Hello LO:
If we look at biology, as organizms become more complex, tasks once
handled in general become specialized in specific organs. My thought then
is that organization is itself a sign of growth and a means of handling
complexity by specializing.
The creation of organs within a body then increases the need for
communications and coordination. The Hermetic view says "As above, so
below. As below, so above." The macro is modeled in the micro and the
reverse. Here it might be extended to "As within, so without. As without,
so within." Our bodies and their systems are models for the external
world.
The body uses the DNA to transmit generational knowledge, institutional
knowledge. The DNA - the wholistic pattern in every cell, is what allows
the organism to stay organized. In the larger picture, not every organism
survives, but on the whole the species will to the degree it can adapt to
its environment. Simply put, physicality is grow or die.
Functional organization supports growth and thus, generational
sustainability occurs. Story telling looks like a cultural DNA - the
thread that conects the past, present and future. If the leaders lack
vision, the people perish.
Today, if the leaders lack vision, the people get their own vision, become
their own leaders. Culturally we don't have to reinvent the environment
every day, we reside in cultural flows - perhaps a rich and diverse
ecology where some cells can analyze, reflect, seek better ways.
A recent show on the Discovery channel looking at the evolution of the
brain in early man on the plains of Africa proposed that because of the
superior physical power of the lions and even the scavengers, like hyenas,
tools/weapons and working in groups were adaptations which stimulated the
brain/neural system to further develop these activities.
Organization I suggest, is therefore a life strategy/tool that deals with
complexity through wisdom accumulated by trial and error/learning.
Functional organization may be a manifestation of learning.
Thomas J. (Tom) Christoffel * TJCdesigns * E-mail: tjcdsgns@shentel.net *
Box 1444 * Front Royal, Virginia (VA) 22630-1444 *
"Design with re-use in mind for `Peace Dynamic' !"
--Tom Christoffel <tjcdsgns@head.globalcom.net>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>