A633.3.3.RB_BuebyJames

A633.3.3.RB - Complex Adaptive Systems

Find a company which reflects Morning Star and St Luke’s image of a Complex Adaptive System (CAS) and reflect in your blog what the implications are for you and your present organization.

            Obolensky (2014) states that a Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) is a "dynamic organisation where teams are formed, perform and then disappear as the need arises," and he also places "great emphasis on personal responsibility." We have a few organizations in the defence department that perfectly exemplify these characteristics, which reside under Special Operations Command (SOCOM). The headquarters in itself does have a specific leadership structure, but when specialized team assets are organized based on capabilities to execute a very specific mission set, then disbanded and reallocated to support other efforts really goes to show that this type of "unilateral-leadership" can/does work. Fluidity and transparent flow of responsibility filter from individual to individual in these type of teams which really helps identify them as (CAS)

Identify what you believe are appropriate actions to move your organization forward.

            Personally, I've worked inside numerous SOCOM mission sets and considered my specialty one of the specific mission entities that works autonomously within a designed mission parameter, in order to accomplish a specific mission set. This happens quite frequently, but has some detrimental setbacks. Mission execution does in fact get accomplished with impeccable accuracy, without having to build strong previous standing relationships, which saves precious time and resources. We are all there to accomplish the mission, and execute in a professional matter at all times. There really isn't room for bosses, because nobody understands their specialty better than each individual does. The problem is having the proper size pool of individuals that provides the ability to be more flexible, and distribute workloads more appropriately. This all happens very cyclically, based on the current threat environment. I can't present an easy solution to the problem because there's an excessive amount of external factors that play into when and where a specialized team is formed in order to execute.

Watch this Martin-Reeves Video and discuss the implications of strategy on your organization. Why strategy, why now, and how could this discussion positively impact your organization?

            I am a bit critical of Reeves' example of Apple, because it really doesn't fit into the context of rethinking strategy. Apple did hit it big no doubt, but only because smart phone technology revolutionized just about all communication platforms, creating a huge demand. The point of his lecture focuses more on how the core concept of strategy needs to constantly be rethought and tailored to individual situations. His concept supports not even being able to execute the same strategy that worked years ago because the external dynamics would undoubtedly be different. I do in-fact really like his explanation of having the necessity to experiment, select, expand, exploit, collapse and re-strategize.

            A crucial aspect that Reeves makes is that the key to winning is being able to exploit where your company can maximize its effect. Complex leaders must understand that being good at all a facet of winning through predicitibility, malleability, and harshness isn't an obtainable realism in today's complex environment. I've said it repeatedly now because I realized it a few classes ago, and many others of course as well, that competitive advantage these days is really starting to focus on the processes that form technology rather than reliance on technology alone. No nation really wants to take America on militarily; instead, our adversaries are cleverly exploiting measures that undermine our goals, values, and principles from within. If in fact these manifestations are allowed to fester out of control, then our demise would be met from within without a single shot being fired.

References

Morgan, J. (2015). How morning star farms operates without and managers. Retrieved from             https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2015/06/04/how-morningstar-farms-operates-without-any-managers/#f021f0825b10

Obolensky, M. N. (2014). Complex Adaptive Leadership, 2nd Edition. [Bookshelf Online]. Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781472447937/

Reeves, M. (2014). Simplifying complexity [Video file]. Retrieved from           https://erau.instructure.com/courses/77012/discussion_topics/1138676?module_item_id=4126424