Rethinking the Fifth Discipline: Learning Within the Unknowable

231 Pages·1999·1.39 MB·English

by  Robert Lo Flood

Rethinking The Fifth Discipline
‘It is in the nature of systemic thinking to yield many different views of the same thing and
the same view of many different things. This book offers such a point of view of systemic
thinking, which is both important and very rewarding for one to take into account.’
Russell L. Ackoff
Chairman, INTERACT, The Institute for Interactive Management, USA
‘Robert Flood describes complex systemic theory and practice in a clear, comprehensible
manner, thereby bringing a better understanding of the world and ourselves to his readers. If
you are interested in learning and growing, if you wish to manage better, then read this
insightful and thought-provoking book.’
Professor Brenda Gourley
Vice Chancellor and Principal, University of Natal, South Africa
‘In the present global market, systemic thinking has risen to a position of prominence never
before attained. Globalisation, networking, and coalition building, are examples of systemic
behaviour that stress the need to view and deal with issues holistically, rather than in
isolation. Robert Flood for years has been at the forefront of such studies. This book has to
be a must for all apprentices of systemic thinking.’
Ghassan Al Sulaiman
Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and President of IKEA, Saudi Arabia
The Fifth Discipline is one of the very few approaches to management that has attained a
position in the international hall of fame. Robert Louis Flood’s book explains and critiques
the ideas in straightforward terms.
Rethinking The Fifth Discipline makes significant and fundamental improvements to the
core discipline of systemic thinking. It establishes crucial developments in this area in the
context of the learning organisation, including creativity and organisational transformation. It
is therefore a very important text for strategic planners, organisational change agents and
consultants as well as students studying and researching management, business and
administration.
Key features of this work include:
• a review and critique of The Fifth Discipline and systemic thinking
• an introduction to the gurus of systemic thinking – Senge, Bertalanffy, Beer, Ackoff,
Checkland and Churchman
• a redefinition of ‘management and organisation’ through systemic thinking
• a guide to choosing, implementing and evaluating improvement strategies
• practical animations
Robert Louis Flood is a renowned and authoritative expert in the field of management. He
has implemented systemic management in a wide range of organisations in many continents
and lectured by invitation in twenty-five countries, including Japan and the USA. Professor
Flood has featured on a number of radio and TV programmes. His book Beyond TQM (Wiley)
was nominated for the 1993 MCA Management Book of the Year.

Rethinking The Fifth Discipline
Learning within the unknowable
Robert Louis Flood
London and New York
First published 1999 by Routledge
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
© 1999 Robert Louis Flood
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2001.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any
form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Rethinking The Fifth Discipline: learning within the unknowable/Robert Louis Flood.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Management – Philosophy. I. Title.
HD31.F568 1999
658–dc21 98–51385
CIP
ISBN 0-415-18529-7 (hbk)
ISBN 0-415-18530-0 (pbk)
ISBN 0-203-02855-4 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-13328-5 (Glassbook Format)
Dedication
Of the many lessons I learnt on Christmas Eve 1997, one lives on with me – actually do what
you think, do not just think what to do.
In loving memory of my mother – Marjorie Flood née Peacock.

Contents
List of illustrations xii
Biography xiv
Acknowledgements xv
1 Introduction 1
PART I 11
2 Senge’s The Fifth Discipline 13
The learning man 13
Systemic thinking, system dynamics 13
Personal mastery 20
Mental models 22
Shared vision 23
Team learning 24
Openness and localness 26
Commentary 26
3 Bertalanffy’s open systems theory 29
The seminal man 29
Open systems theory 29
Relevance to ‘management and organisation’ 30
General system theory 31
Systems view of people 33
A systemic discipline emerges 33
4 Beer’s organisational cybernetics 35
The recurring man 35
Cybernetics 35
viii Contents
Viable system model 38
Team syntegrity 43
Cybernetics makes its mark 44
5 Ackoff’s interactive planning 45
The planning man 45
Fables and foibles 45
Operations research 46
Interactive planning 47
Circular organisation 49
A soft turn 51
6 Checkland’s soft systems approach 53
The man of passion and structure 53
Action research 54
Interpretive-based systemic theory 55
Soft systems methodology 56
Hard lessons from a soft thinker 60
7 Churchman’s critical systemic thinking 61
The moral man 61
Operations research 62
Critical systemic thinking 63
The people’s conscience 66
8 Senge’s The Fifth Discipline revisited 67
Taking stock 67
An empowering quality 67
Commonalities and similarities 68
Two central issues for systemic thinking 69
Reflections on Part I 73
PART II
Concepts 77
9 Towards systemic thinking 79
Introduction 79
The Enlightenment 79
Reductionism 80
Contents ix
Spiritualism 81
Essence of systemic thinking 82
Between mystery and mastery 83
10 The demise of problems, solutions and normal organisational
life 84
Introduction 84
From causal factors to systemic awareness 85
The ‘problem’ with ‘problems’ 88
The ‘issue’ with ‘issues’ 88
The ‘dilemma’ with ‘dilemmas’ 88
11 Getting to grips with complexity 90
Introduction 90
Two central issues revisited 91
Boundary judgements 92
12 Deepening systemic appreciation 94
13 Window 1: Systems of processes 98
What are processes? 98
Process maps 98
Improvement of efficiency and reliability 100
Categories of improvement 100
Strategies for improvement 101
Discussion 102
14 Window 2: Systems of structure 104
What is structure? 104
Improvement of effectiveness 104
Diagnosis and design 104
Strategies for improvement 105
Discussion 107
15 Window 3: Systems of meaning 110
What is meaning? 110
What is meant by agreement? 110
Improvement of meaningfulness 112