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Complexity and Social Work
by Hans Van EwijkBeing socially competent is essential in late modern society. We expect people to find their own accommodation, partner, job, community and lifestyle and struggle to find answers for those who are not able or do not have the opportunity to achieve these things. By placing social complexity, social vulnerability and social efficacy within a framework of social policy and social practice, Complexity and Social Work argues that growing social complexity excludes more and more citizens from social participation. The book starts with exploring complexity, super-diversity, vulnerability and social efficacy. From there the book deals with the discourses of social policy, social work and social work research, pledging for social policy aiming at desired outcomes, for generic contextual social work, and for a research practice that recognises practical wisdom. Aimed at final year undergraduates, postgraduates, professionals, trainers and lecturers involved in social work, social policy, social care, mental health and allied fields who are committed to treating socially vulnerable people with respect and acceptance, this book, the first of its kind, offers new perspectives on social complexity for practice, theory and research in human services.
Complexity and the Experience of Leading Organizations (Complexity as the Experience of Organizing)
by Douglas Griffin Ralph StaceyThe contributors to this book are leaders, consultants or managers in organizations who provide narrative accounts of their actual work and daily experience. They explore how the perspective of complex responsive processes assists them to make sense of their experience and so to develop their practice. Offering a different method of making sense of an individual’s experience in a rapidly changing world, this book uses reflective accounts of ordinary everyday life in organizations rather than idealized accounts. The editors’ commentary introduces and contextualizes these experiences as well as drawing out key themes for further research.
Complexity and the Experience of Leading Organizations (Complexity as the Experience of Organizing)
by Douglas Griffin Ralph StaceyThe contributors to this book are leaders, consultants or managers in organizations who provide narrative accounts of their actual work and daily experience. They explore how the perspective of complex responsive processes assists them to make sense of their experience and so to develop their practice. Offering a different method of making sense of an individual’s experience in a rapidly changing world, this book uses reflective accounts of ordinary everyday life in organizations rather than idealized accounts. The editors’ commentary introduces and contextualizes these experiences as well as drawing out key themes for further research.
Complexity and the Experience of Managing in Public Sector Organizations (Complexity as the Experience of Organizing)
by Ralph Stacey Douglas GriffinA fundamental problem of public sector governance relates to the very way of thinking it reflects; where organization is thought of as a ‘thing’, a system designed to deliver what its designers choose. This volume questions that way of thinking and takes a perspective in which organizations are complex responsive processes of relating between people. Bringing together the work of participants on the Doctor of Management program at Hertfordshire University, this book focuses on the move to marketization and managerialism, paying particular attention to human relationships and group dynamics. The contributors provide narrative accounts of their work addressing questions of management, pressures, accountability, responsiveness and traditional systems perspectives. In considering such questions in terms of their daily experience, they explore how the perspective of complex responsive processes assists them in making sense of experience and developing practice. Including an editors’ commentary which introduces and contextualizes these experiences as well as drawing out key themes for further research, this book will be of value to academics, students and practitioners looking for reflective accounts of real life experiences rather than further prescriptions of what organizational life ought to be.
Complexity and the Experience of Managing in Public Sector Organizations (Complexity as the Experience of Organizing)
by Ralph Stacey Douglas GriffinA fundamental problem of public sector governance relates to the very way of thinking it reflects; where organization is thought of as a ‘thing’, a system designed to deliver what its designers choose. This volume questions that way of thinking and takes a perspective in which organizations are complex responsive processes of relating between people. Bringing together the work of participants on the Doctor of Management program at Hertfordshire University, this book focuses on the move to marketization and managerialism, paying particular attention to human relationships and group dynamics. The contributors provide narrative accounts of their work addressing questions of management, pressures, accountability, responsiveness and traditional systems perspectives. In considering such questions in terms of their daily experience, they explore how the perspective of complex responsive processes assists them in making sense of experience and developing practice. Including an editors’ commentary which introduces and contextualizes these experiences as well as drawing out key themes for further research, this book will be of value to academics, students and practitioners looking for reflective accounts of real life experiences rather than further prescriptions of what organizational life ought to be.
