coordination theory

Over the last few years, management gurus Malone, Hagel, and now Hamel have published books on innovative management and new technologies - social network tools and community software applications. Here's a taste of what Gary Hamel has to say...

"Innovative management: A conversation with Gary Hamel, from Mckinsey quarterly (reg req).

"Complexity theory is new and largely untested in this area but there are some fascinating and powerful techniques (open space, tipping points, narrative and storytelling, probe/sense/respond, conversations, appreciative inquiry, empowered autopoiesis, collaboration, mindmapping and concept mapping, passion bounded by responsibility, the gift/generosity/support economy, pattern recognition, improv, the wisdom of crowds and the four practices, that seem well-suited to support a complex adaptive system '

Follow me here for my understanding of what this flat world business is about, and what we can do about it as individuals, employees, business founders, owners, stakeholders, and as managers.

Doc Searls has a provocative post, the "Long Tail" about his interview with Tom Friedman, author of The Flat World and the subsequent discussion with other bloggers about the ideas Mr. Friedman puts forth in his new book. Not many people can ignite such passion in people like Doc. Julie Leung, "Thanks to Doc Searls, I burned the soup..but it was worth it" Check it out:

"Later last night, while the pan was soaking and the kids were sleeping, I returned to read Getting Flat, Part 2 from Linux Journal. Doc's piece, with references to works by Thomas Friedman and John Taylor Gatto hit me with its truth immediately, in a way that soaks into the soul. Although I had other duties that needed to get done last night, I wanted to post on it ASAP. While I sorted through piles of papers and evaluated bills, Doc's words continued to cook in my mind..."

Ideas are exploding in the blogosphere around Friedman's, Doc's, Dan Gillmor's, Dave Pollard's, et al. Hugh, from gapingvoid has opened a pandora's box with his post on "Culture and Technology", which lead to this "new gapingvoid rule", and "What level of transparency can a company live with?" and now "more hamish". He is all over the place, but drives home several good points that jibe with the ideas in Friedman's book, Doc's discussion, as well as what we are trying to accomplish at Advancing Insights with Ideascape.