Systems Concepts in Action: A Practitioner's Toolkit (Stanford Business Books) Review

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Systems Concepts in Action: A Practitioner's Toolkit (Stanford Business Books) ReviewThis book is very much for management consultants or project leaders who are looking for different ways to help a group or organisation think through a complex problem. While the key information is contained in this book, it is fairly brief. The book will help such a person ask useful questions, stimulate discussion and structure the problem. Within that scope, it provides an overview of a variety of methods, with enough detail about each to start a discussion and pointers to further information.
However, it essentially ignores the 'hard' end of complex systems thinking, focusing almost entirely on 'soft' (or problem structuring) methods. There are many different simulation and other mathematically based techniques that are either excluded or inappropriately covered. One glaring example: agent based modelling is listed (and not described) as a variation of system dynamics. This is only true to the extent that they are both simulation techniques; they are almost opposite in types of problems for which they can be used.
Nevertheless, I am giving the book 4 stars (rather than 3) on the basis that what it does, it does quite well.Systems Concepts in Action: A Practitioner's Toolkit (Stanford Business Books) OverviewSystems Concepts in Action: A Practitioner's Toolkit explores the application of systems ideas to investigate, evaluate, and intervene in complex and messy situations.The text serves as a field guide, with each chapter representing a method for describing and analyzing; learning about; or changing and managing a challenge or set of problems.The book is the first to cover in detail such a wide range of methods from so many different parts of the systems field.The book's Introduction gives an overview of systems thinking, its origins, and its major subfields. In addition, the introductory text to each of the book's three parts provides background information on the selected methods. Systems Concepts in Action may serve as a workbook, offering a selection of tools that readers can use immediately.The approaches presented can also be investigated more profoundly, using the recommended readings provided.While these methods are not intended to serve as "recipes," they do serve as a menu of options from which to choose.Readers are invited to combine these instruments in a creative manner in order to assemble a mix that is appropriate for their own strategic needs.

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Scenario Planning in Organizations: How to Create, Use, and Assess Scenarios (Organizational Performance) Review

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Scenario Planning in Organizations: How to Create, Use, and Assess Scenarios (Organizational Performance) ReviewIn light of the economic, political, environmental and social uncertainty in the world right now, Scenario Planning in Organizations is certainly timely for organizations trying to better understand strategic options. Chermack's book is theory grounded with a strong emphasis on practical application. Laying out the history, purpose and value of scenario planning, he provides a clear five-phase process for developing scenarios with a unique emphasis on measuring results. The book is clear, logical, content rich and well-researched. Like a "how-to" guide for internal and external practitioners, Chermack nicely balances the context of scenario planning with useful tools like case studies, models, surveys and checklists. Whether you are an executive looking to better navigate through today's uncertainties or a practitioner looking to build your toolkit, this book is a must read.Scenario Planning in Organizations: How to Create, Use, and Assess Scenarios (Organizational Performance) OverviewScenario planning helps organization leaders, executives and decision-makers envision and develop strategies for multiple possible futures instead of just one. It enables organizations to become resilient and agile, carefully calibrating their responses and adapting quickly to new circumstances in a fast-changing environment.This book is the most comprehensive treatment to date of the scenario planning process. Unlike existing books it offers a thorough discussion of the evolution and theoretical foundations of scenario planning, examining its connections to learning theory, decision-making theory, mental model theory and more. Chermack emphasizes that scenario planning is far more than a simple set of steps to follow, as so many other practice-focused books do—he addresses the subtleties and complexities of planning. And, unique among scenario planning books, he deals not just with developing different scenarios but also with applying scenarios once they have been constructed, and assessing the impact of the scenario project.Using a case study based on a real scenario project Chermack lays out a comprehensive five phase scenario planning system—project preparation, scenario exploration, scenario development, scenario implementation and project assessment. Each chapter describes specific techniques for gathering and analyzing relevant data with a particular emphasis on the use of workshops to encourage dialogue. He offers a scenario project worksheet to help readers structure and manage scenario projects as well as avoid common pitfalls, and a discussion, based in recent neurological findings, of how scenario planning helps people to overcome barriers to creative thinking. "This book is about action and performance. Compelling and thoroughly researched, it offers every business executive a playbook for including uncertainty in the organizational change process and driving competitive advantage".-- Tim Reynolds, Vice President, Talent and Organization Effectiveness, Whirlpool Corporation

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