The burgeoning literature that has grown up around organizational learning in the past twenty-five years is either uncritical (treats the phrase "learning organization" as a catchword for whatever it is the front-running Japanese or other organizations are doing and whatever the rest of the world needs to do to catch up with them) or distant from practice, skeptical and non-perspective.

In this book, the approach to organizational learning is normative and practice-oriented. The authors are mainly interested in productive organizational learning: how this kind of learning can be generated in real-world organizations and how practitioners can help to foster it.

The theory given in this book is primarily based on two types of learning: single-loop and double-loop. The authors have borrowed the distinction between single and double-loop learning from W. Ross Ashby's "Design for a Brain" (1960).

On case studies of known companies, such as Intel, General Motors, etc., the authors show "primary inhibitory loops" that inhibit organizational learning, and "conditions for error", and how to avoid them. The following list gives the most common "conditions for error" and how to avoid them:

- Vagueness : Specify
- Ambiguity : Clarify
- Untestability : Make testable
- Scattered information : Concert
- Information withheld : Reveal
- Undiscussability : Make discussable
- Uncertainity : Inquire
- Inconsistency/incompatibility: Resolve

In part I, the authors introduce the conceptual framework, both for organizational learning and for the relationship between research and practice. In part II, they introduce and illustrate concepts central to limited learning. Part III presents a brief classroom-based example. Part IV is the review of the recent history of the field of organizational learning.

Despite of the brilliant content, the book which is marked as "Reprinted with corrections August, 1996", which I have (paperback), is awfully printed. It is really the eye-killer. And nevertheless, it has some typos. Please try to find a version which is not "Reprinted with corrections August, 1996".

This is the definitive book on how people politics preventorganisational learning, especially when a company needs a doubleturnround. That is a change of culture as well as strategy. Some of the early chapters are a bit heavily academic, but the pursuit is worthwhile if you want to understand how many big old western organisations stop working - instead of reinventing themselves - whenever a competitor dramatically changes the rules of the marketplace. The authors seem to imply that what they call double loop learning across every department of an organisation is both so laborious as a change process and requires such extraordinary levels of mutual trust that it might be better to raise an old organisation to the ground, and start from scratch. Their research is full of evidence why the last two decades have seen so much downsized leadership. One question that occurs to me is will their pessimistic conclusions hold true now that companies can use internal media like intranets to turn all employees' thinking around at the same time? If you would like to discuss this or other provocations relating to this work, I would be delighted to help form an interactive book discussion club.

Chris Macrae, editor of Brand Chartering Handbook and MELNET www.brad.ac.uk/branding/ E-mail me at wcbn007@easynet.co.uk

Learn by doing and reflecting upon that doing. Make sense to most of us. but can we esplain it? Most of us cannot!! But Argyris can, and in a sophisticated and cogent way! Adds greatly to a much needed insight into learning and learned. Thanks for your insights, Chris.

Argris, a professor of industrial psychology, has published some of the most practical and insighful works of psychology I know of. In the influential book "The Fifth Discipline" Senge devotes an entire chapter specifically to Argryis's ideas and Argyris's ideas show up all over that work. In attempting to apply Argyris's ideas in business I discovered (as have others) that it applies to many areas of my life. In the process I am becoming much more self-aware of my own feelings, objectives, and values and how they color my interactions with others -- on the job and in my personal life.

Argyris life work has focused on the role (or plight) of the individual in organizations. More than another of his other books, in "Reasoning, Learning, and Action" Argyris describes what he does in his seminars and with clients. The book is full of selections from transcripts of actual conversations along with an expert commentary in which the author shares with us thinking process. If I had to choose one and only one of Argyris's several books to recommend this is the one I would choose. In the preface to this book the author writes "I believe that social science should question the status quo and offer people alternatives that have been rare or not available but are highly valued (for example, systems with high trust, risk taking, and high internal commitment amoung the participants)." Argyris delivers on his intention.

- Cortlandt Wilson, Software Consultant, Cortlandt Software

Action Science (1985) is the result of a collaborative project by Chris Argyris, Robert Putnam and Diana McLain Smith. The authors' main objective was to produce a body of knowledge that would bridge the concepts between theory and practice, thought and action and science and common sense (Argyris, Putnam, and McLain Smith, p.1). The authors' collective experience and expertise establishes them as credible, competent and well versed in the field of leadership. I am convinced that as a group of professionals they are uniquely qualified to comment on the concepts, methods, and skills for research and intervention.Embedded in the text of this work is a tremendous amount of information that is documented and supported by research and established theories. I believe the authors did achieve what they set out to do and ended with a useable, comprehensive, and valid body of knowledge. The information presented in the tables and figures offers clarity and visual reference for data that may otherwise be confusing and frustrating.
Argyris and Schon in Educating the Reflective Practioner (1974) state, "All human beings - not only professional practitioners - need to become competent in taking action and simultaneously reflecting on this action to learn from it." In the process of doing this review, I became engaged in an exercise of self-reflection. I began the task of defining my professional behavior and can sum up my experience by asking what is it that I am doing, why I am doing it, how am I doing it and what I could do different to grow and learn. Finally, I would like to highlight passages that caused me to reflect on my professional practice and development.
1.The concept of double loop learning makes sense and is something I am going to attempt to increase my awareness level.
2. The explanation of espoused theory versus theory-in use conveys a level of unawareness (on the part of most professionals) concerning what they do in contrast to what they think or say they do.
3.Barriers that inhibit our learning are self erected coping mechanisms that may serve a purpose but they are not strategies that will help us grow or learn professionally.
One assertion explored in the text is that by identifying the barriers that exist in our communities of inquiry we might be more prepared to overcome these barriers (Argyris et al. p.89). By defining our barriers we become better equipped to overcome these barriers. In reading Action Science I engaged in a professional exercise of reflective thought. On every page there is material, concepts and theories that are worthy of reflection. I found myself engaged in reflective thought and self-discovery throughout the reading of this text.

