Complexity Avalanche

Complexity Avalanche PDF Author: J. B. Wood
Publisher: Point B Incorporated
ISBN: 9780984213009
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 186

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Book Description
Most customers struggle to keep up, and usually settle for far less value than they could (and should) get from their purchases. A new business model for the tech industry is needed one that requires radically different thinking about the future of services, sales, R&D priorities, and how companies create shareholder value. This new way of doing business views the use of the product as the beginning of a journey with a customer, not the end. The growing consumption gap caused by the avalanche of complexity that these companies have unleashed on their customers is undermining feature-based differentiation as a competitive advantage. Results-based differentiation actually measured by customers may be the next Big Thing in tech. Complexity Avalanche offers technology companies a roadmap for moving to this next level of services. This is not a book strictly for service executives, but for every executive whose company builds, sells, or supports technology."

Complexity Avalanche

Complexity Avalanche PDF Author: J. B. Wood
Publisher: Point B Incorporated
ISBN: 9780984213009
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 186

Get Book Here

Book Description
Most customers struggle to keep up, and usually settle for far less value than they could (and should) get from their purchases. A new business model for the tech industry is needed one that requires radically different thinking about the future of services, sales, R&D priorities, and how companies create shareholder value. This new way of doing business views the use of the product as the beginning of a journey with a customer, not the end. The growing consumption gap caused by the avalanche of complexity that these companies have unleashed on their customers is undermining feature-based differentiation as a competitive advantage. Results-based differentiation actually measured by customers may be the next Big Thing in tech. Complexity Avalanche offers technology companies a roadmap for moving to this next level of services. This is not a book strictly for service executives, but for every executive whose company builds, sells, or supports technology."

Embracing Complexity

Embracing Complexity PDF Author: Jean G. Boulton
Publisher:
ISBN: 0199565252
Category : Complexity
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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Book Description
The book describes what it means to say the world is complex and explores what that means for managers, policy makers and individuals. The first part of the book is about the theory and ideas of complexity. This is explained in a way that is thorough but not mathematical. It compares differing approaches, and also provides a historical perspective, showing how such thinking has been around since the beginning of civilisation. It emphasises the difference between a complexity worldview and the dominant mechanical worldview that underpins much of current management practice. It defines the complexity worldview as recognising the world is interconnected, shaped by history and the particularities of context. The comparison of the differing approaches to modelling complexity is unique in its depth and accessibility. The second part of the book uses this lens of complexity to explore issues in the fields of management, strategy, economics, and international development. It also explores how to facilitate others to recognise the implications of adopting a complex rather than a mechanical worldview and suggests methods of research to explore systemic, path-dependent emergent aspects of situations. The authors of this book span both science and management, academia and practice, thus the explanations of science are authoritative and yet the examples of changing how you live and work in the world are real and accessible. The aim of the book is to bring alive what complexity is all about and to illustrate the importance of loosening the grip of a modernist worldview with its hope for prediction, certainty and control.

Lean-Six Sigma for the Public Sector

Lean-Six Sigma for the Public Sector PDF Author: Brandon Cole
Publisher: Quality Press
ISBN: 0873899970
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 191

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Book Description
Organizations are continuously trying to improve by reducing cost, increasing customer satisfaction, and creating an environment of empowered employees who continuously strive for excellence in each process and product. In much the same way, governments are continuously required to do “more with less,” enhance budget and organizational performance, and identify innovative ways to increase their impact. There are challenges to applying the Lean-Six Sigma (LSS) tools in the public sector. Examples of these challenges include hierarchical environments, a lack of common goals, and the complexity of working in the public sector. The information included as part of this book provides over 30 spotlights highlighting project examples, lessons learned, and tips and tricks for using LSS in the public sector. These spotlights are based on interviews facilitated with a robust sampling of senior operations strategy practitioners. The LSS methodology focuses on eliminating waste (lean) and then reducing variation (Six Sigma) in a process or product that contains no waste. The information covered in this book will allow someone to have an immediate impact in any public sector organization. It describes some of the most powerful continuous process improvement tools that can be used, with limited training required. This is further enhanced by showing direct correlations to the LSS tools and the challenges that will be faced. Because the public sector spans such a diverse range of organizational charters (such as transportation, education, and defense), this book does not focus solely on either manufacturing or services. Rather, it provides a balanced approach to utilizing LSS in all environments.

