Idealized Design
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IDEALIZED DESIGN Creating an Organization’s Future
Russell L. Ackoff Jason Magidson Herbert J. Addison
Vice President, Editor-in-Chief: Tim Moore Wharton Editor: Yoram (Jerry) Wind Acquisitions Editor: Paula Sinnott Editorial Assistant: Susie Abraham Development Editor: Russ Hall Associate Editor-in-Chief and Director of Marketing: Amy Neidlinger Cover Designer: Alan Clements Managing Editor: Gina Kanouse Senior Project Editor: Kristy Hart Copy Editor: Keith Cline Senior Indexer: Cheryl Lenser Compositor: FastPages Manufacturing Buyer: Dan Uhrig © 2006 by Russell L. Ackoff, Jason Magidson, and Herbert J. Addison Publishing as Wharton School Publishing Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 Wharton School Publishing offers excellent discounts on this book when ordered in quantity for bulk purchases or special sales. For more information, please contact U.S. Corporate and Government Sales, 1-800-382-3419,
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[email protected] Company and product names mentioned herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America First Printing April, 2006 ISBN 0-13-196363-5 Pearson Education LTD. Pearson Education Australia PTY, Limited. Pearson Education Singapore, Pte. Ltd. Pearson Education North Asia, Ltd. Pearson Education Canada, Ltd. Pearson Educatión de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. Pearson Education—Japan Pearson Education Malaysia, Pte. Ltd. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ackoff, Russell Lincoln, 1919Idealized design : how to dissolve tomorrow’s crisis...today / Russell L. Ackoff, Jason Magidson, Herbert J. Addison. p. cm. ISBN 0-13-196363-5 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Creative ability in business—Case studies. 2. Creative thinking—Case studies. 3. Technological innovations—Case studies. 4. Organizational effectiveness—Case studies. 5. Corporate culture—Case studies. I. Magidson, Jason, 1964- II. Addison, Herbert J., 1932- III. Title. HD53.A28 2006 658.4’01—dc22
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DEDICATION
Russell L. Ackoff In memoriam to Aron Katsenelinboigen
Jason Magidson To my parents, who have always encouraged and empowered
Herbert J. Addison To Gerry, my