"Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Philosophy and Synergy of Information: Sustainability and Security, Tbilisi, Georgia, 20-24 April, 2011"-- T.p. verso.

The lack of congruence between theory and practice in business remains a widely discussed topic. This lack of synergy is quietly and elusively becoming the Achilles' heel of contemporary scholarly business research and, by extension, of business in general. Focusing on the deviation of means and ends between business theory and practice, this book comprises thirteen chapters, which present an array of theoretical and geographical contexts, and aim to bring scholarly thinking and scientific analysis together with managerial rationale and practical applications. Presenting valuable insights and demonstrating an equalised perception of the theorisation of practice, and reversely, the practicality of theory, this innovative book signifies a new philosophy of scientific work and provides thought-provoking reading for scholars in a range of business sub-disciplines.

In recent years, evolutionary theorists have come to recognize that the reductionist, individualist, gene-centered approach to evolution cannot sufficiently account for the emergence of complex biological systems over time. Peter A. Corning has been at the forefront of a new generation of complexity theorists who have been working to reshape the foundations of evolutionary theory. Well known for his Synergism Hypothesis—a theory of complexity in evolution that assigns a key causal role to various forms of functional synergy—Corning puts this theory into a much broader framework in Holistic Darwinism, addressing many of the issues and concepts associated with the evolution of complex systems. Corning's paradigm embraces and integrates many related theoretical developments of recent years, from multilevel selection theory to niche construction theory, gene-culture coevolution theory, and theories of self-organization. Offering new approaches to thermodynamics, information theory, and economic analysis, Corning suggests how all of these domains can be brought firmly within what he characterizes as a post–neo-Darwinian evolutionary synthesis.

This book represents a major theoretical synthesis between the life sciences and the social sciences. Peter Corning shows that the selective advantages arising from various kinds of cooperation - from single-celled creatures to wolf packs to modern nation-states - are the cause of the directional aspect of evolutionary history, that is, the progressive emergence of more complex, hierarchically organized systems in the biological , cultural, and political realms. The Synergism Hypothesis spans a vast intellectual and scientific territory and speaks to the central concerns of evolutionary biology, sociobiology, anthropology, psychology, economics, sociology, and political science. It is an extraordinary contribution, which should influence all future discussions of why we behave the way we do. -- from back cover.

Nature's Magic presents a bold vision of the evolutionary process from the Big Bang to the 21st century. Synergy of various kinds is not only a ubiquitous aspect of the natural world but it has also been a wellspring of creativity and the 'driver' of the broad evolutionary trend toward increased complexity, in nature and human societies alike. But in contrast with the many theories of emergence or complexity that rely on some underlying force or 'law', the 'Synergism Hypothesis', as Peter Corning calls it, is in essence an economic theory of biological complexity; it is fully consistent with mainstream evolutionary biology. Corning refers to it as Holistic Darwinism. Among the many important insights that are provided by this new paradigm, Corning presents a scenario in which the human species invented itself; synergistic, behavioral and technological innovations were the 'pacemakers' of our biological evolution. Synergy has also been the key to the evolution of complex modern societies, he concludes.

How can I know something? How can I convince someone of the rightness of my position? How does reality function? What is artistic creativity? What is the role of the state? It is well known that people from various cultures give dissimilar answers to such philosophical questions. After three decades in the cross-cultural study of ideas and values, Thomas Kasulis found that culture influences not only the answers to these questions, but often how one arrives at the answers. In generalizing cultural difference, Kasulis identifies two kinds of orientation: intimacy and integrity. Both determine how we think about relations among people and among things, and each is reasonable, effective, and consistent. Yet the two are so incompatible in their basic assumptions that they cannot successfully engage each other. Cultural difference extends beyond nations. Cultural identities crystallize in relation to religion, occupation, race, gender, class. Rather than attempt to transcend cultural difference, Kasulis urges a deeper awareness of its roots by moving beyond mere cultural relativism toward a cultural bi-orientationality that will allow us to adapt ourselves to different cultural contexts as the situation demands. Wonderfully clear and unburdened by jargon, Intimacy or Integrity is accessible to readers from a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. By analyzing the synergy between thought and culture, it increases our understanding of cultural difference and guides us in developing strategies for dealing with orientations different from our own.

Get out of the office and dream! To keep your brand innovative you need to feed your creative spirit and the office is not the place to do that. So get out, disrupt and reimagine the status quo, get into a café and dream. Recreating the convivial, collaborative, creative world of the avant-garde the guys at The Dream Café have developed a fresh, new approach which is being used by major brands and businesses to great success. They create actual Dream Café locations – settings which encourage freedom of thought and collaboration. Explaining how space and process can be harnessed to produce the kind of unanticipated multicultural and interdisciplinary encounters that lead to unpredictable outcomes. Now, for the first time, the innovation consultants at The Dream Café have made their model and methods available to us all in this exciting new book. Focuses on the urgent need to enable major brand businesses to formulate, refine, and deliver the big brand idea that will disrupt and redefine the market Shows how to innovate and stand out by embracing risk and innovation Equal parts inspiration and practical implementation The concept covered is currently being used extensively by major global brands and companies

This collection of essays focuses on a current issue of central important in contemporary philosophy, the relationship between philosophy and empirical studies. Explores in detail a range of examples which demonstrate how the older paradigm – philosophy as conceptual analysis – is giving way to a more varied set of models of philosophical work Each of the featured papers is a previously unpublished contribution by a major scholar

Resolve cross-cultural communication issues with your business suppliers, customers, and staff! Because of the rapid growth of multinational corporations and the World Wide Web, global interdependence is no longer a matter of ideology or choice, but an inescapable reality. Multicultural Behavior and Global Business Environments teaches managers both practical techniques and theoretical insights for working with people from diverse cultures in home and host countries. Managers who ignore or dismiss cultural differences may find themselves alienating customers and employees, fumbling negotiations, and ultimately losing sales. In contrast, those who are willing to see the world from different perspectives may spot fresh opportunities. Bringing multiple cultures together results in synergy, in which two combined energies multiply and reinforce one another. Multicultural Behavior and Global Business Environments tells you not only how to create synergy, but also how to profit from it.Multicultural Behavior and Global Business Environments offers practical features to help students and managers understand diverse cultures, including: charts, maps, and tables showing specific cultural divergences detailed discussions of relevant theories in psychology, management, and ethics exercises and self-tests clear, skill-based objectives for each chapter definitions of the terms and processes of multiculturalization In the modern world, the key to prosperity--or failure--in the global marketplace is awareness of cultural differences. Multicultural Behavior and Global Business Environments offers a sweeping multidisciplinary inventory of facts, theories, and practical ideas for making multiculturalism work. This comprehensive volume is a crucial resource for every manager who belongs to a multinational organization, as well as students of both domestic and international business, political science, international relations, public administration, and educational administration.

The International Encyclopedia of Communication Theory and Philosophy is the definitive single-source reference work on the subject, with state-of-the-art and in-depth scholarly reflection on key issues from leading international experts. It is available both online and in print. A state-of-the-art and in-depth scholarly reflection on the key issues raised by communication, covering the history, systematics, and practical potential of communication theory Articles by leading experts offer an unprecedented level of accuracy and balance Provides comprehensive, clear entries which are both cross-national and cross-disciplinary in nature The Encyclopedia presents a truly international perspective with authors and positions representing not just Europe and North America, but also Latin America and Asia Published both online and in print Part of The Wiley Blackwell-ICA International Encyclopedias of Communication series, published in conjunction with the International Communication Association. Online version available at www.wileyicaencyclopedia.com