Stafford Beer’s Cwarel Isaf Cottage - Malik Management · 2017-09-05 · Stafford was never able...

Stafford Beer’s Cwarel Isaf Cottage

History and now

Table of contents

PrefaceIn memoriam Stafford BeerCwarel Isaf – How to get there?Stafford Beer and Cwarel IsafA day at Cwarel IsafThe Cwarel Isaf Institute (CII)The refurbishment of the Cwarel Isaf cottageHouse Rules at Cwarel Isaf

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Cwarel Isaf Cottage inNovember 2004

Dear Cybernetician

This little booklet is an invitation. It is an invitation to you as someone who isinterested in and maybe even devoted to cybernetics and the system sciences topursue and intensify your work or study in this field in a really «cybernetic» place.

This place is called Cwarel Isaf. It is the name of a cottage located in West Wales.Far away from the hectic and busy life of our days it is a place of quiet amidst therolling green hills of the Welsh landscape. One of the leading cyberneticians andthe father of Management Cybernetics, Stafford Beer, lived in Cwarel Isaf foralmost 30 years. The cottage and its beautiful surroundings served him as a placeof reflection and inspiration. At Cwarel Isaf, Stafford Beer wrote some of hisgreatest books, the genius of which is only now beginning to find its way into theawareness of a wider population.

After Stafford Beer’s death in 2002, the Cwarel Isaf Institute, which is dedicated to the preservation and continuation of his work and legacy, has taken on the mission of making the cottage available to students of cybernetics and the systemsciences. Stafford Beer himself had always wished for his home to become a placefor people who need time to think and contemplate.

The renovation of the cottage was concluded in August of 2005. Since then, theCwarel Isaf Institute has been proud and delighted to be able to offer it as a workand study place to anyone who seeks to continue in the footsteps and the spirit ofStafford Beer and cybernetics.

The following pages are meant to give you an overview and an impression of thecottage, its history and of the mission and the purpose of the Cwarel Isaf Institute.They mean to offer you a first glimpse of the atmosphere that awaits you there. We sincerely hope that the cottage at Cwarel Isaf will meet with wide acceptancethroughout the community of cyberneticians – be they professionals or friends –and that it will serve many a student of cybernetics as a place where they can furt-her promote and develop the concepts and the kind of thinking connected tocybernetics and the system sciences.

The Cwarel Isaf Team

3Stafford Beer's Cwarel Isaf Cottage

Preface

4 Stafford Beer's Cwarel Isaf Cottage

Stafford Beer, 1926–2002

In memoriam Stafford Beer

Cynghedd Saesneg am Geredigion

I : GYTSAIN

Ceredigian cared againfor you in soul, and for your new sealthese years too late, and those your style uttered,spent in void… Now you spin to invadersof your private space. Pray vote us peacewho came, and come again,to this new home, to these nigh hamlets.

II : SAIN

The solace-laden precious-maiden monthshines down sun and thunder, thusto keep the patchwork, and to watch the morninglight across the open fields: gloriously yields allyesterday’s [part of previous line]deep hurt, grimed dirt, up to the distanceof the Ceredigian hills, in merry makingwith a quiet sound. And all the ground is growing.

III : LUSG

And you who have been hit in cities,still had a head to reel, and wounds for healing,entered the magic place: the streams were racing.But the blood’s pulse is calm, its harmfultides subside. The moon ridinga black sky lights heaven highly –compasses this fate, but only lately.

Stafford Beer, Transit, 1977


Cwarel Isaf – How to get there?


I don’t think we can do much better than touse Stafford’s own words from his autobiogra-phical aside in the Preface to «I Said You AreGods» delivered as the Second Annual TeilhardLecture, 2nd December 1980 and published in 1981 by the Teilhard Centre for the Futureof Man.

After the coup that brought down the govern-ment of Salvador Allende in Chile onSeptember 11, 1973…

«The carnage and confusions of the following yearwere experienced as a personal tragedy. This time wasspent in rethinking my own life once again: thechanges on which I had embarked were not enough.

