From Viable Systems to Surfing the Organisation
Journal of Applied Systems, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 127-142, 2000
10 Pages Posted: 15 Mar 2009 Last revised: 24 Mar 2009
Date Written: 2000
Abstract
Viable systems theory is a cybernetic approach to systems. Its nature is discussed, exploring cognitive, organising, and behavioural domains of organisations, and their how these link with organisational survival. Exploring the generic properties of these domains leads us to certain questions about how we should look at organisations, and how information about them should be interpreted. Indeed, this leads us to a new conceptualisation about how we should look at organisations, distinguishing between their potential and kinematic attributes. These notions are built into the metaphor of surfing the organisation.
Keywords: Viable systems, organisational survival, information
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