Will

 

When we were doing the Learning Company book in the late 1980's - Deming - through Tom - was a key reference.  I thought Deming had a lot in common with Revans (Same era, scientific background then a move towards human factors as makign the biggest difference, a tendency to iconoclasm etc). 

Deming's emphasis on studying the system, although seemingly rather narrow or technical at times, was clearly also evident in Senge. Revans also prefigured the learning organisation in his own way.

 

Both I think would have been impatient with the continuing individualistic focus of management development - Revans was very rude about the MBA - and would have wished for a more systemic approach. 

 

So, we're still waiting.  And if Steve Ackroyd is right, and there is little evidence of the much anticipated networked forms in the old economy businesses (the networks idea being more akin to the idea of systems more than the hierarchy idea? Does that fly?) - we might have to wait a bit longer.

 

Cheers

 

Mike