Product Description

Spiral Dynamics introduces a new model for plotting the enormous economic and commercial shifts that are making contemporary business practice so complex and apparently fragmented. Focusing on cutting-edge leadership, management systems, processes, procedures, and techniques, the authors synthesize changes such as:

* Increasing cultural diversity.

* Powerful new social responsibility initiatives.

* The arrival of a truly global marketplace.

This is an inspiring book for managers, consultants, strategists, and leaders planning for success in the business world in the 21st century.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17500 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

From the Back Cover
Spiral Dynamics reveals the hidden codes that shape human nature, create global diversities, and drive evolutionary change. These magnetic forces attract and repel individuals, form the webs that connect people within organizations, and forge the rise and fall of nations and cultures. This book tracks our historic emergence from clans to tribes to networks and holograms; identifies seven Variations on Change, and adds power and precision to the design of human systems and 21st century leadership.

Spiral Dynamics is an extension and elaboration of the biopsychosocial systems concept of the late Clare W. Graves; work that Canada's Maclean's Magazine called 'The Theory that Explains Everything'. The authors mesh UK biologist Richard Dawkins' concept of 'memes' with Gravesian 'value systems' in crafting a timely transformational change formula and process. Their concept of MEMES represents the first major statement of the new 'Science of Memetics.'

Don Edward Beck and Christopher C. Cowan, who were closely associated with Clare W. Graves, apply the principles of Spiral Dynamics worldwide in both corporate and top-level governmental sectors. They helped transform South Africa out of race categories, design organizational and marketing systems for a wide range of industries, and revitalize local communities, educational and professional institutions, and sports programs. Based on motivational MEMEs, they also designed a "hearts and minds" strategy for the South African rugby union team, winners of the 1995 World Cup.

Beck and Cowan were on the faculty of the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, for a number of years before forming the National Values Center.

About the Author
Don Beck is Co-founder of The National Values Center, Denton, Texas. He taught at the University of North Texas; played a major role in the South African transformation; and applies and enhances Gravesian/Spiral Dynamics concepts in corporate, educational, and geopolitical initiatives worldwide. He is active with Ken Wilber in the Integral movement.

Chris Cowan is Co-founder of The National Values Center and is based in Santa Barbara, California. He is partner in NVC Consulting which seek to continue and build on the legacy of Dr Clare W. Graves through research, application, and publications.

Customer Reviews

State of The Art Sociology
As CEO Coach, Poet and author of a leadership book that helps leaders learn how to unleash the genius of teams and corporations, I feel this book is a must read. It help leaders understand the nature of the cultures and societies they work within. Paul David Walker Unleashing Genius: Leading Yourself, Teams and Corporations

Makes sense out of things that didn't make sense
The model presented about how the paradigms of thinking and how value memes develop over time in a person, organization, or society are brilliantly insightful. This book should be required reading for anyone running a company or organization of any size. The insights that can be gleaned are significant (at least in the lines of development in which one if far enough along oneself).

This is not at all an "easy" book to read. It takes time and thinking, and is probably best read in parallel with a few other people and discussed regularly along the way. I read this book along with another CEO, and a PhD psychologist who specializes in working with family-owned businesses.

--Lee

A New Way of Understanding the World
It may not be the "answer to everything" but Spiral Dynamics helps to put a context around why people act in certain ways when presented with certain life conditions. Using the theory of memetics (idea viruses), spiral describes the evolution of humans as a progression from one value system to another along a double helix spiral. Pitched to those in management or leadership, Spiral Dynamics offers insights as to why some people need traditional or hierarchical or ordered or opportunistic or caring or project based workplaces depending on their value meme. The text can be stilted and academic at times and the introduction is confusing, however there are some great insights and well worth reading if you are interested in finding the answers to everything! Pity the colour plates from the hardcover were not replicated in the paperback seeing how Spiral Dynamics relies on the use of colour descriptors.