Complexity and the Public Sector (Complexity and Management)
by Chris Mowles Karen NormanSince the early 1990s, public sector organisations have been overwhelmed with what has come to be termed New Public Management (NPM) methods. NPM idealises performance, metrics, transparency and marketisation. This book explores some of the tensions which arise in institutions where NPM methods prevail, introduces different ways of thinking about the task of managing for public good and offers a radical challenge to the dominant assumptions regarding why and how professional communities of practice may (or may not) come to change their working practices. In this third book in the Complexity and Management series, the expert authors bring together their experiences to provide vibrant accounts of how to manage in everyday public sector organisational situations using practical judgement. The book includes a brief introduction to complexity and public sector management, real-world narratives illustrating concrete dilemmas in the workplace and a concluding chapter that draws together the practical and theoretical implications of a complexity perspective. With both theoretical grounding and practical insights from senior managers and consultants, the book provides an ideal resource for students on management or executive leadership programmes for the public sector, as well as managers in and consultants to the sector.
Complexity and the Public Sector (Complexity and Management)
by Chris Mowles Karen NormanSince the early 1990s, public sector organisations have been overwhelmed with what has come to be termed New Public Management (NPM) methods. NPM idealises performance, metrics, transparency and marketisation. This book explores some of the tensions which arise in institutions where NPM methods prevail, introduces different ways of thinking about the task of managing for public good and offers a radical challenge to the dominant assumptions regarding why and how professional communities of practice may (or may not) come to change their working practices. In this third book in the Complexity and Management series, the expert authors bring together their experiences to provide vibrant accounts of how to manage in everyday public sector organisational situations using practical judgement. The book includes a brief introduction to complexity and public sector management, real-world narratives illustrating concrete dilemmas in the workplace and a concluding chapter that draws together the practical and theoretical implications of a complexity perspective. With both theoretical grounding and practical insights from senior managers and consultants, the book provides an ideal resource for students on management or executive leadership programmes for the public sector, as well as managers in and consultants to the sector.
Complexity and Values in Nurse Education: Dialogues on Professional Education (Routledge Research in Nursing and Midwifery)
by Martin LipscombThis work explores the interplay of complexity and values in nurse education from a variety of vantages. Contributors, who come from a range of international and disciplinary backgrounds, critically engage important and problematic topics that are under-investigated elsewhere. Taking an innovative approach each chapter is followed by one or more responses and, on occasion, a reply to responses. This novel dialogic feature of the work tests, animates, and enriches the arguments being presented. Thought-provoking, challenging and occasionally rumbustious in tone, this volume has something to say to both nurse educators (who may find cherished practices questioned) and students. Given the breadth and nature of subjects covered, the book will also appeal to anyone concerned about and interested in nursing’s professional development/trajectory.
Complexity and Values in Nurse Education: Dialogues on Professional Education (Routledge Research in Nursing and Midwifery)
by Martin LipscombThis work explores the interplay of complexity and values in nurse education from a variety of vantages. Contributors, who come from a range of international and disciplinary backgrounds, critically engage important and problematic topics that are under-investigated elsewhere. Taking an innovative approach each chapter is followed by one or more responses and, on occasion, a reply to responses. This novel dialogic feature of the work tests, animates, and enriches the arguments being presented. Thought-provoking, challenging and occasionally rumbustious in tone, this volume has something to say to both nurse educators (who may find cherished practices questioned) and students. Given the breadth and nature of subjects covered, the book will also appeal to anyone concerned about and interested in nursing’s professional development/trajectory.
Complexity, Emergence, and Causality in Applied Linguistics
by Jérémie BouchardThis book suggests that applied linguistics research is inherently concerned with complexity, emergence and causality, and because of this it also requires a robust social ontology. The book identifies and unpacks a range of conceptual issues in applied linguistics from a social realist perspective, and provides a critique of successionism and interpretivism as two dominant and enduring empiricist tendencies in the field. From this critique, it considers the emergence of complex dynamic system theory as viable yet not entirely unproblematic conceptual sophistication of current applied linguistics research. Although the growing popularity of complex dynamic system theory is undeniable and understandable, this book argues that its integration within a social realist ontology is necessary for further developments in the field. The book will be of interest to applied linguists and social scientists interested in language-related issues including language learning and teaching, language change, language policy and planning, bilingualism/multilingualism, and language and identity.
