Alexander Laszlo
School: Organizational Leadership and Transformation
Bio:Alexander Laszlo, Ph.D., is co-founder and President of Syntony Quest* and former Director of the Doctoral Program in Management at the Graduate School of Business Administration & Leadership (EGADE-ITESM), Mexico. Currently, he teaches on evolutionary leadership, collaboration, and systems thinking at a variety of MBA and Doctoral programs internationally, and is President of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS). He has been faculty member of both the MBA in Sustainable Business at Bainbridge Graduate Institute and the MBA in Sustainable Management at the Presidio School of Management since the first year of operation of each program. He now serves as Faculty Mentor in the MBA in Sustainable Entrepreneurship program of the Green MBA at Dominican University, in the Leadership of Sustainable Systems program at both the Master’s and Doctoral levels at Saybrook Graduate School & Research Center, and as Chief Learning Officer in charge of Curricular Innovation at the Akasha Center for Advanced Study of the Giordano Bruno GlobalShift University. He has worked for the UNESCO Regional Office for Science & Technology for Europe, the Italian Electric Power Agency, and the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education, has held visiting appointments with the London School of Economics and the European University Institute, and has been named a Level I Member of the National Research Academy of Mexico (SNI). He is on the Editorial Boards of Systems Research & Behavioral Science, World Futures, and Organisational Transformation & Social Change, recipient of the Gertrude Albert Heller Award, the Sir Geoffrey Vickers Memorial Award, as well as of the Förderpreis Akademischer Klub award of the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, for work in social innovation and sustainable development, and finalist for the 2003 Beyond Gray Pinstripes award of the World Resources Institute and the Aspen Institute for educational work in sustainable business. An active member of several systems science societies, he is author of over sixty journal, book, and encyclopedia publications, with Evolutionary Alchemy: Transmuting Crisis into Opportunity forthcoming. He is also a 5th Degree Black Belt in Chung Do Kwan style of Tae Kwon Do and a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Shotokan style of Karate.
Born in Fribourg, Switzerland, he is holder of a PhD in the interdisciplinary field of Science and Technology Policy from the University of Pennsylvania from where he also received his MA in History and Sociology of Science. His BA is from Haverford College, with a major in International and Comparative Political Science and a minor in Human Physiology. His intellectual passion is to apply systems thinking, policy analysis, and technology assessment to issues of individual and collective empowerment. His professional objective is to engage in educational and community-building activities on the design and implementation of evolutionary pathways for self-directed sustainability.
*Syntony Quest is a 501(c)(3) social profit educational organization dedicated to designing new ways of working, learning and living that embody social and environmental integrity. With offices north of San Francisco and in Monterrey, Mexico, we work with organizations and communities of all kind to provide learning environments where people can learn together about the interconnected nature of our world, the ecological impact of our individual and collective choices, and the joy of finding a meaningful way to contribute to the emergence of sustainable and evolutionary futures. Our activities include workshops, consulting and coaching on evolutionary leadership for sustainability; provision of learning resources; action-research on new sustainability models; educational seminars on systems thinking and its application to social and environmental concerns; as well as a product line of socio-ecologically responsible creations that embody the values of syntony.
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More information:
• Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Laszlo_(scientist)
• LinkedIn profile:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderlaszlo
• Syntony Quest: http://www.syntonyquest.org"""
Curriculum Vitae
Upcoming Presentations and Public Addresses
Degrees, Discipline, Year, Institution
- Ph.D., Science & Technology Policy, 1992, University of Pennsylvania
- Dissertation Title: "Images of Energy: Policy Perspectives on the Introduction of Hydroelectricity in Italy, 1882-1914"
- M.A., History & Sociology of Science, 1987, University of Pennsylvania
- Thesis Title: "The Politics & Principles of Genetic Screening Technologies: A Look at the Ethical Implications for Work and Family Life"
- Graduate Study in Systems Science, 1985-86, Wharton School
- B.A., International & Comparative Political Science, 1985, Haverford College
- Major: Political Science; Allied Field: Human Physiology
- Thesis Title: "The Politics of Grassroots Sustainability: A comparison of the Sarvodaya Shramadana movement of Sri Lanka and the Ujamaa Village project of Tanzania"
- I.B., Social and Cultural Anthropology, 1982, United Nations International School
- Extended Essay Title: "Classlessness in Communist Ideology: A look at the Festa del'Unita' in a Small Village in Italy"
Current Projects and Professional Activities
• Winner of the "Gertrude Albert Heller Award" for research and preparation of bio-ethics paper at the International Academy of Philosophy of Science (Brussels, Belgium), 1984;
• Winner of the "Sir Geoffrey Vickers Memorial Award" for outstanding paper given at the International Society for General Systems Research (Budapest, Hungary), 1987;
• Winner of the "Förderpreis Akademischer Klub" prize for work in social innovation and sustainable development (University of St. Gallen, Switzerland), 2002;
• Finalist for the 2003 Beyond Gray Pinstripes award of the World Resources Institute and the Aspen Institute for educational work in sustainable business.
