Title: How Disorganized Organizations Tackle Complex Problems: A Richly Illustrated Guide
Introduction:
In this article, we will explore four books that offer unique insights into how disorganized organizations tackle complex problems. From adopting a “workaround mentality” to successful project planning, from insurance market failures to the pursuit of happiness in Silicon Valley, these books provide valuable lessons and perspectives on overcoming challenges. We will also delve into the topics of microstress and the consulting industry’s impact on businesses and governments.
1. “How Great Things are Made: The Amazing Factors Behind Every Successful Project” by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner
This book explores the stories of colossal and expensive failures such as the Sydney Opera House and Olympic Games editions, while also extracting valuable lessons on planning, forecasting, and executing projects of any magnitude. Whether it’s a kitchen remodel or a high-speed train, the authors emphasize the importance of meticulous planning and execution to achieve success.
2. “Risky Business: Why Insurance Markets Fail and What to Do About It” by Amy Finkelstein, Liran Einav, and Ray Fisman
With a focus on the US, this book addresses thorny issues within insurance markets, including the impact of genetic data on health insurance and the selection of “right” customers by insurers. The authors present an engaging analysis of these challenges, with a chatty and carefree writing style that captivates readers.
3. “Wonder Boy: Tony Hsieh, Zappos and the Myth of Happiness in Silicon Valley” by Angel Au-Yeung and David Jeans
This cautionary tale tells the story of Tony Hsieh, the extraordinary business success behind Zappos. It highlights Hsieh’s pursuit of happiness, which transformed Zappos into an e-commerce phenomenon and led him to revitalize downtown Las Vegas. However, the book also sheds light on the mental health struggles Hsieh faced along the way, presenting a balanced perspective on his journey.
4. “The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work” by Zeynep Ton
Drawing on examples from various industries, this book argues for better, better-paying jobs that contribute to worker dignity, productivity, and overall well-being. The author presents a compelling case for an alternative to low wages, inflexible contracts, and long working hours, highlighting the importance of creating a virtuous cycle for businesses and employees.
Engaging Additional Piece: The Power of Adaptability in a Changing World
Introduction:
In today’s rapidly changing world, the ability of organizations to tackle complex problems is becoming more crucial than ever. The books mentioned above provide valuable lessons on navigating challenges and offer insights into the mindset and strategies necessary for success. Let’s delve deeper into the concept of adaptability and its role in overcoming complex problems.
1. Embracing a “Workaround Mentality”:
One common thread throughout these books is the importance of adopting a “workaround mentality.” This mindset encourages thinking outside the box, challenging conventional rules and regulations, and finding creative solutions to complex problems. Organizations that embrace this mentality are more likely to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape, where traditional approaches may no longer be effective.
2. Navigating Uncertainty and Risk:
Complex problems often come with a high level of uncertainty and risk. Successful organizations understand the importance of thorough planning, forecasting, and risk management. By acknowledging potential pitfalls and developing contingency plans, they can minimize the impact of unforeseen challenges and keep projects on track.
3. The Role of Technology in Problem-Solving:
Technological advancements play a vital role in enabling organizations to tackle complex problems. From data analytics and artificial intelligence to automation and digitization, technology offers innovative solutions and can streamline processes. Embracing technological tools and staying updated with the latest trends can give organizations a competitive edge in problem-solving.
4. The Importance of Collaboration and Diversity:
Complex problems often require a diverse range of perspectives and expertise. Collaborative environments that encourage open communication, knowledge-sharing, and interdisciplinary approaches can lead to more comprehensive and innovative solutions. Embracing diversity in teams, including different backgrounds, skills, and experiences, fosters creative thinking and enables organizations to overcome complex challenges effectively.
Conclusion:
The insights offered by these books highlight the importance of adaptability, creative problem-solving, risk management, and collaboration in tackling complex problems. Organizations that embrace these principles and strategies are better equipped to navigate the uncertainties of today’s world and drive success. By learning from both the successes and failures, organizations can position themselves as resilient and innovative problem solvers in an ever-evolving landscape.
Summary:
The article discussed four books that offer insights into how disorganized organizations tackle complex problems. It emphasized the importance of adopting a “workaround mentality” and explored successful project planning, the challenges within insurance markets, the pursuit of happiness in Silicon Valley, and the case for better jobs. The additional piece delved deeper into the power of adaptability, highlighting the role of technology, collaboration, and diversity in problem-solving. By applying these lessons and strategies, organizations can effectively navigate complex challenges and achieve success in a rapidly changing world.
