Dear Frank and Morton, earlier this summer I lead an open space-training for some 40 danish colleagues in Skanderborg. Several of them have experience in os, others are just beginning to work in os. If you like, I can forward your request to them (I think a few of them are also on this list). Possibly, they might have some insights that also take in the particular givens of open space in Denmark.
As to your question on what makes os work so well, there is at least some experience regarding the preconditions. One part of that are the preconditions observed by Harrison Owen: -complexity as far as the issue is concerned -diversity as far as the composition of the participant group is concerned -presence of potential or real conflict -urgency of the question -no one person having an answer to the issue at hand In other words, if you have a complex issue for which no one has a solution that concerns a diverse group of stakeholders who need an answer fast and all that spiced up with conflicting views or parties then chances for a meaningful open space are high. One of the things a planning group can do (and in my experience this is often neglected) is to really see to the diversity of the group. My experience is that the more completely the "whole system is in the room" the better the chances are for novel, creative, breakthrough etc approaches to be generated. For your situation (producing, selling and distributing organic food) this could mean to look at who all needs to be at the os to make it a success: -well, people from the company, then -customers (the private homes you mentioned) -transportation (the people bringing it to the homes)- -marketing -farmers and processors (you got a variety there: vegetables, meats, fruits...you did not mention: milk, cheese, bread, sausage, honey, jam...) -organic food associations (Demeter, Bioland, ANOG, etc.) -scientists studying aspects of your business from local Universities (Department of Agriculture at the University of Aarhus) -partners -competitors -etc. This is a task for the planning group which through its makeup can mirror to some degree the composition of the open space event. Another thing often neglected is the aspect of voluntary participation. Is it really clear to everyone that participation is voluntary? Is it stated in the invitation? Is the sponsor clear on it? Does he/she understand the importance of this aspect? Will the sponsor create conditions under which voluntary participation is fostered? As far as the theory informing open space is concerned there is abundant literature both in print and on the internet. If you need more specific help, ask. Good luck with your work greetings from Berlin michael On Sun, 6 Oct 2002 15:21:40 -0600, Morten Gaarde wrote: >Dear, > >Weºre two Danish students who are working on our graduate thesis (studing >Organization and management at the Aarhus School of Business >http://www.hha.dk/INDEX_UK.HTM). Our topic is óOpen Space technologyó and >we would like to get some deeper knowledge about this topic by asking you >for help. > >We have access to a Danish Company who has worked with OST in the past >year. The company has about 100 employees and deals with producing, selling >and distributing organic vegetables, meat and fruits to private homes in >Denmark on a weekly basis (from soil/farm to consumer). They deal with the >whole value chain: from farming to consumer. > >The company had an OST in the spring and are going to have another one >within the next 3-4 months. > >The purpose of our thesis is to find answers on the following questions: > >1. What makes OST work so well (which theories can explain the good >results with OST) ? >2. What can enhance the outcome of an OST meeting ? > >The answers to those questions should give us the ability to make some >guidelines / recommendations to the next OST. > >The company has given us access to the employees so we can make some >qualitative interviews of those persons who participated in the last OST. >Those interviews will hopefully give us answers to the questions above. > >The next challenge is to find the questions which will answer those >question. > >During your work with OST have you some idea of: > >1. What makes OST work so well ? >2. Which topics would you focus on in a interview / theories ? >3. Which questions would you ask the persons to make sure you get the >answers needed ? > >We look forward to hear from you. And of course weºll make a final report >in English and publish it in the OST-network > > >Best regards > >Frank H. Nielsen and Morten Gaarde > >* >* >========================================================== >osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu >------------------------------ >To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, >view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, >Visit: > >http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html Michael M Pannwitz boscop Draisweg 1 12209 Berlin, Germany FON +49 - 30-772 8000 FAX +49 - 30-773 92 464 www.michaelmpannwitz.de An der E-Gruppe "openspacedeutsch" für deutschsprechende open space-PraktikerInnen interessiert? Enfach eine mail an mich. * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
