Dr. Freeman has been a pioneer in developing the discipline and practice of organizational resilience, i.e., an ability to cope with unanticipated adversities -- an understanding that emerged from an acclaimed field study of World Trade Center firms in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks [1]. Day-of-attack devastation was just the beginning of difficulties and losses too great for many firms to overcome. [2] Yet some firms not only survived -- a second award-winning paper laid the groundwork for a theory of organizational resilience by detailing the astonishing recovery of one small investment bank nearly obliterated in the attacks, but which soon emerged stronger than ever.[3] That paper l.
Freeman has honed and extended this emerging understanding [4] and extended his expertise to Crisis Preparedness, which complementing prior work in Creativity & Innovation, provides a uniquely comprehensive perspective on both managing the unexpected and the relationship between crisis and opportunity.
Freeman also brings broad experience, knowledge and analytical abilities to the task of identifying potential impending crises. including extensive practice in social systems sciences (including a long apprenticeship with Russell Ackoff (Wharton/Interact) and doctoral studies in system dynamics with Jay Forestter, John Sterman and Peter Senge. (MIT/OLC)
Freeman's academic ahievements include ....
Freeman has served as faculty at the University of Pennsylvania in a variety of positions since 2000, but his experience extends well beyond the ivy towers, having worked in a wide variety of jobs up and down the corporate ladder, undertaken several entrepreneurial initiatives, and leadership in a social movement. He has also taught and worked extensively throughout Latin America (a region that has much to teach us on coping with crisis).
As of 2013, Freeman will be focusing and sharpening his gaze as he o embark on the new Crisalis venture -- to help you identify what’s most important, prepare for the greatest threats, and seize the opportunities that are emerging from the new crisis era increasingly upon us,
most of these diverse interests and minimizing academic obligations t remarkable recovery of one Larry Hirschhorn and Marc Maltz awards at the University of Pennsylvania, where he has served in a variety of positions since 2000. ly broad educational background and
Notes:
[1] -- 2003. “Moral purpose and organizational resilience: Sandler O’Neill & Partners in the aftermath of September 11, 2001.” In D. Nagao (Ed.) Academy of Management BEST PAPERS 2003
Freeman, Steven F., Larry Hirschhorn and Marc Maltz Selected for inclusion in the Academy of Management's Best Papers 2003 (pdf), Marc Maltz and Larry Hirschhorn. 2004. “The Power of Moral Purpose: Sandler O'Neill & Partners in the Aftermath of September 11, 2001” Organizational Development Journal (December 2004)
[2] In addition to doing all the work of an extremely demanding regular job (investment bankers commonly work 80 hours per week) with a decimated workforce, affected firms also had to: manage often paralyzing grief and guilt; attend and speak at a steady stream of funerals; help support family of lost colleagues, construct temporary workspace and work around the inevitable and inefficiencies of these temporary facilities; rebuild new long-term facilities; attempt to recreate new team synergies (or more often, accept the loss of these synergies); refinance; assure investors, clients, employees and other stakeholders of continuing viability; reconstruct records; and hire new hands top to bottom.
[3] Academy of Management's Best Practice Paper 2003
[4] Academy of Management's Best Practice Paper 2003
Systems Thinking in Management 3rd International Conference Session on Sustainability (Philadelphia; May 2004) Beyond traditional systems thinking: Resilience as a strategy for security and sustainability.