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the four solutions: How the world’s most disorganized organizations tackle complex problems by Paulo Savaget, John Murray/Flatiron Books
TO richly illustrated guide how to avoid rules and regulations to solve complex problems, with examples from areas as diverse as cryptocurrency and drug distribution. Savaget outlines the administrative and home benefits to make a broader point about the advantages of adopting a “workaround mentality.”
how great things are made: The amazing factors behind every successful project, from home renovations to space exploration by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner, Macmillan/Currency
The stories of gigantic and expensive failures, from the Sydney Opera House to successive editions of the Olympic Games, are entertaining and sobering in equal measure. But Flyvbjerg and Gardner also manage to extract valuable lessons on how to plan, forecast and execute any size project, whether it’s a kitchen remodel or a high-speed train.
risky business: Why insurance markets fail and what to do about it by Amy Finkelstein, Liran Einav, and Ray Fisman, Yale University Press
With a focus on the US, risky business addresses thorny issues like the impact of genetic data on health insurance and how insurers choose the “right” customers. He FT critic Oliver Ralph applauded how the authors bring “a chatty, carefree style,” reminiscent of bestseller freakonomicsto this unpromising topic.
Wonder Boy: Tony Hsieh, Zappos and the myth of happiness in Silicon Valley by Angel Au-Yeung and David Jeans, Torva/Henry Holt
A story of the extraordinary business success of Tony Hsieh, whose pursuit of happiness first turned shoe retailer Zappos into an e-commerce phenomenon, then took aim at regenerating downtown Las Vegas, even as his mental health disintegrated. In this cautionary tale, reporters Au-Yeung and Jeans mercilessly shed light on what went wrong.
The case for good jobs: How great companies bring dignity, pay and meaning to everyone’s work by Zeynep Ton, Harvard Business Review Press
MIT’s Ton has put together a hard-to-refute argument that better, better-paying jobs contribute to a virtuous circle of greater competitiveness, productivity, and, above all, worker dignity and well-being. In his latest book, he draws on examples from retail to fast food to bolster his argument that there is a profitable and sustainable alternative to low wages, inflexible contracts and long hours.
Summer Books 2023
All this week, FT writers and critics share your favorites. Some highlights are:
Monday: Atmosphere by Pilita Clark
Tuesday: Economics of Martin Wolf
Wednesday: Fiction by Laura Battle
Thursday: Critics’ Picks
Friday: Gideon Rachman Politics
Saturday: Story by Tony Barber
Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Deceit in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral by Ben Smith, penguin press
A powerful, insider’s account of the digital media revolution led by BuzzFeed and clickbaity blog Gawker Media. Smith explains how the success of these sites fueled the desire for traffic across all mediums. He FT’s John Gapper called it out “an amusing tale of New York ambition and hubris”, but with “a deeper social significance”.
unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Hollywood Media Empire by James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams, Cornerstone Press/Penguin Press
A extraordinary account of real life Succession saga that unfolded around the sex and power obsessed media mogul Sumner Redstone towards the end of his long and colorful life. Christopher Grimes, reviewing it for the FT, described it as “a deeply informed account of one of the trashiest episodes in recent business history.”
The rise of corporate feminism: Women in the American Bureau, 1960-1990 by Allison Elias, Columbia University Press
An academic book, but Isabel Berwick described how “one of the most compelling and original accounts of women in the workplace” I had ever read. Elias centers her story on women who do clerical and clerical jobs and gradually organize to fight against low wages, lack of promotion, poor working conditions and sexual harassment.
tell us what you think
What are your favorites from this list and which books have we missed? Tell us in the comments below.
The microstress effect: How little things add up and create big problems, and what to do about it by Rob Cross and Karen Dillon, Harvard Business Review Press
Small moments of stress hardly register, but the accumulation of these micro-stresses, triggered by work or home pressures, can take a terrible toll. “Microstress seeps into our thoughts, saps our energy, and diverts our focus. Little by little it is stealing our lives”, write Cross and Dillon in this highly identifiable problem analysis – and guidance on how to rise above it.
the big scam: How the consulting industry weakens our businesses, infantilizes our governments and distorts our economies by Mariana Mazzucato and Rosie Collington, Allen Lane/Penguin Press
Successive UK governments are in the crosshairs of this controversy over failures to contract out public services that the authors suggest enriched consultancies and defrauded the citizens who were supposed to benefit. It is difficult to draw the line between state and private activity, but “where the big scam right to note how difficult it is to turn back the clock”, economist Diane Coyle wrote in her FT review.
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