From Complexity to Simplicity (PDF)

SIMON COLLINSON is Professor of International Business and Innovation at Henley Business School, Reading University (UK) and Guangbiao Chair Professor, Zhejiang University (China). He sits on the governing councils of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the British Academy of Management (BAM) and has held the roles of Deputy Dean and Associate Dean (MBAs) at Warwick Business School. Simon has over 20 years of executive teaching and consulting experience with a wide range of multinational companies in the areas of strategy, innovation and international business. His research has recently featured in The
Times, The Sunday Times, BBC Radio 4, the New Statesman and the US News and World Report.

MELVIN JAY is a Founder and CEO of the Simplicity Partnership. He has over 25 years of commercial and consulting experience. He spent the first 15 years of his working life battling complexity in blue-chip companies like Danone and Novartis. As a consultant he now works at the Simplicity Partnership, tackling the most difficult complexity problems with some of the world's biggest companies, across different sectors, including retailing, professional services, pharmaceuticals, financial services, technology and consumer goods.

'In this book Melvin Jay and his team at The Simplicity Partnership have managed to accomplish something rare - a business book that is both conceptually fascinating and academically sound whilst remaining practical for business leaders. A must-read for anyone struggling with the challenge of our age.' Emmanuel Gobillot, best-selling author of The Connected Leader and LeaderShift

'This is an excellent book and tackles one of the biggest issues facing global companies ? complexity. It provides simple and insightful ways on how an organisation can look at its level of complexity and ideas on how to simplify.' Mike Johnson, CEO CASTROL

'Simplicity's approach presented in this book is easily comprehensible and can be used as a practical guide for how to reduce complexity in any company.' Cenk Eldem, Global Head of Bayer Complexity Reduction Programs

'This book describes how to create a culture of simplicity in a very clear, concise and simple way.' Raja Al-Khatib, Chief of Staff to Group CEO, and Group Director of Internal Communications, Vodafone

'Readable, eye-opening and fascinating. This book is for anyone struggling to address the challenges of complexity in large organisations. Collinson and Jay tackle these issues head-on, and using insights from academic research and practical experience, provide actionable advice on creating a simplification strategy that is both compelling and fascinating.' Professor Moira Clark, Director of The Henley Centre for Customer Management, Henley Business School