Who is Who in ICoSS

Business Advisors

Arie de Geus, ex-Shell
Gerard Fairtlough, ex-Celltech
Peter Fryer, Trojanmice
Marcus Speh Birkenkrahe, ex-Shell
Frances Storr, Sheppard Moscow

Academic Advisors

John Casti, Santa Fe Institute & IIASA, Vienna
Chris Clegg, University of Sheffield
Raul Espejo, Lincoln Business School
Rachel Harrison, University of Reading
Janis Kallinikos, LSE
Bill McKelvey, Anderson School, UCLA
Arthur I. Miller, Dept of Science & Technology Studies, UCL
Luciano Pietronero, University of Rome "La Sapienza"
Alan Wilson, Leeds University
Gerard de Zeeuw, University of Amsterdam

ICoSS Researchers’ Contributions

S Nolas; Researcher IApt6/7 commenced 01/10/02-30/11/04
H Amjas; Researcher IApt6/7 commenced 30/05/02-30/11/04
J Cordoba-Pachon; Researcher IApt6 commenced 0/403/02-30/05/02
L Sell-Trujillo; Researcher IApt6 commenced 01/10/01-17/12/01
L Garcia-Lorenzo; Researcher IApt6/7 commenced 01/09/01-30/10/02
S Savic; Administrator CRA5pt 33/35 commenced 01/06/01-31/12/04
Nazreen A. Subhan
Kate Hopkinson
Steve Nicholson
Frank Land
Gerard de Zeeuw

Contributions include the following: Nolas, Amjad, Savic,

Castellano, Bauer, de Zeeuw

Name and grade of researcher: Sevasti-Melissa Nolas
appointed at SRE 1A.6 progressing to SRE 1A.7
Nationality: dual British/Greek
Date of birth: 28 August 1977
Contribution to the project:

I supported the project in all aspects of the research process, from data collection & analysis to theory development and knowledge dissemination via conference presentations and journal publications, as well as relationship development with research partners and presentations at research seminars.
Aside from the general and expected support and contribution to the ICoSS project I was responsible for:
(a) proposing a feedback/evaluation dimension to the existing research design, and carrying out said evaluation. This evaluation was carried out with the research partner I had been working with and involved 14 semi-structured interviews with the group of managers who had participated in the collaborative action research with us. The evaluation was important for two reasons: firstly, it gave us a greater insight into the action research process from the point of view of the participating members and secondly, it allowed me to begin a theoretical exploration of some of the processes and implications involved in carrying out action research, processes and implications which often receive little, or no, attention (see Nolas (forthcoming-2005) 'Learning as support for organizational innovation: possibilities and limitations' in World Futures Journal: Special Issue on Complexity and Innovation).
(b) designing (with the contribution of my colleague Urooj Amjad) the questionnaire for the project's Agent Based Modelling. I subsequently took responsibility for commissioning and overseeing the design of the online survey, the administration of the online survey and the collection of responses to be forwarded to the project's Agent Based Modeller. This contribution was vital for providing the necessary information for building the ABM.

Any qualifications gained as a result of the project: no formal qualifications gained. During the second year of the project I registered on an MPhil/PhD programme in the Institute of Social Psychology
Subsequent employment: Research Officer on a action research project in the Institute of Social Psychology . Details www.londonmultimedia.org
Time spent on project: 2 years (Oct, 1st 2002 - Aug, 31st 2004)

Name and grade of researcher: Urooj Quezon Amjad:
appointed at SRE 1A.6 progressing to SRE 1A.7
Nationality: American
Date of birth: 10 May 1975
Contribution to the project:

Interviewed and analyzed various management levels_ dynamics in private and public organizations in the following key research areas:complexity, organizational change, political knowledge management, strategy, post-merger integration. Maintained strong relationships with contacts in these organizations to ensure the quality and dissemination of the research. During the project work, I independently contributed to project planning in the forms of methodological design, data gathering and analysis, and writing of academic papers as products of the project. As part of a four-person research team, and peripheries of associates, in our group and the university, I extensively coordinated my work with colleagues from various backgrounds (e.g. management, social psychology, economics, physics). One example of the inter-disciplinary collaboration is the ABM modelling questionnaire. Public presentation of our findings and work in progress were presented to both academic and business audiences, therefore tailoring the work to the needs of particular audiences.

Any qualifications gained as a result of the project: Attended Flash MX website design course at Hoxton Bibliotech, London, approximately from September 2003--January 2004.
Subsequent employment: Continuation of PhD at SOAS.
Time spent on project: 2 yrs and 3 mos. (31 May 2002 -- 31 August 2004)

Slavica Savic
grades are cra 5.6.
Contribution to the project:

Part of my contribution was to maintain strong relationships with contacts in Business and the LSE, to ensure the dissemination of the research findings. I have initiated and explored different ways of communicating and exchanging knowledge within the group and with our supporting community through websites, filming and workshops and seminars. I contributed to the project planning in various forms of team building, ensured and supported delivering of the objectives. I have initiated and chaired the monthly Plan Meetings where we regularly updated on the research outputs and objectives, developing the project’s network and team support. During the last two years worked as a part time Project Manager covering the administrative side of that role.

Subsequent employment: Research Officer at the London Multimedia Lab, Institute of Social Psychology, LSE
Time spent on project: From March 2000 to December 2004.

