Our brains really struggle to be rational. This is a big problem when it comes to management and making decisions, especially decisions about risk. What can we do about it? The improbability of probability The human mind is unable to process probability. It’s a scientific fact proved over the last 20 years in a slew of publications (and […]
How to Predict the Future in Uncertain Times Part 2
In Part Two of this article on predicting the future with science, we look at the tool from Statistical Process Control that helps us understand behaviour patterns in our processes so we can make more informed decisions. When is a process predictable? We say that a process is “predictable” when it is in a state […]
How to Predict the Future in Uncertain Times
What exactly do we mean when we talk about prediction? In uncertain times it’s a relevant question. However, we’re not talking here about having a crystal ball but the relevance of prediction in the field of management. A little less exciting than Tom Cruise but very important nonetheless. Dr. Giovanni Siepe explains… What do we […]
The Stories We Tell About Ourselves – Narrative and Trust
There’s a lot of talk about narrative these days. In fact, we all tell stories all the time – from what we communicate to customers about our brand, goods and services to the voice inside our head that is constantly “telling” us who we are (hopefully, not too many voices at one time.) So do we […]
Creativity – the Opposite of Reliability and Predictability?
It is a week where a European country, France has declared it is at war. Elsewhere in the world just recently thousands of people argued on social media about a Starbucks cup. It’s hard at times to keep a sense of balance and where our attention needs to be. So much noise and so much […]
How to See the Future with Science – Part Two on Predicting Process Behaviour
In Part Two of this article on predicting the future with science, we look at the tool from Statistical Process Control that helps us understand behaviour patterns in our processes so we can make more informed decisions. When is a process predictable? We say that a process is “predictable” when it is in a […]
Mining the Past to Create the Future
The ancient industry of glass blowing in Venice is threatened by a grim economy, changing taste, and cheaper alternatives. A recent article from The Economist concentrates on the famous island of Murano and the challenges facing the centuries-old tradition. One glass-blowing studio in Murano has found success by working with fine artists to produce rare […]
Connecting in a Network? Its usefulness is all about affinity.
Is all that effort to make connections in a network a waste of time? Network theory has something to teach us about all that. A lot of energy is consumed every day by people, groups, and organizations who frantically try to make as many connections as possible. They do so for a reason: to increase […]
Everything Is Connected: A New Economics
After a hiatus over the New Year and preparations for a big move West to British Columbia, the Intelligent Management Blog is back! What do a Theatre Director, an entrepreneur and an organizational scientist have in common? When it comes to creating a New Economics, a great deal. Last weekend in Los Angeles, I had […]
A Mining Company With A Heart of Gold
In a recent article by Dawn Cranfield in The Guardian Express entitled A Mining Company with a Heart of Gold – Comstock Mining, Inc., the author draws attention to what makes Comstock a very different kind of mining company: “Comstock Mining, Inc. had their first pour of gold and silver doré, unrefined gold bullion, on […]