Richard Bawden

Contact Richard Bawden

Dr Richard Bawden AM is currently Visiting Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University and recently retired Professor of Systemic Development at the University of Western Sydney. As Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Rural Development at that University from 1978 to 1992 he lead the initiative which saw the Faculty transform itself explicitly into 'an organisation as a learning system'.

Integrating systems theories and philosophies into their practice as critical action researchers, consultants and educators, the Hawkesbury team continues to develop innovative and radical experiential strategies for sustainable development. The essential thrust of Professor Bawden's work, is the organisation of groups of individuals into 'critical learning systems' where the behaviour and output of the collaborating entity is almost invariably surprisingly different from the 'sum of its parts'.

The search for such emergent properties of learning systems is, Bawden believes, the crucial element in any organisation's abilities to deal with the turbulent environments of today. His strategies for the development of organisations as learning systems often challenge the TQM orthodoxy of incremental change: his learning systems thrive on chaos, as they seek, not to stabilise change but to evolve with it.

The central focus in this approach to organisational development, is the individual-as-a-critical-learner. A high level of emphasis is placed on the capability of each member of any 'learning' group within the organisation, to 'learn his or her way through new circumstances'. This presents a fresh twist to the idea of the reflective practitioner as a multi-dimensional learner, with the key competency of being a critical conversationalist!

Richard Bawden's work in what he terms 'systemic development', has led to more than 100 international engagements as researcher/consultant, in additional to many more here in Australia.