Current Publications
- “Eleven Things I’ve Learned About Sustainability.” In Triple Pundit: People Planet Profit, 19 July 2010.
- “Emerging the Evolutionary Corporation in a Sustainable World – Toward a Theory Guided Field of Practice.” In Cybernetics and Systems Theory in Management: Tools, Views and Advancements, Steven E. Wallis, ed. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2010.
- “Redefining Success: Designing Systemic Sustainable Strategies.” In the international journal of Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Vol. 27, No. 1, January/February 2010, pp. 3-21.
- “Sustainability Starts When You Throw Away the Instruction Manual.” In Triple Pundit: People Planet Profit, 12 July 2010.
- “Syntony and Flow: The Artscience of Evolutionary Aesthetics.” In The View: Mind over Matter, Heart over Mind — from Conan Doyle to Conversations with God, David Patrick, ed. London: Polair Publishing, 2009.
Significant Publications
• "The systems sciences in service of humanity" (with E. Laszlo). In D.M.K. Al Gobaisi (Ed.), The encyclopedia of life support systems: Water, energy, environment, food & agriculture. 68 vols. London: EOLSS, 2003.
• World Futures 59(8) December 2003. Special Issue: "Evolutionary Development." Guest Co-Editor.
• "The epistemological foundations of Evolutionary Systems Design." Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 18, 2001. Pp. 307-321.
• "Systems theories: Their origins, foundations, and development" (with S. Krippner). In J.S. Jordan (Ed.), Systems theories and a priori aspects of perception. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science, 1998. Ch. 3, pp. 47-74.
• "Humanistic and systems sciences: The birth of a third culture" (with E. Laszlo). Pluriverso, 3(1), April 1998. Pp. 108-121.
• "The contribution of the systems sciences to the humanities" (with E. Laszlo). Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 14(1), April 1997. Pp. 5-19.
Important Conference Presentations
Sustainable Enterprise Conference ROHNERT PARK, CA 2008
INVITED WORKSHOP on Strategic Thinking and Visionary Leadership
Sustainable Silicon Valley (SSV) SAN JOSE, CA 2008
WORKSHOP PANELIST on Green Teams – Employees Making a Difference
Evolutionary Salon II WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA 2006
DISCUSSANT on Collective Intelligence & Social Creativity
Center for Innovation and Transfer in Health & Healing (CITES)
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: The Value of Innovation PARRAS, MEXICO 2005
Science & Technology Education for the 21st Century LIMA, PERU 2004
Sponsored by UNESCO, the Peruvian Ministry of Education, and CONCYTEC
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: 21st Century Science & Technology Education
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Science & Technology Education in National Development
FORUM FORMAZZIONE – COMUNITÁ IN RETE MILAN, ITALY
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Evolutionary Learning Communities on the Web 2003
ANTIOCH CENTER FOR CREATIVE CHANGE SEATTLE, WA
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Exploring Consciousness through Systems Inquiry 2003
6th International Conference on Technology Policy and Innovation (ICTPI)
INVITED POSTER on The Evolutionary Challenge for Technology JAPAN 2002
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE SYSTEMS SCIENCES (ISSS)
INVITED SPEAKER on Evolutionary Ethics MADISON, WI 2008
INVITED SPEAKER on Transiting to Sustainability SONOMA, CA 2006
INVITED SPEAKER on What is Syntony? CANCÚN, MEXICO 2005
INVITED SPEAKER on Redefining Success MONTEREY, CA 2004
INVITED SPEAKER on Strategic Evolutionary Advantage CRETE, GREECE 2003
INVITED SPEAKER on Technological Change for ELC SHANGHAI, CHINA 2002
INVITED SPEAKER on Evolutionary Development MONTEREY, CA 2001
INVITED SPEAKER on The Epistemology of ESD TORONTO, CANADA 2000
INVITED SPEAKER on Syntony as an Organizing Force MONTEREY, CA 1999
ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (AT.IN.E.R.)
