Managing Information in Complex Organizations: Semiotics and Signals, Complexity and ChaosThis seminal work presents an effective design for processing information through five stages from data to actionable knowledge in order to influence behavior within organizations. The authors incorporate such concepts as evolution, semiotics, entropy, complexity, emergence, crisis, and chaos theory in an intriguing alternative to crisis management that can be applied to any organization. Their model shows how to evaluate and share information to enable the organization to avoid disaster rather than simply respond to it. Additionally, the text presents the first attempt at a multi-disciplinary view of information processing in organizations by tying associated disciplines to their respective impacts on the information process. Illustrations used in the text include an overlay that demonstrates how the non-use of information between agencies contributed to the 9/11 disaster, and an appendix addresses Organizing for Cyberterrorism. |
Contents
Semantics Cybernetics | 9 |
Information Forms and Dependence | 25 |
Information Processing Complexity and Crises | 112 |
Barriers to Optimal Information Processing | 128 |
Setting Up the Organization for Optimal | 146 |
Recap and Real Time | 169 |
Epilogue | 191 |
| 211 | |
Notes | 217 |
| 235 | |
About the Authors 249 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
ability action activities adaptation agents approach associated attacks behavior chaos chaos theory chapter cognitive Cognitive Dissonance cohesion communication complexity concept concerned considered context coupling crises Crisis Management cybernetics cyberterrorism decision-maker detected determine develop discussed effect efficient emergent information entropy environment example exaptation existing failure feedback function game theory groups Harvard Business Harvard Business School Hensgen hierarchy human idea individuals information flow information processing information systems input intelligence intended interaction interpretation involves K.C. Desouza knowledge management mation meaning medical errors module notion objects occur organization organization's Organizational Learning players presented problems produce provides regarded represents result Review Science semantic semiotic model semiotic square September 11 signal devices signs sources spatial strategies structure syntactical tacit tacit knowledge task temporal terrorist theory tion trigger University Press World Trade Center York