Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research

Complex Systems and Decision Making

Works Count: 108978

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Description

This cluster of papers revolves around the application of system dynamics and related methodologies in modeling complex systems, decision making, and sustainability. It covers topics such as soft systems methodology, problem structuring methods, feedback loops, operational research, and group model building.

Keywords

System Dynamics; Soft Systems Methodology; Problem Structuring Methods; Complex Systems; Modeling; Decision Making; Feedback Loops; Sustainability; Operational Research; Group Model Building

The black swan: the impact of the highly improbable

2007-11-01

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Nassim Nicholas Taleb's phenomenal international bestseller The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable shows us how to stop trying to predict everything - and take advantage of uncertainty. … Nassim Nicholas Taleb's phenomenal international bestseller The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable shows us how to stop trying to predict everything - and take advantage of uncertainty. What have the invention of the wheel, Pompeii, the Wall Street Crash, Harry Potter and the internet got in common? Why are all forecasters con-artists? What can Catherine the Great's lovers tell us about probability? Why should you never run for a train or read a newspaper? This book is all about Black Swans: the random events that underlie our lives, from bestsellers to world disasters. Their impact is huge; they're impossible to predict; yet after they happen we always try to rationalize them. Taleb is a bouncy and even exhilarating guide...I came to relish what he said, and even develop a sneaking affection for him as a person. (Will Self, Independent on Sunday). He leaps like some superhero of the mind. (Boyd Tonkin, Independent). Funny, quirky and thought-provoking...confirms his status as a guru for every would-be Damien Hirst, George Soros and aspirant despot. (John Cornwell, Sunday Times). Idiosyncratically brilliant. (Niall Ferguson, Sunday Telegraph). Great fun...brash, stubborn, entertaining, opinionated, curious, cajoling. (Stephen J. Dubner, Co-Author of Freakonomics).

Making knowledge the basis of a dynamic theory of the firm

1996-12-01

J.‐C. Spender

Abstract Knowledge is too problematic a concept to make the task of building a dynamic knowledge‐based theory of the firm easy. We must also distinguish the theory from the resource‐based … Abstract Knowledge is too problematic a concept to make the task of building a dynamic knowledge‐based theory of the firm easy. We must also distinguish the theory from the resource‐based and evolutionary views. The paper begins with a multitype epistemology which admits both the pre‐ and subconscious modes of human knowing and, reframing the concept of the cognizing individual, the collective knowledge of social groups. While both Nelson and Winter, and Nonaka and Takeuchi, successfully sketch theories of the dynamic interactions of these types of organizational knowledge, neither indicates how they are to be contained. Callon and Latour suggest knowledge itself is dynamic and contained within actor networks, so moving us from knowledge as a resource toward knowledge as a process. To simplify this approach, we revisit sociotechnical systems theory, adopt three heuristics from the social constructionist literature, and make a distinction between the systemic and component attributes of the actor network. The result is a very different mode of theorizing, less an objective statement about the nature of firms ‘out there’ than a tool to help managers discover their place in the firm as a dynamic knowledge‐based activity system.

Steps to an Ecology of Mind

1973-06-01

Daniel Foxman , Gregory Bateson

Gregory Bateson was a philosopher, anthropologist, photographer, naturalist, and poet, as well as the husband and collaborator of Margaret Mead. With a new foreword by his daughter Mary Katherine Bateson, … Gregory Bateson was a philosopher, anthropologist, photographer, naturalist, and poet, as well as the husband and collaborator of Margaret Mead. With a new foreword by his daughter Mary Katherine Bateson, this classic anthology of his major work will continue to delight and inform generations of readers. This collection amounts to a retrospective exhibition of a working life...Bateson has come to this position during a career that carried him not only into anthropology, for which he was first trained, but into psychiatry, genetics, and communication theory...He ...examines the nature of the mind, seeing it not as a nebulous something, somehow lodged somewhere in the body of each man, but as a network of interactions relating the individual with his society and his species and with the universe at large.--D. W. Harding, New York Review of Books [Bateson's] view of the world, of science, of culture, and of man is vast and challenging. His efforts at synthesis are tantalizingly and cryptically suggestive...This is a book we should all read and ponder.--Roger Keesing, American Anthropologist Gregory Bateson (1904-1980) was the author of Naven and Mind and Nature.

The Architecture of Complexity

1991-01-01

Herbert A. Simon

The Social Psychology of Groups

1959-01-01

William F. Kenkel , John Thibaut , Harold H. Kelley

This landmark theory of interpersonal relations and group functioning argues that the starting point for understanding social behavior is the analysis of dyadic interdependence. Such an analysis portrays the ways … This landmark theory of interpersonal relations and group functioning argues that the starting point for understanding social behavior is the analysis of dyadic interdependence. Such an analysis portrays the ways in which the separate and joint actions of two persons affect the quality of their lives and the survival of their relationship. The authors focus on patterns of interdependence, and on the assumption that these patterns play an important causal role in the processes, roles, and norms of relationships. This powerful theory has many applications in all the social sciences, including the study of social and moral norms; close-pair relationships; conflicts of interest and cognitive disputes; social orientations; the social evolution of economic prosperity and leadership in groups; and personal relationships.

Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research

2007-08-01

Priscilla Robinson

Organization and Environment: Managing Differentiation and Integration.

1968-06-01

Richard H. Hall , Paul R. Lawrence , Jay W. Lorsch

ADAPTIVE GOVERNANCE OF SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

2005-07-25

Carl Folke , Thomas P. Hahn , Per Olsson +1 more

▪ Abstract We explore the social dimension that enables adaptive ecosystem-based management. The review concentrates on experiences of adaptive governance of social-ecological systems during periods of abrupt change (crisis) and … ▪ Abstract We explore the social dimension that enables adaptive ecosystem-based management. The review concentrates on experiences of adaptive governance of social-ecological systems during periods of abrupt change (crisis) and investigates social sources of renewal and reorganization. Such governance connects individuals, organizations, agencies, and institutions at multiple organizational levels. Key persons provide leadership, trust, vision, meaning, and they help transform management organizations toward a learning environment. Adaptive governance systems often self-organize as social networks with teams and actor groups that draw on various knowledge systems and experiences for the development of a common understanding and policies. The emergence of “bridging organizations” seem to lower the costs of collaboration and conflict resolution, and enabling legislation and governmental policies can support self-organization while framing creativity for adaptive comanagement efforts. A resilient social-ecological system may make use of crisis as an opportunity to transform into a more desired state.

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Organizations in Action: Social Science Bases of Administrative Theory.

1968-02-01

Stanley H. Udy , James D. Thompson

Organizations act, but what determines how and when they will act? There is precedent for believing that the organization is but an extension of one or a few people, but … Organizations act, but what determines how and when they will act? There is precedent for believing that the organization is but an extension of one or a few people, but this is a deceptively simplified approach, and in reality makes any generalization in organizational theory enormously difficult. Modern-day organizations - manufacturing firms, hospitals, schools, armies, community agencies - are extremely complex in nature, and several strategies, employing a variety of disciplines, are needed to gain a proper understanding of them. Organizations in Action is a classic multidisciplinary study of the behavior of complex organizations as entities. Previous books on the subject focused on the behavior of people in organizational contexts, but this volume considers individual behavior only to the extent that it helps explain the nature of organizations. James D. Thompson offers 95 distinct propositions about the behavior of organizations, all relevant regardless of the culture in which they are found. He classifies organizations according to their technologies and environments, and the theme that organizations must meet and handle uncertainty is central to the book's thesis. Organizations in Action is firmly grounded in concepts and theories in the social and behavioral sciences. While it does not seek to offer an actual theory of administration, the book successfully extends the scientific base upon which any emerging administrative theory must rest. This classic work is of continuing value to organizational and management specialists, behavioral scientists, sociologists, administrators, and policymakers.

On the Self-Regulation of Behavior

2000-03-01

Bradley R. Entner Wright , Charles S. Carver , Michael F. Scheier

1. Introduction and plan 2. Principles of feedback control 3. Discrepancy reducing feedback processes in behavior 4. Discrepancy enlarging loops, and three further issues 5. Goals and behavior 6. Goals, … 1. Introduction and plan 2. Principles of feedback control 3. Discrepancy reducing feedback processes in behavior 4. Discrepancy enlarging loops, and three further issues 5. Goals and behavior 6. Goals, hierarchicality, and behavior: further issues 7. Public and private aspects of the self 8. Control processes and affect 9. Affect: issues and comparisons 10. Expectancies and disengagement 11. Disengagement: issues and comparisons 12. Applications to problems in living 13. Hierarchicality and problems in living 14. Chaos and dynamic systems 15. Catastrophe theory 16. Further applications to problems in living 17. Is behavior controlled or does it emerge? 18. Goal engagement, life and death.

Decisions with Multiple Objectives: Preferences and Value Tradeoffs.

1994-09-01

Ralph L. Keeney , Howard Raiffa , David W. Rajala

The Adaptive Decision Maker.

1994-07-01

Charles Leave , John W. Payne , James R. Bettman +1 more

SAGE Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social & Behavioral Research

