Causal mapping is a tool that enables you to make sense of challenging situations so that you can get more out of them. A causal map is a word and arrow diagram in which ideas and actions are causally linked with one another through the use of arrows. Typically, only specialists such as physical or social scientists and operations researchers know about causal mapping and the tool is therefore not widely known or its broad applicability understood. Until now there has been no guidance available on how to make use of the tool for more general purposes. This book lets managers understand the theory and practice of causal mapping in layman's terms for use in both individual and group settings. It shows managers how to develop and use action-oriented strategy maps and logic models in business decision making. The authors show how causal mapping can be used as a tool to make sense of challenging situations and develop effective business responses.

Autorentext

John M. Bryson is a professor of planning and public affairs
at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN (USA), and has
held visiting appointments at the London Business School,
University of Strathclyde, University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes
University. His research, teaching and consulting interests focus
on leadership, strategic management and the design of participation
processes. He uses causal mapping in much of this work. Professor
Bryson has published ten books and over 80 scholarly articles and
book chapters. He consults widely in the US and UK.

Fran Ackermann is a professor of strategy and information
systems at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow (UK). She is
interested in working with groups (public or private,
multinationals, or small and medium-sized enterprises) on messy,
complex, strategic problems and sees causal mapping as a
fundamental aspect of this work. She has consulted widely both
within the UK and in Europe, Australia and the USA. She is
co-developer (with Colin Eden) of causal mapping software -
both for individual use and for groups - and continues to
explore means of supporting group working through IT. She has
written extensively in the area, having published three books and
over 70 scholarly articles.

Colin Eden is a professor of strategic management and
management science at the University of Strathclyde. His major
interests are in: (1) the processes of strategy making in senior
management teams, and (2) the success and failure of large
projects. He has consulted with the senior management teams of a
wide range of public and private organizations in Europe and North
America. In all of these activities he uses causal mapping as a
part of the process. He is the author of seven books and over 150
scholarly articles in management science and strategic
management.

Charles B. Finn is a management professor at the College
of Saint Rose, Albany, New York (USA). He has held teaching and
management positions at the University of Minnesota and State
University of New York. He has worked as a consultant to private,
public and non-profit organizations at local, state and federal
levels within the USA and has taught and consulted internationally.
He has two interests in mapping: (1) how large, diffuse systems can
organize for everyday challenges and do the necessary strategic
thinking to realize competitive advantages, and (2) how to use
mapping to encourage personal and organizational learning and
development.

Klappentext
We live in a complex world. We are constantly challenged by issues that seem at first to be simple, but on reflection turn out to have complicated causes and consequences that can dramatically affect our lives. Often, getting a handle on what the issues are is half the battle. Imagine a tool that can help you unravel the complexity of the decision-making labyrinth, a process that would allow you to:

Make sense of challenging situations
Tackle a large number of ideas and their interconnections
Evaluate and explore values, goals, strategies and actions
Link strategic thinking to action
Develop effective action plans in response to the issues
Create shared meaning and agreement
Communicate strategies in ways that can be easily understood and acted upon
Make people understand why an action is important and how they can help
Help you move from 'winging it' to creating integrated strategies that are robust, both today and in the future, for your firm Causal mapping is that process. A causal map links your ideas using a few simple rules to reflect causality and so reveal strategic options and goals. Visible Thinking shows you how to create causal maps for individuals and groups, and thereby to capture the power and broad applicability of causal mapping in a business, as well as a personal, context. Visible Thinking will revolutionize the way you approach complex situations and help you decide what you should do, how you should do it and why. The causal mapping process is illustrated through a series of real cases - from tackling personal problems to strategy-change efforts in business, public and not-for-profit organizations. The cases are used to present a comprehensive set of process guidelines designed to help you create your own action-oriented causal maps.

'Mapping has worked very well in enabling us get to grips with major decisions. The process brings issues and underlying assumptions to the surface, using the diverse perspectives of all members of the group. Then, most helpfully, it structures contributions so that the group reaches a shared understanding and can see the whole, rich picture.' Ros Micklem, Principal, Cardonald College, Glasgow, Scotland

'Bryson, Ackermann, Eden and Finn beautifully convert the bland noun "map" into the vivid managerial verb, "to map", and in doing so define a unique managerial capability that can provide new sources of order and meaning in chaotic times.' Karl E. Weick, Rensis Likert Distinguished University Professor of Organizational Behavior and Psychology, University of Michigan Business School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Inhalt

About the Authors.

Preface: Creating the Future You Want - Causal Mapping for
Individuals and Groups.

Part I: What Mapping Is and Why and How It Works.