*****The notion that I had been programmed ‘to succeed’became dominant. At different times I had occupiedthree large houses, had a swimming pool, a variety of impressive cars. I did not want any of these things;they were in my way. However, I was not wealthy –my politics had precluded equity investment. Byarrangement with my family, I was going in future tolive as I thought best; and I renounced material goodsin their favour. The residual problem, which meantthat I still could not make the change total, was theneed to maintain both families.

The plan was to adopt a lifestyle consistent with the national weal. I acquired a stone cottage in thehills of Ceredigian. It is very small, and has no piped water, but it is robust. I made my own furni-ture, except for a spinning wheel, for I wanted to spinwool. For transport, I bought an ancient Land Rover,now twenty-nine years old. All this was done in timeto spend my fiftieth year in this way.»

Stafford had happy memories of Wales, whereUniversity College London had moved to its wartime quarters in Aberystwyth. He loved the gentle beauty and colours of the Welsh hills and commemorated them in the poemCynghanedd Saesneg am Geredigion, whichfollowed, in English, three Welsh language poetic forms. After some searching, he purcha-sed a cottage called Cwarel Isaf, named suchbecause it had been a slate quarry and movedthere in 1975.


Stafford Beer and Cwarel Isafby Allenna Leonard

Cwarel Isaf,November 2004

Stafford was never able to find out when or forwhom it had first been built but the cottagewas marked on the first ordinance survey mapof the area, compiled early in the 20th century.Because of its high ceilings and remote locati-on, Stafford wondered if it might have beenbuilt originally as a Nonconformist chapel. In the recent past, it had been the home of adeaf elderly gentleman who had been killed bythe train as he walked along the tracks towardthe village of Felinfach. It was rented as a holi-day cottage between then and when it was soldto Stafford.

From 1975 until 1985 when he bought thehouse in Toronto and divided his time betweenthem, Cwarel Isaf was his only base. There hewrote Heart of Enterprise, Brain of the Firmand numerous papers and poems, painted pic-tures on an easel set up in the main room andspun wool. He desired to live in a basic wayand tried, with the exception of his work-rela-ted expenses, to live within the amount of theold age pension. Heat was provided by a wood-burning fireplace, supplemented during coldweather with two small electric space heaters,and water was brought in from a stand-pipe toa pedal tank in the kitchen where he cooked hismeals on a hotplate. Since he sought peace andquiet, there was no telephone connection formore than twenty years until it was agreed thathe should have a means to reach the outsideworld in case of emergency. Ironically, the onlytime he was stranded, the electricity failed, andwith it his up-to-date fax/telephone.

Stafford found the cottage, at the centre of anumber of (magnetic) ley lines, a propitiousplace for his practice of meditation. The starsare bright on clear nights and it is usually very quiet except for birdcalls and the occasio-nal vehicle going by on the road. One notableexception to this is the use of the allegedlyunpopulated area for RAF training flights. Onecould be sitting quietly and be startled by thesound of aircraft buzzing overhead.

In later years, and as his health began to decli-ne, piped water was installed by his supportersat Liverpool John Moores University and heinstalled a stove and washer/dryer. He replacedthe old blue Land Rover, Chimo (which meansI come in peace) with a slightly newer one,Chimo Bach, and a third, Chimo ap ChimoBach. These he used to run errands and visitfavourite pubs and restaurants and to connectto the rail lines at Carmarthen and Aberys-twyth.

It was Stafford’s wish that after his death thecottage would be used by others as a place tothink, write, converse and consider the dynamicunity at the center of his science and his medi-tations.


