Book Description
In the Origin of Wealth, Eric Beinhocker offers a thorough and convincing new way to think about economic growth and business management. The author begins by exploring the roots of modern economic theory and ultimately declares it outmoded and wrong. Instead, he suggests, markets and growth can best be explained by drawing on the emerging field of complexity economics: the study of markets and social systems as complex adaptive systems. Although biological metaphors in business have become familiar (i.e., organizations are living organisms), Beinhocker moves beyond metaphor to explain the revolutions in science that will inevitably change the way we think about economics, competition, and business. The Origin of Wealth raises important questions such as: How can one create strategy in uncertain and fast moving environments? Why is it hard for large organizations to be innovative and how should we organize for better results? What role should governments play in this new era?
Customer Reviews:
Modern Classic.......2007-09-25
I would classify Eric Beinhocker's book as an instant classic. Although it is more of a survey of broad spectrum of economic studies, it is extremely well put together and well written. I promised myself that this is a book that requires a more detailed review but since I have not had time to write that yet, I want to at least share the following with the would be readers of this book:
Buy this book! The primary focus of the book is analysis of how emergence (no pun intended) of complex dynamical systems is changing the fundamentals of economics. Book does an excellent job of giving historical account of how mathematical foundations of economics was developed and influenced by the math/physics of the time: math of systems in equilibrium. Afterwords it methodically studies the complex dynamical systems, their impact on agent based modeling of complex phenomenon and how this development in mathematical thinking is already impacting economics. Last couple of chapters also provide ponderings of complex dynamical systems analysis and its impact on policy making and international relations.
Book is clearly written, well researched with excellent bibliography and captures some of the most throught provoking research in the industry in a simple and conherent fashion.
If I get time I promise to write a longer and more deserving review of this book.
Eye-popping paradigm shift in economics unveiled.......2007-07-14
On the subject matter...
Ever wonder why macro-economics didn't make sense?
Want to know more about how economies and markets really work?
On the writing...
The author provides a simple, compelling narrative which debunks a large portion of economics as it has been taught for the last 200 years. It then goes on to synthesize broad swaths of recent economic research into a cohesive vision of economics as an evolutionary open system and that observable macro-economic patterns are largely a product of the evolutionary algorithm at work.
If a high level understanding of the workings of economies or markets is of interest to you -- or you just want to unlearn a lot of false theory -- The Origin of Wealth is for you!
Must have for anyone who gave up on economics... like me.......2007-07-02
If you ever tried to read a book on economics, you probably loved the classics (Adam Smith, Shumpeter, Keynes...) but then you probably had an uneasy feeling about people trying to use some kind of Maxwell equation to explain the workings of the economy. That's where you probably decided that this science was either too complex for you (in fact, it is the world that is too complex for traditional economics) or that scholars were probably more interested in masturbating their brains than truly explaining the world. That's usually where a science needs a paradigm shift in order to stay alive in the world, and not just in academia.
Hopefully, things have changed and economists are now introducing concepts that gracefully embrace the nature of the subject : evolution, non-linear functions, psychology, sociology, and intelligent mathematics (the one that tries to fit with the actual world, not the opposite)
This book is a must have... The kind of book that makes you feel intelligent not because it's full of obscure concepts that you think you can loosely fit together, but because it is fact-based, well written, sometimes surprising, and most of all it feels right... which is truly groundbreaking.
Just like in nuclear physics, this science finally takes off the very moment it stops trying to fit the world in an a+b=c equation. Instead of having a precisely wrong theory, we now have something that accounts for the inherent complexity of the economy and unveils new and fascinating territories for us to discover.
A must for economics students!.......2007-07-01
I am an undergraduate student of economics and was always critical about the Traditional Economics theories that were presented in class. I never just accepted the textbook's mathmatical models as the ultimate truth and always looked for more. I read books from a wide range of areas, all supporting my view that there was something more to our economic life than what professors told us in class, but never making a clear connection to economic theory. I bought this book by chance before a long flight and can't say how happy I was when I realized what Beinhocker was saying. I could not stop reading and finished it in about a week. Beinhocker showed me how to break through the mathmatical barriers of traditional economics and think about economics in an exiting and liberating new way. His introduction to Complexity Economics (as he calls it) has given me new hope for economics and enthusiasm for my studies. I am already diving deeper and deeper into work mentioned in the references and a whole new world is opening in front of me! A. J. Sutter makes many valid points in his lengthy review above. I still think Beinhocker managed to write a book that is groundbreaking in its range of topics covered and its comprehensive overview of Complexity Economics.
No student of economics who has not at least heard about the topics mentioned in this book can say that he knows the subject he is studying.
The back door stage behind traditional economics and the first acts of a paradigm change.......2007-06-27
Truly a wonderful book reommended for young and curious economists around the world. A profound insight into Economic analisys that will pop up a couple of "new" and hidden ideas!
Book Description
High reliability organizations (HROs) such as ER units in hospitals or firefighting units are designed to perform efficiently under extreme stress and pressure. Using HROs as the model for the 21st century organization, Karl Weick and Kathleen Sutcliffe show readers how to respond to unexpected challenges with flexibility rather than rigidity and to reduce the disruptive effects of change by using tools such as sensemaking, stress reduction, migrating decisions, and labeling. Introducing the powerful new concept of "mindfulness," the authors outline five qualities of the mindful organization and the organizational skills needed to achieve them. Each concept is clearly expressed in vivid case studies of organizations that demonstrate mindful practices in action.
