Multimethodology

Business ideas such as continuous improvement, innovative use of IT, competitive advantage, supply chain management, bench-marking and team-based working are forcing managers and workers to be more reflective about the business processes that they are engaged in. This reflection includes the need for enhanced communications between organizational members - sharing mental models that are inherently more complex than two-by-two matrices. However, we all have different mental models of the world around us. This adds to the 'mess' that organizations have to manage. No method or methodology in any discipline is able to offer a complete view of the complexities facing organizations. Each may offer a snapshot that provides insights that are useful for reflection and action. This book proposes that using two or more management science methodologies in the same intervention is likely to produce a richer picture for 'seeing and understanding the complex web of relationships and interconnectivities' which is likely to lead to better decision taking by managers and workers. This is what is meant by 'multimethodology'. In conclusion, the book explores several theoretical and philosophical perspectives on combining methodologies from different paradigms, as well as presenting many actual examples from practice. It will appeal to managers, consultants and researchers - anyone who cares to think about increasing efficiency and effectiveness in organizations.