Tool Shed in the garden in November

2004

A letter to a few friends provided by Denis

C. Adams

Tuesday 5th May 1998

People often ask me how I spend my timewhen I am alone in my remote cottage amidthese rolling hills. As this has been an eventfulday, I thought I would create a specimen pagefor a diary that I should never dream of writing– as some sort of explanation. As background, Ishould say that the day is overcast and drizz-ling with rain – as it has been for a couple ofweeks, with one day off when the sun and sixbutterflies came out. If has been announcedthat this has been the wettest April for 180years. The ground outside is a quagmire, and Isink up to my ankles if I venture out. And so Ihave not been out for some days. Nor have Iseen anyone for some days.

Given that I had switched out my light at 2:00in the early morning, I awoke at 7:30. Thingsare therefore as they should be, five-and-a-halfhours to the minute. There was a peculiarsound in the room. Perhaps a questing vole hadforsaken the plashy glen to pursue his questunder my bed. I spent time dressing my ulcera-ted foot, which gets steadily better from lack ofuse, but was duly in the main room by 8:00 –when the postman would call if there were anymail. Hi did not come. This is a pity, as I amexpecting a device meant to fit under the doorto keep out questing voles. Not to mentionhowling gales and surplus flood water.

Having breakfasted as usual on fruit and tea, Isettled down to a lengthy meditation. Allennawas as always the first item coming through toconsciousness. Today she is doing her familiardrive from Toronto to Washington DC : 500miles. God speed to her. Eventually there camea focus on a shishya who is much in my mindthese days: I held her talisman between myhands for a long time. Next came my dailyeffort to transmit energy to Ira Einhorn who isstill languishing in his windmill in the South ofFrance under threat of extradition – where Ifear for his security after the appallingly viciousaccounts of his situation published against himin the American papers. This left me fairlyexhausted, so I did a few chores. These led tomy recognition that my hair and beard werefeeling what I call scratty. This is not surprising,as it is ten days since they were washed. But ohdear …. In this place water is as valuable aswhite wine. No-one who has not tried to sham-poo in a kettleful of soft water and a smallbasin should be laughing. It was by nowcoming up for lunchtime.

Lunch was to be the main meal today. It wasthe third and last instalment of a dish I alwaysprepare when my body cries out for B12 – liverand bacon with onions. I cook this in a slowcooker at 60 watts for several hours. The deviceholds enough for three days given that I putfresh vegetables in each day. I needed only tosteam some spring greens. During all this time Ilistened to The World at One on the radio.

Living remotely like this lends perspective to adaily dose of news. What the world gets up tovaries between the lethal and the ludicrous.


A Day at Cwarel Isafby Stafford Beer

Stafford landmark

What the Prime Minister gets up to is anothermatter. Within the last few days he has beentrying to broker peace in Northern Ireland, theMiddle East, and the European Union - whereuproar has broken out over the appointment ofsomeone to run the central bank. His storyabout this has zero credibility. All three ofthese scenarios have to be examined in detailby warring commentators using tightly circums-cribed models incapable of recognising novelpattern of effecting synthesis. MeanwhileNetanyahu and Arafat have gone home withoutresults, and someone else has been shot in NI.All this frenetic activity on the part of a manwho does not appear to have the requisite varie-ty to think beyond the results of a focus group.Someone has shot the new Captain of theSwiss Guard in the Vatican. A pop star has beenarrested on charges of paedophilia. Life conti-nues as usual, then, without bearing any rele-vance to the lives of actual people – unless theyare listed among those actually tortured or actu-ally killed today. I thought of these for a longtime, as I do every day ….animae justitiae inmanus dei sunt ….

Time and the mental space were now availableto ‘go cerebral’ for the rest of theafternoon/evening. At some point I pouredmyself a long drink and sat down in the arm-chair for a concentrated thinking session. I havereached a difficult stage in current thought, andam haunted by problems of articulation: If Icannot give clear expression to ideas even inmy own head, how shall they be metabolised tothe benefit of anyone? A post-modernist mightgain comfort from this circumstance, amusinglyenough.

What shall post-post-modernists be called?Rationalists perhaps?! Be that as it may…backto the armchair, where this was not the topic.I’ve merely been trying here to explain why I’munable to state what the topic was. It was sub-stantive, however – not a lucid dreaming.

