Reviews (2)

Insightful!
This book disserves itself by purporting to be merely about scenario planning, although it covers that subject thoroughly. In fact, it's one of the most lucid, interesting examinations of fortune and folly you will ever read. The recapitulation of disastrous episodes at a handful of once-great companies shows just how little inclined the gods are to spare the proud. Closed minds and entrenched habits of thought managed to afflict even such a venturesome New Economy firm as Yahoo! Originality and experimentation bless even companies in humdrum industries, such as packaging. Captivating anecdotes and illustrations are, in fact, the meat of the book. The scenario planning analysis, while solid, is less convincing than the cases themselves. At times, the book shows the weaknesses that are probably inevitable when so many authors share creation. It tends to meander and, now and then, loses its way in jargon-choked thickets. But, we assure you, the clarity of the cases redeems it and makes it valuable.

Scenario conversations as agents of change
The key theme of this book is that the appropriate use of scenario thinking is a highly effective way of catalyzing organizational change and, in particular, minimizing the risk that the organization will suffer due to learning disabilities such as 'group think' or a variety of other flaws in organizational thinking.Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Decision Making & Problem Solving    5. Entrepreneurship    6. Management - General    7. Organization Theory    8. Organizational change    9. Organizational effectiveness    10. Organizational learning    11. Strategic Planning    12. Business & Economics / Decision-Making & Problem Solving    13. Business strategy    14. Organizational theory & behaviour   

Reviews (1)

Resourceful and practical
This is an excellent resource with practical advice and an elegant instructional design model which includes a step for keeping materials refreshed.It avoids technical jargon and is easy to apply the theory to a business context. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Cost effectiveness    5. Employee Training And Development    6. Employees    7. Human Resources & Personnel Management    8. Information Management    9. Knowledge management    10. Management    11. Organizational learning    12. Business & Economics / Human Resources & Personnel Management    13. Databases & data structures    14. Personnel & human resources management   

Reviews (1)

CEO's Weigh in on Corporate Training
Written for Training Professionals, this book is based on extensive interviews with CEOs across several industries and will help you understand their ideas about how effective training can help achieve corporate objectives.In the world of Training and Development, this book offers information everyone claims to want, and very few manage to get.This book is written for a general audience, and to help readers apply these crucial insights to their own efforts, the authors have created a conceptual map of behaviors and relationships, plus a selection of practical worksheets, checklists, and other tools. Unlike previous work based on what trainers believe they should be doing, What CEOs Expect from Corporate Training directly identifies the training imperatives defined by CEOs and the results they demand. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Human Resources & Personnel Management    6. Organizational learning    7. Training    8. Personnel & human resources management   

Reviews (4)

a non-book
As the reviewer from mexico notes, most of the chapters of this book are reprints of previously published articles.This make the presentation disappointingly repetitive.

OK but still not practical enough
The author makes a great contribution creating the awareness that KM is much more that IT, and that it is about creating new knowledge and organizational learning. Although the idea is not new, he presents it through an interesting framework called the Knowledge Life Cycle. Thats great. The "next generation" of Knowledge Management is here!
In this wonderful little book, Mark McElroy begins to do for Knowledge Management what Peter Senge did for Organizational Learning:He connects deep theory with cogent practice, bringing the entire discipline to a new level.The book is a carefully designed compendium of Mark's leading-edge thinking over the past several years.In it he lays out the foundations for the next generation - "demand-side" - Knowledge Management, which enhances individuals capacity to produce knowledge, rather than simply use what's already there. By integrating a unique approach to complexity science with insights from organizational learning, he develops a model of "sustainable innovation" which is based on a broader theoretical framework of Social Innovation Capital (SIC). His SIC framework generates a core insight - the Policy Synchronization Method - a theory-based yet practical method for creating the conditions that support innovation in the long term.His writing is as useful as his modeling, for he constantly grounds his thinking into concrete and highly applicable suggestions that can be utilized in a wide range of contexts.Near the end of the book he shows the economic returns on investment from his second-generation KM, and concludes with a "presentation" that can be used to help make the case for these ideas in formal and informal settings.As a professor of entrepreneurship and management at a business school, and a 20-year student of complexity science, I am a true fan of Mark McElroy, and I am excited by this book and the ones soon to follow. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Information Management    6. Knowledge management    7. Labor    8. Management - General    9. Organizational learning    10. Business & Economics / Management    11. Management decision making    12. Management of specific areas   

