Mantua Community Development (2005~2008)

Collaborator: GlaxoSmithKline

Description: This community development project is connected to DYNM 629: Organizational Consulting: Proseminar in Organizational Development and integrated into Mantua Cares. The Mantua Cares project is a local chapter of the Adopt A Neighborhood Development (A.N.D.) program whose mission is to foster the self development of communities while serving as an advocate for community leaders and their importance to society. Mantua Cares involves the redesign and development of Mantua, a residential community on the border of the University of Pennsylvania. The Executive Director of Mantua Cares is Mr. Harold Davis.

Student participants become familiar with Dr. Russell Ackoff's theory and methodology for change through interactive planning and organizational redesign and will work directly with members of the community as they design their own future. Interactive Planning is and has been used worldwide in corporations of every size and type including GSK; by governments including the US White House; NGOs and other nonprofit settings, as well as in communities and cities including Paris.