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Rating: 
Summary: A funeral parlor read -- the patient has died.
Review: 20000531: I have to warn people away from this book, or at least suggest that it be read at a page-a-second clip. What's wrong with it? It's simply analysis that is so process conscious that all it's good for, after painful mastery, in my opinion, is to critique events or "systems" after the fact-if ever! I can see all the fresh bureaucrats now, gathered around their impressive conference tables, watching with barely flinching expressions as bespecktacled "Floodites" make the case for "A" using analyses "A - Z" and sub-positories (sic) "a - z" using an endless succession of highly intelligent flowing diagrams -- a virtual "flood" of absolutely stunning (literally) and pointless DATA, that is intended to let you, eventually, "wall-off," and decide what to "embrase," and group hug the "97 architypes." Perhaps this all sounds good in the quarterly. Flood can't be too sure because there's a lot more stuff by author's "a - Z," and that's just for 1994. But relax -- it's all about "systemic thinking." "Systemic thinking is at the core." So it's -- "systemic." I hate to trash a good man but I would prefer a massage and a tape of wooded sounds. Actually what the professor is describing is what a consciously balanced human brain is supposed to be able to deliver, but with a bit more vigor. I think the professor needs a few magic stones and a trip to Greece. Can anyone _really_ make sense of this erudition? (from title page of part 1): "Knowing oneself following a system of thought, will simply create a result, i.e., oneself, produced by that system of thought -- not knowing oneself." And those bureaucrats? What's in their fresh (collective) mind is a basic _fear_ that holds them tight to the professor and creates lions out of lambs: "Defend the professor with your _life_, because if he's wrong, then that means all of academic structure crumbles." That's what I thought I could hear them thinking as I was watching them. I tear down the work that Mr. Flood and his pedegree erect, to make room for systems that work at least a thousand times better. It pains me to knock anyone's success but with all sobriety I say that as a class, habitually unchallenged professionals like this are more problem than solution.
Rating: 
Summary: Systems Thinking beyond Senge
Review: A nice one for the academics. I don't think busy managers would like it. Nevertheless, Flood provides a neat summary and background to all issues involving systems and systems thinking in general. His view that complexity science is a strand of systems theory and not something entirely new is important, especially for those contemplating a new management program based on complexity theory. Flood makes a number of interesting observations and provides some useful suggestions, though some may not be candidates for immediate implementation they do get one thinking. His practical animation of his experience and research at the local police in York in the UK is boring. The essence of systemic thinking as Flood points out is not something that can be easily explained, the notion of wholeness should not be trivialised. To attempt to explain the world in terms of systems and sub-systems does to systemic thinking what analysis does to SATORI - it strips it of all essential meaning. In this sense Flood goes beyond Senge, and I liked it very much.
Rating: 
Summary: Original, profound yet easily understood and operationalised
Review: The content of Professor Flood's latest book is original and profound, but easily understood and operationalised, therefore this book can be considered a "must have" by academics, students, interventionists, consultants and managers alike. It successfully elucidates how the concepts of Systems Theory, Complexity Theory, Organisational Learning and Organisational Intervention are inextricably intertwined.There is a significant degree of emergent synergy that arises from the complementarist use of the Senge's approach (as described within the "Fifth Discipline") when used in conjunction with Flood's guiding> frameworks for organisational intervention and improvement. In isolation, Senge provided his readers with guidance on organisational learning - but provided no pragmatic steps to guide organisational analysis and the actual selection and use of improvement strategies. Conversely, Flood's previous writings provided a guiding framework for facilitating organisational improvement but lacked the organisational learning approaches that are simultaneously required if the need for organisational improvement (i.e. change) is to be recognised, validated, operationalised, reflexively critiqued and assimilated as part of a revised organisational paradigm. Empirical studies have clearly demonstrated that without the tools to facilitate organisational learning, it is quite likely that the need and desire to implement change strategies will be attenuated by organisational defence mechanisms. (See the work of Argyris in this regard). Therefore, the augmentation of organisational improvement frameworks with organisational learning offers interventionists an enhanced degree of success. Thus, by effectively combining his interventional strategies with the Senge's organisational learning strategies, Flood has successfully created a pragmatic approach that is more potent than the sum of its constituent parts. The emergent synergy is not by any means a coincidental by-product of the amalgam. Flood clearly explains how the inescapable and tangible manifestations of Complexity Theory require us to "learn our way into an unknowable future". Flood's book also effectively prepares the reader for the adaptations that will be necessary in contending with a dynamically changing organisational landscape. This book is highly recommended to all those with an interest in organisational learning, change management, systems theory and complexity theory.
Rating:
Summary: A challenging, thought provoking book!
Review: This book will provide you value if you're looking for information and analysis of system thinking, and wish to better understand Dr. Senge's seminal book "The Fifth Disciple". However, just as an historical introspective over the last 60 years, it's worth the price of the book alone. Mr. Flood examines the Fifth Discipline under the careful eye of an academic researcher, bringing into play some of great system thinkers of the past to make his points regarding Senge's five disciplines. As these great thinkers are brought forth, windows of opportunities for new knowledge open up, as do gaps of unspoken positions in Senge's work. I enjoyed this book very much, probably because it was so unique and carefully laid out. After all, how often to you see a book which is basically a term paper of another book, written by the best professor at the school? I came away with not only a better understading and appreciation of the Fifth Discipline, but also with a clearer understanding of the history of system thinkers, and how they've each brought us a unique perspective to consider.
Rating:
Summary: A challenging, thought provoking book!
Review: This book will provide you value if you're looking for information and analysis of system thinking, and wish to better understand Dr. Senge's seminal book "The Fifth Disciple". However, just as an historical introspective over the last 60 years, it's worth the price of the book alone. Mr. Flood examines the Fifth Discipline under the careful eye of an academic researcher, bringing into play some of great system thinkers of the past to make his points regarding Senge's five disciplines. As these great thinkers are brought forth, windows of opportunities for new knowledge open up, as do gaps of unspoken positions in Senge's work. I enjoyed this book very much, probably because it was so unique and carefully laid out. After all, how often to you see a book which is basically a term paper of another book, written by the best professor at the school? I came away with not only a better understading and appreciation of the Fifth Discipline, but also with a clearer understanding of the history of system thinkers, and how they've each brought us a unique perspective to consider.
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