This database record is for John's talk titled "Demands of Complexity Meet the Killer Assumptions”, a keynote speech before the Third International Conference on Management (ICM-98), Jaio Tong University, Shanghai, China on July 26, 1998. SEE ALSO the record in textual materials database titled: "Stalking the Killer Assumptions."  The actual China talk was a two page outline, and several pages of the transparencies, saved in duplicate formats of both large and small fonts. The formal 16 page document printed in this manuscript file was not used because of time constraints. This speech titled  "Demands of Complexity Meet Killer Assumptions"  was presented twice, first in Shanghai, China on 1 July 1998  and again a few months later in a much longer talk with similar content, at George Mason University on 1 October 1998. ABOUT THE SHANGHAI PRESENTATION: In his Shanghai talk, Warfield began by describing complexity as a "mortal enemy" which had to be combatted with determination. He brought a set of transparencies, which itemized the 17 "Assumptions" (which he said he had discovered so far) often made by managers which can be fatal if applied to complex situations. The conclusion: to avoid management errors, try the (Interactive Management) process described in "Twenty Laws of Complexity" a 1998 journal article. This process uses "carefully structured patterns" (which are the results of IM workshops) produced by lower-level personnel to provide recommendations and options for higher level executives. Warfield was listed on the ICM-98 Conference program as a Keynote Speaker and had expected about one hour for his presentation but he did not deliver it in entirety, because the conference was pretty crowded with keynoters, all VIPs, who were added liberally to the program, so that in the end Warfield's talk planned for early in the day was postponed until near the last and he had only a few minutes to make his presentation. He was not able to use all of the 17 transparencies which he had prepared.  Several persons in the audience asked for copies of them, and he tried to send copies of his presentation to whoever gave him their address or sent an email. There was not time to get copies made into a cellpack before the talk, for distribution in China.

It was a special treat to get to meet Siwei Cheng at John's talk. As one of one of the opening speakers at the Shanghai conference Siwei gave a marvelous presentation switching easily from Chinese to English for our mixed languages audience. Mr. Cheng came to the U.S. about a week later, in August, with a visiting delegation of Chinese scientists, and visited George Mason University as John's guest, in a trip arranged by Shouyang Wang.  Siwei Cheng sponsored a visiting scholar to John's GMU Institute the next year, a Dr. Xuefeng Song from China University of Mining & Technology. Xufeng was one of the best students John ever had.  

R.w. circa 2007