Integral Development

Realising the Transformative Potential of Individuals, Organisations and Societies

Integral Development LOOK INSIDE
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  • Alexander Schieffer and Ronnie Lessem, TRANS4M Center for Integral Development, Geneva, Switzerland
  • Series: Transformation and Innovation
  • Alexander Schieffer and Ronnie Lessem introduce a groundbreaking development framework and process to address the most burning issues that humanity faces. While conventional top-down, outside-in development has reached a cul-de-sac, a new, integral form of development is emerging around the world. Integral Development uniquely articulates this emergent approach, and invites us to fully participate in this process.

    The integral approach has been researched and framed over decades of in-depth experience in transformative development education and practice all over the world. It uniquely combines four mutually reinforcing perspectives: nature and community; culture and spirituality; science, systems and technology; and enterprise and economics. Conventional development theory and practice has prioritized the latter two perspectives, neglecting the former two. This has caused massive imbalances in today’s world. The four interconnected perspectives allow for a transformative and integrated engagement with core development issues in a way that is locally relevant and globally resonant.

    Throughout, the practical impact of Integral Development is brought to life through highly innovative cases from around the globe, drawing on the authors` first-hand experience. This makes the book a living demonstration of the power of this pioneering approach.

    Integral Development shows how individual, organizational and societal developments need to be interconnected to release a society’s full potential. It shifts the responsibility for large-scale development from often-distant experts and organizations to each individual, community, enterprise and institution within the society. It is essential reading - and a call to action - for everyone concerned with the current state of local and global development.
  • Contents: Prologue. Part I Divided World: the Need for Renewing Human Development: Development - quo vadis?: Turning point in human development; Looking back and current trends: a critical review of human development; Deconstruction - reconstruction: steps towards renewing human development. Part II Integral Worlds: a New Integral Perspective on Human Development: The integral perspective: holistically renewing development; A new approach: the integral development framework; Compass and map: the integral development journey. Part III The Southern Realm of Integral Development: Restoring Life in Nature and Community: Know your self and your context: a southern individual perspective; The eco-systemic organisation: a southern organisational perspective; Embeddedness in society: a southern societal perspective; Southern integration via a communiversity: the cases of Chinyika and First Peoples worldwide. Part IV The Eastern Realm of Integral Development: Regenerating Meaning via Culture and Spirituality: The journey of the self: an eastern individual perspective; Organisational co-evolution: an eastern organisational perspective; Evolutionary stages in society: an eastern societal perspective; Eastern integration via a developmental university: the cases of Sarvodaya, Om Creations and Aravind. Part V The Northern Realm of Integral Development: Reframing Knowledge via Science, Systems and Technology: Transdisciplinary learning and research: a northern individual perspective; Organisational knowledge creation: a northern organisational perspective; The knowledge and network society: a northern societal perspective; Northern integration via a renewed research university: the cases of Mondragon and a future university for Africa. Part VI The Western Realm of Integral Development: Rebuilding Infrastructure and Institutions via Enterprise and Economics: The full life: a western individual perspective; Enterprise as a force for good: a western organisational perspective; Societal wealth and well-being: a western societal perspective; Western integration via a university of life: the cases of Interface, TIGE and global creative experimentation. Part VII Unity in Diversity: Fully Actualising Integral Development via the Integral University: We have come a long way!: Reviewing the integral development journey; Integral university pioneer: Sekem and Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development; Co-creating the integral university: fully realising the transformative potential of individuals, organisations and societies. Index.
  • About the Author: Alexander Schieffer co-founded, with Ronnie Lessem, TRANS4M Center for Integral Development (Geneva), designed to (r)evolutionize education, research and development. Trans4m’s cutting edge programs provide innovative culture-specific responses to burning socio-economic issues. Born in Germany, Schieffer got his PHD from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, where he lectures in International Development. Formerly, he was CEO of First Asia Publishing (Singapore), Founder of CELL Center of Excellence for Leadership and Learning (Munich), an internal Management Consultant with the Bertelsmann Group (London) and worked in Investment Banking (Frankfurt).

    Ronnie Lessem was born in Zimbabwe of central European parentage, and graduated from Harvard Business School and the London School of Economics. He has written some 30 books, the last six together with Alexander Schieffer, on self, organizational and societal development from a transcultural, transformational perspective. He has also been an international management consultant in Europe and America, India and Africa for three decades.
  • Reviews: ‘A tour de force in relation to the notion of social innovation, the authors take us through an energizing new understanding of development. The task is irresistible. The review is far-reaching. The proposals are inspirational. A must-read.’
    Pilar Alvarez-Laso, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO, France

    ‘Integral Development contains a unique fusion of personal, organisational and societal development. It clearly shows the next evolutionary step for corporate enterprise, taking it beyond Corporate Social Responsibility. Integral Development is hugely relevant for anyone concerned with identifying the future role of business in society.’
    Birgit Klesper, Senior Vice President, Group Transformational Change & Corporate Responsibility, Deutsche Telekom Group, Germany

    ‘Integral Development by Alexander Schieffer and Ronnie Lessem offers a wonderful opportunity for us to understand the past, the present and the future of development. We often think about development as “economic development”. Development indeed cannot be dissociated from our human and civilisational evolution. The authors use the term “integral development” and offer theoretical frameworks and comparative analysis that help us understand what development really means at this important historical junction. It helps us see the choices we have ahead of us. As a social entrepreneur and innovator, I found the book extremely useful and inspiring. I would define it as a road map. It helps strengthen one’s vision in order to better contextualize actions. The book is very well written and I recommend it for anyone interested in contributing to our balanced and peaceful co-evolution as humanity.’
    Thais Corral, Social Entrepreneur and Innovator , Founder of Network of Human Development and of the social enterprise SINAL do VALE, Brazil

    ‘With Integral Development, Schieffer and Lessem have built a much-needed bridge between individual, organisational and societal development. Organisational developers and transformation agents from all sectors of society will find in this book the knowledge and processes to respond holistically to the multiple crises we face today. It will show them how they can construct creatively on the particular contribution that each context and culture has to make. This eminent work is compulsory reading for everybody engaged in constructive societal change.’
    Martin Hilb, Professor and Director , Institute for Leadership and Human Resource Management, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland

    ‘In Integral Development, Alexander Schieffer and Ronnie Lessem communicate their passion for economic and social transformation by introducing a new, holistic development framework. Rather than top-down, this approach supports mutuality and creative co-creation. Interspersed with first-hand illustrative cases, this is both a visionary and practical book designed to actualize the potential of individuals, organizations, and societies through much-needed partnership and caring.’
    Riane Eisler, author of The Chalice and the Blade & The Real Wealth of Nations, USA

    ‘Integral Development is outstanding on many levels. Like no other contribution to the field of development it shows the crucial role of culture and spirituality in development processes. Schieffer & Lessem illustrate how community, culture, technology and economics need to interact co-creatively for authentic, sustainable development to happen. The theoretical concepts and practical roadmaps provided in Integral Development will enable today’s agents of transformation to bring about a much needed, more holistic development paradigm. I rejoice to see how the authors convincingly illustrate how new approaches to education and research, and to the university as a whole, can indeed enable all of us, individually and collectively, to become Integral Developers.’
    Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, founder and chairman, Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, Sri Lanka