Adapt

Tim Harford

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Everything we know about solving the world's problems is wrong. Out: Plans, experts and above all, leaders. In: Adapting - improvise rather than plan; fail, learn, and try again In this groundbreaking new book, Tim Harford shows how the world's most complex and important problems - including terrorism, climate change, poverty, innovation, and the financial crisis - can only be solved from the bottom up by rapid experimenting and adapting. From a spaceport in the Mojave Desert to the street battles of Iraq, from a blazing offshore drilling rig to everyday decisions in our business and personal lives, this is a handbook for surviving - and prospering - in our complex and ever-shifting world. About The Author Tim Harford is a member of the FINANCIAL TIMES editorial board. His column, 'The Undercover Economist', which reveals the economic ideas behind everyday experiences, is published in the FINANCIAL TIMES and SLATE. He is also the only economist in the world to run a problem page, "Dear Economist", in which FINANCIAL TIMES readers' personal problems are answered tongue-in-cheek with the latest economic theory. His first book, THE UNDERCOVER ECONOMIST, has sold 600,000 copies worldwide in over twenty languages He presented the BBC television series TRUST ME, I'M AN ECONOMIST and now presents the BBC radio series MORE OR LESS. He has written for ESQUIRE, FORBES, NEW YORK MAGAZINE, WIRED, the WASHINGTON POST and the NEW YORK TIMES. He won the 2006 Bastiat Prize for economic journalism. Before becoming a writer, Tim worked for Shell, the World Bank and as a tutor at Oxford University, from where he earned an MPhil in economics in 1998. He now lives in London with his wife and two daughters. www.timharford.com

What will you learn from this book

  1. Embrace Trial and Error: Encouraging a mindset that accepts and learns from failure. Trial and error are natural parts of the learning process and can lead to innovative solutions.

  2. Experimentation is Key: Highlighting the importance of experimenting with different approaches and ideas to discover what works best in a given situation.

  3. Adaptation through Diversity: Acknowledging the benefits of diversity in problem-solving and decision-making. Different perspectives can offer new insights and lead to more effective solutions.

  4. Resilience in Complex Systems: Exploring the resilience of complex systems by understanding that failures can be contained and managed, preventing larger-scale disasters.

  5. Bottom-Up Solutions: Advocating for solutions that emerge from the bottom-up, where individuals or smaller groups experiment and innovate, rather than relying solely on top-down directives.

  6. Learning from Mistakes: Stressing the importance of learning from mistakes and using those lessons to improve future strategies and decisions.

  7. Adapting to Uncertainty: Recognizing that the future is uncertain and that adaptable systems and organizations are better equipped to navigate unpredictable changes.

  8. Continuous Iteration: Encouraging a cycle of continuous improvement through iteration, refinement, and adaptation based on feedback and new information.

  9. Creative Destruction: Understanding that failure and destruction of outdated systems or ideas are necessary for progress and innovation to flourish.

  10. Leadership in Adaptation: Highlighting the role of leadership in fostering a culture that supports adaptability, learning, and experimentation within organizations.

Language English
ISBN-10 978-1-4087-0152-2
ISBN-13 9781408701522
No of pages 309
Font Size Medium
Book Publisher Little Brown
Published Date 01 Jan 2011

About Author

Author : Tim Harford

4 Books

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