Complexity in Economics: Cutting Edge Research (New Economic Windows)
by Marisa Faggini Anna ParzialeIn this book, leading experts discuss innovative components of complexity theory and chaos theory in economics.The underlying perspective is that investigations of economic phenomena should view these phenomena not as deterministic, predictable and mechanistic but rather as process dependent, organic and always evolving.The aim is to highlight the exciting potential of this approach in economics and its ability to overcome the limitations of past research and offer important new insights. The book offers a stimulating mix of theory, examples and policy.By casting light on a variety of topics in the field, it will provide an ideal platform for researchers wishing to deepen their understanding and identify areas for further investigation.
Complexity in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology Research: Applications of Emergent and Neglected Methods (FGF Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship)
by Elisabeth S.C. Berger Andreas KuckertzThis volume discusses the challenge of dealing with complexity in entrepreneurship, innovation and technology research. Businesses as well as entire economies are increasingly being confronted by widespread complex systems. Fields such as entrepreneurship and innovation cannot ignore this reality, especially with their inherent links to diverse research fields and interdisciplinary methods. However, most methods that allow more detailed analyses of complex problems are either neglected in mainstream research or are, at best, still emerging. Against this backdrop, this book provides a forum for the discussion of emergent and neglected methods in the context of complexity in entrepreneurship, innovation and technology research, and also acts as an inspiration for academics across related disciplines to engage more in complexity research.
Complexity in Games Teaching and Coaching: A Multi-Disciplinary Perspective (Routledge Research in Sports Coaching)
by Felix LebedShedding new light on sport pedagogy and the teaching and coaching of games, this book shows how complexity theory can be used to improve team sport performance, coach education, and young player development. The book draws together insights from both the humanities and behavioural sciences, including psychology, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, history, and play theory into a new educational methodology for team sports. It shows how concepts from complexity theory underpin and inform team sport dynamics, including the uncontrolled nature of live human systems; the nature of complex systems and how this shapes student and young athlete learning; self-organization and its relation to decision-making in play; and mental self-regulation and motivation. It presents an innovative and sophisticated definition of sport pedagogy that can help teachers and coaches deepen their understanding of teaching and learning in team sports and help them develop more motivated, more effective, and more creative athletes.
Complexity in Games Teaching and Coaching: A Multi-Disciplinary Perspective (Routledge Research in Sports Coaching)
by Felix LebedShedding new light on sport pedagogy and the teaching and coaching of games, this book shows how complexity theory can be used to improve team sport performance, coach education, and young player development. The book draws together insights from both the humanities and behavioural sciences, including psychology, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, history, and play theory into a new educational methodology for team sports. It shows how concepts from complexity theory underpin and inform team sport dynamics, including the uncontrolled nature of live human systems; the nature of complex systems and how this shapes student and young athlete learning; self-organization and its relation to decision-making in play; and mental self-regulation and motivation. It presents an innovative and sophisticated definition of sport pedagogy that can help teachers and coaches deepen their understanding of teaching and learning in team sports and help them develop more motivated, more effective, and more creative athletes.
Complexity in Organizations: A Research Overview (State of the Art in Business Research)
by Stig O. JohannessenWritten with pace and clarity, this book is a comprehensive and compact overview and introduction to the research landscape of complexity in organizations. In addition to conveying a gripping history of how complexity has influenced organizational ideas, theories, and practices throughout the 20th century and into our present age, the book sheds light on how ground-breaking ideas in chaos and complexity research have emerged and challenged the very foundations of science into a changed vision of nature, society, and human organizations. As well as being an exciting investigation into complexity research in organizations, the book shows how, in the past, researchers who were immersed in the power politics of their day grappled with the theme of complexity in their quest to understand the dynamics of organization in nature and society. By welding fundamental theoretical themes and practical implications into the political and social contexts in which they emerged, this overview provides both depth and breadth to the history, as well as the future, of studies of complexity in organized activity. The book is a lucid and essential study of a topic that will be of interest to scholars, researchers, and students in the fields of business and management, especially those with an interest in the ways that complexity affects and transforms organizations.