A Book in the University of Michigan Business School Series
Voted
Best HR Book of 2001 by HR.com
Customer Reviews:
Unexpectedly a good read.......2007-01-18
I was please with the writing of this book. Not only is it a good easy read, but Weick presents the material in an intersting fashion. SO far, it has been most helpful in understanding the components of managing a situation that is completely unexpected.
A must read.......2007-01-05
Like lots of business books, this one is a bit repetitive -- it feels a little bit like an HBR article expanded into a book. That said, it's discussion of high reliability organizations is invaluable -- not from an academic or theoretical perspective, but for its practical utility.
There are elements of high-reliability organizations, like sensitivity to operations and reliance on expertise that would help any organization -- i.e., you don't have to be on an aircraft carrier or in an emergency room to take lessons from this book and apply them to your organization to increase performance.
Plus it provides an end to a continuum that starts with organizations with purely repetitive operations and continues to high reliability organizations -- allowing you to evaluate where your organization fits on this new continuum, and therefore what level of applicability these practices have to you.
Commitment To Resilience; Deference To Expertise.......2006-03-26
Karl Weick and Kathleen Sutcliffe have written an eloquent and practical guide to reliability and safety that emphasizes the managerial point of view, but is also equally helpful to researchers or safety professionals. Perhaps the greatest thing the authors are able to accomplish in this book is in emphasizing the conscious mindfulness required in critical situations, and in distinguishing in observable and real-world ways the specific components of mindfulness as seen in safety-conscious High Reliability Organizations (HROs).
The authors distill the essence of reliability (and safety) into five essential qualities: preoccupation with failure, reluctance to simplify, sensitivity to operations, commitment to resilience, and deference to expertise. As a long time safety professional (with experience largely in the aviation and chemical processing industries) I couldn't agree more with the authors after reading the text associated with these five qualities. I have found that especially in larger organizations that deference to expertise is perhaps the most difficult of the five traits to be accepted in the workplace, as generally rank or seniority tend to be deferred to, particularly in a crisis. The airline industry has come a long way with the different iterations of Crew Resource Management (CRM), and of all (often unstated) the reasons that CRM has succeeded I think that deference to expertise is the single most important.
I like the concept of realistic audits the authors promote, and particularly enjoyed the insight regarding the vulnerability of Singapore to Japanese attack as it came to be understood by Winston Churchill, who had a penchant for realistic self-appraisal, to wit: "I ought to have known. My advisors ought to have known and I ought to have been told, and I ought to have asked." The point is that we frequently believe what we want to believe, not because we are intellectually dishonest, but because of the human tendency to seek out information that confirms our views, and not to seek out disconfirming information. A mark of a truly reliable and safe organization (examples include airline operations, nuclear power plants, aircraft carriers, etc.) is seeking out information which points toward problem areas, rather than viewing successes as being demonstrative of the quality of institutional planning and procedures. The example concerning the Moura mine disaster on p.135 makes the point quite eloquently: "HROs assume that the system is endangered until there is conclusive proof that it is not." There could be no better single- sentence summary of the book.
There are many more interesting observations in the book, the most enlightening of which can be found in chapter five. I particularly enjoyed the discussion of a "learning culture" beginning on p. 136, and find that one of their most salient observations is also one of mine from years of industry experience, that being the concept of "learned helplessness." When people attempt to bring safety issues to the fore but are quickly dismissed, they learn to keep to themselves. This is a major problem, especially in large organizations, and the advice proffered by the authors is both sound and cogent. I was absolutely delighted to see the long-overdue examination (p.140) of "de minimus error" in which context is examined as it relates to seemingly unconnected small events. In this situation, people frequently seek out separate, small reasons for each deviation, ignoring the accumulating evidence that there is actually one large problem responsible for all the disparate events. Though the authors did not note it as an example, people familiar with the Apollo 13 accident will no doubt realize how the controllers had to fight off this kind of error willfully. (I think that Apollo-era NASA was an excellent example of an HRO.)
There are many more issues that Weick and Sutcliffe bring to the forefront in this book, from intelligent rule-making, to flexibility of response. My advice to any manager or safety professional is to put this book at the top of your reading list. It is easy to read, easy to digest, comprehensive in scope, yet universally applicable across industries. Even if you are not involved in an industry like nuclear power or aviation where large issues of life and death are literally in your domain, this is still mandatory reading. Any business can learn for the examples cited (which range from a merger-induced railroad meltdown at the "bad" end of the reliability scale, to nuclear-powered aircraft carrier operations at the "good" end of the reliability scale.)
I highly recommend this book to managers, safety professionals, researchers, and anyone else interested in becoming more informed about reliability and organizational safety.
Cal State Hayward Student.......2006-03-21
Good Book - easy read - thorough case studies of Union Pacific merger with Southern Pacific (and how UP botched the job because they didn't plan for the unexpted). Other analogies used: operations on an aircraft carrier, operations in a (nuclear) power plant.
Used as a textbook for a class - no free-reading here. Book was adequate.
A solid introductory text.......2006-01-07
Drs Weick and Sutcliffe provide a very readable presentation of a complex subject. Geared towards the business audience (but also a good introduction for researchers), it provides a clear outline of the underlying issues in managing complex organizations as well as concrete methods for transforming your organization into one capable of dealing with uncertainty.
