Complexity science, systems thinking and pragmatic sensibility

Abstract

Abstract This paper examines mainstream complexity management writings, presents a radical alternative proposed by Ralph Stacey and his colleagues, explores some tensions in that alternative and analyzes Stacey's criticism on systems thinking. The paper proposes that a pragmatic sensibility is particularly useful for transferring radical insights from complexity sciences into studies of organisation change and management. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.