Table of Contents

Welcome to Edgeware
What is in Edgeware?
Navigating Edgeware
Where do I begin?
Acknowledgments

I. Primer
Comparing complexity science with traditional science
From physics envy to biology envy
Complexity questions
Definition of complex adaptive system
Description of complex adaptive systems
Why is complexity science relevant now?
The compression of time and space
Some of the paradoxes of complexity
Complexity is a metaphor
The inquiry continues

Author Biographies

Brenda Zimmerman, Ph.D

Brenda Zimmerman is an associate professor at the Schulich School of Business, York University in Toronto. She has been studying complexity science applications to organizations since 1985, and has written more than two dozen articles and book chapters on the topic. She is a sought-after speaker on topics of change, strategy and new concepts of control. She has made more than 100 complexity science-related presentations to management and academic audiences in seven countries. Her research has applied complexity to business, government and not-for-profit organizations. Brenda has a background in science and business, and is a chartered accountant. For her Ph.D., completed in 1991, she wrote a dissertation applying complexity science to strategic processes. Brenda lives with her husband and daughters in Oakville, Ontario.

Curt Lindberg

Since 1986 Curt Lindberg has worked for VHA Inc., a performance-improvement company serving more than 1,400 leading community focused health care providers across the country, first as president of VHA of New Jersey, and recently in a newly established position responsible for researching and bringing promising new leadership and organizational concepts to VHA members. With a nose for innovative ideas, and through writing and organizing learning experiences, he is playing an important role in introducing complexity science to health care thinking, management and practice. He loves to work with health care leaders, scientists and organizational theorists devoted to building more naturally adaptable, creative, life like and caring health care organizations. He is a member of the Santa Fe Institute Business Network for Complex Systems Research. Curt lives with his wife and two children in New Jersey.

Paul Plsek

Formerly the corporate quality planning manager at AT&T, Paul Plsek is an engineer and independent consultant in the field of performance improvement. He is internationally known for his work in quality improvement in health care. He is the author of Creativity, Innovation, and Quality, co-author of Quality Improvement Tools, and numerous articles and book chapters. He is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and a consultant to the Complexity Management initiative of VHA Inc. Paul lives with his wife and children in Roswell, Georgia.