The Great Mental Models, Volume 1

The Great Mental Models, Volume 1 PDF Author: Shane Parrish
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0593719972
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 209

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Book Description
Discover the essential thinking tools you’ve been missing with The Great Mental Models series by Shane Parrish, New York Times bestselling author and the mind behind the acclaimed Farnam Street blog and “The Knowledge Project” podcast. This first book in the series is your guide to learning the crucial thinking tools nobody ever taught you. Time and time again, great thinkers such as Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett have credited their success to mental models–representations of how something works that can scale onto other fields. Mastering a small number of mental models enables you to rapidly grasp new information, identify patterns others miss, and avoid the common mistakes that hold people back. The Great Mental Models: Volume 1, General Thinking Concepts shows you how making a few tiny changes in the way you think can deliver big results. Drawing on examples from history, business, art, and science, this book details nine of the most versatile, all-purpose mental models you can use right away to improve your decision making and productivity. This book will teach you how to: Avoid blind spots when looking at problems. Find non-obvious solutions. Anticipate and achieve desired outcomes. Play to your strengths, avoid your weaknesses, … and more. The Great Mental Models series demystifies once elusive concepts and illuminates rich knowledge that traditional education overlooks. This series is the most comprehensive and accessible guide on using mental models to better understand our world, solve problems, and gain an advantage.

Computational Complexity

Computational Complexity PDF Author: Sanjeev Arora
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521424267
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 609

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Book Description
New and classical results in computational complexity, including interactive proofs, PCP, derandomization, and quantum computation. Ideal for graduate students.

The Perfect Swarm

The Perfect Swarm PDF Author: Len Fisher
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 0465020852
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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Book Description
The process of "self-organization" reveals itself in the inanimate worlds of crystals and seashells, but, as Len Fisher shows, it is also evident in living organisms, from fish to ants to human beings. Understanding the "swarm intelligence" inherent in groups can help us do everything from throw a better party to start a fad to make our interactions with others more powerful. Humorous and enlightening, The Perfect Swarm demonstrates how complexity arises from nature's simple rules and how we can use their awesome power to untangle the frustrating complexities of life in our ever more chaotic world.

The Symphony of Profound Knowledge

The Symphony of Profound Knowledge PDF Author: Edward Martin Baker
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1532002416
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 326

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Book Description
W. Edwards Deming was a moral philosopher, prophet, and sage with profound insights into the management of organizations and the art of leadership and living. He also was a composer of liturgical music, a singer, and a musician. Edward Martin Baker, one of Demings most valued associates, shares his deep understanding of Demings System of Profound Knowledge, a set of theories and philosophies that helped reshape the management practices of many large multinational corporations. This included bringing organizations to economic health and individuals to spiritual and psychological health by attaining dignity and joy in work. Baker provides an accurate depiction of the philosophy as a musical score: first movement: theory of knowledge second movement: appreciation for a system third movement: knowledge about variation fourth movement: knowledge of psychology Baker shows how the system can be viewed as a mapa mental representation of the territory that managers and others must navigate as they play their various roles. The Symphony of Profound Knowledge and what Deming taught contradicts whats learned in school and in the management of organizations. His teachings encourage the reevaluation of what is seen as fact. It provides a thorough understanding of the Deming philosophy and how to apply those concepts to life.

