Linking the strengthening of analytical capacity with the development of adaptive capacity can provide a basis for ensuring that an organisation has the judgement, self-confidence and time to critically assess a situation and to use this learning to improve actions or strategies. If one happens without the other it may lead to 1) improved understanding but no subsequent relevant action or 2) ill-informed adaptation which responds reactively, and potentially inappropriately to a given situation. Analysis and adaptation should therefore be perceived as integrally linked and interdependent10.
• Observe reality: by standing back to ‘see’ and collect information about the complex internal and external environment of which it is part.
• Create meaning: by reflecting critically on this information and exploring different perspectives to develop a new understanding that is unconstrained by established frameworks.
• Sense emerging events: by identifying wider patterns and events within the environment, whether predicted or not, and deciding which of these might require, or ‘trigger’, a response.
• Adjust actions: by making improvements to the approach used, experimenting with innovative ideas and exploring alternative solutions.
While these may take place simultaneously it is suggested that consciously carrying them out as a cyclical process may be more effective. The more integrated and continuous the processes become, the more proactive the organisation can be in its response because it is able to monitor, reflect, and act upon triggers for change. The learning gained from these experiences can then be fed back into future analysis. This is illustrated in the diagram below.
Process of Organizational Analysis and Adaptation
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