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Complexity and Organizational Resilience

The Role of Complexity Thinking in Building and Sustaining Resilience in Dynamic Organizations

The Village, Pohnpei, Micronesia, 24-25 May 2007

Co-hosted by

ISCE Events, US
Westpac Bank, Australia

First Call for Interest

The role of, and the means to achieve, resilience (the capacity to be sustainable through the impact of multitudinous future changes in a connected, dynamic environment) are increasingly the focus of corporate strategy departments and government think tanks.  The increasing volatility in economic markets, the natural environment and society generally require new tools to think about, and take meaningful action towards, the achievement and maintenance of resilient policies and practices.

The field of Complexity Thinking arguably has a significant role to play in informing and assisting our organizations achieve resilience in this context.  This workshop aims to explore the nature of this role and the ways in which Complexity science may be combined with other disciplines to increase resilience in many areas of human endeavor.

The island of Pohnpei, in Micronesia has been chosen as the location for this discussion as it brings the issue of resilience into sharp focus.  Environmentally Pohnpei is at the heart of one of the most delicate marine ecosystems on the planet. Known as one of the greatest diving locations in the world, this ecosystem is threatened by the impending decay of multiple ship wrecks left behind in World War 2, the fuel tanks from which contain enough oil to destroy the local marine paradise. At the same time the mysterious ruins of the ancient city of Nan Modal remind us of the implications of not taking resilience seriously.  This highly advanced civilization disappeared over 1000 years ago leaving behind the mysterious ruins, the construction of which has not yet been explained.

Abstracts for papers are invited that explore the relationship between complexity and resilience.  Topics of interest include:

• Definitions of resilience;
• Different viewpoints from which to understand resilience;
• Understanding resilience from a complex adaptive systems perspective;
• The relationship between resilience at different levels of organization;
• Strategies for promoting local resilience from within;
• Strategies for promoting cross-organizational or, industry-wide, resilience;
• The complex relationship between human organizations and the natural environment of which they are a part;
• Management tools for considering resilience and developing robust strategies for intervention;
• The relationship between resilience and social networks.

Attendance at the workshop will be strictly limited to 30 participants so that critical dialogue can be encouraged around the topics of interest.  The focus of the workshop, therefore, will not be a long list of formal presentations but a flowing stream of reflective debate.  A limited number of short presentations will be given to initiate the ongoing dialogue.  A major session will be devoted to poster presentations by most, if not all, participants which will give everyone the chance to explore certain topics more deeply in an informal interactive environment.  All submissions will be peer-reviewed by the event review committee.

An ISBN-reference pre-proceedings will be available in print during the event (and available to non-participants on order) and selected papers will be collected together in an edited book several months after the event (giving contributors a chance to update and revise their papers in light of the discussion at the event itself).  A special issue of the journal Emergence: Complexity & Organization may also be produced.

Provisional Timetable

Please let Caroline Richardson (pohnpei@isce.edu) know of your interest in attending this event as soon as possible.  Attendance at the event will be strictly limited to 30 so as to encourage genuine dialogue amongst participants - selection of attendees will be determined simply on a first come first serve basis (with the additional consideration of paper relevance).

A block of rooms will be reserved at The Village as soon as final arrangements are made, and a special rate negotiated.  Specific location details will be provided shortly.

Extended abstracts of around 1000 words to be submitted to Dr. Kurt Richardson (kurt@isce.edu) by 14 December, 2006.

The decision by the review board (comprising of members of the hosting organizations (inviting submission of a full paper - to be no longer than 6500 words - will occur by end of January, 2007.  Please note that paper submission is not a pre-requisite for attendance, but that priority will be given to paper contributors.

Full papers to be submitted by end of March, 2007, to give enough time to prepare them for the pre-proceedings.

The cost of registration will be US$395 and must be paid in full at the time of final paper submission - a registration form will sent to participants after the decision regarding paper acceptance has been made. As well as administrative and location costs, fees will also cover lunch and coffee/tea breaks during the event as well as an local style dinner event at the close of the first day. Participants will be responsible for their own hotel costs. We hope everyone will choose to stay at the Village who are offering run-of-house rooms at the discounted rates of $99 per night per single, $108 per double, plus five percent tax. All rooms are spacious and have two queen-sized beds.

If you would like to attend the workshop please send an email to Caroline Richardson (pohnpei@isce.edu) with the following information: Name, affiliation and status if any, address, phone, fax, and email. Caroline will contact you for further information regarding hotel confirmation and payment of workshop fees.

If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact Kurt or Caroline (pohnpei@isce.edu).