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An “intelligent” organization is one that makes systematic use of the intelligence of all its players in order to become ever more efficient. This article, based on an empirical study carried out over three years, traces the development of Matrix Sales University (MSU), which is part of the L’Oréal organization. It outlines the factors of MSU’s success and the difficulties of developing a learning organization with concrete operational aims. In view of the decline of traditional solidarity within business and the risk of geographical break-up, belonging to a profession with a strong identity and tradition is seen as the basis for establishing a professional community on a global scale. Read Full Article

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Something important has happened in the last stage of the industrial era that sets it apart from the past: Globalization has brought a level of interdependence between nations and regions that never existed before, along with truly global problems that also have no precedent. The Industrial Age isn’t ending because of a decline in opportunities for further expansion. It is ending because individuals, organizations, and governments are realizing that its side effects are unsustainable. But endings are also beginnings. In The Necessary Revolution, Peter Senge and his coauthors share the guiding ideas that are essential for creating a more sustainable future: seeing systems, collaborating across boundaries, and moving from problem solving to creating. The book is full of stories and examples of individuals and organizations who are putting these ideas into action, many of whom are associated with SoL. This excerpt explains “how we got here” and lays out the case for urgency in radically shifting the kind of thinking that has made the industrial era so successful, and so disastrous. Read Full Article

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In 1972, three scientists from MIT created a computer model that analyzed global resource consumption and production. Their results – published in the bestseller Limits to Growth – shocked the world and created stirring conversation about global “overshoot,” or resource use beyond the carrying capacity of the planet. In this update, published 30 years later, they offer an analysis of present and future trends in resource use, and assess a variety of possible outcomes. The authors believe that humanity can still reverse some of its damage to Earth if it takes appropriate measures now to reduce inefficiency and waste. In this excerpt, they lay out five tools that will be necessary for our survival over the long term. Read Full Article