Book review: "The Power of the 2 x 2 Matrix"
I'll start this post as I did a previous one on this book:
Q. What is Hodges' model? A. It is NOT a 2x2 matrix.
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The separation of axes and domains above is contrived to overcome some of the limitations of HTML.
An image can re-solve and integrate to show the model as intended: two axis that intersect that then gives rise to four quadrants, or that can be described as care, or knowledge domains:
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| Hodges' model: The axes and domains |
There's another answer to the question posed above.
I was wrong AND right.
Hodges' model is not a 2x2 matrix as per the many established and very powerful examples described in Lowy and Hood's book, The Power of the 2x2 Matrix.
It is a 2x2 matrix as I have often explained to people. I have also stressed the model's generic status, so while Hodges' model can be used in a business context, this merely highlights the model's generic potential and its situatedness.
In numerous workshops I've adopted a Socratic approach. The audience 'formulate' Hodges' model from the questions they are asked.
The word instrument conjures ambivalence for me. Who wants to be an instrument of the State - and yet we all are? Have I been championing, advocating for what is an instrument for the past three decades and more? Do I trust the instruments? While instruments are probably associated with the sciences and mechanism (whether analogue or digital) Hodges' model is an instrument for dialectical method.
"When Plato described Socrates' logic as dialectical, he was referring to the intensely honest and courageous investigations of important subjects, including or perhaps especially, the self and reality. The Socratic method as used by to adroitly elicit curiosity and promote learning is the practical application of this form of dialectic." pp.26-27.
"From the Greek dialektikḗ, the origin of the term dialectic is literally the art of (techne) of philosophical discussion. ... The dialectical perspective pushes us to search for meaning beyond the level of obvious, visible evidence, focusing on the dynamic relationship between things and how they evolve. The benefits for problem solving and design are significant. Dialectical thinkers are better and faster at framing, exploring, and resolving problems. Dialectical thinkers are able to wend their way through complex and difficult challenges because they are less likely to ignore messages that trouble them." pp.24-25.
| INTRA- INTERPERSONAL |
SCIENCES |
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SOCIOLOGY |
POLITICAL |
More to follow ...
Alex Lowy, Phil Hood (2004) The Power of the 2 x 2 Matrix: Using 2 x 2 Thinking to Solve Business Problems and Make Better Decisions, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass ISBN: 978-1-118-00879-9
With many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
orcid.org/0000-0002-0192-8965