Category: Articles
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The Spirit of the Learning Organization
At one point in the movie Excalibur, King Arthur lay weakened in bed as his whole kingdom crumbled around him. Most of his knights…
Using “Drifting Goals” to Keep Your Eye on the Vision
As a child, did you ever have a contest to see who could build the tallest house out of playing cards? As you crafted…
The Emergence of Learning Communities
Meeting the challenges that face our society today will require us to go beyond traditional organizational, gender, and ethnic boundaries. Learning in community offers…
Stewardship: A New Employment Covenant
The latest casualty of the changes sweeping through corporate America is the lifetime employment contract — the implicit agreement that provided employees with economic…
From Causal Loop Diagrams to Computer Models — Part II
Last month we outlined a process for turning a causal loop diagram into an accumulator and flow diagram, using the example of staffing decisions.
When to Simulate
Systems thinking offers an array of tools — from systems archetypes to computer models — for improving the quality of decision making. Knowing which…
Entry Points to Modeling: Listening for “Dilemmas”
One of the biggest contributions that systems thinking can make is to help managers build theories about why things happen the way they do.
Measuring a City’s Health
When you fly a plane, you need an instrument panel in front of you, with lights and dials telling you how well the parts…
Using “Tragedy of the Commons” to Link Local Action to Global Outcomes
Traffic jams . . . overfishing the Atlantic . . . last minute holiday shopping at the mall. A “Tragedy of the Commons” occurs…
Giving Up Your Soul Is Bad Business
During tough times, companies— and the people in them—tend to give up their souls. Workers put aside who they truly are, what they most…