The Role of The Ideal Future And How to Get There - Introduction - Speech by dr. elisabeth dostal

Let me introduce our next speaker, Dr. Elisabeth Dostal the founder and director of BiomatrixWeb. Elisabeth was born in Austria but she is now an established Cape Townian. She's a futurist, a management educator and management consultant, as well as a co-author of what many of us regard as a groundbreaking book on systems thinking which is called Biomatrix: A Systems Approach to Organisational and Societal Change. The book is on the table next to the reception desk. That book was a complete revelation to me it converted me into a systems thinker. And I think South Africa needs a whole army of systems thinkers. And I am sure after this presentation you'll see why i say that. Elisabeth's contribution to the Biomatrix Group was to integrate various systems concepts and approaches into the Biomatrix theory as well as applying it to the management of society and its organizations. I'd encourage you to look at the biomatrix web as well it's quite an incredible concept Elisabeth's work experience includes consulting interventions on problem solving and problem dissolving strategy development organizational transformation and policy design in various national and international business corporations governments and NGOs. She's also got a rich academic life associated with the University of Stellenbosch and in particular the Institute for Futures Research which I can't speak highly enough about the IFR and also Johannesburg University and the Erasmus University in Rotterdam So it's a great privilege to welcome Elisabeth please give her a warm round of applause.