INVITED SPEAKER on Evolving Development ATHENS, GREECE 2001
LEARNING MILLENNIUM ‘99 ON-LINE VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Systems Thinking, Learning Communities, and Education
GENERAL EVOLUTION RESEARCH GROUP
International Symposium CAGLIARI, ITALY
INVITED SPEAKER on The Evolutionary Challenge for Technology 1998
CALIFORNIA LEARNING COMMUNITY CONSORTIUM
Summer Institute Conference ROHNERT PARK, CA
PANEL LEADER on Evolutionary Learning Community 1998
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Study Group Series: Communities Over Time SAN FRANCISCO, CA
GUEST SPEAKER on Community in Action: An Evolutionary Perspective 1997
SAYBROOK INSTITUTE GRADUATE SCHOOL & RESEARCH CENTER
Residential Colloquia SAN FRANCISCO, CA
SEMINAR INSTRUCTOR: Sustainable Systems: Personal to Planetary 2008
SEMINAR INSTRUCTOR: Systems Thinking to Evolutionary Leadership 2007
SEMINAR INSTRUCTOR: Successful Systems Change 2006
SEMINAR INSTRUCTOR: Sustainability: A Systemic Perspective 2005
GUEST SPEAKER on Societal Change in Evolutionary Perspective 1995
MONTERREY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (ITESM)
Virtual University Conference Series TELEVISED BY SATELLITE 2006
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Organizational Change, Systems Thinking, and Learning
Bluetray Lecture of the Doctoral Program in Management MONTERREY, MEXICO
INVITED SPEAKER on Transiting to Sustainability: Nine Criteria 2006
The Vth International Symposium of Engineering CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO
GUEST SPEAKER on The Challenge of Technology for the 3rd Millennium 2002
XXXII Congress of Research & Development MONTERREY, MEXICO
GUEST SPEAKER on Evolutionary Development for Interconnectedness 2002
XIX Reunion on Studies in Education MONTERREY, MEXICO
INVITED SPEAKER on Creating Learning Communities in an MBA Class 2001
XXXI Congress of Research & Development MONTERREY, MEXICO
GUEST SPEAKER on The Epistemological Foundations of ESD 2001
International Congress on Engineering TORREON, MEXICO
GUEST SPEAKER on Understanding Change from a Systems Perspective 1997
EXPOTEC’95 MONTERREY, MEXICO
GUEST SPEAKER on 5000 Days to Save the World 1995
The IVth International Symposium of Engineering CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO
GUEST SPEAKER on Leading Social Change in Competitive Times 1993
The Vth International Symposium of Engineering SAN LUIS POTOSI, MEXICO
GUEST SPEAKER on The Challenge of Designing Societal Systems 1992
TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE LAGUNA (SEP) TORREON, MEXICO
GUEST SPEAKER on Designing Learning Systems 1992
INTERNATIONAL SYSTEMS INSTITUTE (ISI)
Internat'l Conversation Series: Comprehensive Design of Social Systems
DISCUSSANT on Systems & Cybernetic Sciences FUSCHL, AUSTRIA 2008
DISCUSSANT on Stewardship Agoras for Local Action MONTEREY, CA 2001
DISCUSSANT on FutureMakers process toolkit MONTEREY, CA 2000
DISCUSSANT on Futuring Community MONTEREY, CA 1999
DISCUSSANT on Healthy & Authentic Communities & ELC MONTEREY, CA 1998
DISCUSSANT on Designing Sustainable ELCs FUSCHL, AUSTRIA 1998
DISCUSSANT on Building a Design Culture through ELC MONTEREY, CA 1997
DISCUSSANT on Evolutionary Learning Community (ELC) MONTEREY, CA 1996
DISCUSSANT on Building Design Cultures MONTEREY, CA 1995
DISCUSSANT on Design Tools for Learning Systems MONTEREY, CA 1994
DISCUSSANT on The Tools of Systems Design MONTEREY, CA 1993
DISCUSSANT on Systems Design and Design Learning FUSCHL, AUSTRIA 1992
DISCUSSANT on Creating a Design Culture FUSCHL, AUSTRIA 1990
INVITED PAPER on Global and Societal Learning FUSCHL, AUSTRIA 1988
INTERNAT. SOCIETY FOR GENERAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
INVITED SPEAKER on Systems Approaches to Society 1987
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ECOLOGY & PEACE VARNA, BULGARIA
INVITED SPEAKER on Science & Socio-Ecological Responsibility 1986
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PUGWASH CONFERENCE BALTIMORE & PRINCETON
SENIOR FACILITATOR on Science & Technology for the 21st Century 1994
DELEGATE on Science, Technology, & Individual Responsibility 1985
INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
INVITED SPEAKER on The Ethics of Biomedical Development 1984
Research Interests
• Human, social, and natural capital
• Self-directed sustainable development
• Community empowerment and participatory/anticipatory democracy
• Socio-ecological competence and the evolution of consciousness
• Design of ELCs (Evolutionary Learning Communities) as evolutionary guidance systems
• Evolutionary Systems Design as praxis
• Syntony as an organizing force in societal evolution
• Evolutionary Leadership for Sustainability
• Beyond sustainability: evolutionary development and evolutionary normativism
Inquiry on these topic areas involves an exploration of the pragmatic ideal of integrating the economic, ecological, social, cultural, and spiritual aspects of evolutionary development through considerations that include:
- evolutionary thinking and envisioning a sustainable society
- personal leadership and taking transformative stands
- systems thinking and understanding the dynamics of complexity
- sustainability principles and their application to organizations and communities
- language, metaphor, and narrative in service of strategic conversations that shape reality
- transcending homocentric and chronocentric conceptions of development
Research Expertise
