The Power of the 2 x 2 Matrix: Using 2x2 Thinking to Solve Business Problems and Make Better Decisions

Review
"Full of fascinating - and useful - insights into innovative thinking and business strategies." (Long Range Planning, Number 38, 2005)

Book Description
By studying the work of hundreds of the most original and effective business minds, the authors present a common architecture that illuminates exceptional analysis and creative performance. 2 x 2 Thinking is characterized by a fundamental appreciation for the dynamic and complex nature of business. The best strategists go out of their way to tackle dilemmas rather than merely solve problems. They use opposition, creative tension, iteration and transcendence to get to the heart of issues and involve critical others in finding the best solutions. The authors demonstrate how to apply the 2 x 2 approach to a wide range of important business challenges.

Download Description
By studying the work of hundreds of the most original and effective business minds, the authors present a common architecture that illuminates exceptional analysis and creative performance. 2 x 2 Thinking is characterized by a fundamental appreciation for the dynamic and complex nature of business. The best strategists go out of their way to tackle dilemmas rather than merely solve problems. They use opposition, creative tension, iteration and transcendence to get to the heart of issues and involve critical others in finding the best solutions. The authors demonstrate how to apply the 2 x 2 approach to a wide range of important business challenges.

From the Inside Flap
Professional managers and consultants of all varieties utilize a representational tool generally referred to as the 2 x 2 matrix. Now this ubiquitous reasoning device is given its due as the most flexible and portable weapon in the knowledge worker's intellectual arsenal. Drawing on models from the works of leading consultants, business school profs, social scientists and organizational theorists, Lowy and Hood have provided an invaluable resource for business strategists, professional consultants and teachers.

By studying the work of hundreds of the most original and effective business minds, the authors present a common architecture that illuminates exceptional analysis and creative performance. 2 x 2 Thinking is characterized by a fundamental appreciation for the dynamic and complex nature of business. The best strategists go out of their way to tackle dilemmas rather than merely solve problems. They use opposition, creative tension, iteration and transcendence to get to the heart of issues and involve critical others in finding the best solutions. The authors demonstrate how to apply the 2 x 2 approach to a wide range of important business challenges.

The book includes 56 extraordinary 2 X 2 frameworks from leading business thinkers such as Michael Porter, Stephen Covey and Igor Ansoff. Drawing on case material, the rich tradition of dialectical reasoning, and interviews with outstanding practitioners, it presents an inspired collection of methods and ideas that go well beyond the normal business text. The Power of the 2 x 2 Matrix is essential reading for managers and consultants..

From the Back Cover
The Power of the 2 x 2 Matrix is a gold mine of ideas and tools for the business problem solver. Draw from the book’s collection of 56 outstanding frameworks applied by leading business thinkers such as Michael Porter, Stephen Covey, and Igor Ansoff. These tested frameworks will help you tackle the thorniest of issues and learn how to apply 2 x 2 Thinking–the strategic orientation of the most successful and innovative problem solvers.

About the Author
Alex Lowy is an internationally recognized thought leader specializing in the creation of innovative work, learning, and information systems. He is the cofounder and past president of Digital 4Sight, a global technology think tank and strategy consulting firm with headquarters in Toronto, Canada. He has coauthored two best-selling business books, Digital Capital: Harnessing the Power of Business Webs (2000) and Blueprint to the Digital Economy (1998) with Don Tapscott and David Ticoll. In 2003, he formed the Transcend Strategy Group.

Phil Hood is one of Silicon Valley’s most thoughtful voices on the development and use of multimedia and pervasive computing technologies. He is the former executive editor of NewMedia magazine, and a contributing columnist to Wired. For two years he was chief executive officer of Digital 4Sight. He is a senior consulting associate to Stanford Research International (SRI), and a partner with Alex Lowy in the Transcend Strategy Group.