The Open Space Method as an Effective Way to Lead to High Quality Results in Changing Business Contexts

Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject Business economics - Company formation, Business Plans, grade: 1,50, University of Abertay Dundee (Business Department), course: Creativity and managing change, language: English, abstract: How is it possible to transfer the dynamic potential and the motivating atmosphere of informal meetings (e.g. at coffee breaks) into the regular processes of work? Harrison Owen, an independent organization consultant, was asking himself that question after having organized several conferences. Therefore he started to develop the ¿open space technology¿ (OST) for groups. This essay is going to thoroughly explain the method¿s idea and the way it works.

OST, mostly organized as a workshop or conference, makes it possible to solve ill-defined tasks through letting different people work together. Moreover, its advantages are various and its fields to use are vast. The essay will also provide some evaluation about the cases in which it can be used and a short conclusion can be found. Appendix 3 tries to give an overview of the contents as well.