2010-01-01

Abbas Tashakkori , Charles Teddlie

Part 1 The Research Enterprise in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: Then and Now Ch 1 Major Issues and Controversies in the Use of Methods in the Social and Behavioral … Part 1 The Research Enterprise in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: Then and Now Ch 1 Major Issues and Controversies in the Use of Methods in the Social and Behavioral Sciences - Charles Teddlie, Abbas Tashakkori Ch 2 Pragmatic Threads in Methods Research in the Social Sciences: The Search for Multiple Modes of Inquiry and the End of the Philosophy of Formalism - Spencer Maxey Ch 3 Making Parardigmatic Sense of Mixed-Method Practice - Jennifer Greene, Valerie Caracelli Ch 4 Cultural Distance, Levels of Abstraction and the Advantages of Methods - Fathali M. Moghaddam, Ben Walker, Rom Harre Ch 5 Methods and the Politics of Human Research: The Transformational and Emancipatory Perspective - Donna Mertens Part 2 and Analytical Issues for Methods Research Ch 6 A Typology of Research Purposes and its Relationship to Methods - Isadore Newman, Carolyn S. Ridenour, Carole Newman, George M. DeMarco, Jr. Ch 7 Principles of Mixed-and Multi-Method Research Design - Janice Morse Ch 8 Advanced Methods Research Design - John Creswell, Michelle Guttman, Vicki Plano-Clark Ch 9 Methods Design: An Alternative Approach - Joseph A. Maxwell, Diane Loomis Ch 10 Method Sampling Strategies in Social Science Research - Elizabeth Kemper, Sam Stringfield, Charles Teddlie Ch 11 Data Collection Strategies in Methods Research - R. Burke Johnson, Lisa A. Turner Ch 12 Tables or Tableaux? The Challenges of Writing and Reading Methods Studies - Margarete Sandelowski Ch 13 A Framework for Analyzing Data in Methods Research - Anthony Onwueghbuzie, Charles Teddlie Ch 14 Computerized Data Analysis for Methods Research - Patricia Bazeley Ch 15 Impact of Methods and Design on Inference Quality - Steven Miller Ch 16 Making Inferences in Methods: The Rules of Integration - Christian Erzberger, Udo Kelle Part 3 Applications and Examples of Methods Research Across Disciplines Ch 17 Methods in Evaluation Contexts: A Pragmatic Framework - Sharon F. Rallis, Gretchen B. Rossman Ch 18 Research Methods in Management and Organizational Research: Toward Integration of Qualitative and Quantitative Techniques - Steven C. Curall, Annette J. Towler Ch 19 The Status of Methods in the Health Sciences - Melinda S. Forthofer Ch 20 Status of Methods Research in Nursing - Sheila Twinn Ch 21 Methods in Psychological Research - Cindy Waszack, Marylyn C. Sines Ch 22 Multimethod Research in Sociology - Albert Hunter, John Brewer Ch 23 The Pragmatic and Dialectical Lenses: Two Views of Methods' Use in Education - Tonette S. Rocco, Linda A. Bliss, Suzanne Gallagher, Aixa Perez-Prado, Cengiz Alacaci, Eric S. Dwyer, Joyce C. Fine, N.Eleni Pappamihiel Part 4 Conclusions and Future Directions Ch 24 Teaching Methods Research:Practices, Dilemmas and Challenges - John W. Creswell, Abbas Tashakkori, Ken Jensen, Kathy Shapley Ch 25 Collaborative Mixed-Method Research - Lyn M. Shulha and Robert J. Wilson Ch 26 The Past and the Future of Methods Research: From Methodological Triangulation to Mixed Model Designs - Abbas Tashakkori, Charles Teddlie

Sensemaking in Organizations

1996-10-01

Dennis A. Gioia , Ajay Mehra , Karl E. Weick

The Nature of Sensemaking Seven Properties of Sensemaking Sensemaking in Organizations Occasions for Sensemaking The Substance of Sensemaking Belief-Driven Processes of Sensemaking Action-Driven Processes of Sensemaking The Future of Sensemaking The Nature of Sensemaking Seven Properties of Sensemaking Sensemaking in Organizations Occasions for Sensemaking The Substance of Sensemaking Belief-Driven Processes of Sensemaking Action-Driven Processes of Sensemaking The Future of Sensemaking

The Structure of "Unstructured" Decision Processes

1976-06-01

Henry Mintzberg , Duru Raisinghani , Andre Theoret

Plans and the structure of behavior.

1960-01-01

George A. Miller , Eugene Galanter , Karl H. Pribram

Most psychologists take it for granted that a scientific account of the behavior of organisms must begin with the definition of fixed, recognizable, elementary units of behavior—something a psychologist can … Most psychologists take it for granted that a scientific account of the behavior of organisms must begin with the definition of fixed, recognizable, elementary units of behavior—something a psychologist can use as a biologist uses cells, or an astronomer uses stars, or a physicist uses atoms, and so on. Given a simple unit, complicated phenomena are then describable as lawful compounds. That is the essence of the highly successful strategy called “scientific analysis.”

Risk, Ambiguity, and the Savage Axioms

1961-11-01

Daniel Ellsberg

I. Are there uncertainties that are not risks? 643. — II. Uncertainties that are not risks, 647. — III. Why are some uncertainties not risks? — 656. I. Are there uncertainties that are not risks? 643. — II. Uncertainties that are not risks, 647. — III. Why are some uncertainties not risks? — 656.

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Threat Rigidity Effects in Organizational Behavior: A Multilevel Analysis

1981-12-01

Barry M. Staw , Lance E. Sandelands , Jane E. Dutton

The authors wish to thank Jeanne Brett, Larry Cummings, Joanne Martin, J. P. Miller, and the anonymousASQ reviewers for their insightful comments on an earlier version of this paper. This … The authors wish to thank Jeanne Brett, Larry Cummings, Joanne Martin, J. P. Miller, and the anonymousASQ reviewers for their insightful comments on an earlier version of this paper. This paper explores the case for a general threat-rigidity effect in individual, group, and organizational behavior. Evidence from multiple levels of analysis is summarized, showing a restriction in information processing and constriction of control under threat conditions. Possible mechanisms underlying such a multiple-level effect are explored, as are its possible functional and dysfunctional consequences.

