Complexity theory including the concepts of chaos and emergence has been considered one of the most revolutionary products of the 20th century having influence on science, technology and economics among others. Any complex systems, such as organisms, societies, stock market or the Internet, have emergent properties that cannot be reduced to the mere properties of their parts. The theory has been used in organizational studies and strategic management where it offers an alternative way to look at organizations. The theory rejects the idea of organizations seen as machines and a planned approach to organizational change. Instead, the theory underlines understanding on how organizations adapt to their environments. Complexity theory suggests that organizations tend to self-organize themselves to a state where they regulate themselves. Complexity theory would advocate for approaches that focus on flatter, more flexible organizations. It shifts focus from management control to self-organization and individual interrelations between different people. The aim of Navigating through Changing Times: Knowledge Work in Complex Environment is to give insights on how complexity has changed the environment of many business organizations. The book aims at identifying and discussing special features of business organizations performing knowledge work in a knowledge-oriented economy. Navigating through Changing Times: Knowledge Work in Complex Environment will be vital reading for those scholar and researchers in the fields of knowledge and wisdom management as well as organizational behavior and communication, HRM, strategy, culture, change and development and other related disciplines.
Dr Anne Eskola is a Principal Lecturer at the School of Business, JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Finland.
Part 1: New Ways of Working and Leading1. Knowledge Work and New Ways of Working Anne Eskola2. Leading a SpecialistPia Heilmann3. Ethical Solutions to Ethical Problems in Knowledge WorkMinna-Maaria Hiekkataipale4. The Necessity of Intrinsic Motivation and Self-determinationFrank Martela and Tuukka Kostamo5. Tensions, Spaces of Self-organization and ResilienceMika Nieminen and Heli TaljaPart 2: Lessons Learned from Forerunners6. Lessons Learned from Traditional and "new-age" LeadershipTommi Auvinen, Elina Riivari, and Pasi Sajasalo7. Value Co-creation through Digitalization Katja Rantala and Heikki Karjaluoto8. Informal Human Resource Principles and Practices as a Key to Growth Minna Janhonen and Tiina Taipale9. Agile Ways of Working Liinamaaria Hakola10. Organizing at the Edge of ChaosSami Jantunen, Tapio Koivisto, Anne Eskola, and Pia Heilmann11. Participative Strategy Work Elli Antikainen, Tommi Auvinen, and Pasi SajasaloPart 3: Practical Guidelines for Changing Times12. Classroom as Organization - an Educational Strategy for Emergent LearningAnne Herbert and Elyssebeth Leigh13. Shared Understanding of Business Purpose as a Structure of Organizing WorkMarianne Ekonen and Heidi Forsström-Tuominen14. Supporting Prospective Organizational Sensemaking with Collaborative MethodsSami Jantunen and Tapio Koivisto15. Navigating in Turbulent Environments: How to Keep Staying in the Game?
Anders Ortenblad, Raili Marling, Snjezana Vasiljevic, Norway) Ortenblad, Anders (Nord University, Estonia) Marling, Raili (University of Tartu, Croatia) Vasiljevic, Snjezana (University of Zagreb
Nurul Shahnaz Ahmad Mahdzan, Mohd Edil Abd Sukor, Izlin Ismail, Mahfuzur Rahman, Malaysia) Ahmad Mahdzan, Nurul Shahnaz (University of Malaya, Malaysia) Abd Sukor, Mohd Edil (University of Malaya, Malaysia) Ismail, Izlin (University of Malaya, Malaysia) Rahman, Mahfuzur (University of Malya
Kantha Dayaram, Linda Lambey, John Burgess, Tri Wulida Afrianty, Australia) Dayaram, Kantha (Curtin University, Indonesia) Lambey, Linda (Universitas Sam Ratulangi, Australia) Burgess, John (Curtin University of Technology, Indonesia) Wulida Afrianty, Tri (Brawijaya University