Reviews (21)

A very useful taxonomy of knowledge transfer techniques
Looking for in-depth case studies of KM in action at large organisations? This book offers a superb collection and analysis of knowledge transfer techniques at companies like Ernst&Young, Bechtel, Ford, Chevron, British Petroleum, Texas Instruments, and the U.S. Army. Read This Before Foisting KM on Your Org....
In presenting alternative systems of knowledge sharing, and their strengths and weakenesses for the types, times, and range of knowledge, Dixon's best contribution is to guide the reader from following certain dead-ends, though not necessarily ensuring a success down the right path. Cashing in on "Common Knowledge"
The author focuses on only one type of the many possible types of knowledge that reside in a workplace: the knowledge that employees learn from doing the organization's tasks. She terms this kind of knowledge as "Common Knowledge" to differentiate it from book knowledge or from lists of regulations or data bases of customer information.Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business enterprises    4. Business/Economics    5. Communication systems    6. Entrepreneurship    7. Executive Management    8. Information Management    9. Information networks    10. Intellectual cooperation    11. Leadership    12. Management - General    13. Organizational learning    14. Systems And Analysis In Management    15. Management decision making    16. Knowledge Management   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Data processing    5. Information Management    6. Information resources manageme    7. Knowledge management    8. Management - General    9. Management information systems    10. Organizational learning    11. Business & Economics / Banks & Banking    12. Business information systems   

Reviews (9)

Uncover Leaders Who Develop Solutions
Michael J. Marquardt has developed a problem-solving tool.His process, which can be adapted by organizations of any size not only provides solutions but also builds leaders and teams.
Insightful!
People with an intense interest in knowing all the details of action learning will find the answer to their prayers in this book. Author Michael J. Marquardt writes with the zeal of a revival tent preacher, filled with the sincere belief that action learning can help solve any problem, meet any challenge or achieve any aspiration. As he clearly explains, action learning is intended to build both knowledge and leadership. He sets out the steps your organization should pursue to implement action learning, and to use it well. He includes questions, checklists and extensive examples. All he omits are any caveats or cautions about this approach. He's a booster and an expert, just so you know where he's coming from. We recommend his manual to human resource professionals.

Impressing the power of "action learning"
Optimizing The Power Of Action Learning: Solving Problems And Building Leaders In Real Time by educator and consultant Michael J. Marquardt (Professor of HRD and Program Director of Overseas Programs, The George Washington University), is a "user friendly" guidebook to an effective learning technique for facing increasingly intimidating and complex organizational challenges, especially with regard to global business concerns. Impressing the power of "action learning" to respond to the need to create new products, improve service quality, and transform organizational cultures, Optimizing The Power Of Action Learning is a confidently recommended success guide complete with a well-thought-out process for introducing and sustaining action learning among groups to the reader's particular and maximum advantage. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Active learning    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. Development - Business Development    6. Entrepreneurship    7. Human Resources & Personnel Management    8. Leadership    9. Management - General    10. Organization Development    11. Organizational learning    12. Problem-based learning    13. Business & Economics / Management    14. Business & Management   

Reviews (2)

A beginners guide to creating a competency based learning program
Found this book very informative.Provides steps that could be taken to create a competency based program.Includes competency creation, assessment and delivery options.Lots of great ideas.

