Unblocking the traffic jams in corporate thinking

Abstract

If the sciences of complexity are ever to enter the business mainstream, we will need more than good new science; we will need to get people to see the world differently. The lessons of complexity—and perhaps most notably the phenomenon of self-organization—challenge fundamental prejudices people have about how the world works. This article proposes that such prejudices are the product of a “centralized mindset,” and it suggests how a “decentralized mindset” is more appropriate at times. The author has dedicated his recent work at MIT to educating students—from grade school through graduate school—about fundamental principles of decentralized systems. One way the author teaches the importance and usefulness of a decentralized framework is through the use of simulation fools, including some intriguing devices called “thinking tags.” These “toys” do more than make learning fun. Those who play with them experience network effects in a decentralized system, and so begin to grasp the new mind-set intuitively. Many examples of educational software used in schools and businesses are nothing more than tireless drill-masters. The author has developed an exception, designed to develop capacity for innovation—the kind of learning that business people now believe matters most. The approach is especially worth our attention because, as you’ll see here, “thinking tags” are coming of the classroom and into business: At least they helped our corporate conference audience see the world differently. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.