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Dear Colleagues

I am running a session with my MBA's on Chaos, Complexity, Non-linearity,
etc and I cannot seem to find a good case using ECCH. I particularly wish to
emphasize how and why markets "tip" in non-predictable ways due to positive
feedback mechanisms and the strategic management consequences of situations
like this. Any clues?

Kyle Bruce

Kyle,

See a review in Science (V. 311, 6 January 2006, pp. 47-52), "When Does 'Economic Man' Dominate Social Behavior?"

Precha
--
Precha Thavikulwat, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
+---------------------------------------------+
| Department of Management |
| Towson University |
| 8000 York Road |
| Towson, MD 21252-0001 |
| U.S.A. |
| t. 410-704-3230 |
| f. 410-704-3236 |
| pthavikulwat@towson.edu |
| http://pages.towson.edu/precha |
+---------------------------------------------+


-----Original Message-----
From: Business Policy and Strategy List [mailto:BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Kyle Bruce
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 3:54 AM
To: BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject: Cases for Chaos, complexity, etc

Dear Colleagues

I am running a session with my MBA's on Chaos, Complexity, Non-linearity, etc and I cannot seem to find a good case using ECCH. I particularly wish to emphasize how and why markets "tip" in non-predictable ways due to positive feedback mechanisms and the strategic management consequences of situations like this. Any clues?

Kyle Bruce

Hi,

Not sure if this is what you have in mind, but business history is
alive with the fingerprints of complexity.

Try reading the chapter(s) in Andy Grove's (1994) "Only the Paranoid
Survive," concerning changing from Dynamic Randon Access Memories to
microprocessors. . .what he terms a "strategic inflection point." It
is a glorious example of exactly the phenomenon I think you are
looking for.

It is fantastic read. . .actually, the whole book is fantastic.

Good luck.
Tom Hench



On Feb 16, 2006, at 2:54 AM, Kyle Bruce wrote:

> Dear Colleagues
>
> I am running a session with my MBA's on Chaos, Complexity, Non-
> linearity,
> etc and I cannot seem to find a good case using ECCH. I
> particularly wish to
> emphasize how and why markets "tip" in non-predictable ways due to
> positive
> feedback mechanisms and the strategic management consequences of
> situations
> like this. Any clues?
>
> Kyle Bruce

Tom Hench, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Management
hench.thom@uwlax.edu
608-785-6661

Gareth Morgan's book "Images of Organizations" presents a case study on Mad
Cow Disease and its impact as an example for chaos and complexity problem.

Senthil

Kyle,

I would recommend the book 'Tipping Point'. It had many interesting
examples of real world business examples of 'positive feedback' and
their consequences for the business organization.

Hope this helps,

Vishal

514 Cornell Hall
University of Missouri-Columbia,
Columbia, MO 65201
Ph: 573-882-7659

-----Original Message-----
From: Business Policy and Strategy List
[mailto:BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Thavikulwat, Precha
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 10:33 AM
To: BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject: Re: Cases for Chaos, complexity, etc

Kyle,

See a review in Science (V. 311, 6 January 2006, pp. 47-52), "When Does
'Economic Man' Dominate Social Behavior?"

Precha
--
Precha Thavikulwat, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
+---------------------------------------------+
| Department of Management |
| Towson University |
| 8000 York Road |
| Towson, MD 21252-0001 |
| U.S.A. |
| t. 410-704-3230 |
| f. 410-704-3236 |
| pthavikulwat@towson.edu |
| http://pages.towson.edu/precha |
+---------------------------------------------+


-----Original Message-----
From: Business Policy and Strategy List
[mailto:BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Kyle Bruce
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 3:54 AM
To: BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject: Cases for Chaos, complexity, etc

Dear Colleagues

I am running a session with my MBA's on Chaos, Complexity,
Non-linearity, etc and I cannot seem to find a good case using ECCH. I
particularly wish to emphasize how and why markets "tip" in
non-predictable ways due to positive feedback mechanisms and the
strategic management consequences of situations like this. Any clues?

Kyle Bruce

there are several Harvard cases on eBay that I've used successfully to
discuss standards battles, tipping points and intermediation. the nice
thing about using eBay cases is that the focus is less on establishing
technology standards and more on the positive feedback effects associated
with social networks.

the best general exposition I've seen on standards battles and tipping
points is in Stan Liebowitz and Stephen Margolis' 1999 book "Winners, Losers
and Microsoft" (Independent Institute Press). Especially see chapter 5
"Networks and Standards"

Thanks,
Isaac Fox


----- Original Message -----
From: "Kyle Bruce" <k.d.bruce@ASTON.AC.UK>
To: <BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 2:54 AM
Subject: Cases for Chaos, complexity, etc


> Dear Colleagues
>
> I am running a session with my MBA's on Chaos, Complexity, Non-linearity,
> etc and I cannot seem to find a good case using ECCH. I particularly wish
> to
> emphasize how and why markets "tip" in non-predictable ways due to
> positive
> feedback mechanisms and the strategic management consequences of
> situations
> like this. Any clues?
>
> Kyle Bruce
>

The Tipping Point is a fine book, with many good examples - but many
tipping points are *not* to do with reinforcing feedback, but instead
reflect key factors reaching a threshold, e.g. nothing happened to
uptake of flat-screen TVs until they worked adequately and were
affordable - once both thresholds were reached, uptake rates rocketed.