Book Description
This book provides the first clear, comprehensive, and accessible account of complex adaptive social systems, by two of the field's leading authorities. Such systems--whether political parties, stock markets, or ant colonies--present some of the most intriguing theoretical and practical challenges confronting the social sciences. Engagingly written, and balancing technical detail with intuitive explanations, Complex Adaptive Systems focuses on the key tools and ideas that have emerged in the field since the mid-1990s, as well as the techniques needed to investigate such systems. It provides a detailed introduction to concepts such as emergence, self-organized criticality, automata, networks, diversity, adaptation, and feedback. It also demonstrates how complex adaptive systems can be explored using methods ranging from mathematics to computational models of adaptive agents.
John Miller and Scott Page show how to combine ideas from economics, political science, biology, physics, and computer science to illuminate topics in organization, adaptation, decentralization, and robustness. They also demonstrate how the usual extremes used in modeling can be fruitfully transcended.
Customer Reviews:
Annie Wu -- Book #1.......2007-08-10
I am a purchasing agent who buys books for my faculty, and as far as I know, this faculty member is very impressed with this particular book.
The Emergence of Convergence .......2007-08-04
At the time of writing this review, this book isn't searchable through Amazon, that's too bad because if you're reading the reviews wondering if it's worth buying, just browsing through any page from the intro or appendix B would clearly resolve any remnant hesitation. This book is a must have for anyone even remotely interested in complex adaptive systems. Scott Page and John Miller dress the landscape and state of the art of computational social science, the issues are motivated from the ground up and the existing approaches to resolve them explicitly detailed, yet using clear and jargon free language. For example, descriptions of the many concepts repeatedly used in the scientific method (of CAS et al) such as ergodicity or optimization theory are refreshing and insightful, simply stuff you don't get from textbooks, but rather that one would learn over years of experience doing.
In summary, the authors are handing us an expert summary of literature and developments of a complex field in a concise, fun and delightful read, it would be a shame to miss it.
Average customer rating:
- Don't be afraid,
- Managing Chaos and Complexity: A Platform for Designing Business Architecture
- Multi-point reference, strong in all areas but very broad
- Successful Integration of Systems Thinking "Camps"
- Go west young man go west!
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Systems Thinking, Second Edition: Managing Chaos and Complexity: A Platform for Designing Business Architecture
Jamshid Gharajedaghi
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An Introduction to General Systems Thinking (Silver Anniversary Edition)
ASIN: 0750679735 |
Book Description
The first edition of Systems Thinking was the first book to develop a working concept of systems theory and to deal operationally with systems methodology. The author has been working for the last 5 years to incorporate parallel development in quantum theory, self-organizing systems and complexity theory, the sum of which is included in this new 2nd edition. He has tested these concepts with 200 executive MBA students, and also with Russell Ackoff, one of the founding fathers of systems thinking. Ackoff reported that it was the most comprehensive systems methodology he has seen.
The 2nd edition features the synthesis of holistic thinking (iteration of structure, function and process), operational thinking (understanding chaos and complexity), sociocultural systems (movement toward a predefined order), and interactive design (redesigning the future and inventing ways to bring it about).
Also added are the operational thinking and self-organizing aspect of sociocultural systems, with updates made to the holistic thinking and interactive design parts to incorporate recent new developments.
* Cutting edge thinking incorporates the interaction of holistic thinking, operational thinking, sociocultural systems, and interactive design to develop an all inclusive systems methodology
* Companion website built solely to accompany and compliment the new edition available at www.interactdesign.com
* Operational thinking and self organizing aspects of sociocultural systems added anew, with the holistic thinking and interactive design parts updated to incorporate new developments
Customer Reviews:
Don't be afraid,.......2007-08-27
This is really aimed at the reader who wishes to work on the transformation of whole organisations. Demonstrating the multi-dimensional relationships between organisational design, performance and behaviour.
This work has had a profound effect on my thinking and development of management ideas. It integrates many concepts into a systemic whole. I have used this book with many management teams in recent years.
If you are venturing into the world of systems thinking then this is probably the most accessible in terms of simplicity and breakthrough applications.
Putting these ideas into practice with your colleagues or management teams might seem a little daunting but it's the only way to learn and master the concepts which will bring deeper insight into organisational change and provide you with better solutions to some of your more persistent management issues. Don't be afraid.
Managing Chaos and Complexity: A Platform for Designing Business Architecture.......2007-02-18
My company recommended that I read this book in advance of training session with the author. I scanned the entire book today. Some useful info.
Multi-point reference, strong in all areas but very broad.......2006-04-14
The concepts of system thinking, enterprise architecture, business architecture are big enough by themselves to be covered in a book. Doing it all within the context of a single book is daunting and a topic that Gharajedaghi partially accomplishes.
I read this book as part of the research I did for my doctoral dissertation, so this review will have a bit of an academic bent.
Gharajedaghi is a strong believer in the Enterprise Architecture models of Zachman and that influence shows in his work. The book has a strong academic flavor in its use of terminology and how it describes systems thinking. Executives and consultants looking to understand these concepts will have to work at it a bit, but the work is worth it.
A strength of this work is the fact that includes actual case studies -- something that few people take the time to do. The five cases cover a variety of industries and situations that make the principles that Gharajedaghi discusses.
Overall, if you are a serious student of systems thinking this book is a good second level reference. Peter Senge's the 5th Discipline is the 'pop' version of systems thinking and Peter Checklund is the intermediate level and somewhat similar to this work.