Informative Guide for Writing Competencies
I was struggling to write competencies.I searched the net and questioned colleagues to no avail.I decided to take a stab at finding a book to help and found one by searching on Amazon.This was coupled with Competnecy Based Performance Improvement.I have been able to get the job done with ease. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Employees    5. Entrepreneurship    6. Human Resources & Personnel Management    7. Management Science    8. Organizational Behavior    9. Organizational learning    10. Strategic Planning    11. Training    12. Training of    13. Business    14. Computers / General    15. Personnel & human resources management   

Reviews (4)

The Application of ICAS to KM Education
At Kent State University our graduate interdisciplinary program, Information & Knowledge Management (IAKM), was founded two years ago by a number of departments and schools: Communication Studies, Computer Science, Graduate School of Management, Journalism & Mass Communication, Library and Information Science, and Visual Communication Design. This rich mosaic of experience and knowledge is a seedbed for teaching the Intelligent Complex Adaptive System (ICAS) as described in Organizational Survival in the New World: The Intelligent Complex Adaptive System, by Alex and David Bennet.
Breakthough for Organizational Thinking
This is one of only a few books to attempt a fresh expansive view of new organizational infrastructure, principles, and tools in nearly a half-century of post-industrial society experience. One might say that until the last decade of knowledge management thinking, there has not been the perspective to do this.But, I don't buy it.Fritz Machlup's work in the 50's extensively described the impact of knowledge work on the economy.Drucker clearly saw it in the 50's.What have we been thinking about? Outstanding Book for Executives in a Competitive Environment
The authors provide a valuable resource for executives striving to assure their companies excel in a competitive and complex environment. Dave and Alex Bennet use their practical management experience and excellent insight in knowledge theory to address the challenges facing organizations in a rapidly changing world. Their explanation of the Intelligent Complex Adaptive System ICAS provides a model for successfully handling the increasing demands of a swiftly changing business atmosphere. As background, the book provides a description of the differences between Bureaucratic and World Class organizations. It explores the emergent properties of the ICAS and how it works in practice. The Bennets present a variety of new and innovative techniques for improving organizational performance. The ICAS and the processes described in this book are a roadmap for organizations to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. I highly recommend this book for executives who strive to excel in a complex and ever changing competitive environment. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Knowledge management    5. Management - General    6. Organizational Behavior    7. Organizational change    8. Organizational effectiveness    9. Organizational learning    10. Structural Adjustment    11. Business & Economics / Management    12. Ownership & organization of enterprises   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Congresses    5. Knowledge management    6. Leadership    7. Management - General    8. Organizational Behavior    9. Organizational change    10. Organizational effectiveness    11. Organizational learning    12. Reference - General    13. Business & Economics / Organizational Behavior    14. Business strategy    15. Ownership & organization of enterprises    16. TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS   

Reviews (1)

The best book on organizational learning
A comprehensive overview of organizational learning theory with great company cases! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Human Resources & Personnel Management    6. Industries - General    7. Management - General    8. Organization Development    9. Organizational Behavior    10. Organizational learning    11. Business & Economics / Management Science    12. Organizational theory & behaviour    13. Personnel & human resources management   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Experiential learning    5. General    6. Leadership    7. Leadership In Business    8. Management - General    9. Management games    10. Organization Development    11. Organizational Behavior    12. Business & Economics / Organizational Behavior    13. Organizational theory & behaviour    14. Personnel & human resources management   

Reviews (6)

Outlearning the wolves
Outlearning the wolves, Excellent teaching tool
My undergraduate students love this book!Teaching systems thinking in a military college is not as unlikely as it might seem but it does present challenges.This book has proven very successful as a 'launching pad' for the semester's work, keeping their attention while presenting key concepts succinctly.It's a safe bet that if it can engage people who have 28 hours of tasks to cram into a 24-hour day, it would be worth its weight in gold in a manufacturing setting, a dot.com company, or anywhere busy people are balancing production with growing an organization.

