PARADIGMS
PARADIGMS --- THE BUSINESS OF DISCOVERING THE FUTURE
by Joey Arthur Barker. Harper Business, 1993
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (p7-8)

While the writing of a book is a solitary activity, the experiences and help that prepared me came from many people over the past two decades.

FORWARD (p11-13)

There are three keys to the future for any organization, profit or nonprofit, that wants to participate fully in the 21st century. They are: INNOVATION, ANTICIPATION, and EXCELLENCE!

      1. EXCELLENCE --- It is the base of the 21st century since it is so important for all future business success.

      2. INNOVATION --- It is the way you gain competitive edge.

      3. ANTICIPATION --- It provides you with the information that allows you to be in the right place at the right time with your excellent innovative product or service!

This triad allows you to predict your customer needs, innovate the products or services required to fulfill them, and produce those products and services excellently. With these three attributes you are ready not just to survive in the 21st century but to thrive!

FOREWORD (p11-13)

1) Watching for the future (p15-19)

2) The importance of anticipation (p20-29)

3) Defining a paradigm (p30-41)

4) When do new paradigms appear? (42-54)

    What causes a paradigm shift?
5) Who changes the paradigm? (p55-70)

    What are the four categories of paradigm shifters:

    [1] Category 1 --- A young person fresh out of training (p57-58)

    [2] Category 2 --- An older person shifting fields (p58-63)

    [3] Category 3 --- The mavericks, whose advantage is that they are knowledgeable about the paradigm but not captured by it (p63-64)

    [4] Category 4 --- The tinkerers (p64-70)

    When paradigm shifters ask you to change, they are asking you to forsake your investment in the present paradigm. What has that investment given you?

6) Who are the paradigm pioneers? (p71-83)

7) What is the "paradigm effect?" (p84-92)

8) Twenty-two examples more or less (p93-125)

To be able to shape your future, you have to be ready and able to change your paradigms! (p125)

9) The most important paradigm shift of the 20th centure (p126-139)

10) Going back to zero (p140-149)

11) Key characteristics of paradigms (p150-158)

    [1] Paradigms are functional (p150-151)

    [2] Paradigms are functional (p151-154)

    [3] the paradigm effect reverses the commonsense relationship between seeing and believing (p153-154)

    [4] There is almost always more than one right answer (p154-155)

    [5] Paradigms too strongly held can lead to paradigm paralysis, which is certainly a terminal disease! (p155-156)

    [6] Paradigm pliancy is the best strategy in turbulent times (p156-157)

    [7] Human beings can choose to change their paradigms (p157-158)

12) Managers, leaders, and paradigms (p159-170)

    [1] You lead between paradigms! (p159-163)

    (1) Managers must demonstrate a "paradigm pliancy" if they are going to expect others to practice it! (p160-161)

    (2) Managers must facilitate and encourage cross talk (p161-162)

    (3) By listening to all those screwy ideas, managers gain a special leverage for innovation (p162-163)

[2] And now about "Leadership!"

13) Shifts for the 19901 --- A Barker's dozen (p171-197)

14) And so it goes (p198-212)

Go to: Change Issue at Work
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