After what seems to have been about threehours, it came through to me that I was excessi-vely thirsty – the glass must have been emptyfor about a couple of hours. Refill, for heavenssake! I bounded out of the armchair in which Ihad been immobile all this time. This was anill-considered act. It was a definite mistake.There was no feeling whatever in my legs,which instantly buckled under me. Thanks tothe bounding, there was a lot of forward moti-on too. I hit the tiled floor first with bothknees, and next with the right elbow – onaccount of instinctively flinging my left arm upin the air to protect the empty glass. The lastthing to hit was my head – which sent two kilo-watts-worth of glowing electric fire flying into apile of old newspapers by the door: these wereset alight while I was still wondering what washappening. It did not take very long to restorecustomary order, and the glass was not broken:but I still hurt a bit, and one of the glazedknees was bleeding slightly. The right knee,obviously.

I then read a backlog of poetry magazines forquite a time while I recovered poise, and wor-ked for a time on some of my own poems thatare in process. Probably because of where I am– in Wales, I mean – I found that I was beingmuch influenced by the cynghanedd disciplineof bardic poetry which I studied so closelytwenty years ago. It has entered the blood stre-am somehow. Next, seeing that it was past ele-ven, I rustled up a little supper – a boiled eggto accompany a slice of smoked salmon thatwas lurking in the fridge. This had seen betterdays, frankly. It had curled up to resemble abrandy snap – fishy taste though. The bread hashad it too. I had just finished eating this whenCatherine phoned from Toronto.


Cwarel Isaf in November 2004 (threeyears after Stafford Beer

left the cottage)

I was absolutely delighted to hear from her, asthere had been silence between us since shevery kindly dropped me at the airport [Allennabeing away] nearly eight weeks ago, saying shewas going to write soon. She explained that shehad been unable to do so, since she had beenquite excessively busy with her publishers. Evenif she had made the time to write, however, itwould have been pointless. Her busy-ness hadprecluded any actual thinking or meditation,which meant that a letter would reflect only herbusy-ness itself – which would by definitionhave been boring – so that explained it. Ofcourse, Catherine is a distinguished theologian.I reflected afterwards that this reasoning mighthave stopped her from phoning to explain aswell. I’m glad it didn’t, because she has a beau-tiful voice.

Having decided at midnight to write this spu-rious diary entry, I discover with great surprisethat it has taken several times longer to do thanI expected. I get this surprise pretty well everynight of my life – it’s quite possibly the expec-tation of such a surprise at the end of the daythat keeps me going.

And so to bed. That’s how to sign off, I remem-ber. Pepys had to write it backwards – probablyno more tiresome for him than using a word-processor is for me.


Cwarel Isaf in November 2004


The Cwarel Isaf Institute was founded on the14th of January of 2000 by Prof. Dr. StaffordBeer and Prof. Dr. Fredmund Malik. What preceded the foundation of the Institute was along relationship and friendship between thetwo founding fathers in the spirit of cyberneticsand its promotion for the good of society.

The professional careers that Stafford Beer and Fredmund Malik followed mean that theycan draw on a rare blend of science, cyberneticsand practical experience gained as managersand consultants and, in Fredmund Malik’s case,as an entrepreneur as well. This unique combi-nation was the increasingly firm bond that uni-ted them in the work they began to do togetheras partners in the mid-seventies.

In his doctoral thesis, which was published in1975, Fredmund Malik was already building onthe work of Stafford Beer. Then, in his post-doctoral thesis entitled «Strategie des Manage-ments komplexer Systeme» [Strategy for themanagement of complex systems] (1st ed. 1978,7th ed. 2002), Stafford Beer’s managementcybernetics occupied a position of centralimportance, prominence being accorded to the «Viable System Model».

At the Malik Management Zentrum St.Gallenand its subsidiaries, Stafford Beer’s theory andhis methods are being passed on to the custo-mers of these organizations in the form of training and consultancy advice. Also, syntegra-tions are being conducted.