Successful Integration of Systems Thinking "Camps".......2006-02-12
Gharajedaghi's 2nd edition has accomplished an incredible feat - he has successfully integrated and synthesized the systems dynamics of Forrester with the systems thinking and interactive design of Ackoff. Jamshid connects Holistic thinking, operational thinking, socio-cultural models/conceptions, and interactive design into a complementary whole. Our organization has learned and is using Jamshid's methodology and it is fundamentally changing the way in which we see the world and the organizations that will be able to compete in this new "flat" world.
If you're ready to escape the confines of linear thinking and classical science and management approaches to organizational problems, then this is your book. This book is written conceptually, not linearly, and challenges any reader who is used to over-simplified, mainstream books yet it is not an overly technical read that would be approachable only to high-level engineers and systems scientists. Those not having approached systems thinking before might be better off simultaneously working through Senge's Fifth Discipline and Ackoff's Best as primers. Be prepared to read it slowly and repeatedly - the ideas are profound when considered carefully and openly and might challenge many core assumptions.
Having met Jamshid on several occasions, I have found him to be one of the brighest men to grace our world with a significant contribution to share - he very well may have the current "best" answer to organizational design for our times. To dismiss him as simply an "Ackoff disciple" or another guru trying to sell his services is shortsighted. Linear, prescriptive books become best-sellers that catapult authors into 5-digit fee days - Jamshid's 2nd edition isn't the stuff of best-sellers, but rather for "best-thinkers."
Go west young man go west!.......2005-11-17
If this book takes you back to the source material, then it will have accomplished its goal. The book itself, lacks the finesse of it's intellectual founders. But by god do we need this book in order to point us back. The last three years have been a result of reading all the source material for the book and for that Jamshid - I thank you.
The best of luck.
Book Description
Everyone knows the small-world phenomenon: soon after meeting a stranger, we are surprised to discover that we have a mutual friend, or we are connected through a short chain of acquaintances. In his book, Duncan Watts uses this intriguing phenomenon--colloquially called "six degrees of separation"--as a prelude to a more general exploration: under what conditions can a small world arise in any kind of network?
The networks of this story are everywhere: the brain is a network of neurons; organisations are people networks; the global economy is a network of national economies, which are networks of markets, which are in turn networks of interacting producers and consumers. Food webs, ecosystems, and the Internet can all be represented as networks, as can strategies for solving a problem, topics in a conversation, and even words in a language. Many of these networks, the author claims, will turn out to be small worlds.
How do such networks matter? Simply put, local actions can have global consequences, and the relationship between local and global dynamics depends critically on the network's structure. Watts illustrates the subtleties of this relationship using a variety of simple models---the spread of infectious disease through a structured population; the evolution of cooperation in game theory; the computational capacity of cellular automata; and the sychronisation of coupled phase-oscillators.
Watts's novel approach is relevant to many problems that deal with network connectivity and complex systems' behaviour in general: How do diseases (or rumours) spread through social networks? How does cooperation evolve in large groups? How do cascading failures propagate through large power grids, or financial systems? What is the most efficient architecture for an organisation, or for a communications network? This fascinating exploration will be fruitful in a remarkable variety of fields, including physics and mathematics, as well as sociology, economics, and biology.
Customer Reviews:
All the details you need to know to understand Watts' and Strogatz' famous article.......2007-03-12
The book basically gives all the details needed to understand Watts and Strogatz famous Nature article 'Collective Dynamics of Complex Networks' in 1998. I think that it is basically Watts PhD-thesis and as such it is of course nicely written, but nothing for the laymen who is rather referred to Watts other, more story-telling book 'Six Degrees', Barabasi's book 'Linked', or to another book that I would recommend most, namely the one by Mark Buchanan titled 'Small Worlds'. Mark is a skillful scientific writer and his book has a broader scope that makes it more interesting than each of the two monographs that are a bit more focused on the scientists own contribution.
Not enough contents to be a good book.......2005-07-08
Networks are since a couple of years object of intense research in several different disciplines. One reason therefore is certainly the outstanding article by Watts and Strogatz, Collective dynamics of small world networks, Nature, 393:440--442, 1998. Unfortunatelly, this book can not continue the high level of this article. Actually, it does not really provide much more information than the article itself. I would suggest to read the article cited above and either decide for another book or to look directly in the literature and read the origninal articles.
To summarize, this book is not terribly weak, but one can clearly sees that it swims on the current 'complex networks' wave without providing enough justification for its existence. Of course, if you do not have access to the original literature and just what to have a general overview of complex networks and what be done with them, you may consider buying this book.
Good, but some typos.......2005-06-02
Mathematical level: Moderate; there's no calculus, and little high level math, but the book is quite mathematical in tone, and some of the arguments may be difficult to follow without a good "math sense". There are MANY equations and graphs.
Good points: Watts covers an area that will interest those who deal with mathematical models of social networks e.g. models of disease-spread, especially HIV. It might, however, cover other things that can spread through networks as well. He presents analysis of graphs (or networks) that are neither random nor highly structured; and begins to examine ways that the degree of structure v. randomness can be measured.
Bad points: There are more than the usual number of typos. The models presented are a "first step", only.
Inspiring.......2001-07-24
The author believes that human thought might be a small world, in the sense that one could reach any idea if he/she finds the right associations and "short-cut"s. The small-world theory is indeed one of those short cuts itself. It links many different domains and uncovers some interesting common behavior.