The Art of Continuous Change: Linking Complexity Theory and Time-Paced Evolution in Relentlessly Shifting Organizations

1997-03-01

Shona L. Brown , Kathleen M. Eisenhardt

Organizational Learning: A Theory of Action Perspective

1997-01-01

Ch. Argyris , Donald A. Schön

«... Intervenir es entrar en un conjunto de relaciones en desarrollo con el proposito de ser util. El tipo de ayuda en el que nos vamos a centrar consiste en … «... Intervenir es entrar en un conjunto de relaciones en desarrollo con el proposito de ser util. El tipo de ayuda en el que nos vamos a centrar consiste en aumentar la capacidad para una buena dialectica organizativa —es decir, la capacidad de indagacion organizativa para encajar errores, incongruencias e incompatibilidades en una teoria organizativa de la accion la cual necesariamente emerge a medida que el sistema organizativo/ambiental cambia» (p. 158). «... Nuestra actividad en la intervencion debe por tanto ocuparse de tres propositos. Estos son: 1) ayudar al cliente a ser consciente y a descongelar sus teorias al uso del Modelo I y sistemas de aprendizaje O-I, y 2) educar al cliente a usar el Modelo II y a crear sistemas de aprendizaje O-II, para 3) usar este nuevo conocimiento con el fin de lograr una buena dialectica organizativa. Llamamos a la actividad de intervencion que incluye las tres intenciones una intervencion extensa» (p. 166).

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Toward a Model of Organizations as Interpretation Systems

1984-04-01

Richard L. Daft , Karl E. Weick

A comparative model of organizations as interpretation systems is proposed. The model describes four interpretation modes: enacting, discovering, undirected viewing, and conditioned viewing. Each mode is determined by (1) management's … A comparative model of organizations as interpretation systems is proposed. The model describes four interpretation modes: enacting, discovering, undirected viewing, and conditioned viewing. Each mode is determined by (1) management's beliefs about the environment and (2) organizational intrusiveness. Interpretation modes are hypothesized to be associated with organizational differences in environmental scanning, equivocality reduction, strategy, and decision making.

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General System Theory: Foundations, Development, Applications

1977-01-01

Ernest Edmonds , Ludwig von Bertalanffy

Ludwig von Bertalanffy's theory of laws is applicable to virtually every scientific field. This conceptual approach has had a profound impact on biology, economics, psychology, and demography, with new relevancies … Ludwig von Bertalanffy's theory of laws is applicable to virtually every scientific field. This conceptual approach has had a profound impact on biology, economics, psychology, and demography, with new relevancies today. Gathered here are Ludwig von Bertalanffy's writings on general system theory, selected and edited to show the evolution of systems theory and to present its applications to problem-solving. The new foreword by University of Vienna system theory professor, Wolfgang Hofkirchner, and Centre for Systems Philosophy director, David Rousseau, discusses the theory s contemporary applications.

Resilience Thinking: Integrating Resilience, Adaptability and Transformability

2010-01-01

Carl Folke , Stephen R. Carpenter , Brian Walker +3 more

Folke, C., S. R. Carpenter, B. Walker, M. Scheffer, T. Chapin, and J. Rockström. 2010. Resilience thinking: integrating resilience, adaptability and transformability. Ecology and Society 15(4): 20. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-03610-150420 Folke, C., S. R. Carpenter, B. Walker, M. Scheffer, T. Chapin, and J. Rockström. 2010. Resilience thinking: integrating resilience, adaptability and transformability. Ecology and Society 15(4): 20. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-03610-150420

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A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation

1994-02-01

Ikujiro Nonaka

This paper proposes a paradigm for managing the dynamic aspects of organizational knowledge creating processes. Its central theme is that organizational knowledge is created through a continuous dialogue between tacit … This paper proposes a paradigm for managing the dynamic aspects of organizational knowledge creating processes. Its central theme is that organizational knowledge is created through a continuous dialogue between tacit and explicit knowledge. The nature of this dialogue is examined and four patterns of interaction involving tacit and explicit knowledge are identified. It is argued that while new knowledge is developed by individuals, organizations play a critical role in articulating and amplifying that knowledge. A theoretical framework is developed which provides an analytical perspective on the constituent dimensions of knowledge creation. This framework is then applied in two operational models for facilitating the dynamic creation of appropriate organizational knowledge.

The Social Psychology of Organizations.

1979-09-01

J. Richard Hackman , Daniel Katz , Robert L. Kahn

Handbook of Metaheuristics

2003-01-01

Fred Glover , Gary Kochenberger

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Foundations of social theory

1990-07-01

Suggests a new approach to describing both stability and change in social systems by linking the behavior of individuals to organizational behavior. Suggests a new approach to describing both stability and change in social systems by linking the behavior of individuals to organizational behavior.

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Science and Human Behavior.

1954-01-01

Percival M. Symonds

Plans and the Structure of Behavior

1960-10-01

Roger Brown , George A. Miller , Eugene Galanter +1 more

The Evolution of Cooperation.

