Complexity, Learning and Organizations

Complexity, Learning and Organizations takes an original and innovative look at some of the ways of understanding how organizations work, including complexity, chaos theory and quantum structures. In an accessible style, Walter Baets argues that we need a new way of looking at the world and at human systems, in organizations and in society as a whole. He proposes a holistic management approach which is in direct opposition to the short-term shareholder value-driven approach which dominates much management practice. The aim is to encourage the emergence of a new type of learning within organizations. To illustrate this, he discusses self-organizing systems; the complexity paradigm; the nature and use of knowledge; management learning at both the organizational and the individual level; and personal development. Finally, he argues in favour of considering business and economics as a network of agents that operate on the basis of synchronicity – the quantum structure of business. Encouraging readers to reflect on their own experiences, and drawing on examples from a number of real-life company cases, Walter Baets delivers a readable and thought-provoking book. For students and managers interested in complexity, knowledge management, innovation and organizational learning, this book is an invaluable guide.

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