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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Welcome Alexander, and thanks for your
blog link too.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Several of us here
have weblogs as well, including myself (<a
href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot</a>
<span class=GramE>) ,</span> Michael Herman (<a
href="http://www.globalchicago.net/">http://www.globalchicago.net</a>) and
Martin Leith (<a href="http://www.martinleith.com/blog/">http://www.martinleith.com/blog/</a>).
<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I like what blogging (keeping
weblogs and linking to sources) is doing in the wider world to connect people
and ideas and create networks. <span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I’ll
add you to my list of links.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>As for the math of networks, I like what
David P. Reed has said on this. In this article - <a
href="http://www.epublicrelations.org/Reedlaw.html">http://www.epublicrelations.org/Reedlaw.html</a>
- someone has outlined his mathematical law of group formation:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>“<span style='mso-bidi-font-style:
italic'>The Group Forming Law (or, Reed’s Law) calculates the number of
groups of two or more people <span class=GramE>which</span> can be formed a
single group.<br>
<br>
For example, how many groups of two or more people can be formed with an
initial group of three? According to Reed’s Law is 2N-N-1. Substituting 3
for N the answer is 4. Not a very impressive number. However, the answer grows
dramatically as N grows. For example, how many groups of two or more people can
be formed in a classroom of 20 students? <span class=GramE>The answer?</span>
1,048,555!!!<br>
<br>
More here: <a
href="http://www.contextmag.com/setFrameRedirect.asp?src=/archives/199903/DigitalStrategy.asp">http://www.contextmag.com/setFrameRedirect.asp?src=/archives/199903/DigitalStrategy.asp</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>I sometimes
like to do the math before meetings to use the figures to explain the amount of
potential in the room. Walking the circle, uttering the second principle about
whatever happens, I sometimes say “and if you don’t believe me,
understand this:<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The twenty of you
in this room can form yourselves in over one million permutations, so don’t
be too worried about what might have been…work with what is.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>And </span></font><st1:place><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>Harrison</span></font></st1:place><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>, I’ve often thought of
responsibility not so much as an initial condition, but more as a kind of
boundary that both enables and bounds the passion. <span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Passion and responsibility have a
symbiotic relationship in Open Space, but my experience has been that people discover
their responsibility AFTER they tap their passion.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>In other words, without passion as the
initial condition, it’s less likely that people will feel like they need
to propose a topic, much less convene a conversation or follow up.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>But people motivated by passion can seem
to do anything.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Reminding them that
the CAN do anything (with the Law of Two Feet) certainly helps.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'>---<br>
CHRIS CORRIGAN<br>
Bowen Island, BC, Canada<br>
<a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</a><br>
<a href="mailto:chris@chriscorrigan.com">chris@chriscorrigan.com</a></span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'>(604) 947-9236<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On
Behalf Of </span></b>Harrison Owen<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, September 09, 2003
5:23 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: Fw: [searchnet] The
Math of Networks</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>At 11:58 AM 9/9/2003 +0200, you wrote:<br style='mso-special-character:
line-break'>
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]><br style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Hi<br>
<br>
Yeah, small world networks are definitely a big part of why Open Space<br>
works. Actually it's a big part of why the world works :o)<br>
<br>
Mark Buchanan has written an excellent and highly readable book called<br>
"Small world" on this very new and very promising science. I've
reviewed<br>
it here: <a href="http://www.kjerulf.com/journal/00000214.htm" eudora=autourl>http://www.kjerulf.com/journal/00000214.htm</a>
.<br>
<br>
Obvious parallels between small world networks and open space gatherings<br>
include:<br>
* Small world networks are highly adaptable, yet very stable - as are<br>
Open Space gatherings<br>
* The structure in small worlds networks arises without central planning<br>
- as in OS<br>
* Bumblebees can be seen as "weak connections" between tightly knit<br>
groups - one of the main reasons that small world networks are tightly knit<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
Right on! Despite the fact that some folks think they actually organize
networks, I think the truth of the matter is that they happen all by themselves
in the way of all self-organizing systems. The critical point of initiation is
the convergence of passion and responsibility -- somebody cares about something
and takes responsibility to talk to others who might share the care. If the
fire of passion ignites -- you have a network. If it fizzles and goes out in a
puff of smoke, you don't -- and no amount of huffing and puffing will make any
difference. Sounds a lot like Open Space to me. All of which relates, I
guess, to Artur's thoughts about "essential conditions" . . . Chris
put it neatly (although I am not so sure how elegant I was) "As for
the conditions that make Open Space really hum, I go back to<br>
Harrison's elegantly stated four: passion, diversity, complexity and
urgency. The more of each, the better the process works." I think it
might work better if one were to say <i><span style='font-style:italic'>passion/responsibility
-- </span></i>but anyhow I find the same essential conditions apply to all
useful networks. <br>
<br>
ho<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]><br style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<x-sigsep>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:center'></x-sigsep><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Harrison Owen<br>
7808 River Falls Drive<br>
Potomac, MD 20854 USA<br>
phone 301-365-2093 <br>
207-763-3261 (Summer)<br>
Open Space Training <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/" eudora=autourl>www.openspaceworld.com</a>
<br>
Open Space Institute <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/" eudora=autourl>www.openspaceworld.org</a><br>
Personal website <a href="http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm"
eudora=autourl>http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm</a><font
color=blue><span style='color:blue'><br>
<br>
<u>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
</u></span></font>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,<br>
view the archives of <u><font color=blue><span style='color:blue'>oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu<br>
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color=blue><span style='color:blue'><br>
<br style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]><br style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
<![endif]></span></font></u><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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