This is an interesting summary about the early days of Appreciative Inquiry and the basic principles that underpin the revolutionary and effective organisational improvement and change methodology that is called Appreciative Inquiry. Download PDF
"Appreciative Inquiry is the cooperative search for the best in people, their organisations, and the world around them. It involves systematic discovery of what gives a system ‘life’ when it is most effective and capable in economic, ecological, and human…
The Appreciative Eye Creativity starts with an 'appreciative' eye. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" "Leaders make sure people not only see the vision, they live and breath it." Jack Welch, former CEO of G.E. and Author…
The origins of strategy are deeply rooted in our warfare history. Current strategic models and thinking have a bias towards ‘killing off the competition’. Even if this was appropriate in the past, it is inappropriate now in our interconnected world,…
Socially Constructing a New Corporate Purpose
Imagine a sustainable world where humanity meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Business provides the goods and services needed by consumers in a way beneficial to all stakeholders. The world’s vast wealth is equitably distributed to all people. We on Earth are working toward that future today.
This is a story of AI applied to corporate strategic planning with an examination into the tacit economic assumptions of business.
The SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Anticipations, Results) framework for strategic inquiry and decision-making is discussed. SOAR is a compatible framework for an AI approach to strategic planning. Next, we review the dominant mental model of purpose underlying strategic planning. and an alternate perspective, flowing into a reflection of what could be.
The dominant construct in business is the theory that the purpose of a business is to maximise shareholder wealth. This theory will be contrasted with an alternate view—the “triple bottom line.” The purpose is not to choose either perspective as correct, distinct from the other, or even good; it is to inquire and appreciatively reflect into how these theories are socially constructed with an eye towards creating the change we desire.
by Jane Magruder Watkins and Bernard Mohr, from their book Appreciative Inquiry: Change at the Speed of Imagination
Please note that this only goes to 2000. There are many more exciting developments and case studies in the past 13 years. In addition to the aicommons there are many reported in the Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner
To submit an Appreciative Inquiry milestone to this timeline, please email: aicommons@case.edu for review. We would like to include major advances, shifts, and events.
| Date | Event |
| 1980 |
Cleveland Clinic Project is initiated.The birthplace and co-founding of AI happened in the doctoral program in Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University in the collaboration between David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva in 1980. As a young 24 year old doctoral student David Cooperrider was involved doing a conventional diagnosis or an organizational analysis of “what’s wrong with the human side of the Organization?” In gathering his data, he becomes amazed by the level of positive cooperation, innovation and egalitarian governance he sees in the organization. Suresh Srivastva, Cooperrider’s advisor notices David’s excitement and suggests going further with the excitement-making it the focus. Having been influenced by earlier writings by Schweitzer on the idea of “reverence for life”, David obtains permission from the Clinic’s Chairman Dr. William Kiser to focus totally on a life-centric analysis of the factors contributing to the highly effective functioning of the Clinic when it was at its best. Everything else was ignored. |
Classic Articles Appreciative inquiry: A transformative paradigm Author: J M Watkins , D L Cooperrider Journal of the Organization Development Network Date: 01/01/2000 Volume: 32 Pages: 6-12Annotation: Appreciative Inquiry, a concept and approach conceived and described in the work of…
Chapter 2 Positive Image, Positive Action: The Affirmative Basis of Organising David L. Cooperrider Case Western Reserve University Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help you create the fact.…
"The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated." William James Psychologist & Philosopher "We all crave to be appreciated" Dale Carnegie