To be able to make even better use of this uni-que background and framework for the benefitof the science and practice of managementcybernetics, Stafford Beer and Fredmund Malikfounded the Cwarel Isaf Institute to serve as ashared base.

It is characteristic of cyberneticists that theyapply their findings to themselves: in this wayProfessors Beer and Malik made sure that theywould acquire the information they needed on the functioning of their teaching in practice.What marks the careers of both of them is thatthey used feedback from practitioners and the practical world in their own thinking andactions. They were not satisfied to live in the ivory tower of science. And that was alsothe reason why they never confined themselvessimply to teaching. Feedback from managementpractitioners is the only way of ensuring thatmanagement cybernetics will continue to deve-lop in an effective, user-friendly way that isappropriate to management practice.

The Cwarel Isaf Institute (CII)by Constantin Malik

Prof. Dr. Fredmund Malik

Throughout the whole of his career, StaffordBeer worked as a top manager, scientist, consul-tant and as a teacher of management. The sameis true of Fredmund Malik, who as well as this also assumed responsibility for the corpora-te management of the Malik ManagementZentrum St.Gallen

With the foundation of the Cwarel IsafInstitute, Prof. Dr. Stafford Beer and Prof. Dr.Fredmund Malik set the capstone to the friend-ship they have been building up over manyyears and the personal and professional com-monalities.

The purpose of the Cwarel Isaf institute is topreserve the life’s work of Stafford Beer, whopassed away much too early in 2002, and makeit available to the public. Stafford Beer’s thin-king and the avenues he opened to solutionsare of fundamental importance to managementin complex systems. For the benefit of organi-zations now and in the future, the aim for hiswork is to be put into a form in which it isunderstandable and geared to practical applica-tion, and for it to be passed on both to thoseactually engaged in management and those whoare studying it.

Therewith, Prof. Dr. Fredmund Malik did notonly take over the honour to continue and toenhance the magnificent life works of StaffordBeer. He also took over the obligation and theresponsibility to do so. Among other things,Fredmund Malik fulfils the mission of CII bykeeping the works of Stafford Beer in print, bysupporting translations of the books in differentlanguages and by maintaining the CII website.

The refurbishment of the Cwarel Isaf cottagewas only possible due to Fredmund Malik’s wil-lingness to invest a considerable amount ofmoney to preserve this important place and tomake Stafford Beer’s will come true. As anentrepreneur and owner of the Malik Manage-ment Zentrum St.Gallen, he himself and hisemployees perform pioneering work in bringingManagement Cybernetics to practitioners inManagement Education and Consulting pro-jects. In Research & Development projects ofthe Malik Management Zentrum St.Gallen,Fredmund Malik fosters the progress ofManagement Cybernetics. As a professor, hesupports dissertations and scientific work in thefield of Management Cybernetics.


Prof. Dr. Fredmund Malik


A delegation of the Malik ManagementZentrum St.Gallen met with Harry Beer inNovember 2004 in Wales to evaluate the furt-her steps of process with Stafford Beer’s lasthome and working place before he died inAugust 2002. Stafford left Cwarel Isaf inDecember 2001 when he was already ill. Forthree years, the cottage was exposed to the rather damp climate of Wales. Wind, rain andthe water of the small runnel flowing downnear the cottage caused harm to the old Welshstonework. Like a sponge, the stonework be-came soaked with water.

The refurbishment of the Cwarel Isaf cottageby Sebastian Hetzler

From left to right: Harry Beer, MartinPfiffner, Sebastian

Hetzler, Gareth Jones,Willy Pfister. Photo

made by ConstantinMalik

Conserved by the white outside painting, thewall absorbed the water and pressed it insidethe cottage. Especially the interior of the cot-tage was threatened by the water ruining theplastering and the paintings and inscriptions ofStafford Beer. It seemed to be clear that measu-res had to be taken immediately to preserve and protect this special place.


