Society for Organisational Learning in the UK

Decision integrity and 2^nd order cybernetics

A SOL-UK workshop presented and led by Tony Hodgson 

Thursday, 3^rd September 2009, 6.45- 8.30pm:  Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ

"The rational worldview of management science has come to dominate decision theory." 

At this workshop, Tony Hodgson proposed that, despite its evident successes, this view of decision making is decreasingly effective in a global world which turns out to be unruly and unpredictable in critical areas.  The result is an escalation of unintended consequences in business, public affairs and human ecology.  Despite its success in some fields of management, we need to question the rational view which disconnects the observer from the observed.  Decision integrity is proposed as a reflexive theory of decision making that incorporates the decision maker as part of the decision field.  It requires stepping out of the observer/object paradigm of classical science and into the alternative paradigm of second order cybernetics. The decision maker is not simply an observer but also a participant who cannot abdicate from personal ethical considerations and ultimate responsibility even in the face of uncertainty. 

After presenting the key ideas, Tony hosted an informal chat.  This was a stimulating and well energized session.

The full event bulletin is attached, giving a profile of Tony Hodgson.  Also attached is Tony's slide presentation and a newspiece on the evening, prepared by Tony.