A Quantum Approach to Time and Organizational Change

Abstract

Prevailing perspectives on time and change often emphasize the forward movement of time and the relative stability of attributes, an emphasis that fosters theories of organizational evolution as a linear progression of a past that moves to the present that moves to the future. While useful in many respects, this perspective obscures the uncertainty of emerging organizational phenomena, and it offers little insight into the rare and unpredictable events that change the course of history. To address these concerns, we draw on quantum mechanics and quantum probability theories to present a quantum approach to time and change as a framework for understanding organizational complexity and the common decision-making errors that lead to organizational failures within uncertain environments. This perspective also explains how organizations (or societies) can experience unforeseen potentialities that radically change their development by conceptualizing the future as existing in a state of potentiality that collapses to form the present based on the dynamics of system constraints. Our theory has broad implications for organizational theory and research, as well as management practice. You can never plan the future by the past (Edmund Burke). Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now (Denis Waitley).

Maneuvering in Poor Visibility: How Firms Play the Ecosystem Game when Uncertainty is High

“…Second, our findings regarding abductive search may open an avenue for new perspectives on searching and strategizing, in light of recent conceptual (Lord et al, 2015;Reetz & MacAulay, 2016) and empirical (Kaplan & Orlikowski, 2012) work in this space.…”

An extended framework for supply chain risk management: incorporating the complexities of emerging industries and large-scale systems

“…In addition, focusing on a linear rather than collaborative structure (GAO, 2003) and failing to address and manage emerging organisational changes (Lord et al, 2015) contributes to higher SCR. Human errors also increase SCR, with examples provided from highly trained specialties such as pilots (Helmreich, 2000), doctors (Van Den Bos et al, 2011) and pharmacists (Samp et al, 2014).…”

Complexity Decision Making and General Systems Theory: An Educational Perspective

“…Arévalo and Espinosa (2015) also noted that there are hardly any analytical models available for guidance; only some metaphoric and simulation studies can be found in literature. Another theoretical approach, equally interesting, was reported by Lord, Dinh, and Hoffman (2015). The authors provide an organizational theory from the perspective of quantum mechanics and study organizational change.…”