1984-12-01

Terry Connolly , Robert Axelrod

Research in Organizational Behavior

1984-07-01

Eliot R. Hammer , L. L. Cummings , Barry M. Staw

Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute

2019-01-01

Axel M. Gressner , Torsten Arndt

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

1963-04-01

Marie Boas Hall , Thomas Kühn

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

1963-07-01

Thomas Kühn , David Hawkins

First Page First Page

Building Theories from Case Study Research

1989-10-01

Kathleen M. Eisenhardt

Describes the process of building theories from case studies and examines the strengths and weaknesses of this process. The case study research strategy is one in which the goal is … Describes the process of building theories from case studies and examines the strengths and weaknesses of this process. The case study research strategy is one in which the goal is to understand the dynamics present within an individual environment. The steps identified for building theory include selecting cases, crafting instruments and protocols, entering the field, analyzing data, shaping hypotheses, enfolding literature, and reaching closure. This process is highly iterative and closely tied to the empirical data. Using case studies to build theory has several advantages. First, it is likely to generate novel theory. Additionally, the theories generated are more likely to be built on constructs that are measurable, and these theories are likely to be empirically valid. On the other hand, this approach has weaknesses which include theories that are overly complex or narrow and idiosyncratic. This approach is best used in situations where one does not want to rely on previous literature or prior empirical evidence. The theories generated from this approach must be grounded in convincing evidence and should present novel ideas which meet the requirements of good theory. (SRD)

Culture's Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values.

1983-03-01

Carmi Schooler , Geert Hofstede

Culture influences both individual behavior and how businesses operate. Those working in both the business and policy arenas must understand other cultures and avoid ethnocentrism. Culture is defined as the … Culture influences both individual behavior and how businesses operate. Those working in both the business and policy arenas must understand other cultures and avoid ethnocentrism. Culture is defined as the collective programming of the mind; in the modern context it exists within national borders. Using data from surveys of employees in 40 countries at the HERMES Corporation in 1968 and 1972, four categories of cultural difference become clear and useful: power distance; uncertainty avoidance individualism; and masculinity. These categories are then correlated not only with one another, but with other available data. Sex differentiation is the final dimension of cultural difference in this analysis. These four dimensions of national culture describe the human condition. Some of them correlate with one another. Analyzing the correlations between the various indices allows the clustering of these 40 countries with similar statistics into 8 groups: More and Less Developed Latin and Asian, Near-Eastern, Germanic, Anglo and Nordic. Because the HERMES data was collected at two different points, 1968 and 1972, it can show change over time. While scientific discoveries can effect cultural change, not every culture will become increasingly similar. Different cultures will follow different trends, though some trends will be global. There was a worldwide decrease in desired power difference and in elevations of stress and both the Individualism Index (IDV) and Masculinity Index (MAS) grew during this period. Speculation on long term trends is provided, suggesting that the IDV will rise and the Power Distance Index norm will fall as long as national wealth increases; the Uncertainty Avoidance Index will fluctuate as people age, and MAS will remain constant as time passes. Organizations are bound by the cultures that created them, with consequences for cultural relativity for a number of areas: motivation; leadership; decision-making; planning and control; organization design; development; humanization of work; industrial democracy; company ownership and control; and the reaction of the local environment to the organization. Possible training strategies for multi-national and multi-cultural corporations are included and the Values Survey Module is introduced, shortening and improving upon the original HERMES survey in the hope that research on cultural difference will continue. (RAS)

Research in Organizational Behavior

2020-01-01

Jennifer A. Chatman , Laura J. Kray

Systems thinking, systems practice

1982-12-01

A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance

1957-06-01

Léon Festinger

Leon Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance has been widely recognized for its important and influential concepts in areas of motivation and social psychology. The theory of dissonance is here applied … Leon Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance has been widely recognized for its important and influential concepts in areas of motivation and social psychology. The theory of dissonance is here applied to the problem of why partial reward, delay of reward , and effort expenditure during training result in increased resistance to extinction. The author contends that a state of impasse exists within learning theory largely because some of its major assumptions stand in apparent opposition to cetain well-established experimental results. The book puts forward a new theory that seems to reconcile these data and assumptions. This new theory can account for data with which other theories have difficulty: it integrates empirical phenomena that have been regarded as unrelated, and it is supported by the results of experiments designed specifically to test its implications. These experiments are fully described in the text.

DEXi Suite: DEXi decision modelling software

2025-06-25

Marko Bohanec | SoftwareX

Leading and teaching in the Anthropocene: a shift in perspective

2025-06-24

| Recruiting & Retaining Adult Learners

An essay on teaching in the Anthropocene, “School Leadership in the Anthropocene: Four Pillars of an Intelligent, Humane Response,” published in The Educational Forum , offers a new perspective and … An essay on teaching in the Anthropocene, “School Leadership in the Anthropocene: Four Pillars of an Intelligent, Humane Response,” published in The Educational Forum , offers a new perspective and insights on instructional methodologies in this critical era. In the face of the current environmental crisis, authors David Godfrey, Rupert Hingham, and Monica Mincu “present a framework for leadership in the Anthropocene that recognizes the urgency of our challenges, the fallibility of our knowledge and the uncertainty of the consequences of our actions in an unstable climate.”

