Fredmund Malik 
Strategy for Managing Complex Systems [PDF ebook] 
A Contribution to Management Cybernetics for Evolutionary Systems

Table of Content
Preface to the 1st German Edition 11
Preface to the 2nd German Edition 15
Preface to the 3rd German Edition 17
Preface to the 4th German Edition 18
Preface to the 5th German Edition 20
Preface to the 7th German Edition 24
Preface to the 10th German Edition 26
Preface to the 11th German Edition 31
Introduction to the 5th Edition 35
Is This the Final Breakthrough? 35
Misdirected Development 37
1. Lack of Specificity 37
2. Difficulties Being Blown Out of Proportion 40
3. Small or Large System? 42
4. Mystification of the Systems Approach 45
The Potential of the Systems Approach 47
0. Introduction: Construction and Evolution 53
0.1 Premises, Frames of Reference, and Illusory Worlds 53
0.2 Systems-Oriented Management Theory 56
0.3 Two Types of Management Theory 69
0.4 Seven Dominant Thinking Patterns 81
0.41 Management: Shaping and Steering Entire Institutions in Their Respective Environments (S), Not Just Managing People (C) 82
0.42 Management: Leading Many People (S) Rather Than Just a Few (C) 84
0.43 Management: A Task for Many People (S) Rather Than for Just a Few (C) 86
0.44 Management: Indirect Influence on a Meta-Level (S) Rather Than Direct Influence on an Object Level (C) 90
0.45 Management: Controllability (S) Rather Than Optimality (C) as a Key Criterion 93
0.46 Management: Never Having Sufficient Knowledge (S) Rather Than Assuming Information to be Complete (C) 96
0.47 Management: Aiming to Maximize Viability (S) Rather Than Profit (C) 99
0.5 A Chance to Rethink 102
1. The Cybernetic Organization Structures of Management Systems 106
1.1 Introduction 106
1.2 Management Cybernetics 107
1.3 The Structure of Viable Systems 110
1.31 The Viable Systems Model (VSM) 111
1.32 Invariance of Structure 122
1.33 Distribution of the Functions 124
1.4 Principles of the Model's Structure and Application 128
1.41 The Principle of Recursion 128
1.42 The Principle of Autonomy: Centralization versus Decentralization 132
1.43 The Principle of Viability 140
1.44 Summary 143
1.5 The Detailed Model for the Cybernetic Organization Structure of Management Systems 143
1.51 System 1 143
1.52 System 2 156
1.53 System 3 160
1.54 System 4 170
1.55 System 5 178
1.6 The Overall Model: Graphic Depiction at Several Levels of Recursion 185
2. Strategic Management and the Problem of Complexity 197
2.1 Strategic Management as a Means of Managing Complexity 197
2.11 The Problem 197
2.12 Strategies and Strategic Management 205
2.2 Complexity 211
2.21 Complexity and Variety 211
2.22 The Cybernetic and Systems-Theoretical Standpoint 216
2.23 The Law of Requisite Variety 218
2.24 The Bremermann Limit 224
2.25 The Limits to Human Knowledge and Their Consequences 227
2.3 Controlling Complexity by Means of Order 235
2.31 Spontaneous Orders 235
2.32 The Manageability of Orders 254
2.4 Managing Complexity by Solving Problems 269
2.41 Introduction to the Evolutionary Approach to Problem Solving 269
2.411 Misperceptions about Evolution Theory 269
2.412 Two Kinds of Methods 273
2.42 Basic Structure of the Evolutionary Problem-Solving Process 284
2.421 Description of the Process 284
2.422 Discussion of Counter-Arguments 290
2.43 Special Aspects of the Evolutionary Problem-Solving Methodology 303
2.431 Internalization of Process Logic 304
2.432 Imposing a Structure 309
2.433 Cognitive Functional Principles as Elements of Evolutionary Problem Solving 312
2.44 Systematic Design of Discovery Processes 325
2.45 Characteristics of Evolutionary Problem-Solving Processes 335
2.451 Only a Limited Number of Options Considered 336
2.452 Limited Number of Key Consequences Taken Into Account 337
2.453 Decisions Based on Marginal and Incremental Differences 338
2.454 Interactions between goals and behavioral options 342
2.455 Restructuring Treatment of Data 344
2.

Fredmund Malik ist ein vielfach ausgezeichneter Autor von Bestsellern, darunter der Klassiker ‘Führen Leisten Leben’, der zu den 100 besten Managementbüchern aller Zeiten gehört. Zu seinen Auszeichnungen zählen das Ehrenkreuz der Republik Österreich für Wissenschaft und Kunst (2009), der Heinz-von-Foerster-Preis für Organisationskybernetik der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Kybernetik (2010) und jüngst der Life Achievement Award der Weiterbildung (2018) für seine Verdienste in der Management-Lehre.