Books Archives - Page 41 of 57

Causality and Modern Science

4th Edition: The causal problem has become topical once again. While we are no longer causalists or believers in the universal truth of the causal principle we continue to think of causes and effects, as well as of causal and noncausal relations among them. Instead of becoming indeterminists we have enlarged determinism to include noncausal categories. And we are still in the process of characterizing our basic concepts and principles concerning causes and effects with the help of exact tools. This is because we want to explain, not just describe, the ways of things. The causal principle is not the only means of understanding the world but it is one of them.The demand for a fourth edition of this distinguished book on the subject of causality is clear evidence that this principle continues to be an important and popular area of philosophic enquiry. Non-technical and clearly written, this book focuses on the ontological problem of causality, with specific emphasis on the place of the causal principle in modern science. Mario Bunge first defines the terminology employed and describes various formulations of the causal principle. He then examines the two primary critiques of causality, the empiricist and the romantic, as a prelude to the detailed explanation of the actual assertions of causal determinism.Bunge analyzes the function of the causal principle in science, touching on such subjects as scientific law, scientific explanation, and scientific prediction. In so doing, he offers an education to layman and specialist alike on the history of a concept and its opponents.

Fast Forward: Organizational Change in 100 Days

In the age of rapidly changing technology, increased global opportunities and globalisation, and shareholder activity, executives all over the world are expected to use the right techniques in order to gain the highest level of success for their organization. These executives need the knowledge and tools that will allow them to continue to thrive and remain ahead of the competition in the business environment. This volume and its accompanying guide puts them on the right track. It offers a practical and proven framework for rapid implementation of strategic change that can be used by executives and their organisations. Complete with an collection of examples and checklists, the accompanying guides provide guidance on specific types of change initiatives such as the launch of a new strategic plan, deep cultural change, acquisitions, and new products.

Organizational Change in 100 Days: A Fast Forward Guide (Accompanying Guide)

In an age of rapidly changing technology, shifting global opportunities, and activist shareholders, executives are expected to respond quickly. These executives are seeking tools that will allow them to keep a step ahead of changes in the business environment, because they are critically aware of the fact that slow change equals slow death.Organizational Change in 100 Days: A Fast Forward Guide is one such tool. Developed to be used as a companion to Fast Forward: Organizational Change in 100 Days, this book provides exercises and worksheets that will allow the reader to develop and implement a plan for organizational change. This guide’s flexible format can be used either in groups or by individuals, and will be especially useful to facilitators, trainers, and consultants who work with companies on change strategies.

Coherency Management: Architecting the Enterprise for Alignment, Agility and Assurance

The book introduces the idea of Coherency Management, and asserts that this is the primary outcome goal of an enterprise’s architecture. With submissions from over 30 authors and co-authors, the book reinforces the idea that EA is being practiced in an ever-increasing variety of circumstances – from the tactical to the strategic, from the technical to the political, and with governance that ranges from sell to tell. The characteristics, usages, value statements, frameworks, rules, tools and countless other attributes of EA seem to be anything but orderly, definable, classifiable, and understandable as might be hoped given heritage of EA and the famous framework and seminal article on the subject by John Zachman over two decades ago. Notably, EA is viewed as an Enterprise Design and Management approach, adopted to build better enterprises, rather than a IT Design and Management approach limited to build better systems.

The Labyrinths of Information: Challenging the Wisdom of Systems

How to use information and communication technologies in organizations and how to manage their impact has been the traditional domain of computer specialists and management consultants. The former have offered multiple ways to represent, model, and build applications that would streamline and accelerate data flows, while the latter have been busy linking the deployment of ICT’s with strategy and the redesign of business processes. This book takes quite a different approach altogether. In a series of essays, Ciborra uses a string of metaphors–such as Bricolage, Krisis, Gestall, etc. — to place a concern for human existence and our working lives at the center of the study of ICTs and their diffusion in business organizations, and looks at our practices, improvizations, and moods. He draws upon his own extensive research and consulting experience to throw a fresh light on some key questions: why are systems ambiguous? Why do they not give us more time to do things? Is there strategic value in tinkering even in high-tech settings? What is the value of age-old practices in dealing with new technologies? What is the role of moods and affections in influencing action and cognition? Labyrinths of Information presents an alternative to the current approaches in management, software-engineering, and strategy that will be of interest to all those concerned with the deployment of ICTs in society today — whether as users, managers, designers, policy makers or the merely curious.