How Sustainability Is Core for Human Resource Management? A Conceptual Frame Work

2025-06-24

Ashok Sengupta | Journal of Informatics Education and Research

These days, industries are becoming more aware of the significance of social, ethical, and environmental goals. In count to financial gain, organizations are focused on the performance with development of … These days, industries are becoming more aware of the significance of social, ethical, and environmental goals. In count to financial gain, organizations are focused on the performance with development of individuals, communities, and the environment. Sustainable Human Resource Management (SHRM) is a discipline that supports "green" businesses. The adoption of new ecological practices by the organization's human capital and the incorporation of cutting-edge sustainable strategies are how the “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “are attained. They outline a pattern of planned or newly developed HR strategies and practices meant to sustenance the achievement of economic, social, and environmental objectives while also long-term reproducing the HR basis. They concentrate mostly on manufacturing and sizable service enterprises. The number of workspaces requiring a high level of complexity will rise as a effect of the ongoing automation of simple production processes, necessitating a high level of staff education. In order to address the problems presented by Industry 4.0, this article intends to present the development of a competency model and demonstrates a strategy for how businesses and human resource management might use it. We will also provide an outline of the difficulties and chances that will affect the expansion of human resource management

Management as a System: Providing C‐Suite Skills to Engineering Undergraduates

2025-06-24

J. Pedro Mendes | Systems Engineering

ABSTRACT Many technology companies have faced setbacks as engineers ceded decision‐making roles to managers. While managers often attribute these setbacks to technological change rather than to flawed organizational policies, engineering … ABSTRACT Many technology companies have faced setbacks as engineers ceded decision‐making roles to managers. While managers often attribute these setbacks to technological change rather than to flawed organizational policies, engineering professionals advocate for the inclusion of management content in undergraduate programs. However, the traditional business school approach—sequencing loosely connected topics—often fails to engage technically inclined students. Furthermore, despite incorporating management insights, System Dynamics simulation alone is insufficient to address policy design and execution. To help bridge this knowledge gap, the systems engineering approach was used to design an undergraduate management course from first principles. The course specifications integrate modeling and hands‐on lab practice through an interactive workbench. A closed‐form questionnaire intended to verify these specifications revealed strong student interest and engagement. The course structure frames topics from an information feedback perspective within a continuous management process. Pilot runs with students across different academic years and programs validated the course's applicability. Finally, although the weekly assessments tied to the workbench demanded more consistent effort compared to traditional exams, a decline in overall performance was not observed. This course represents a foundational step toward incorporating policy design and execution into engineering education, though it does not yet constitute a complete program.

EXPRESS: Complexity as a Domain between Order and Chaos: Implications for Organizational Scholarship

2025-06-24

Juha Uotila , Kevin Morrell | Strategic Organization

Organizations are grappling with increasingly complex challenges, including those stemming from technological disruptions, geopolitical uncertainty, and climate change. Despite the increasing acknowledgement of the complexity inherent in many organizational problems, … Organizations are grappling with increasingly complex challenges, including those stemming from technological disruptions, geopolitical uncertainty, and climate change. Despite the increasing acknowledgement of the complexity inherent in many organizational problems, complexity theory has had limited impact on mainstream management scholarship. Synthesizing contemporary complexity literature, we conceptualize complexity as a systemic property of a certain – and, we argue, rather broad – domain of organizational problems, and complexity theory as a theory of change in such organizational contexts. This view of complexity implies that complexity theory has important implications to organizational scholarship at large, indicates limitations of using conventional scientific methods, and suggests that the credibility and replication crises in many branches of organizational research may not be treatable simply by better statistical designs. Instead, methodological choices in complex organizational domains should take account of the properties of non-linearity and emergence, and organizational scholars should embrace complexity theory not only as an explanatory framework but also to inform research design.

Correction to “Transformation Management and Sustainability Performance: On the Importance of the Enabling and Controlling Uses of Management Control Systems”

2025-06-24

| Sustainable Development

Coherence, continuity, and comprehensiveness in shaping leadership development systems in Swedish companies

2025-06-23

Gunilla Avby , Ingela Bergmo-Prvulovic , Annika Engström +1 more | Leadership

This study explores the relationship between organizational leadership identity, defined as “who we are” and “what we value related to leadership”, and leadership development practices in five Swedish companies. Through … This study explores the relationship between organizational leadership identity, defined as “who we are” and “what we value related to leadership”, and leadership development practices in five Swedish companies. Through the analysis of their narratives, the study reveals five distinct organizational leadership identities, ranging from individual leadership excellence to collaborative self-leadership. These identities significantly influence the shaping of a leadership development system (LDS) in practice. The study highlights three critical aspects— coherence , continuity , and comprehensiveness —that define the interdependency between leadership identity and an LDS. A closer linkage creates high interdependency, resulting in a stronger and more effective system, while weaker linkages reduce this interdependency and its potential to support organizational objectives and manage change. This research challenges traditional, linear models of leadership development, emphasizing the interaction and interconnectedness of practices within an organized “place”. This place serves as a site of integration, activation, and interconnection between people, things, and experiences. By integrating concepts of organizational identity, historical context, and values, the study provides a more holistic theoretical framework for understanding how effective leadership is developed within organizations.

Integrating the theory of planned behavior in agent-based models: A systematic review of applications of pro-environmental behaviors

2025-06-21

Mahdi Taraghi , Landon Yoder | Ecological Modelling

Navigating power dynamics in the public sector through AI-driven algorithmic decision-making

2025-06-20

Kamran Mahroof , Vishanth Weerakkody , Zahid Hussain +1 more | Government Information Quarterly

The Impacts Of Organizational Dynamics On Organizational Change: Does Leadership Behavior Act As An Enhancer Here?