Complexity in Organizations: A Research Overview (State of the Art in Business Research)
by Stig O. JohannessenWritten with pace and clarity, this book is a comprehensive and compact overview and introduction to the research landscape of complexity in organizations. In addition to conveying a gripping history of how complexity has influenced organizational ideas, theories, and practices throughout the 20th century and into our present age, the book sheds light on how ground-breaking ideas in chaos and complexity research have emerged and challenged the very foundations of science into a changed vision of nature, society, and human organizations. As well as being an exciting investigation into complexity research in organizations, the book shows how, in the past, researchers who were immersed in the power politics of their day grappled with the theme of complexity in their quest to understand the dynamics of organization in nature and society. By welding fundamental theoretical themes and practical implications into the political and social contexts in which they emerged, this overview provides both depth and breadth to the history, as well as the future, of studies of complexity in organized activity. The book is a lucid and essential study of a topic that will be of interest to scholars, researchers, and students in the fields of business and management, especially those with an interest in the ways that complexity affects and transforms organizations.
Complexity in Society: From Indicators Construction to their Synthesis (Social Indicators Research Series #70)
by Filomena MagginoThis volume discusses the many recent significant developments, and identifies important problems, in the field of social indicators. In the last ten years the methodology of multivariate analysis and synthetic indicators construction significantly developed. In particular, starting from the classical theory of composite indicators many interesting approaches have been developed to overcome the weaknesses of composites. This volume focuses on these recent developments in synthesizing indicators, and more generally, in quantifying complex phenomena.
Complexity, Learning and Organizations: A Quantum Interpretation of Business
by Walter R.J. BaetsThis fascinating book argues for a new way of looking at the world and at human systems, companies or (Western) society as a whole. Walter R.J. Baets argues that we should let go of our drive to control, manage and organize, in order to be able to create an ideal environment for continuous learning, both for ourselves and for our collaborators. Arguing in favour of a holistic management approach, and very much in opposition to the short-term shareholder value driven approaches that are popular today, Baets’ book develops a logic founded in real life observations, examples and cases that every reader will recognize in their daily practice. It guides the reader to understand an alternative paradigm and allows them finally to be able to work with the dynamics of business on a daily basis. A must-read for students of complexity, strategy and organizational behaviour, this well-researched, well-argued book skilfully guides the reader through this interesting subject.
Complexity, Learning and Organizations: A Quantum Interpretation of Business
by Walter R.J. BaetsThis fascinating book argues for a new way of looking at the world and at human systems, companies or (Western) society as a whole. Walter R.J. Baets argues that we should let go of our drive to control, manage and organize, in order to be able to create an ideal environment for continuous learning, both for ourselves and for our collaborators. Arguing in favour of a holistic management approach, and very much in opposition to the short-term shareholder value driven approaches that are popular today, Baets’ book develops a logic founded in real life observations, examples and cases that every reader will recognize in their daily practice. It guides the reader to understand an alternative paradigm and allows them finally to be able to work with the dynamics of business on a daily basis. A must-read for students of complexity, strategy and organizational behaviour, this well-researched, well-argued book skilfully guides the reader through this interesting subject.
The Complexity of Consultancy: Exploring Breakdowns Within Consultancy Practice (Complexity and Management)
by Nicholas Sarra Karina Solsø Chris MowlesConsultancy is a lucrative industry dependent on the production and use of tools and techniques which hold out the promise of success for the organisations it supports: transformation, or greater efficiency and effectiveness, perhaps even culture change. However, a critical and important question is whether these promises are fulfilled in everyday practice in organisations. Is it possible at all for consultants to predict and control the changes that their clients ask for? This volume reframes the role of consultants from detached observers wielding a stable body of knowledge useful in all contexts, to that of skilled participants in the conscious and unconscious processes of organisational life. In this book, one of three in a series looking at complexity and management, the expert authors bring together their experiences to provide vibrant accounts of how to lead in everyday organisational situations using practical judgement. The book includes a brief historical introduction to complexity and leadership, real-world narratives illustrating concrete dilemmas in the workplace, and a concluding chapter that draws together the practical and theoretical implications. With both theoretical grounding and practical insights from managers and consultants in leading firms, this is an ideal resource for executives and students on leadership development and talent management programmes, as well as those undertaking higher education courses in leadership and consulting.
