Managing Complexity in Organizations ― A View in Many Directions

Contains papers from two 1998 conferences on the relationships between managing organizations and the science of complex systems. Early chapters explain how complexity science relates to modern management practice, and examine strategy from a complexity perspective and complexity from a strategy perspective. Later papers look at the intersection of complexity, creativity, and communication, and describe how complexity-influenced theories of management can actually affect day-to-day management practice. Domains examined range from windmills to Soviet politics. Gunz teaches organizational behavior at the University of Toronto. Lissack is director of the Institute for the Study of Coherence and Emergence. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

MICHAEL R. LISSACK is Director of Organization Science Related Programs at the New England Complex Systems Institute and Visiting Professor of Business Ethics at the Rotterdam School of Management./e He was a senior adviser to Tripod Inc., prior to its acquisition by Lycos, and served as chairman of the strategic advisory board and acting CFO of Intelligenesis Inc.

HUGH P. GUNZ is Associate Dean of the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto./e Co-developer and programmer of a career development software, he publishes widely on the topics of careers of managers and professionals, and on the management of technology professionals.