This is not only and excellent technical book, with an excellent in crescendo structure for single introdutions at all level of oscillation dynanmics, going to explain step by step the construction of undamped structural models and the concept of natural vibration, to free and forced vibration with and without damping forces, incluiding an excelllent introduction to random vibration, with the important consideration of modal damping, always fron single degree or freedom system to multy-degree of fredom systems. The second and more involved in nonlinear structural dynamics and their integration methods, goes from simple analitical to more power numerical algrorithms with an excelent previous development of the material to finally abord all diferent modelling and solvers arsenal from FEM to alternative methods applied to a serie of diferent engineeering problems, all started with a simple one degree of fredom duffing well now equation and its analitical and numerical computer solution to solver methods, like Newmark one, to applied practically to diferent dynamical problems all in engineering context.The book is excellent after an introduction course in linear vibration, structural analysys or numerical methods, it is full of graphics outputs, clears and very well selected, from advance undergraduate, to graduate and reserchers who want a fresh write book, with a complet threatment of the computational mechanics, very dificult to find in only one volume.Also belonging to a excelent serie with advanced topics that perfectly complement this book. I recomended this book for its easy lecture and material comprension, to first time oscillation and vibration study to complete domain of classical and non classical advanced material not easy to find in only one book.Its prepare to jump to specialized engineering problems like aeroelasticity and chaotic dynamics.Very usefull for classroom and home study. CAAMEAL@LANDER.ES

This book contains comprehensive content about bifurcation and chaos. It covers many theories about chaos, and they are well-written. It is suitable for those who have basic understanding of chaos and nonlinear dynamics as there are proofs and detailed description of many theories.

This is an excellent book! Even though it is a little old (1976), this book is an excellent read for managers and leadership students alike. Arygis outlines his Model I / Model II paradigm that is essentially a build on MacGregor's Theory X/Theory Y from 1960. Argyis then uses these 2 theories as a vehicle to present double loop learning. His teachings are definitely applicable even today and are the foundations for a lot of the current understanding of learning organizations. A definite classic and a definite read!

I know about 70 consultants that have studied this book during one or two years, and their words about it are always the same: terrific, essential, the more important book, actual, and so... Almir Campos.

The writing style and the translation are competent and make the text accessible. That is the only unqualified praise I can offer. The actual text is biased and, at times, unilluminating to those of us uninitiated in the internal politics of the church. The reader is credited with too much background and context must often inferred. Opinions are presented as mutually agreed ideals with no effort to convince the reader.

A specific example is the recurring theme of the American Greek Orthodox Church becoming too secular and Protestant. The criticism is really that the American church is becoming too "Americanized". Why this is undesirable is not made clear. Is inclusion not an ideal worth pursuing?

The American influence on the mechanics of the church has been incredibly beneficial. It has made the church more relevant to the American faithful, it has allowed the church to move beyond Greek genetics as the exclusive means for inclusion in the church and America has broadened the charitable work of the church (whose history in this regard has been lamentably deficient to date). In short, America's participation has revitalized the church in comparison to the mother country where it has languished. "Protestant" really translates to the increased involvement of the laity at the expense of the clergy's power.

How Spyridon seizes the moral high-ground in this game of power politics is not explained or defended because it is simply assumed that you would agree that money should be given to the church without oversight and anything non-Greek is undesirable. The book is a lengthy description of how America did not go along with that assumption.

In short, you are to just cut Spyridon a check and don't ask questions and all will be well by him. Maybe he'll even travel a little further up his lonely road of integrity(!), bought by your unsupervised cash, until he is out of sight and out of mind. After reading this I am beginning to agree with Fr. Stephanopolous that the time has come for American orthodoxy to become autokephalic

This book is a well documented expose of the recent crisis afflicting the Greek Orthodox church in America. It reveals the details of the struggle between the man leading Orthodoxy's largest and most powerful See and the man occupying Orthodoxy's powerful Ecumenical throne. Through personal accounts and original sources, Justine Frangouli unravels the scenarios behind the removal of Archbishop Spyridon, a hierarch with widespread appeal among the masses who became controversial among circles where the influences of money, power and corruption prevailed.

