Weaving Complexity and Business: Engaging the Soul at Work

by Roger Lewin

Weaving Complexity and Business brings business people a new way of thinking about and working in the new economy, one that draws on the new science of complexity, which recognizes that business organizations are complex adaptive systems, in which people are crucial but unpredictable factors in their development. It offers managers and companies a deeper understanding of the organizational dynamics of today’s fast-paced/changing business environment both within companies and among them. Moreover, the book outlines a new theory of business that places human-oriented management practices under a theoretical umbrella of complexity science. The book also contains detailed case studies of successful UK and US companies that have embraced the principles of complexity science.

Genres: Management, Leadership

Paperback

First published May 7, 2001

About the author

Roger Lewin (born 1944) is a British prize-winning science writer and author of 20 books.

Lewin was a staff member of New Scientist in London for nine years. He went to Washington, D.C. to write for Science for ten years as News Editor. An example article was "Evolutionary Theory Under Fire", 21, November 1980, vol. 210, pp 883–887. Lewin wrote three books with Richard Leakey. He became a full-time freelance writer in 1989 and concentrated on writing books. In 1989 Roger Lewin won the Royal Society Prizes for Science Books for Bones of Contention.


In 2000, Lewin formed Harvest Associates with wife Birute Regine for business consulting. Together they wrote, The Soul at Work: Unleashing the Power of Complexity Science for Business Success, Orion Business Books (1999), republished as Weaving Complexity & Business: Engaging the Soul at Work, Texere (2000). He is a member of the Complexity Research Group at the London School of Economics.

Reviews

[Vince Lammas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this work when I began to study whole systems approaches to organisations and leadership. It helped me appreciate the things that had been working well within my team and some things where I had development needs. Some reviewers think this book comes across as too "spiritual" in its tone but I didn't have the same reaction.

Instead, I thought it gave powerful reasons to consider and act with others as individuals with social and psychological insight rather than treating them as "resources". There was also a message here about allowing things to emerge and supporting people in learning and growth together with some insightful tips on how to do this.

It was one of the first books I read about the role and contribution of managers that went way beyond simple command and control thinking. It was very influential for me as I started out on a new path of learning.