The theory is developed in a scientific manner with extensive numerical support. Rich literature reviews and many open questions make this book a good research reference. Complex observations are generally followed by qualitative explanations. However, some of the simpler derivations are not fully clear. I believe that adding a few lines here and there can turn this book into a textbook.
The book spans many different areas of science and a deep understanding of the related results may require some background. However, each chapter ends with a brief summary, allowing the reader to move forward if he/she finds the chapter difficult. In summary, as the author puts it, the book is simply the "end of the beginning" in an exciting new field.
Great scientific synthesis.......2000-07-12
The book takes a systematic look at the 'small world' graphs. These natural graphs have been discovered by graph theoretist as erly as 60's, but were not properly understood. The graphs are remarkable in their ability to cluster and scale lengths. There are fundumental connections between these graphs and complex systems, discrete dynamical systems, computation and information processing. Duncan has done a tremendous job in building experimetal and theoretical models trying to understand how these graphs come about and sustain themselves. Read this book.
Book Description
Agent-based computational modeling is changing the face of social science. In Generative Social Science, Joshua Epstein argues that this powerful, novel technique permits the social sciences to meet a fundamentally new standard of explanation, in which one "grows" the phenomenon of interest in an artificial society of interacting agents: heterogeneous, boundedly rational actors, represented as mathematical or software objects. After elaborating this notion of generative explanation in a pair of overarching foundational chapters, Epstein illustrates it with examples chosen from such far-flung fields as archaeology, civil conflict, the evolution of norms, epidemiology, retirement economics, spatial games, and organizational adaptation. In elegant chapter preludes, he explains how these widely diverse modeling studies support his sweeping case for generative explanation.
This book represents a powerful consolidation of Epstein's interdisciplinary research activities in the decade since the publication of his and Robert Axtell's landmark volume, Growing Artificial Societies. Beautifully illustrated, Generative Social Science includes a CD that contains animated movies of core model runs, and programs allowing users to easily change assumptions and explore models, making it an invaluable text for courses in modeling at all levels.
Customer Reviews:
Annie Wu -- Book #2.......2007-08-10
I am a purchasing agent who buys books for my faculty, and as far as I know, this faculty member is very impressed with this book.
Excellent example of cross-disciplinary social science using theory.......2007-08-07
It's refreshing and exciting, in a quiet intellectual kind of way, to encounter a book that includes philosophy of science, music theory, Anasazi disappearance mysteries, ethnic cleansing, and an explanation of why CEOs exist. Josh has produced the book I've been wanting to read any time during the last 20 years, which have been a bit barren from the theory and modeling perspective in social science. He also makes clear the mathematical and philosophical basis of the agent-based approach, producing a baseline both for future work in the field and for competing paradigms such as systems dynamics, discrete simulations, and cellular automata (Wolfram's New Kind of Science), however incommensurable. I was particularly interested in the occasional use of probability modeling (negative exponential distributions generated through simple rules are a very interesting advance in understanding the waiting times between civil violence outbursts) and I'd love to see a deeper relationship established, say between Bayesian models of dynamic systems and agent-based models. Keep up the great work, Josh! Also, kudos to the publisher for the sheer quality of the book: excellent paper, great color plates, and priced to sell rather than as the work of art it is.
Excellent survey of the author's work.......2007-07-27
This book did a good job of introducing me to the current state of agent-based modeling. It also, perhaps inadvertently, highlighted some of the current weaknesses of the field. In particular, the models shown in each paper rarely shared common features, and there was little consistency in method.
Epstein argues persuasively that agent-based modeling is a tool, not a methodological approach, and you should no sooner expect consistent usage here than with differential calculus. That said, it was a bit disconcerting.
Also, while the goal espoused here was to use the bare minimum of constraints that retain explanatory power, I was disappointed that relevant work from other fields was often abstracted away. For example, a few models used social networks; but the networks presented were static, not dynamic, and were not built around power-law ratios. Such additional complexity may well have distracted from the main point; but it would have been nice to see at least some discussion of why the models were simplified.
Regardless, I was very pleased with the book and would highly recommend it.
A Landmark Publication.......2007-03-08
Josh Epstein's new Opus is a landmark publication in the emerging field of multiagent-based simulation of dynamic social systems. Since Josh is not only one of this still nascent (though burgeoning) field's ablest and most creative practitioners, but also among its most thoughtful critics, the reader of has two treats in store: (1) a generous, and wide-ranging, sampling of case studies (including social networks and evolution, population growth, emergence of economic classes, civil unrest, timing of retirement, the dynamics of adaptive organizations and the spread of infectious disease), and (2) a cogent "meta" discussion of what multiagent models ARE, ARE NOT and how (when their properties and limitations are *not* properly taken account of) they can easily be MISAPPLIED.
Far from suggesting that multiagent-based models are a panacea solution to all (or most) social dynamical systems, Josh's book carefully articulates the conditions for which such an approach IS (and is NOT) appropriate; an approach rarely taken by other, similar, overviews of the field. Indeed, the cogent philosophical discussion in Chapter One - alone! - in which the generativist's position is defined and put into a broader modeling/simulation context, is worth the price of admission; I have not seen a better "manifesto" of multiagent-based modeling elsewhere.
Finally, without taking away any of the inherent "beauty" (in the technical sense) of the often exaggerated concept of "emergence," Josh succeeds admirably in both defining the term, and de-mystifying it, stripping it of some of its unnecessary "quasi-mystical" baggage (at least as it is often portrayed in lay publications).