2025-06-19

Arunkumar Sivakumar Sonal Shukla | European Economic Letters (EEL)

Building on framework of leadership theories and change models, the present study examines change leadership behavior as a moderator in the relationships between key predictors and change management success as … Building on framework of leadership theories and change models, the present study examines change leadership behavior as a moderator in the relationships between key predictors and change management success as an outcome. Author aims to explore the conditional effect of leadership behavior to analyze whether changes in leadership behavior influence the path relationship between the predictors and outcome variables. Moreover, this study examines under what conditions these changes affect strength of path relationships. A mixed sampling approach was applied to meet the objective of our research because single sampling technique is insufficient to meet our research criteria. An empirical Analyses was performed using SPSS AMOS using data from 423 U.S. employees in IT organizations. The study explores how leadership behavior influences the strength of these relationships. Structural equation model (SEM) and confirmatory factor Analyses (CFA) was applied to test and verified proposed model.

Exploring sustainable development scenarios using collective intelligence and system dynamics modelling: The lithium exploitation case

2025-06-19

Diego Martín Luzuriaga | Ciencias administrativas

Lithium-ion batteries play a pivotal role in renewable energy, powering a multitude of rechargeable devices. The transition to renewable sources amplifies the demand for lithium, providing advantages for nations with … Lithium-ion batteries play a pivotal role in renewable energy, powering a multitude of rechargeable devices. The transition to renewable sources amplifies the demand for lithium, providing advantages for nations with reserves but also posing potential risks to soil and water resources. Previous research has predominantly concentrated on distinct dimensions like social acceptance, water sustainability, and economic development. Limited attention has been given to an integrated analysis encompassing both the holistic and individual aspects simultaneously. We applied collective intelligence experiments and the system dynamics methodology to uncover the dynamic complexity of this issue and to reveal the relationship between variables and their interactions as they unfold over time. Our research suggests that, although there is some room for sustainable utilization, the risks for stakeholders exhibit clear asymmetry. While economic gains appear stable across various scenarios, the local community's susceptibility becomes notably fragile due to excessive water exploitation.

Developing optimization models with cognitive systems engineering

2025-06-18

Tyler C. O’Brien , Emily L. Tucker , Steven Foster +1 more | Journal of the Operational Research Society

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Exploring Research Methodology and Research Design

2025-06-18

Sokomba Hannah Effiong | International Journal of Business Analytics

This book review examines Exploring Research Methodology and Research Design: Doing Research Across the Business Disciplines, edited by Peter John Sandiford and Sabine Schührer. The book is a reflective and … This book review examines Exploring Research Methodology and Research Design: Doing Research Across the Business Disciplines, edited by Peter John Sandiford and Sabine Schührer. The book is a reflective and practice-based resource for researchers navigating the complexities of methodology and design in business disciplines. It is structured in three parts: foundational perspectives on research, considerations in design and planning, and the realities of conducting research. Through diverse voices and case-based insights, the text challenges linear, formulaic approaches to research and instead promotes critical engagement, methodological flexibility, and reflexivity. The book equips doctoral students and early-career researchers with tools for thoughtful and context-sensitive research practice by addressing philosophical, ethical, and social dimensions.

An Evaluation of Change Management Practices in Public Service Organisations Resulting from a Merger: A Case Study of the Forestry Commission of Ghana

2025-06-18

Maxwell Dela Yao Gakpo , Joseph Osiakwan | Journal of Economics Finance and Management Studies

The Forestry Commission is the body responsible for the sustainable utilisation, conservation and management of forest and wildlife resources in Ghana. The Commission was created by the merger of the … The Forestry Commission is the body responsible for the sustainable utilisation, conservation and management of forest and wildlife resources in Ghana. The Commission was created by the merger of the Forestry Department, the Game and Wildlife Department and the Timber Export Development Board / Forest Products Inspection Bureau. Often, corporate institutions struggle to embrace organisational change, particularly mergers. Also, mergers, when not managed, may cause a breakdown in communication, which in turn disrupts management and performance. Hence, this study evaluates change management resulting from the merger of independent institutions to create the Forestry Commission through a phenomenological research approach. Nine participants were purposively selected and interviewed to generate data to answer the research questions of the study. The findings revealed that cost reduction, organisational efficiency and effectiveness, overcoming challenges, policy alignment, and political considerations were the main rationale underpinning the merger of the state institutions into the Forestry Commission. Also, the results indicated that employee and external stakeholder resistance, cultural clashes, poor communication and cultural integration were serious challenges encountered before, during and after the merger. Moreover, the study revealed that employee and stakeholder engagement, performance, enhanced service provision, and achieving strategic objectives were crucial strategies that were adopted to ensure the successful merger of the agencies. Furthermore, robust planning, managing organisational change and cultural diversity, building capacity, and anticipating and addressing challenges proactively were key change management factors that were learned from the process. The study concludes that prudent change management is essential in supervising organisational mergers. The study recommends that organisational change through a merger should be made transparent to all stakeholders of the various public sector agencies being merged.