Mr. Eduardo Castellano.
Industrial Superior Engineer (6 years - I don´t know the equivalent in the UK;
Master in Logistic; PhD Candidate in Complex Systems)
Nationality: Spanish
Date of birth: 25-04-1972
Contribution to the project:
Shell FSTO Case Analysis from the Perspective of the Complexity Sciences and the Exploration-Exploitation Cycle Framework. Linking Complexity and New Organizational Forms & Networks.

Any qualifications gained as a result of the project: No
Subsequent employment: Technological Center Associate Researcher (IKERLAN)
27th JANUARY 2003 - 26th SEPTEMBER 2003

1) Presentations at the LSE:

Castellano, E. 2003. Applying Complexity Principles and the Exploration vs. Exploitation Cycle Framework to the Analysis of FSTO Organizational Dilemmas. LSE Complexity Research Programme Workshop, 18th June. London School of Economics (UK)

Castellano, E. 2003. New Organizational Forms and Networks Literature Review. LSE Complexity Research Programme Working Paper

Castellano, E. 2003. CONNECTIVITY. LSE Complexity Research Programme Workshop, 15th July. London School of Economics (UK)

Castellano, E. 2003. Linking SNA and ABM. LSE Complexity Research Programme Workshop, 3rd April. London School of Economics (UK)

2) Development of a Complexity Research Programme at Mondragón (MCC), named as the Mondragón Complexity Node:

Partners:

LSE: www.lse.ac.uk/complexity
MCC: www.mcc.es
Ikerlan: www.ikerlan.es
MIK: www.mik.es

C-Node Goal:

“This Node works from an action research approach. Therefore, from the academic towards practical perspective, we study how complexity, system thinking and network theory help us to understand, design and manage the dynamic organizational structures, the intra-inter organizational network relationships and their enabling frameworks. And, on the other hand, the Node uses these experiences as case studies, from a practical towards academic perspective, in order to extend these theories due to the feedback from real organizational practices.”

Actions:

Exystence Complexity Seminar that took place in Bilbao, Oct. 2003.
Tittle: “COMPLEXITY AS AN ENABLER OF INTRA AND INTER ORGANIZATIONAL NETWORK DEVELOPMENT”
Exystence: www.complexityscience.org
Presentations: www.lse.ac.uk/complexity

Projects launched jointly:

…already approved

TITTLE: Computational Lab for the Design and Development of Complex Supply Networks
FUNDED BY: Spanish R&D National Council
DURATION: 2004-2007
PARTNERS: CIGIP-UPV, IKERLAN, London School of Economics, Universidad de Barcelona, IIIA-CSIC

…in process of evaluation

TITTLE: Innovative co-evolutionary framework for SMEs to facilitate continuous restructuring
FUNDED BY: European Social Fund – Call VP/2003/021: Innovative Approaches to the Management of Change
DURATION: 2005-2007
PARTNERS: AiZabala, MIK, IKERLAN, London School of Economics, ESTIA, Chambers of Commerce (SP: Navarra, Cantabria, Alava. FR: Baione. Czech Republic)

Ruben Bauer, M.Sc. (until this March) or D.Sc. (from April on).
Nationality: Brazilian
Date of birth: July 24, 1962
Contribution to the project:

Paper "Organizations, Knowledge, Complexity", currently in process of appreciation for publication. Authors: BAUER, Ruben, VALLE, Rogerio, MITLETON-KELLY, Eve. (this paper draws on the SIW case, references to the company being supressed). Abstract: In a recursive progression, this article pursues three themes: the ways in which external and internal complexities are addressed in organizations; the different kinds of knowledge and their relevance to organizations; and the validity of applying, in organizations, concepts originating in what is called complexity theory. It then outlines how to go beyond traditional organization theories, which are directed to resolving or reducing complexity, on an approach that both welcomes and benefits from it.

Any qualifications gained as a result of the project:
The case study of my D.Sc. thesis is the SIW one (references to the company being supressed), therefore it was an important step to my doctorate program.
Subsequent employment: Ministry of Public Administration and Planning, Brazilian Government (from April on).

Co-investigator: Gerard de Zeeuw, Professor at the University of Lincoln (area: research in business and law; since 1994); Professor Emeritus of the University of Amsterdam (area: complex social systems, in particular the mathematical modelling of innovation; since 1973)
Address: University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Faculty of Business and Law, Bridge House, Rm 3212. Private telephone: 01522 738257
Nationality: Dutch
Date of birth: March 11, 1936
Contribution to the project:

Support to data analysis. General methodological information. Theories of interaction and complexity

Publishing activity:

Co-editor (with Nolas, Garcia-Lorenzo and Sell-Trujillo) of a special issue of the World Futures Journal on Complexity and Innovation

Zeeuw, G. de (2004), Self-organisation as quality control in inquiry. Kybernetes, 33-9/10, p. 1411-1418

Knowledge is defined as the result of successful attempts to transfer expected effort in the future to effort spent in the present. The less effort remains to be spent in the future, the more knowledge is exhaustive and complete. It is shown that some efforts remain necessary in the future for accidental reasons, e.g. to correct mistakes, to estimate parameters, to act. Some efforts will also be required for fundamental reasons. They are needed to compensate as and when testing for exhaustiveness proves ineffective. It is argued that the need for such additional effort may be met by starting collectives as a form of pre-containment. Such collectives may include non-ordered experiences. They will maintain themselves by striving to serve as equivalents to knowledge. They help in two ways: they indicate what is needed to create which knowledge. The design of collectives serving as knowledge is linked to second order cybernetics.