Systems and Meaning

'This book by Haslebo and Nielsen was originally written in Danish and published in Denmark, where it has had four printings. We felt that these authors bring a new perspective to systemic work with organizations, and since there is far too little writing to match the amount of work done in this area, we decided that this was an important book to add to our series. Readers will immediately feel familiar with the values and conceptual framework that underpin Haselbo and Nielsen's work. They see organizational problems occurring in a particular context, they clearly trace the way problems arise out of relations amongst the different parts of the larger system, and they pursue the meanings that these problems have for the individuals and organizations alike. Yet they also introduce new conceptual models, such as Kolb's model of experiential learning.'But these authors are, above all, practitioners. They earn their living through their work with organizations, and it is this precious first-hand experience that must somehow be understood and articulated so that other practitioners can take the ideas into their own settings. The case studies are presented in some depth and are used to illustrate the way systemic concepts are translated into consultation work. Although this book is clearly written and accessible for practitioners starting to work with organizations, it is the depth of experience of the authors that comes through on every page.'- David Campbell and Ros Draper, from their Foreword