Steve,
I've read a number of your messages, and find them refreshing.
The issue, I think, is not so much about mental models as it is about
language. There is definitely some type of phenomena, in my experience,
that occurs in human organization that emulates, to some degree, a living
organism. Being able to describe that p henomena, allows us to understand
it and therefore create useful mental models.
I think what we're all searching for, in a way, is a useful language to
talk about human organizations. I find the metaphors available through new
science to be particularly useful. That does not mean I believe them to be
absolute or even true. (I happen to subscribe to the belief that there is
very little truth in the universe; it's all probability and statistics!)
And, at a deeper level, what we're seeking for is a way to help or
organizations survive and thrive amid constantly changing conditions; a
way to improve both their performance, and, in many cases, their
humanness.
Wherever we are now, and whatever language and metaphors we currently use,
we can be sure there will be new insights in the future that will help us
clarify our thinking and better understand the phenomena we experience but
find so difficult to describe.
-- Benjamin Compton DWS Computer Consultants "The GroupWise Integration Experts" E-Mail: bcompton@emailsolutions.com http://www.emailsolutions.comLearning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>