Alexander Laszlo, Ph.D., is co-founder and President of Syntony Quest and former Director of the Doctoral Program in Management at the Graduate School of Business Administration & Leadership (ITESM), Mexico. Currently, he teaches on evolutionary leadership, collaboration, and systems thinking at a variety of MBA and Doctoral programs internationally. He has worked for UNESCO, the Italian Electric Power Agency, and the U.S. Department of Education, has held visiting appointments with the London School of Economics and the European University Institute, and has been named a Level I Member of the National Research Academy of Mexico (SNI). He is on the Editorial Boards of "World Futures", "Systems Research & Behavioral Science", and "Organisational Transformation & Social Change", recipient of the Gertrude Albert Heller Award, the Sir Geoffrey Vickers Memorial Award, and the 'Förderpreis Akademischer Klub' award, active member of several systems science societies, and author of over fifty journal, book, and encyclopedia publications.
Expertise Working with Saybrook Students
Since 1996, I have worked directly with over 20 Saybrook students in one-on-one engagements on their
- Dissertation Committees
- Master's Thesis Committees
- SIRB Review Committees
- Comprehensive Essays Committees
as well as in the role of
• External Reader
• Publishing Advisor
• Conference Participation Coach
• Research Advisor
• Professional/Vocational Coach
• Subject Matter Tutor
Research Expertise
Research Expertise Rating Guide:
- studied in a class or have read intensively on my own
- special training in the form of a workshop or equivalent
- taught a class in, or supervised research using this method (research practicum, on a dissertation or master's committee
- used in research myself
- published or presented at conferences my research using this method
Methods Traditionally Considered As Quantitative (But Need Not Be)
| Laboratory Research |
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| Field Experiments |
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| Randomized Controlled Clinical |
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| Quasi-experimental methods |
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| Correlational Methods |
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Methods That Could Use Quantitative Or Qualitative Methods
| Action Research |
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| Survey Research |
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| Interview Research |
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| Observational Research |
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| Epidemiological Research |
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| Ethnography |
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| Focus Groups |
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| Self-Observational Methods |
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| Narrative Methods |
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| Feminist Methods |
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| Content Analysis |
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| Discovery-Oriented (psychotherapy) |
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| Events paradigm (psychotherapy) |
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| Archival Research |
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| Case History Methods |
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| Appreciative Inquiry |
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| Multiple Case Depth Research |
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| Hermeneutic Single Case Efficacy Design |
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| Longitudinal research |
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| Cross-sectional research |
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Methods Primarily Associated With Qualitative Research (But May Also Use Quantitative)
| Ethnoautobiographical research |
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| Hermeneutics |
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| Grounded Theory |
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| Phenomenology |
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| Heuristic Research |
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Types of Analysis
| Simple Parametric Statistics (t-test, etc.) |
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| Confidence intervals |
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| Analysis of Variance (including MANOVA) |
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| Analysis of Covariance |
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| Regression (including multiple regression) |
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| Discriminant Function Analysis |
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| Structural Equation Modeling/Path Analysis |
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| Causal Modeling |
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| Cluster Analysis |
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| Survival Analysis |
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| Nonparametrics |
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| Bayesian Analysis |
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| Meta-analysis and effect sizes |
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| Factor Analysis |
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| Time series analysis |
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| Multidimensional scaling |
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