, Organizational Transformation and Learning shows in theory and practice how organizational and managerial cybernetics can contribute to dealing with this core issue. It provides a framework to relate and organize the myriad activities common to contemporary business. The book will change the readers appreciation of their role in the organization and make each action more effective.

In plain terms, the authors believe that organizational transformation begins with individual transformation, and intend that this book will encourage that individual transformation.

The scope of the book is grand indeed with an aim to "... define the capabilities that underlie our ability to see, sense, and realize new possibilities -- in ourselves, in our institutions and organizations, and in society itself." <Doubleday 2005>

In one section of this book Peter Senge is quoted:

" In a world of global institutional networks, we face issues for which hierarchical leadership is inherently inadequate. ....

We see this all the time as we work with CEOs of even global corporations.  It's easy for people on the outside to greatly overestimate their power. I remember one man saying half jokingly that he always imagined that when he finally made it to the top of the company, he would look under his desk and he'd see these levers he could pull to make things happen.  He said it was a sobering experience to finally get there an look under the desk and discover their were none."

My ranking: * * * *

This web site is managed by Liverpool John Moores University, with the consent of the Beer family, to portray the holistic nature of Stafford Beer and his work.

This is the authentic web site fully endorsed by Professor Stafford Beer before his death.

"The Purpose of a System is what it Does" 

Intelligent laymen interested in "How things really work" and how they could work better ....

• Why do our organizations have so much trouble meeting their objectives?
• Why are they in constant crisis?
• Why doesn’t reorganization improve things?

Most of us know very little about how the organizations which influence our lives actually function. This is because we lack any but the most rudimentary concepts for thinking about them.

The answers to the questions above will not be answered directly in this presentation. Consider them as an exercise for the student! (© Cavendish Software Ltd. 1995, portions © Stafford Beer 1985)

 Kingsley Idehen's Blog -- cites Real-time White Paper by Vinod Khosla

The use of the Viable Systems Model in the diagnosis and design of organisational structures in co-operatives and other social economy enterprises.

A manual for the diagnosis and design of organisational structures to enable social economy enterprises to function with increased efficiency without compromising democratic principles