The Complexity of Consultancy: Exploring Breakdowns Within Consultancy Practice (Complexity and Management)
by Nicholas Sarra Karina Solsø Chris MowlesConsultancy is a lucrative industry dependent on the production and use of tools and techniques which hold out the promise of success for the organisations it supports: transformation, or greater efficiency and effectiveness, perhaps even culture change. However, a critical and important question is whether these promises are fulfilled in everyday practice in organisations. Is it possible at all for consultants to predict and control the changes that their clients ask for? This volume reframes the role of consultants from detached observers wielding a stable body of knowledge useful in all contexts, to that of skilled participants in the conscious and unconscious processes of organisational life. In this book, one of three in a series looking at complexity and management, the expert authors bring together their experiences to provide vibrant accounts of how to lead in everyday organisational situations using practical judgement. The book includes a brief historical introduction to complexity and leadership, real-world narratives illustrating concrete dilemmas in the workplace, and a concluding chapter that draws together the practical and theoretical implications. With both theoretical grounding and practical insights from managers and consultants in leading firms, this is an ideal resource for executives and students on leadership development and talent management programmes, as well as those undertaking higher education courses in leadership and consulting.
The Complexity of Creativity (Synthese Library #258)
by Ake E. Andersson N. E. SahlinThis is a volume on the concepts, theories, models and social consequences of creativity. It contains articles by well-known cognitive scientists, economists, mathematicians, philosophers and psychologists.
The Complexity of Workplace Humour: Laughter, Jokers and the Dark Side of Humour
by Barbara PlesterThis book discusses boundaries for organizational humour as well as the jokers and jesters that enliven modern workplaces. It has long been accepted that humour and tragedy can occupy the same space and that is eloquently demonstrated in this book. Using ethnographic research techniques, a selection of stories, ruminations, cartoons, and narratives of events is combined with theoretical conceptions of humour and fun to create a comprehensive analysis of the good, the bad, and the downright ugly in organizational humour.
A Complexity Perspective on Researching Organisations: Taking Experience Seriously (Complexity as the Experience of Organizing)
by Douglas Griffin Ralph StaceyPart of the Complexity as the Experience of Organizing series, this book applies complex responsiveness theory to real-life leadership experiences. It features contributions from and details the experience of organizational practitioners, leaders, consultants and managers from various organizations through narrative accounts. It addresses questions such as: How do widespread or global patterns emerge and evolve in the local interactions between people? What actually happens in global change programmes? What does this imply about the relationship between the local and the global? Exploring the perspective of complex responsive processes, the book’s contributors examine how this assists them in making sense of their experience, and how this awareness then leads to their development. This book is a valuable study for academics, business school students and practitioners, as rather than offering mere descriptions of organizational life, it provides reflective accounts of real-life experiences of researching in organizations.
A Complexity Perspective on Researching Organisations: Taking Experience Seriously (Complexity as the Experience of Organizing)
by Ralph Stacey Douglas GriffinPart of the Complexity as the Experience of Organizing series, this book applies complex responsiveness theory to real-life leadership experiences. It features contributions from and details the experience of organizational practitioners, leaders, consultants and managers from various organizations through narrative accounts. It addresses questions such as: How do widespread or global patterns emerge and evolve in the local interactions between people? What actually happens in global change programmes? What does this imply about the relationship between the local and the global? Exploring the perspective of complex responsive processes, the book’s contributors examine how this assists them in making sense of their experience, and how this awareness then leads to their development. This book is a valuable study for academics, business school students and practitioners, as rather than offering mere descriptions of organizational life, it provides reflective accounts of real-life experiences of researching in organizations.