Calculated Surprises

Calculated Surprises PDF Author: Johannes Lenhard
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190873302
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 329

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Book Description
If all philosophy starts with wondering, then Calculated Surprises starts with wondering about how computers are changing the face and inner workings of science. In this book, Lenhard concentrates on the ways in which computers and simulation are transforming the established conception of mathematical modeling. His core thesis is that simulation modeling constitutes a new mode of mathematical modeling that rearranges and inverts key features of the established conception. Although most of these new key features--such as experimentation, exploration, or epistemic opacity--have their precursors, the new ways in which they are being combined is generating a distinctive style of scientific reasoning. Lenhard also documents how simulation is affecting fundamental concepts of solution, understanding, and validation. He feeds these transformations back into philosophy of science, thereby opening up new perspectives on longstanding oppositions. By combining historical investigations with practical aspects, Calculated Surprises is accessible for a broad audience of readers. Numerous case studies covering a wide range of simulation techniques are balanced with broad reflections on science and technology. Initially, what computers are good at is calculating with a speed and accuracy far beyond human capabilities. Lenhard goes further and investigates the emerging characteristics of computer-based modeling, showing how this simple observation is creating a number of surprising challenges for the methodology and epistemology of science. These calculated surprises will attract both philosophers and scientific practitioners who are interested in reflecting on recent developments in science and technology.

Complexity Theory and the Philosophy of Education

Complexity Theory and the Philosophy of Education PDF Author: Mark Mason
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1444307363
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
A collection of scholarly essays, Complexity Theory and thePhilosophy of Education provides an accessible theoreticalintroduction to the topic of complexity theory while consideringits broader implications for educational change. Explains the contributions of complexity theory to philosophyof education, curriculum, and educational research Brings together new research by an international team ofcontributors Debates issues ranging from the culture of curriculum, to theimplications of work of key philosophers such as Foucault and JohnDewey for educational change Demonstrates how social scientists and social and educationpolicy makers are drawing on complexity theory to answer questionssuch as: why is it that education decision-makers are so resistantto change; how does change in education happen; and what does ittake to make these changes sustainable? Considers changes in use of complexity theory; developedprincipally in the fields of physics, biology, chemistry, andeconomics, and now being applied more broadly to the socialsciences and to the study of education

Outsmarting the Terrorists

Outsmarting the Terrorists PDF Author: Ronald V. Clarke
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0313086370
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 317

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Book Description
Given that the war on terror is currently being fought the way crime typically is—after the fact—this country cannot protect its citizens from future terrorist events solely in this way. Instead, measures must be taken to actually stop terrorists before they can attack. Here, the authors argue that government anti-terrorism policy must pay much more attention to reducing opportunities for terrorist attacks by protecting vulnerable targets, controlling the tools and weapons used by terrorists, and removing the conditions of everyday life that make these attacks possible. While some of this work is being done on an ad hoc basis, there are no recognized methods to guide the work, there is limited experience on which to draw, and the government has no trained professionals to oversee the work. In this book, the authors address these deficiencies, and lay out a systematic approach for reducing opportunities for terrorism. The current take-them-out mindset may be the main reason why reducing opportunities for terrorism has been so neglected by governments, but another important reason is that the task seems so overwhelmingly difficult. How can we possibly protect every vulnerable target or person? How can we control all the everyday tools that terrorists must use in carrying out their attacks? How can we control their weapons when we cannot even keep guns out the hands of ordinary criminals? In this book, the authors show that these tasks are indeed manageable. They take readers through the methods for preventing terrorism and the policies that will assist in this important work. They show that in order to protect the country from terrorists, security forces must do what the terrorists do: identify vulnerable targets, analyze their specific weaknesses, consider the tools and weapons needed to attack, and assess access to the targets. Once these steps are taken, security agencies can then provide appropriate protection, limit accessibility, anticipate the forces needed to combat a potential attack, and plan carefully for an attack if it does occur. By outsmarting the terrorists security forces undertake the same analysis of vulnerabilities and opportunities that terrorists themselves undertake in planning their operations, and can more effectively defeat them before they strike. This books shows how this approach works and can succeed.