Anyone who is interested in understanding how agent models may be used to help explore the dynamics of social dynamical systems, should have this book firmly on top of their "must read" list! Josh has generously provided future generations of agent explorers their go-to source of both inspiration and ideas. Well done Josh!
Book Description
It presents a comprehensive and organized collection of the evidence contradicting market efficiency. Sets forth and synthesizes a paradigm shift in financial economics, exploring rational finance, behavioral finance, and the new finance. This book provides revolutionary and controversial ideas lending to the acceptance of the notion that capital markets are inefficient. Portfolio Managers, Financial Analysts, and Security Analysts.
Amazon.com
Contending that our increasingly complicated corporate universe has made it more difficult for companies to grow and prosper, noted business strategist Jack Trout and communications consultant Steve Rivkin have proposed a radical new tack: simplicity. By boiling everything down to its essential elements, they maintain, managers can ignore new fads and hot consultants and instead focus on the true business at hand. Fascinating in its own unpretentious, logical manner, The Power of Simplicity is their stripped-down guide to a future without chaos and disorder. Addressing the basics involved as well as specific management, leadership, and people issues, they hit a variety of applicable themes--including information, competitors, mission statements, goals, and motivation--using short individual chapters that quickly get to the heart of the matter with a few germane anecdotes and expert quotes followed by suggestions that are both coherent and feasible. Each begins with an inspirational epigram by the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Malcolm Forbes, and even Mother Goose, and concludes with a Simple Summation, such as this one on strategy: "If you're not different, you'd better have a lower price." --Howard Rothman
Book Description
Renowned marketing expert and best-selling author Jack Trout has a message for managers who are struggling to keep up with today’s ever-changing business climate: “Keep It Simple.” In this paperback edition of The Power of Simplicity, Trout advocates the importance of paying attention to the basics and simplifying processes in order to stay focused on the core business at hand. Through case studies and interviews with successful executives, he shows managers how to cut through jargon, articulate their vision, and regain control of the vital elements of their business in order to make it thrive. According to Trout, the things that propose to streamline companies, like the ubiquitous “mission statements,” often end up bogging down operations by introducing unnecessary complexity where a straightforward approach may be more effective. Trout cites Southwest Airlines, Intel, and Kohl’s department stores among others as successful companies that have rejected showy trappings in favor of simplification.
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In sports, when things go wrong, the best coaches say. "go back to the basics". Renowned marketing expert Jack Trout has a similar message for managers who are struggling to keep up with today's everchanging business climate: "Keep it Simple". Trout advocates the importance of paying attention to the basics and simplifying the processes in order to stay focused on the core business issues at hand. Through case studies and interviews with successful executives, he shows managers how to cut through the jargon, articulate their vision, and regain control of the vital elements of their business in order to make it thrive.
Customer Reviews:
A counter-cultural voice of reason.......2006-06-12
Jack Trout's books on marketing and brand positioning (with Al Reis) have a deep resonance with many readers. A big reason is that they are clearly written with a simple message that is readily understood. Trout expands this concept of the importance of simplicity in this book beyond marketing and applies it to business in general. In it, he gives a refreshing, counter-cultural voice opposed to all the laborious guru-hype, endless buzzwords and MBA-babble - that too often only adds complexity without adding value. Trout quotes Jack Welch on this idea: "Insecure managers create complexity. Real leaders have the self-confidence to be clear, precise and to be sure every person in their organization understands what the business is trying to achieve."
In an entertaining and often-sarcastic tone, Trout goes after many deeply-ingrained business practices to expose their unhelpful complexity: LONG-TERM PLANNING (mere wishful thinking), GOALS (sound nice but can hinder emerging opportunities), GROWTH (those mandated 15% projections can lead to terrible long-term consequences) and those cumbersome MISSION STATEMENTS (add needless confusion). What may be most comforting for those who value a common-sense approach is how Trout stands up for the simple, obvious idea. But, in our high-tech, over-analyzed age, such simplicity can sound ... well, too simple. As such people in business often fear speaking up and being viewed as "an unsophisticated simpleton" lacking the latest analytical models. But, Trout encourages businesses not to fear that which is simple, but to embrace its wisdom and guiding light. His many relevant examples of success and failure help paint an effective picture. In all, Jack Trout is a refreshing voice of reason in a world beset by budensome complexity. Practitioners of gut instincts and old-fashioned common-sense should love this book. 4.5 stars.
I TEACH PEOPLE spiritually HOW TO LIVE YOUNG AND FLOURISH, not COMPLICATE their lives with guru worship! .......2006-05-07
Give it to them plain and simple as Trout says. They will feel comfortable with following a leader who gets on their level, but will be intimidated a speaker who speaks in tongues...
I lead people to live young and flourish through simple strategies, not kill them with complicated terms and alien metaphors like a wizard guru.
Dr. Garner
Should a part of management and engineering training.......2005-09-18
Most young Engineers and MBAs are more into hype and complexity than into solving engineering/business problems in a simplistic manner.
How many of us in our universities have been influenced, inspired by complexities of business and engineering ? Many of them even took the path of making their job seem complex and continued on their career - totally deviating from the basic objectives of why their jobs existed in the first place.
After 10 years in Software and consulting, when I read this book, it feels very much like reaffirming the basics of any work and business objectives.