I found the topic of this book which mesmerized the Orthodox community in America for three years to be interesting reading. The chapter headings were great; carefully chosen to bring the reader to a greater understanding of what actually happened. I read the book twice and I recommend that everyone does to get a deeper understanding of the truth. The first time I read it for facts, the second time to understand what happened conceptually. I'm sure that I will read it many times over for an even better understanding. I thought the chess analogy gave a tremendous, concrete illustration of the dynamics that occurred and how the present Patriarch of the church used the players in various ways to achieve his own end. In my mind I envisioned the various people as chess pieces, with the game ending in a subtle, but very real crucifixion. It seems that the sources of power overseas simply orchestrated things from abroad and used traditional byzantine methods to checkmate the opponent. One has to question the ethics of those creating a game in which the opponent is not given equal advantage.

The addition of two documents written by Archbishop Spyridon himself is critical to the understanding of the book. As original sources, the two works give testimony to Spyridon's administrative skills, capabilities and dedication to Orthodoxy. In my opinion, these documents lend credence to the author's conviction that the Ecumenical throne actually allowed, and even participated in a misrepresentation of the former archbishop for personal gain and to gain absolute power over the church in America. I suggest that the reader start by reading these pieces first as a backdrop to the events that occurred.

In the end, the book leaves us asking the question, Can personal sacrifice and the struggle for conviction and integrity ever win against the forces of money, power and greed? Perhaps a sequel is needed.

Behind every hope and ray of sunshine, there is a cloud threatening ... such was the excitement and the hope that hung heavily in the air during the tenure of Archbishop Spyridon. Such excitement and sense of renewal in all ministries of the Greek Orthodox Church had not been felt since the earlier days of his predecessor, Archbishop Iakovos. However, contrary to what the majority of the people felt with this young, American, brilliant and charismatic hierarch, silently there were byzantine treacheries being staged, and openly, there were hysterical cries of a conjured up 'crisis' being waged in the pages of the internet and Greek media.

'The Lonely Path of Integrity' uncovers all of this, from a perspective that few heard, or that few were *allowed* to hear. From the childhood of this brilliant, well educated man who took his commitment to follow in the footsteps of the apostles seriously, to his ministry filled with extreme hard work, dedication, and love for the traditions and doctrines of his faith, and finally to the events leading up to his resignation that pierced the heart of the people and the soul of the Church, Justine Frangoulis-Argyri, gives an account.

I highly recommend this book in that it tells a story in the history of the Greek Orthodox Church which needs to finally be heard, and of a side of a man who was so often misunderstood, but whose integrity did not allow him to bow to the agendas of individuals, but did all for Christ and His commission for His Church.

I already own five of the paperbacks in the Harvard Business Review series. The articles in it are really state-of-the-art in the field the book is about. And so it is in the case of the Harvard Business Review on Effective Communication. I appreciate the chance to read what the most important authors have to say in short articles, not in long books. The articles are long enough to understand and give many good ideas worth working on.

Though the collection of articles may at first seem sort of old (the oldest is from 1957), the content is very apropos for today. While building a Training Roadmap for our company, I found articles that I think will be extremely useful for a wide range of positions.

What first attracted me was the article on "Listening to People", where I found the clearest presentation on why our listening fails. Even better, it tells how we can improve our listening as a skill that has to be learned.

The next article on "How to Run a Meeting" was enlightening, almost literally! I rushed into my boss' office with new insights on why certain meetings had to be held and how they should run.

I haven't read word-for-word the whole book, rather I've read some others and skimmed some others. That sampling seems to indicate they're all of the same quality.

The author presents tools to examine advices from executives, change consultants, academics, etc., and offers four basic tests for the actionability of advice. The good advice should specify the detailed, concrete behaviors required to achieve the intended consequences; it must be crafted in the form of designs that contain causal statements; people must have, or be able to be taught, the concepts and skills required to implement those causal statements; and the context in which it is to be implemented does not prevent its implementation.

Argyris' theory of good advice, being highly practical and actionable, is based on the author's theoretical framework of "Model-II", exposed in his book "Organizational Learning II", co-authored with Donald Schoen.

The book does also contain a brilliant section about effective strategic choices, written by Roger Martin in very friendly tone. A high-quality strategic choice, according to Martin, possesses four key attributes: it is genuine; it is sound; it is actionable; and it is compelling. The section uncovers these principles in details.

The book shows the difference between external and internal employee commitment to the advices and helps to create and foster internal commitment.

You can test the actionability of the advices given in this book using these advices themselves.

I would recommend "Organizational Learning II: Theory, Method and Practice" prior to reading this book. I would also recommend "Leading the Revolution" by Gary Hamel in addition to these books.

This is another fine book by Argyris. I think this, in addition to "Strategic Organizational Change" by Beitler, is very helpful. (Beitler has an outstanding chapter on how to evaluate consultants.)

I recommend everything that Chris Argyris writes. This is no exception. This book has insight about management advice that reminds me of the work of Alfred Kieser at the University of Mannheim (Germany). I highly recommend the work of both Argyris and Kieser.

Dr. Michael Beitler
Author of "Strategic Organizational Change"