Has a preparation stage and 3 phases.
Is using the principles of complexity to offer a new perspective on the creation and sustainability of new organisational forms, able to co-evolve with a changing environment, thus reducing the need for constant restructuring.
Is a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, approaches and tools,
Some have been developed and tested in Complexity Group projects, others are being adapted from existing methods and others are being designed and developed for the project using the 'logic' of complexity.
Phase 1 output: Identification, together our Business Partners, of the conditions that will facilitate an enabling environment.
Phase 2: Experimenting with enabling framework.
· All partners will be supported by the Research team, Advisors and the other Business Partners.
· Monthly telephone conferences and regular meetings will monitor progress and identify any problems.
· A second set of interviews will focus on the implications and consequences of experimentation/ implementation.
Phase 3 (in parallel with Phase 2) will document the outputs and focus on dissemination and exploitation.
The teams will be supported throughout the 3-year project by:
° in-company and inter-organisational meetings
° workshops
° Guidance & Advisory Group (GAG)
° Dissemination & Exploitation Group
° International team of Advisors
OUTPUTS
1. Generic frameworks of social, cultural, technical (as well as political and economic) conditions, which enable the emergence of new organisational forms or new ways of organising.
2. Company-specific frameworks of enabling infrastructures based on the pilots.
3. A methodology for identifying and analysing these conditions, to include:
a) characteristics of success, and process and outcome measures
b) criteria of ‘fitness’ for the pilot
4. A well documented process of experimentation/implementation.
5. A communications plan for dissemination to the rest of the organisation.
6. Management handbook, to include 1-5 above and a lexicon of terms.
7. Diagnostic tools that enable any organisation to identify:
a) the appropriateness and relevance of the ICOSS methodology to a given organisational challenge
b) the ‘maturity’ or readiness of the different parts of the organisation and its extended enterprise
c) where, when and how best to introduce the methodology – criteria for choosing pilots
8. An Executive Summary of the above
9. Educational tools including computer simulation models to experiment in a safe (i.e.simulated) environment.
10. A web-enabled knowledge-base, which could be imported into company intranets, introducing complexity thinking, summarising the research findings, and offering recommendations, implications, diagnostic tests.
11. Educational and promotional material for dissemination to the wider community
12. A language, concepts and a way of thinking more in tune with the new economy.
INVOLVEMENT
· Interviewees: 1.5 hours
· Core team: 5-10 days to attend workshops, presentations, etc. This will depend on individual commitment and time.
SEMINARS, etc
· To gain some understanding of complexity and its application, partners are invited to attend the Complexity Seminars
AGENT BASED MODEL SIMULATION
The Complexity Group has developed an integrated methodology which uses both qualitative and quantitative tools and methods. These include in-depth interviews, agent-based models, mapping of email connectivity, preference profiles and working with an artist to capture some sensitive issues, etc. The methodology is described in two papers using different case studies.
Bilge U. (2005) Modelling Connectivity in the Work Place
Mitleton-Kelly E. (2003) 'Complexity Research - Approaches and Methods: The LSE Complexity Group Integrated Methodology' in Keskinen A, Aaltonen M, Mitleton-Kelly E "Organisational Complexity". Foreword by Stuart Kauffman. Scientific Papers 1/2003, TUTU Publications, Finland Futures Research Centre, Helsinki, 2003
Mitleton-Kelly E. (2004) "An Integrated Methodology to Facilitate The Emergence of New Ways of Organising" Conference Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference on Research Methodology for Business and Management Studies (ECRM) April 2004.
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