Learning is essential to avoid eternal victimization.
From the beginning, one finds oneself within a paradigm of resigned helplessness.What has always been will always be.For a public school administrator who recognizes the need to break this paradigm, Outlearningthe Wolves provides a graphic yet humorous approach to change.The readeris quick to draw parallels between the life-and-death existence of thesheep and those challenges which face a school faculty.Who are theleaders?Who are the wolves? What is the place of "history" inproblem-solving?Are there alternatives to "fate," or are wealways going to be victims?As a building (high school) principalI willask my Leadership Council to read the book and follow up with discussion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business & Economics / Leadership    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. Management - Teams    6. Organizational Behavior    7. Organizational learning    8. Problems, exercises, etc    9. Structural Adjustment    10. Leadership    11. Management & Leadership    12. Organizational theory & behaviour    13. Teams   

Reviews (1)

A Good Read!
This collection of essays would make the perfect gift for that friend who loves nothing more than to curl up with a human resources manual. The fruit of a colloquium held at the University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business Administration in 2002, it brings together a wide range of contributors, spanning the spectrum from A to P - from academics who write about learning to practitioners who implement learning programs in corporations. The quality of the essays is uneven. Some of them are so chock-full of jargon that they could only make sense to a knowledge management consultant. Others are clear enough to be practical, at least in the hands of an insider. While the theoretical and abstract dominate the discussion, a couple of real-life case studies by actual executives bring the book down to earth. We recommend this compendium to practitioners in its field. They will particularly love the stimulating reflections of an Australian-born CEO who unabashedly professes his admiration for the great white shark and expresses the fond wish that his employees would approach learning in the spirit of great whites in a feeding frenzy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Case studies    3. Education    4. Employees    5. General    6. Human Resources & Personnel Management    7. Learning    8. Management - General    9. Organizational learning    10. Training of    11. Business & Economics / Management    12. Organizational theory & behaviour   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Administration (General)    4. Business/Economics    5. Computer-assisted instruction    6. Data processing    7. Distance Education    8. Employees    9. Entrepreneurship    10. Human Resources & Personnel Management    11. Organizational learning    12. Small Business - General    13. Training of    14. Business & Economics / Entrepreneurship   

Reviews (6)

questions you never thought to ask
A lot of work went into this book.You can tell the author interviewed many people in many lines of work to come up with all of these questions.The book received a good review from the ALA which recommended it to their librarians.The book was described as sagacious.When you look it up, that's means it has keen practical sense.We need more books like that.Hope this review helps.

A Useful Tool and Enjoyable, Insightful Read
I read this book and found it to be extremely useful in a number of applications.In particular if you are looking for a job or career advancement, this book gives you great ideas to help you analyze your own objectives as well as the value that you bring to your company. Wonderful! - I recommend this book to my MBA students
Recent research suggests that questioning and listening are important but often neglected skills for MBA students.Therefore this past summer I surveyed the available books on this topic to see if there was a book I could use as a resource for my new course (at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley), which requires the students to do a significant amount of interviewing.I was delighted to discover "Questions that Work."Finlayson's argument is that in this time of constant change we each need to cultivate a "personal questioning network" of people with all sorts of expertise to whom we can go for help.His book is an inspiring and practical how-to guide for the construction of, and graceful and effective use of, such a network.I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - General    4. Business/Economics    5. Careers - General    6. Organizational Behavior    7. Organizational learning    8. Skills    9. Success in business    10. Management & management techniques   

Reviews (1)

Must Read
This book will be helpful to anyone within an organization who is resposible for leading people and training initiatives - or wants to learn how to do it properly. Good, practical advice on Learning and Knowledge Transfer from the significant Thought Leaders of this field. Good stuff! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Information Management    5. Knowledge management    6. Leadership    7. Leadership In Business    8. Organization Theory    9. Organizational learning    10. Business & Economics / Leadership    11. Organizational theory & behaviour   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Information Management    6. Knowledge management    7. Management - General    8. Organizational Behavior    9. Organizational Behavior In Business    10. Organizational learning    11. Business & Economics / Organizational Behavior    12. Business | Management | Organizational Behavior    13. Organizational theory & behaviour    14. Personnel & human resources management   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Computer Books: Internet General    3. Computers    4. Information Management    5. Information Technology    6. International - General    7. Interprofessional relations    8. Knowledge management    9. Organizational learning    10. Sociology - General    11. Virtual Reality    12. Virtual work teams    13. General Theory of Computing    14. Management & management techniques