I respect my peer in management science research; but if you worked for
ECI, and wrote this to me, FOR ME, I'd fire you!
I want focused ideas, creativity, objectives in MANAGEMENT. What does
the customer do with what I have to sell/service? How can I get my
employees to buy into my ideas.
There are tomes on philosophy up the ying and yang. These tome writers
are paid by municipalities (educational and governmental bodies) to
show academic writing efficiencies which they DO WELL!
But if we cannot show a direct link to the consumer (in your case,
in my opinion, the consumer got lost) I think the academican takes
his/her money and has not earned it! Of course, there are organizations
that want research for the sake of research--but not at my university
or in my company; the customer is still crying for service! I will
teach my people how to ADD value and give service--and you may write
your very intellectually written tomes for educators. Super day to you!
K. Kemper
>
>My own research in this area was seeking to explain
>"macro-entrepreneurship": the emergence of groups of new firms with a
>common competitive advantage. I conducted four case studies on recently
>emerged industries in an effort to both develop and test theory (I think
>we get a bit too hung-up on testing theory and don't spend enough time
>developing it- we can discuss epistemology if you wish). The theory I
>developed goes beyond some initial work of Graham Astley (1985) on
>community ecology. The model begins to provide a theoretical
>explanation for "punctuated equilibrium", where rapid dis-continuous
>change punctuates periods of relative stability. There is a common
>interest in this area across the biological and social sciences. Two
>important writers are Salthe and Eldredge.
>
>I would concede that much that has been written on chaos and complexity
>has been "arm-chair" theorising and simply noting that the area may have
>some application in the social sciences. However, my own research is
>firmly based in real data. In fact I did most of the theoretical
>development of my punctuated equilibrium model in isolation from chaos
>theory (as I had trouble getting my mind around it at the time- there
>are many false prophets). It is only in recent months that I have been
>able to reconcile my work in the broader complexity area (covered in a
>paper to the last INFORMS conference).
>
>The area has significant implications for management. I have begun
>exploring its implications in entrepreneurship and strategy, two areas
>in which I teach. I presented a paper to the last Strategic Management
>Society conference in the US, and another to a conference examining the
>establishment of new rural industries in Australia, on the theory and
>its implications for managers.
>
>The theoretical area is new and will take some time before it is
>properly developed and its implications & value to managers fully
>explored.
>
>I trust this addresses your concerns.
>
>Regards Drew Wollin
>
>>----------
>>From: K. KEMPER[SMTP:
entre@AZTEC.ASU.EDU]
>>Sent: Monday, 3 February 1997 16:45
>>To: Multiple recipients of list MG-ED-DV
>>Subject: Re: Developing trends
>>
>>As I suggested before; PLEASE run a test using any theory(s) you wish
>>>and explain results, and include working, business problems; otherwise, how
>>will any of this help managers?
>>
>>K. Kemper, prof of mgt, Entrepreneurs' University.
>>
>>>Chaos is an emerging area in management, although its theoretical base
>>>is still developing. I found Ralph Stacey's book, Strategic management
>>>and organisational dynamics, second edition, 1996 Pitman: London a
>>>useful starting point. INFORMS ran a conference on complexity in
>>>organisation science last November & is planning a special issue of
>>>Organization Science on the subject.
>>>
>>>A good web site on complexity is
http://www.brint.com/ as is the INFORMS
>>>one.
>>>
>>>My specific interest in using complexity theory is in complex adaptive
>>>systems, particularly Simon's hierarchy theory in explaining "punctuated
>>>equilibrium". I think one of the real questions in the area is how much
>>>the mathematical theory of deterministic chaos from thermodynamics can
>>>be applied into social systems, or whether the (indeterminate) adaptive
>>>or evolutionary systems theory from the biological sciences is more
>>>useful.
>>>
>>>
>>>Regards Drew Wollin
>>>
>>>Contact details:
>>>Dr Andrew Wollin
>>>Graduate School of Management
>>>University of Queensland
>>>Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
>>>Phone +61 7 33656749
>>>Fax + 61 7 33656988
>>>Email
a.wollin@gsm.uq.edu.au
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>Has chaos theory begun to impact on the field of management?
>>>>
>>
>
>
--
Talk entrepreneurshp with me
entre@aztec.asu.edu
602-279-0561 office fax 602-955-5459