In January 2005, the board of directors of theMalik Management Zentrum St.Gallen decidedto make a decisive investment to refurbishStafford Beer’s cottage and protect this impor-tant place from its slow but sure decay. WillyPfister, member of the board of the MalikManagement Zentrum St.Gallen, took over thismomentous and ample assignment. With aclear vision and indefatigable creative power, hewent to Wales in February 2005 to plan andinitiate the necessary measures.

Gareth Jones, who owns a farm only a fewmeters away from the cottage, was involved inthe project as supervisor, supporter and coordi-nator on site.

Due to severe damage, the truss had to be re-stored, the white outside painting that preven-ted the walls from breathing had to be removedand drainage had to be set up to dry out thewalls and the roof. Inside, the electric wiringhas been restored, the floor has been insulatedand refurbished and the sanitary facilities havebeen renewed.

Front view before

Front view after

On one hand, the interior was entirely redesi-gned by preserving the characteristics of thecottage and how Stafford lived there. The ins-criptions Stafford Beer made have been dili-gently cleaned and conserved in order to keepStafford Beer’s energy alive inside the cottage.Additionally, the general layout of the cottagehas been re-established.


Living room after

inscriptions by Stafford Beer


On the other hand, the team has taken greatpains to create an inviting and inspiring envi-ronment for those who want to work there. The living room has been restored, the fireplacewas kept and the room was given a warm ambi-ance. As to the bedroom, it has been brighte-ned up by adding some lighter colors to thewalls and the ceiling. The room in the kitchenhas been fully expatiated and now invites forcooking meals in the cottage.

As well as that, the communication road andthe lanes surrounding the cottage have beenmended, and the dead wood and the wildplants have been removed to enlighten thenature and allow the garden to recuperate andto flourish. The old tool shed has been replacedby a wooden hut which invites the people toconduct meetings and discussions, but also justto sit outside and to enjoy the quiet and thepeacefulness of this place. In summer, there is apossibility to use the braai on the back side ofthe cottage for a barbecue.

The pictures embedded in the chapter try togive the reader an impression about what hasbeen achieved by Willy Pfister and his teamwithin only 5 months.

The gratitude of all cyberneticians and of those,who will make use of the cottage, applies toWilly Pfister, Gareth Jones and all those, whohave contributed to the success of this wonder-ful renovation.

Bathroom

� � Sleeping room� Kitchen

� A breathtaking avenue near Stafford

Beer’s cottage

� � Cwarel Isaf in July2005


Former Tool Shedin July 2005


CROESO!WELCOME to this interesting and very beauti-ful place.

PLEASE ABIDE BY THE FOLLOWINGRULES.

1. All open fires, both inside and outside, mustbe extinguished before leaving the cottage.

2. In case of FIRE, the EXTINGUISHER issituated UNDER THE OFFICE WORKTOP,on the right-hand side. Please read the instruc-tions carefully.

3. The house, furnishings, power and land areall at your disposal.

4. All maintenance, electricity and water costsare met by the Cwarel Isaf Foundation.

5. Please do not alter the house furnishings andcontents; leave everything as you found it.

6. We would be grateful if you would clean thehouse on leaving. Cleaning materials are provi-ded.

7. Please leave all dirty laundry in the linen bas-ket. It will be dealt with by the HouseManager. If you break or damage an item plea-se report it to the House Manager.

8. The price per night is £30.00 for the cottage,not per person

9. Please pay the total amount due, and returnthe house key, to the House Manager beforeleaving.

10. Please sign the guest book, at your disposalon the office worktop, and feel free to com-ment on your stay.

11. In case of emergencies, or for further infor-mation, please call:

THE HOUSE MANAGERMr. Gareth Jones07968319848 (mobile)01570 470424 (home)The phone and fax numbers of Cwarel Isaf are01570 471111

MWYNHEWCH A DEWCH ETO!

House Rules at Cwarel Isaf

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