Customer Reviews

Systems Thinking: Managing Chaos and Complexity: A Platform for Designing Business Architecture

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I felt obligated to write a review after seeing that all of the other reviews were 5 stars. I found this book to be endless jargon that never seemed to make a point. The reason that I bought the book was that I thought it may offer some insight into business systems architecture that went beyond the standards. What I found was a low level philosophical discussion of things like "beauty" and "power". There is little about system design, this book is mostly about organization structure and corporate politics, and it is a poor discussion at that. What is also misleading is the use of the terms "Chaos" and "Complexity" in the title. My interpretation of these words was that it linked business systems architecture to the field of Chaos Theory. I found nothing in the book that did this. I would recommend that the scientific minded individual avoid this book, however, if loosely worded business management reading is your style, you may like it.

I have been an incurable "process geek" since first reading Hammer and Champy's "Reengineering the Corporation" about a decade ago. However, despite practicing reengineering and process management since then, it has always felt like something was missing. Other popular business books have filled in some of the missing puzzle pieces but the picture has not been complete. Jamshid Gharajedaghi's "Systems Thinking" brings it all together in a coherent whole. It's as close as I've come to a "Grand Unified Theory" of management practice.

Gharajedaghi's book is paradoxical. It is in some ways a difficult read, being at times quite theoretical and always intellectually stimulating. Like many other readers have reported, I had to read the book several times to really understand it (I've read it five times over the past six months). On the other hand, the material is extremely logical, well laid out, and quite common sense. At one level it is almost depressing as it lays out the challenges of dealing with highly complex and even messy sociocultural systems. Yet, it presents a straightforward methodology for systems design, analysis and improvement that can seemingly be used for any sort of organization. The book has all the rigor a scientific and analytical person would insist upon; but, it presents the purposeful and sociocultural organization in such a holistic way that I'm sure most philosophers, psychologists and sociologists would be nodding their heads in approval throughout the journey. I'm sure Jamshid would not view these as paradoxes at all. I'm sure he'd view all of these apparently opposing tendencies as "two sides of the same coin."

Since reading the book, I've had a chance to begin applying the principles to two design efforts. Understanding systems has helped immensely, and I have just barely dipped my toes into these waters. I won't forget the process management tools. Not at all. As it turns out, however, process management is, as Gharajedaghi might say, "necessary but not sufficient" for business success.

For those interested in putting their management tools together in one extremely useful took kit, "Systems Thinking" is a great albeit challenging next step. I've recommended it to many, and I recommend it to you.

This is a great overview of advances in business design since the inception of systems thinking. If you want to know where competitive advantage lies in the current business world, then this is the place to start. The book is densely written, every paragraph packing a punch,the information flowing like water from a firehose - hence the re-readability of this text.

Possibly the best book on business I've yet read.

I have just reread Mr. Gharajedaghi's book. It is a very thoughtful and engaging review of systems thinking placed in the context of other world views in Modern Times. It is occasionally and with good humor spiced with thoughts from Persia, as well as from the author's direct experience with Russell Ackoff. It ties together thoughts on Business Process Management with larger views on gathering consensus, resolving conflict, engaging in beauty, and managing for profit. It is an ambitious undertaking and succeeds with great integrity.

This is a book about changing the way we usually think. It goes beyond simply proposing systems thinking to delve into the art of managing complexity (as the title mentions).

The book is in fact divided into two portions. The first is an in depth description of systems thinking, a somewhat dry read, given the extreme density of the subject. The second is a number of case studies with which the author was involved. This section, in my opinion, is the most interesting part of the book, as Gharajedaghi shows us how he applies, in practice, what he preaches. There is one story in particular, about the Oneida indian nation, that is simply delightful; I believe it yields significant lessons for anyone seeking to work with development, but is locked into a purely economic standpoint.

This book has taught me more than the $50,000 top 25 MBA program I am just finishing. It is unbelievably rich. You will find yourself turning each page amazed at the depth of insights presented. I honestly can't think of a business book that I would recommend more.

This is a book for people who want to know the why of systems theory and the how of systems practice. In addition to chapters on those two subjects, it also includes actual examples of organization designs the author and his colleagues have created with their clients. Imagine a theory expansive enough to guide the redesign of a nation, an organization, a work unit, a product, a service, or a process. This is what Gharajedaghi has done.

Gharajedaghi's contributions are particularly useful and challenging to practitioners of quality management. Systems practice (design) produces unique solutions to entire sets of problems that can't be solved one at a time. It produces solutions dependent on the context or situation rather than attempting to replicate "best practices" across settings. (Deming's admonition against copying holds true here.) Gharajedaghi emphasizes that function (what the organization, product, or process is supposed to do or produce), structure (the component parts or work groups and their relationships--what Gharajedaghi calls the architecture), and processes (for governance, engagement, learning, throughput, and conflict management) must be considered and designed simultaneously for compatability. Quality management practices address function and processes, but offer no guidance for structure.

The book is not an easy read: the concepts are substantive, and the theory is relatively complex. But the text is clear and the language spare, with few wasted words.

Gharajedaghi has contributed an important book, one to be read, re-read, studied, translated, tested, and challenged by those who would tackle the large and complex problems of social system organization and operation.

If you had to own only one "systems thinking book". This would be the one! Not a wasted page or word. Every page takes you through some of the the most comprehensive ideas contained in systems thinking of the last 40 years. I echo the other reviews. Obviously Mr. Gharajedaghi and Dr. Ackoff have taken advantage of their time teaching together and synergized sytems thinking to the next level.

A masterpiece, that takes at least 4 reads to truly appreciate the depth of content contained within.

This is an absolutely amazing book that should be required reading for all consultants (technical and business). I work in the computer industry and have amassed a large library of reference material and books on nearly every subject from project management to technical tomes (databases, operating systems, networking, programming, etc.) This book goes to the top of the list as one of the most influential works that I have read in the past 25 years. Regardless of what your areas of expertise are (technical or business) I strongly recommend that you purchase this book and make the time to read it from cover-to-cover.

This book will be considered one of the break through works on systems thinking. Gharajedaghi has brought profound wisdom to the printed word and provided examples of its application in several settings. The book's approach to managing chaos and complexity will help us to evolve to the next level of sophistication with our systems.

It is not a light read - expect to be intellectually challenged and somewhat daunted by the depth of thought. It may take several reads to assimilate the concepts presented by the author. Any one of the major concepts could be a book in and of itself. The "beauty" of the book is the integration of the concepts in an understandable and usable format. The description of the operational methods with which to practically apply this approach in the real world is the gift that Gharajedaghi gives us with this work. My profound appreciation to the author for his willingness to share his wisdom.