Conducting Research in International Business Through a Complex Adaptive Systems Lens

2025-06-18

Sokol Celo , Mark Lehrer | Management International Review

Understanding Uncertainty

2025-06-18

M. I. McMahon , Michael McMahon , Ryan Rholes +1 more | AEA Randomized Controlled Trials

Understanding Uncertainty

2025-06-18

M. I. McMahon , Michael McMahon , Ryan Rholes +1 more | AEA Randomized Controlled Trials

Understanding Uncertainty

2025-06-18

Michael McMahon , Peter Rickards , Michael McMahon +2 more | AEA Randomized Controlled Trials

From Business Ecosystems to Firm Physiology: The Strategy– Technology– Management Evolutionary Synthesis

2025-06-17

Charis Vlados , Dimos Chatzinikolaou | The Journal of Entrepreneurship

This research explores the integration of biological typologies into evolutionary economics, emphasising the ‘physiology’ of firms within business ecosystems. Using the Strategy–Technology–Management (Stra.Tech.Man) framework, firms are categorised as ‘living entities’ … This research explores the integration of biological typologies into evolutionary economics, emphasising the ‘physiology’ of firms within business ecosystems. Using the Strategy–Technology–Management (Stra.Tech.Man) framework, firms are categorised as ‘living entities’ with distinct physiological traits in strategy, technology and management—as independent analytical organic spheres. Although the application of evolutionary thinking to socio-economic sciences is not unprecedented, this study offers a novel approach that emphasises evolutionary micro-foundations. The intention is to advance the discourse in evolutionary microeconomic theory concerning firms, veering away from the conventional neoclassical model and placing importance on the inherent dynamism of business operations. These findings provide contemporary organisational science with enriched analytical aspects, highlighting the adaptive nature of firms within the larger ecosystem. This physiological lens also offers a concrete and evolutionary micro-level theoretical mechanism that explains why identical ecosystem-level policies often generate heterogeneous firm-level outcomes.

Interdisciplinarity opens new frontiers for decision science

2025-06-17

Sarah Vahed | Nature Reviews Psychology

Leader change visions: Steering collective movement in times of turbulence

2025-06-17

Jill Waymire Paine , Sara B. Soderstrom | Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks

Organizational ambidexterity clearly trumps top leadership, and certainly so in turbulent times

2025-06-17

A. van Witteloostuijn | Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks

Strategic leader interfaces and power (im)balance in turbulent times

2025-06-17

Sarosh Asad | Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks

Beyond Linear Thinking: Investigating Business-IT Alignment through Complexity Science

2025-06-17

Fabrizio Amarilli | European Conference on Research Methodology for Business and Management Studies

Complexity science offers a powerful perspective for studying process theory in Information Systems (IS). Process theory explores how events, actions, and interactions evolve over time. Although complexity science is well-established … Complexity science offers a powerful perspective for studying process theory in Information Systems (IS). Process theory explores how events, actions, and interactions evolve over time. Although complexity science is well-established in other fields, its use in IS research remains limited. In this study, we apply complexity-based methods, particularly mathematical modelling, to deepen our understanding of IS processes. We focus on business-IT alignment as a case example. By building and analysing a dynamic model, we show that alignment follows complex, nonlinear patterns, such as feedback loops, tipping points, and oscillations, that traditional research methods often miss. Our findings highlight how system dynamics and complexity science can reveal hidden structures in IS processes and provide new tools for researchers.

Navigating the Complexities

2025-06-16

S.K. Agarwal , Naman Agarwal , Himanshu Agarwal +1 more | Chapman and Hall/CRC eBooks

Procedural Decision-Making in Response to Complexity -- Fixing Approaches

2025-06-16

Kirby Nielsen , Gonzalo Arrieta | AEA Randomized Controlled Trials

Exploring paths toward enabling transitions: Systems thinking‐based approach and its application to shifts toward sustainable circulation of materials in transportation infrastructure

2025-06-16

Sara Malmgren , Rajib Sinha | Journal of Industrial Ecology

Abstract Operationalizing sustainability transitions is associated with, for example, complexity‐related challenges. This article describes an approach designed to facilitate handling such challenges, including compilation of the different perspectives of actors … Abstract Operationalizing sustainability transitions is associated with, for example, complexity‐related challenges. This article describes an approach designed to facilitate handling such challenges, including compilation of the different perspectives of actors and facilitating analysis of interactions between interventions, in a manner suitable for integration of results in policy development contexts. Building on systems thinking and understanding of transitions, it is designed to support dialogue on (i) problems motivating policy interventions to enable a desired shift, (ii) priority areas for interventions, (iii) possible paths toward enabling transitions including interactions between priority areas for interventions, as well as (iv) chains of reasoning for policy interventions. The approach was piloted to explore how shifts toward sustainable circulation of materials in Swedish transportation infrastructure could be enabled. Semi‐structured interviews were used to collect actors’ assumptions on system failures as well as drivers and possible interventions, supported by the system failures framework of Weber and Rohracher. Seven priority areas for interventions were suggested. A causal loop diagram as well as a simplified version here referred to as “transition logics” were then prepared and used to explore paths toward enabling the desired shift, including possible near‐term priorities considering interactions between suggested priority areas for interventions. The causal loop diagram was also used as a basis to develop a chain of reasoning for policy interventions. Results shall be seen as a basis for further dialogue and analysis. Finally, possibilities for further development of the approach are also discussed.