Complexity, Innovation, Knowledge and Learning: A quantum interpretation of management

Corporate Social Responsibility

Interesting to see that increasingly companies pay attention to both corporate social responsibility and sustainable development, issues that are dear to our school (Euromed Marseille - Ecole de Management). The Financial Times Special Report of Monday November 29, is dedicated to "Responsible Business". An interesting set of ideas and examples/cases which however put a critical question mark about its successful integration into business yet.

Corporation: An Intelligent Complex Adaptive System

Human Systems Management, a journal of the IOS press group, has published a special issue (23-2) titled "Corporation: An Intelligent Complex Adaptive System". It gives multiple examples of applications of complexity theory in business. I would just like to cite a paragraph out of the guest editorial of Prof Thow Yick Liang.

The paradigmatic shift in mindset is inevitable because of the focus has to be changed drastically.  For business organizations, the priority has to be changed from the traditional economic entities to the human mind, intelligence, knowledge, collective intelligence, and other intelligence associated attributes. For human organizations in general, the change is from a machine-like to a mind-like structure and dynamic.  Therefore, human relationships, organizational structures and economic and social dynamics are no longer the same.  The whole of humankind is moving into the core of the knowledge era, the intelligence era.

Cité de la réussite

I had the pleasure, last weekend, to participate in the "Cité de la réussite".  A splendidly successful organisation in which a lot of confirmed speakers discussed around the issue of "new borders".  I very much appreciated the subjects and the language used, that is  unfortunately less heard in other media like political discussions today.  Issues like respect, diversity as a creative power, sustainable development, trust and optimism were given a clear face.  Congratulations to the initiative and my only advice is to follow up on the proceedings.

The Bogdanov Singularity

An interesting book (unfortunately only in French and titled "Avant le Big Bang"), discussing some interesting issues like the origin of the big bang, the possible existence of what is called the Bogdanov singularity, the possible existence of a fifth dimension, etc., is worth reading. At least it suggests some interesting ideas and possible new developments. But equally interesting, in order to understand how classical science operates in order to be in the way of its own progress, is the discussion that is going on widely. Instead of an open minded exploration of new potential routes of development, the issue of some becomes just to avoid a discussion. Just compare two websites: quantumfuture and the one of Baez in order to get an idea. Related to complexity, innovation and knowledge it might shed some interesting light.

For those that want to go beyond complexity

For those of you that would like to explore further what complexity might mean, and in particular find out about some broader related concepts, I can suggest the website of an interesting organisation: Counterbalance. The site is a collection of interlinked text and video that has been captured from conferences, interviews, academic courses, etc.