Positives of this book:
* Reaffirms that most problems are to be simplistically analyzed and addressed
* Simplify your communication and reduce the clutter and hype
Negatives:
* Being simple does not always take you a long way - maybe in engineering, but definitely not in management. Ever heard of a manager who speaks up simplistically and been very successful ?
* The auther talks about being simplistic in communication, but has totally ignored the fact that communication is always good when it well wrapped and well packaged.
* Is simplicity always good when you are selling stuff ? People like the mystery behind complexity. While complexity itself does not sell, the mystery behind complex words does sell. Would you buy a Washine machine which has 'Fuzzy Logic' or would you buy the one that has 'Automatic Load Detection' ? Obviously the one with Fuzzy Logic - it kind of sounds cool and complex, even though you do not know whats in it.
some new useful material.......2004-12-29
Several ideas and examples are drawn from the authors' earlier work on positioning, 22 immutable laws of marketing, and bottom-up marketing. There were a few ideas that are worth chewing on. For example, per Trout, success is often riding the right horse. Both hard work and intelligence are long shots, finding fast-growing successful companies is a long-shot; finding a successful product is a medium shot; finding a person with successful career trajectory and hitching your career to theirs is a more reliable way of duplicating success. Others such as avoiding all recent advances in technology may be a little simple-minded and perhaps, unnecessary in the end.
Good Title...poor book.......2004-12-17
I really wish this book did not have so many grammatical errors because I believe people need to simplify their life, but this book insults the reader's intelligence. If a well-respected author like Jack Trout is going to attach his name to a piece of writing he should make sure it is readable. In addition, this book seems to be choppy in its central theme. I do not remember the authors addressing the idea of simplicity throughout the whole book. The central concept was lost somewhere among Jack Trout's tirades to the business professional.
Average customer rating:
- Fun to read
- Great Companion to'The Evolution of Cooperation'
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The Complexity of Cooperation
Robert Axelrod
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
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Binding: Paperback
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The Evolution of Cooperation
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The Strategy of Conflict
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Micromotives and Macrobehavior
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Hidden Order: How Adaptation Builds Complexity (Helix Books)
ASIN: 0691015678 |
Book Description
Robert Axelrod is widely known for his groundbreaking work in game theory and complexity theory. He is a leader in applying computer modeling to social science problems. His book The Evolution of Cooperation has been hailed as a seminal contribution and has been translated into eight languages since its initial publication. The Complexity of Cooperation is a sequel to that landmark book. It collects seven essays, originally published in a broad range of journals, and adds an extensive new introduction to the collection, along with new prefaces to each essay and a useful new appendix of additional resources. Written in Axelrod's acclaimed, accessible style, this collection serves as an introductory text on complexity theory and computer modeling in the social sciences and as an overview of the current state of the art in the field.
The articles move beyond the basic paradigm of the Prisoner's Dilemma to study a rich set of issues, including how to cope with errors in perception or implementation, how norms emerge, and how new political actors and regions of shared culture can develop. They use the shared methodology of agent-based modeling, a powerful technique that specifies the rules of interaction between individuals and uses computer simulation to discover emergent properties of the social system. The Complexity of Cooperation is essential reading for all social scientists who are interested in issues of cooperation and complexity
Download Description
Robert Axelrod is widely known for his groundbreaking work in game theory and complexity theory. He is a leader in applying computer modeling to social science problems. His book The Evolution of Cooperation has been hailed as a seminal contribution and has been translated into eight languages since its initial publication. The Complexity of Cooperation is a sequel to that landmark book. It collects seven essays, originally published in a broad range of journals, and adds an extensive new introduction to the collection, along with new prefaces to each essay and a useful new appendix of additional resources. Written in Axelrod's acclaimed, accessible style, this collection serves as an introductory text on complexity theory and computer modeling in the social sciences and as an overview of the current state of the art in the field. The articles move beyond the basic paradigm of the Prisoner's Dilemma to study a rich set of issues, including how to cope with errors in perception or implementation, how norms emerge, and how new political actors and regions of shared culture can develop. They use the shared methodology of agent-based modeling, a powerful technique that specifies the rules of interaction between individuals and uses computer simulation to discover emergent properties of the social system. The Complexity of Cooperation is essential reading for all social scientists who are interested in issues of cooperation and complexity
Customer Reviews:
Fun to read.......2003-11-16
A sequel to his prior book, "the evolution of cooperation".
Iterated prisoner's dilemma is the center of this book,
with a particular focus on the collaboration in the interests of competiion.
No mathmatical background required and usefull referenced included.
Great Companion to'The Evolution of Cooperation'.......2003-09-26
This books covers what Robert Axelrod been up to since "The Evolution of Cooperation." Extensions to the original "Prisoner's Dilemma" have required new agent behaviors for stable solutions.
"Coping with Noise" deals with agents that make mistakes in their defections and cooperation.
"Promoting Norms" covers the fact that pure self-interest isn't a stable strategy and to promote stability requires norms - common behaviors among agents. The most interesting result from his work is NOT that agents should punish defectors - that is intuitive - but agents who DON'T punish defectors (of norms) must be "persuaded" to punish defectors to keep the norm stable. I guess we all need both the carrot and stick!
"Choosing Sides" covers landscape theory - the creation of population aggregates because similar agents tend to clump together.
There are other interesting sections and I like this book. I would normally give a five to this book; however, this is also a thin book. If there were more coverage of the material and a more in depth discussion of other peoples work, I would have given it a five.
