There is a substantial body of work propounding that the use of metaphor is necessary for any conceptualization of reality (e.g., Nietszche, 1872 Lackoff & Johnson, 1980 Morgan, 1986 Lackoff, 1987). The only intrinsic difference here is the difference between custom and novelty, frequency and rarity. But deception on this point remains вЂ¦ The most accustomed metaphors, the usual ones, now pass for truths and as standards for measuring the rarer ones. There is no вЂњrealвЂќ expression and no real knowing apart from metaphor. In the following sections we look at the utility of metaphor in general and that of the organic metaphor in particular to gain insights into the organization and being of socially constructed intelligent organizations in transformational contexts.

The organization of such systems is therefore of interest to those who believe that emergent properties arise from relationships and interactions of constituent components of systems with each other and with their environment. The first is related to change: How can an organization organize itself to change quickly enough, efficiently, and appropriately in an environment that cannot be predicted? The second issue is one of sustainability: How does an organization ensure that any transformation it undertakes leaves it with the requisite capabilities to deal effectively with future changes in the environment? And finally, how can an organization ensure that its actions do not diminish those aspects of the environment that favor its survival?Д«iological systems display many of the characteristics that appear desirable for organizational survival in this type of context: coordination, robustness, requisite variety, and adaptability in the face of significant changes in the environment. The notion of success in this type of uncertain and dynamic environment raises three issues. Although this pronouncement of uncertainty does not generally drive businesses to behave more responsibly for the greater good, it does promote an awareness of the interconnectedness of individual (personal, organizational, national) actions and global outcomes. According to media coverage, the future of the planet is uncertain at a macro level. Global warming and other environmental issues are perceived to be important for the futures of the First and Third Worlds alike. For example, the recent Far Eastern economic crisis had significant impacts on the West, while the impact of dumping First World technology rejects (like CFC refrigerators) on the Third World is rapidly catching up with us. Organizations are both of and in the competitive context: while they are affected by changes in the competitive context, their own actions influence that context and the behavior of other players within it.ДЄs communication constraints are rapidly diminishing, some material and physical constraints are becoming more pronounced, with the impact of environmental and economic disasters being transmitted more directly across the world.

In many industries, this phenomenon is marked by an increased rate of organizational transformation, with firms developing or acquiring capabilities that often lie outside the traditional trajectories of their native industry sector. An associated spaciotemporal contraction (resulting from the speed with which information traverses the globe and the ability to coordinate geographically distributed processes and activities across organizational boundaries in real time) means that changes in the competitive environment affect organizations more quickly. The competitive context is growing more complex and dynamic as the terrain for competition assumes global dimensions and the focus of competition extends from the occupation of physical space to that of cyberspace.

Information technology has enabled the world to become increasingly interconnected.

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