Clay Christensen's fine books 'The Innovator's Dilemma' and 'The
Innovator's Solution' offer many examples of where this phenomenon has
been deliberately exploited in innovation.

[Not sure, though, whether either tipping points or reinforcing feedback
actually qualify as 'chaos'].


Kim Warren - Strategic & International Management: London Business
School

-----Original Message-----
From: Gupta, Vishal K (UMC-Student) [mailto:vkgnn7@MIZZOU.EDU]
Sent: 18 February 2006 15:47
To: BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject: Re: Cases for Chaos, complexity, etc


Kyle,

I would recommend the book 'Tipping Point'. It had many interesting
examples of real world business examples of 'positive feedback' and
their consequences for the business organization.

Hope this helps,

Vishal

514 Cornell Hall
University of Missouri-Columbia,
Columbia, MO 65201
Ph: 573-882-7659

-----Original Message-----
From: Business Policy and Strategy List
[mailto:BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Thavikulwat, Precha
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 10:33 AM
To: BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject: Re: Cases for Chaos, complexity, etc

Kyle,

See a review in Science (V. 311, 6 January 2006, pp. 47-52), "When Does
'Economic Man' Dominate Social Behavior?"

Precha
--
Precha Thavikulwat, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
+---------------------------------------------+
| Department of Management |
| Towson University |
| 8000 York Road |
| Towson, MD 21252-0001 |
| U.S.A. |
| t. 410-704-3230 |
| f. 410-704-3236 |
| pthavikulwat@towson.edu |
| http://pages.towson.edu/precha |
+---------------------------------------------+


-----Original Message-----
From: Business Policy and Strategy List
[mailto:BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Kyle Bruce
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 3:54 AM
To: BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject: Cases for Chaos, complexity, etc

Dear Colleagues

I am running a session with my MBA's on Chaos, Complexity,
Non-linearity, etc and I cannot seem to find a good case using ECCH. I
particularly wish to emphasize how and why markets "tip" in
non-predictable ways due to positive feedback mechanisms and the
strategic management consequences of situations like this. Any clues?

Kyle Bruce

Good morning,

I just recently read the pair of introductions to ET&P by Bygrave and found
this one to be an easy read on chaos theory. It mentions completity theory,
but does not go into great detail. Hope that helps.

Best,
Martin

School of Business, PhD Candidate
Simon Fraser University
Centre for Policy Research on Science and Technology
515 West Hastings St.
Vancouver BC Canada V6B 5K3
m: 604.786.2789

---------------------------
Record: 1
TI- The Entrepreneurship Paradigm (II): Chaos and Catastrophes among Quantum
Jumps?
AU- Bygrave, William D.
AU- Churchill, Neil C.
JN- Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice
PD- Winter89, Vol. 14 Issue 2, p7
PG- 24p
IL- 3 diagrams, 12 graphs
DT- 19891201
PT- Article
AB- This article speculates on how catastrophe and chaos might affect
entrepreneurship research. First, the paper examines the entrepreneurship
process to see if it has characteristics that are amenable to the
mathematics of catastrophe and chaos. Then both theories are explored to
look for applications in entrepreneurship. One theory, chaos, is discussed
in detail because it has direct applications in population-ecology, which
provides one of the most successful models of entrepreneurship (Pennings,
1982). This article develops numerical solutions for the nonlinear logistic
difference equation. It is a mathematical equation for the "S" growth curve
that is a basic tool of management science. It shows how infinitesimal
changes to the input of the logistic difference equation produce enormous,
chaotic changes to the outcome under some conditions. The paper ends with a
discussion of what the mathematics revolution implies for the
entrepreneurship paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
DE- ENTREPRENEURSHIP
DE- MANAGEMENT science
DE- MATHEMATICS
DE- RESEARCH
SU- BUSINESS mathematics
SU- DIFFERENCE equations
CL- 10000 BUSINESS
CL- 20000 MANAGEMENT
CL- 83800 PUBLISHERS & publishing
IC- 5417 Scientific Research and Development Services
IS- 1042-2587
AN- 5331866
UR-
http://proxy.lib.sfu.ca/login?url=http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=
true&db=buh&an=5331866
---------------------------




-----Original Message-----
From: Business Policy and Strategy List [mailto:BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU]
On Behalf Of Isaac Fox
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2006 11:30
To: BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject: Re: Cases for Chaos, complexity, etc

there are several Harvard cases on eBay that I've used successfully to
discuss standards battles, tipping points and intermediation. the nice
thing about using eBay cases is that the focus is less on establishing
technology standards and more on the positive feedback effects associated
with social networks.

the best general exposition I've seen on standards battles and tipping
points is in Stan Liebowitz and Stephen Margolis' 1999 book "Winners, Losers
and Microsoft" (Independent Institute Press). Especially see chapter 5
"Networks and Standards"

Thanks,
Isaac Fox


----- Original Message -----
From: "Kyle Bruce" <k.d.bruce@ASTON.AC.UK>
To: <BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 2:54 AM
Subject: Cases for Chaos, complexity, etc


> Dear Colleagues
>
> I am running a session with my MBA's on Chaos, Complexity,
> Non-linearity, etc and I cannot seem to find a good case using ECCH. I
> particularly wish to emphasize how and why markets "tip" in
> non-predictable ways due to positive feedback mechanisms and the
> strategic management consequences of situations like this. Any clues?
>
> Kyle Bruce
>