We recommend the writing and ideas of economics writer Tim Harford who studies complex systems -- and finds a surprising link among the successful ones: built through trial and error.
Hear more about this in his inspiring TED talk. http://www.ted.com/talks/tim_harford.html
Background
“Tim Harford is a senior columnist for the Financial Times. His column, “The Undercover Economist”, reveals the economic ideas behind everyday experiences. He is also the only economist in the world to run a problem page, “Dear Economist”, in which readers’ personal problems are answered tongue-in-cheek with the latest economic theory.
Tim’s first book, “The Undercover Economist” has sold one million copies worldwide in almost 30 languages. His second book, “The Logic of Life“, was published early in 2008 in English, and has also been widely translated, and his third book, “Dear Undercover Economist” is a collection of his “Dear Economist” columns.
Tim’s latest book Adapt has a very important message for our times.
“When faced with complex problems, we have all become accustomed to looking to our leaders to set out a grand vision, experts to draw up a detailed plan of action, or gurus who can provide us with some infallible solution.
In this groundbreaking book, Tim Harford shows us a new and inspiring approach to solving the most pressing problems in our lives. Harford argues that today’s challenges simply cannot be tackled with ready-made solutions and expert opinions; the world has become far too unpredictable and profoundly complex. Instead, we must adapt—improvise rather than plan, work from the bottom up rather than the top down, and take baby steps rather than great leaps forward. Drawing from research across disciplines—psychology, evolutionary biology, anthropology, physics, mathematics, political science, and economics—and interviews with some of the world’s most pioneering leaders, thinkers, and strategists, Harford reveals hard-won lessons learned in the field and the importance of adaptive, trial-and-error processes in tackling issues such as fostering innovation, climate change, poverty, the financial crises, and conflict.
. . . . . . this is a handbook for surviving—and prospering—in our complex and ever-shifting world.”
