Paradigm Found: Leading and Managing for Positive Change

by Anne Firth Murray

Millions of people are frustrated by the lack of innovation and accountability undertaken by the government and other organizations, but they don't know where or how to begin making changes. Paradigm Found is a primer for creating or reshaping institutions and businesses to be run on principles often voiced but rarely followed: learning, equality, tolerance, consensus, empowerment, generosity, and hearing and acknowledging all voices. Providing...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1577315332
• ISBN13: 9781577315339
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: New World Library
• Length: 236 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Packed with management tips

PARADIGM FOUND: LEADING AND MANAGING FOR POSITIVE CHANGE blends women's issues and business, and comes from a woman whose idea of funding grassroots women's organizations around the world grew to the successful Global Fund for Women, today a major force of change. First-person chapters recounts her journeys to villages where such changes are taking place, her business perspective, and tips on how to create, encourage and build a dream based on business principles. From how to expand a program or organization to watching for roadblocks along the way, PARADIGM FOUND comes packed with management tips and insights particular to nonprofit work. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

Paradigm Found Indeed!

Anne Firth Murray has written a truly marvelous and thought-provoking book, straight from the heart. It is hard to classify in one particular genre or another. Rather it is written in a unique style as a combination of a memoir, a good story, a motivational/inspirational book, and a manual. I really enjoyed not only learning about the history of the Global Fund for Women and all the wonderful, dedicated people that made it happen, but also learning more about Anne Firth Murray's life and the ideals she describes in her book. It satisfies those who love good autobiographies and inspirational stories. And it also satisfies those who seek to learn about how one builds a strong organization from the roots up, from meaningful ideals to meaningful change. For me, this book was rejuvenating and energizing to read. It gave me new ideas and has inspired me all over again. I would think that each new reader who flips through its pages will experience similar self-reflection and inspiration in her or his own way. This is a treasure of a book. I think it is a great book for all to read--young and old, women and men, and people working in all capacities. Students and young people are who starting out in pursuit of careers in human rights or in non-profit work will benefit in particular from the inspirational guidance that this book offers.

Social Change Dynamism

I found this book to be an inspiring in-depth look into not only THE GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN but into how to merge your walk with your talk especially when you are running the company or the department. May everyone have the opportunity to work with such an enlightened organization....or to create one!

Anne Firth Murray is my heroine

"Anne Firth Murray is my heroine. She had the courage to make my fantasy reality. She founded an organization to empower and fund individual women and groups of women all over the world, to help pull them out of poverty and realize their dreams. And now, nearly 20 years later, Anne is semi retired and teaching at Stanford University Paradigm Found, Learning and Managing for Positive Change, New World Library was published several months ago and is an account of her experience starting The Global Fund for Women in 1987. Anne's vision for The Global Fund was to transform the world through empowering women. Her original goal was to raise and give away 10 million dollars by 2000 and by 1996 she had raised enough money to give away more than 1000 grants totaling more than 6 million USD in more than 100 countries. Anne is a New Zealander by birth but attended universities in the United States. She worked as a writer at the United Nations; she taught in Hong Kong and Singapore and was an editor with Oxford, Yale and Stanford University presses. Then she discovered the world of philanthropy and has been involved in it for the past 25 years. From 1978 to the end of 1987, she directed the environment and international population program for the Hewlett foundation in California but found herself asking why aren't women singled out for aid? Women comprise more than 51% of the world's population. "Women worldwide do almost all of the world's domestic work, yet we seldom receive income for the time and effort this work entails. Women provide more healthcare than all the organized health care services, and yet many women lack equal access to health care for themselves. Women grow more than half of the world's food, yet we own only 1% of the world's land. Women make up one third of the world's paid labor force, yet we are concentrated in the lowest paid occupations".....there are 80 million more boys than girls enrolled in primary and secondary schools and women hold no more than 10% of the seats in national legislatures. At times like these, if we watch the news on television or read newspapers, the world looks doomed by terrorists and fundamentalists. but this book has given me so much hope and encouragement to keep on trying to make my small part of the world a little bit better . And to learn. "The Best thing for being sad... is to learn something. That is the only thing that never fails".(T. H. White, The Once and Future King) Anne uses her garden, which is magnificent, as metaphor throughout her book. She is an instinctive nurturer and my friends who met her when she visited me in El Pitillal, Mexico three years ago remember vividly her emphasis on inclusion and how vital it is to listen and encourage everyone. She showed us how compassion and connection come easily for women.

Invaluable to anyone who wants to make a difference

This is not just a book for charities and foundations. Anyone trying to build something that has meaning - that's meant to make a difference - will find this book to be invaluable. Paradigm Found is Anne Firth Murray's personal story of creating and building The Global Fund for Women. But it's also an inspiring look at the growth of an organization and the importance of knowing what you stand for and building it into everything you do.