1st Edition
The Creative Power Transforming Ourselves, Our Organizations, and Our World
Over the last two decades a major focus of organization theory has been on understanding the dynamic relationships between individuals, organizations and their environments. This interest in dynamics, illustrated by systems, chaos, and complexity theory, is recorded in the works of Ackoff, Senge, and Stacey. This focus offers a new viewpoint on holism for practising leaders and theorists today.
Building on this interest, Smith’s original text presents a new philosophical lens for helping leaders see the advantages of a more holistic approach to improving organizations. Specifically he:
- introduces the AIC (appreciation, influence, control) philosophy, model, and process of purpose-power relationships as a next step in the evolution of organization and systems theory
- traces its roots and evolution in organization theory and indicates its actual and potential contribution to that field
- translates the model into a transformative, strategic organizing process that can be used to organize at any level, in a way that will ensure the achievement of higher levels of purpose, at less cost and in less time than traditional organizational approaches.
Developed and tested via his work for organizations including the World Bank, this revolutionary book will change the way organizations and individuals work.
Introduction Part 1: The Starting Expereince, Theory and Intuition 1. Learning to March: Experience of Control 2. Learning to Dance – Experience of Influence 3. Learning to Fly – Experience of Appreciation 4: International Development: Examples & Evolving Concepts of Wholeness Part 2: The Philosophy, Theory Process and Model 5. The Emerging Philosophy – The Nature of Purpose 6. Building the Theory 7. Building the AIC Model 8. The Process in Practice Part 3: Implications for Ourselves Our Organizations and The World 9. Implications For Our Selves 10: Implications for Cultures, Institutions and Organizations 11: The Humpty Dumpty Rule 12: Reflections
Biography
William E. Smith Ph.D. is a Director of Organizing for Development an International Institute (ODII).
