I have to just say a big public thank you to the people below. If I could have bottled their energy yesterday in regards to the passion in changing traditional thinking I would be rich;

Dr Paul Stevens (former IT VP at GSK.... now a happy free man)
Paul Argile (CEO Flight Directors)
Prof. Elizabeth McMillan (Research Fellow OU)
Dr Ysanne Carlyle (OU)
Paul Byard (CEO MAS Wales)
John Ward (DNA Agent)
Jean Matthews (PhD Glamorgan & DNA Agent)
Kath Ringwald (SL GBS)
Dr Rachel Mason-Jones (The Boss GBS Strategy/Supply Div.)
Andrew Hunt (Senior Consultant)
Prof. Hugh Combs (Accounts - we need one)
Gemma Collins (BBC)
Prof Joyce Liddle (NTU)
Prof Alan Lovel (Head of School GBS)
John Batten (SL & DNA Agent)
David Kerle (JW Morris)
Phil Crocker (DNA Co-ordinator)
Dr Kelly Page (SL Cardiff Business School)
Sue Mittchel (Finance Officer)
Sue Bevan (GBS)

The success experienced yesterday would not have happen if anyone of the above were absent.

THANK YOU!
Paul
PS... the titles don't matter that much....

Manchester Done.

Well having survived a night in the hotel from hell the day at the Complexity Society in Manchester was extremely delightful.

The event itself demonstrated to me if I’m honest the huge gulf in academic ‘speak’ and ‘real’ person on the street discussion.  We [academics] seem to forget that we have a language, discourse that most people fail to understand, grasp to desire. It simple is un-helpful for those wishing to change practice for themselves or the organisations they represent. I know this sounds odd as an academic, but having spent the last three years talking to ‘non-believers’, frontline workers, hairy-arsed engineers the last thing they want is academics debating why policy shapes practice in micro-elements of human systems, they want how, why and where does it start. We need to get real people engaged in the field not bored by discussion on the micro-political power struggles of Marxist complexity thinker in a post-modernist economy…… see I was listen! Its seems that even in Complexity ‘Ego’s’ get in the way of development.

No wonder, DNA Wales promised to publish research and case studies directly on the web and not wait for ‘ego’s’ to ratify, support or condone current practical, cutting edge change in companies.

We need to follow the American way and separate Academic debate from practitioners and/or warn both that both type will be present.

However what was really interesting yesterday was the large attendance of NHS representatives. Excellent. There maybe a way forward at last!

Well done Complexity Society wonderful event, great venue MBS and overall a stunning day.
Paul

Hello Everyone,

Well here we are again, end of the Academic year, exhausted once again and the DNA Wales team physically and mentally shattered, okay thats just me then.... [the rest of the team are younger and better able to cope with work].

But wow what a year!

We have now formally removed the shackles of Welsh Assembly Gov. funding and whilst extremely useful at the beginning our time is here, and organic growth has driven us forward.  As from today we will no-longer based at Waterton. Our funding has finished most of our obligations met and new projects on the Global scale are on the horizon. I am sad this is ended, sad for Wales in one way as some have given up on the change process, but happy for others who have experienced the DNA change, thinking and ethos. Thanks must go to people like Phil Catherwood who took a risk with DNA, particularly so with Phil as he is very much a SixSigma guy and to allow a band like us to the concert took great courage. We would not have achieved this success and more if it were not for his support, Waterton Centre and Phil's grounding to the reality of details.

DNA Wales/Global will be based for the time being at Glamorgan Business School. The main reason for this is we have a new colleague Phil  Crocker (AKA Paul….. sorry in-joke). Phil will be acting as our new link-co-ordinator for events, research and in-company training. Welcome on-board Phil.

We have so much on Phil is such a wonderful asset at this time of year and its great to be working with him on the new projects.

If you need to contact us then you can do this via Phil on University of Glamorgan Business School 
Email: Bustemp2@glam.ac.uk 
Tel: 01443 482678

Also just to let you know that I will be off for 4 weeks soon to recover from an operation to my back. Those that work with me are aware of my moaning over the past 5 months, so yes, peace at last….. sorry folks its taken so long to sortout…

PT

Well its been nearly 3 years since DNA was launched and wow, just looking at what we achieved  it is quite staggering.  Business Assisted  over the Welsh Manufacturing/Private sector which means more than 2 days contact is 24 companies. Business Assisted in Public Services/Non-profit making is 6 organisations. We have also assisted USA companies, 5 in total and still on-going.

We have visited over 17 countries and advised organisations from every continent.

We have also created numerous Events & Publicity

Incuding;
•    Cophenhagen – CEO 3 day programme on CES
•    NHS – Cardiff visit March 2008-02-8
•    MoD Abbeywood – March 2008
•    CMI – Cardiff June 2008
•    Prof. Ralph Stacey – Complexity in ‘Real’ Companies
•    Cognitive Edge – 3 Day Agent Training – Cardiff Campus
•    Eve Mitleton-Kelly January 08.
•    Head Teachers Training Pontypridd Jan 08
•    CIPS – MoD Bristol
•    Paul Stevens GlaxoSmithKline
•    19th November – Rhondda Manufacturing Group
•    22th November  - Dave Snowden Cognitive Edge
•    Several BBC – Radio appearance
•    11th December – DNA Wales Conference to Industry
•    11th December – DNA Wales Annual Dinner
•    Sustainable Innovation with Wales Quality Centre 20th June.
•    Get connected at Waterton 22nd June –Glamorgan was well represented.
•    CalNET USA Complexity Conference – Kellogg Management Centre – Manufacturing

BBC Radio Wales, Wales at Work Programme discussing leadership 26th June.

Western Mail Business News
•    Western Mail – 2 articles
•    Cited in 7 professional Journals as a result of BBC Programme
•    Democracy the way to better management, 13th June.
•    Cut back on managers and trust your workers, Welsh Businesses urged, 8th June.
•    Women Managers are Better – Western Mail
•    Complexity and DNA – Western Mail
•    BBC Wales Radio – Special programme Wales@Work 2008
•    Dr Paul Thomas Nominated for the Leader of the Year Award – Hilton Cardiff, Feb 2008

Our Website
Over 60,000 visits to the website, with 8552 visits to the website during December 2007.

530 members to DNA

152 Companies

Sound Clip – BBC Wales Radio
Video Clips – Waterton Management Series now on UTube

And things are still happening....... what do you think?.... wonderful, thank you DNA Wales Team......

Paul