REPLY Adoption Dynamics (SD6152)

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Posted by  "Colin Beveridge" <colin at colin.beveridge.name>

Kim

Thanks, the Bass Diffusion model is extremely useful for working with
products and artefacts (which could be SD consultancy services) in a formal
adoption/ procurement context. 

I am not so sure that the Bass model fits knowledge and methodology
adoption, however. For sure some Bass aspects may well apply to the
diffusion of a management methodology but my present interest lies beyond
the formal/ conscious organisational adoption process, towards those
informal initiatives within the organisation which can often mature to
critical mass without formal approval. 

There are many instances of "underground innovation" and "skunkworks"
product development in manufacturing companies and I strongly suspect that
many management methodologies/ approaches are adopted (or developed) as
informal initiatives, driven by individuals or groups within the
organisation. These informal channels often run in parallel to [or perhaps
contra] formally adopted management tools.

SD would appear to be a prime candidate for the informal route to adoption,
building on the evidence of the first 50 years of practice, because it can
be adopted without major capital investment and targeted towards problems of
real importance, using relatively inexpensive [labour costs and opportunity
time excepted] resource.

I don't know if there has been any research on the routes to organisational
adoption of System Dynamics and, if so, the relative balance between formal
and informal initiatives.

I believe we need to recognise and understand both routes to organisational
adoption of SD before we can each determine our own local response to the
challenges facing adoption. 

I hope others will appreciate the likely value of applying Systems Thinking
and Systems Dynamics to SD itself...

ColinB
Posted by  "Colin Beveridge" <colin at colin.beveridge.name>
posting date  Sat, 6 Jan 2007 19:57:22 -0000