CASOS and OPE -- was Re: OS and Future Search

[Denis Hitchens]

Harrison replied:

<snip>

>Fortunately, I don't think we have to have these things, and here is where
>the pre-conditions for Open Space and also, (I would argue)
>self-organization seem to fit in. Over the years I found that whenever you
>had a major issue characterized by high levels of diversity (people and
>opinions) complexity (elements of the issue and it implications) conflict
>(folks were really passionate), and a past due decision date (it had to be
>done now) -- Open Space worked just wonderful.  Several years ago while
>reading the work of Stuart Kauffmann (At Home in the Universe / Oxford) I
>discovered Kaufmann's preconditions for self-organization in the biological
>world. Seemed to me to be pretty much the same thing. So I came to (perhaps
>the hasty conclusion) that the magic of Open Space was none other than the
>magic of self organizing systems. One of Kaufmann's pre-conditions -- which
>I think is critical to this discussion -- is that the whole mess be "on the
>edge of Chaos" (and actually over the edge). It turns out that chaos is
>essential for organization, at least self-organization. Strange thought!
>
>Anyhow, if anybody is interested in  further details (this is pretty
>sketchy) you might  check my article in the ODN "Practitioner" of last
>Fall. And if that doesn't come easily to hand, check my website
><www.tmn.com/~owen> in the section called "Papers." You might be interested
>in either "Emergent Order" of "Learning for Free." As a final resort, you
>could wait for a year when my new (and hopefully last) book will come out
>from Berrett-Koehler. My working title is "Organization for a New
>Millennium: Self- Organization at work" Heaven knows what they will call it.
>
>

Perhaps "Learning for Free" should be compulsory reading before
Certification !!!


Thanks very much for the pointer, I have drawn attentintion to its existence
to my (off-line) colleagues.

However much Community sound like egolessness and Fun like intrinsic
enjoyment it sems to me that if many more read that, and then the more
process-oriented "how-to" books that we would not be having the process
directed converstations so prevelent and oft-repeated in this list.

And lo and behold with some wisdom (balance between known and unknown --
Meacham) we all might be better able to TRUST.

Thanks for the direction and insight

Denis