Book Description
Conquering the complexity in products and services can generate larger contributions to profits and growth than nearly any other business strategy
Here's a guarantee: Somewhere in your business, there is too much complexity. You may also be losing out by having too little complexity where it counts - in the products, services and options you offer to customers. Either way, the impact of complexity is enormous in terms of lost profit and missed growth opportunities.
Conquering Complexity in Your Business shows how to break through the ceiling on profits and growth by implementing the three rules for conquering complexity:
- Eliminating complexity that customers will not pay for
- Exploiting the complexity that customers will pay for
- Minimizing the costs of the complexity you offer
You'll find methods and tools you need to:
Identify the offering and process complexity in your business
Quantify the impact of that complexity
Decide which complexity you want to keep and which to eliminate
Select specific approaches to eliminate different kinds of complexity
This knowledge will significantly improve your ability to grow profit, revenue, and shareholder value.
Download Description
Here's a guarantee: Somewhere in your business, there is too much complexity. You may also be losing out by having too little complexity where it counts - in the products, services and options you offer to customers. Either way, the impact of complexity is enormous in terms of lost profit and missed growth opportunities. Conquering Complexity in Your Business shows how to break through the ceiling on profits and growth by implementing the three rules for conquering complexity: Eliminating complexity that customers will not pay for Exploiting the complexity that customers will pay for Minimizing the costs of the complexity you offer You'll find methods and tools you need to: Identify the offering and process complexity in your business Quantify the impact of that complexity Decide which complexity you want to keep and which to eliminate Select specific approaches to eliminate different kinds of complexity This knowledge will significantly improve your ability to grow profit, revenue, and shareholder value.
Customer Reviews:
It's an interesting approach for identifying opportunities.......2006-12-28
As the Six Sigma and Lean practice areas mature, the challenge is to discover new ways to apply these methods. Michael George proposes that an analysis that looks at complexity of a business is a way to identify areas of opportunity for improvement. The method is based on some patented equations that attempt to put numerical values on a company's complexity. When the complexity is calculated, and is found to be out of balance with the company's strategic direction, then action can be taken using Lean Six Sigma to reduce (or increase) complexity.
This book proposes methods that cross conventional organizational boundaries, so the mission and the methods must be adopted by senior people who can see the benefits of crossing the boundaries. To make a difference managing complexity, these senior people must have the people and power to calculate new business measures and deploy teams that may not align with current organizations and departments.
The method seems sound, although the case studies are few. Anecdotes fill in the gap between idea and practice, and the anecdotes seem forced or coincidental (for example, Wal-Mart and Toyota can be used to justify nearly every business improvement method, even if neither of these companies goes on record as having used the method).
As usual in the improvement business, it's a matter of cost versus benefits. It seems to be a low risk analysis method that can reveal a potentially high risk, but high reward, payback. Since the equations are patented, presumably the only way that one can actually try this method is to contact (and hire?) Mr. George's consulting company.
When Less Is More.......2006-09-16
This is an amazingly revealing book about the dangers of complexity that is not consciously managed. And just what does managing comlexity entail? I the authors' words, it means
- Eliminating complexity that customers will not pay for
- Exploiting the complexity customers will pay for, and
- Minimizing the cost of the complexity you offer
In part 1 the case is made for conquering complexity in your business' portfolio (number of offerings) and processes (number of ways of doing the same thing). Part 2 develops the conceptual framework for measuring and managing complexity. In part 3, you are shown how to apply these concepts to the elimination, exploitation and reducing the costs of complexity.
Lastly, part 4 shows how to create an organisational culture that supports complexity management, conquer the complexity in your value chain and even apply the principles in mergers and acquisitions.
Insightful Business Analysis.......2006-04-22
This book, like the others in the series by Mike George (Fast Innovation, Lean Six Sigma) is right on target. The examples clearly show how complexity clutters business operations, products and decision making, thus reducing economic performance and shareholder value. The rigor (and mathematics)used to support and analyze the assertions is insightful and reinforces what is intuitively obvious when you understand their thesis. This is an important book for executives that would proabably be much more widely embraced if not for the math involved. Pity, the Japanese and others will pay attention.
Compelling Business Case for Conquering Complexity.......2005-06-25
I found Conquering Complexity provides an excellent framework and lays out a compelling business case for why and how you should focus on complexity.
This is the best guide out there in terms of a comprehensive approach to identify, quantify and attack complexity. The book is a very practical and pragmatic read with a wealth of real world examples and illustrations that reinforce concepts layed out in a logical sequence.
In researching a number of books though there are many that contain bits and pieces of concepts that relate to complexity, I have found that none of them tackle the concept of complexity as a discipline that must be mastered as Conquering Complexity does. I found it to be a refreshing, compelling book that you can follow step by step to create a complexity focus and agenda in your organization. There is tremendous power in purchasing the book for co-workers or Managers to help raise their complexity IQ and see what is possible. I continue to learn from the book as I refer back to it frequently. I would highly recommend it to anyone or any organization that is looking to continuously improve or to create greater value. I really found the sections on Product/Service proliferation to be right on, and a wealth of information. - Rodney
Practical way to determine complexity.......2005-05-03
Businesses talk about reducing complexity but have trouble determining it and simplifying it.
The books provides a roadmap and technique that organizations can use to identify the bad compelxities that customers will not pay for. The book goes further and identifies possible solutions with a plethora of real life examples that make the theory easy to understand and apply
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