REPLY Society Strategy Development (SD7190)

[SDMAIL Richard Stevenson]

Posted by  Richard Stevenson <rstevenson at valculus.com>

I have - fairly - been accused of negativity about the SDS and challenged to
suggest a more positive route for development of our field.

I have thoughts of my own but many of them are well summarised by two
weblinks.

First, some principles.  Here
http://www.zenska-mreza.hr/prirucnik/en/en_solution_2.htm is a well thought
out summary of the difficulties of moving from an idea - a pioneering
organisation - to a professional organisation.  The ideas originated around
NGO's in Bosnia - but have much in common with our situation, I think.

Second, here http://www.biij.org/2007/3/e58/ is a description of an
professional/academic organisation that is light years ahead of the SDS. It
has a UK slant admittedly, but it covers all the requirements of our field
now - to move into the mainstream management area, to regulate standards, to
inter-relate with other branches of management science and to promote the
interests of its members.

I, for one, would subscribe to such a model, subject if course to the
outcome
of the present strategy review.  The challenge to the SDS is - do you all
want to play with SD, or do you really want to promote and professionalise
the field?

Richard Stevenson
Valculus Ltd
Posted by  Richard Stevenson <rstevenson at valculus.com>
posting date  Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:38:24 +0100