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Markus Schwaninger
Former Member
Title
Prof. em. Dr.
Last Name
Schwaninger
First name
Markus
Email
markus.schwaninger@unisg.ch
Phone
+41 71 224 2382
Now showing
1 - 10 of 11
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PublicationType: journal articleJournal: CXO Magazin, 5/2022
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PublicationA Test of the Viable System Model: Theoretical Claim vs. Empirical EvidenceThe Viable System Model by Stafford Beer embodies a theory about the preconditions of organizational viability. This theory has been discussed extensively by the academics and professionals of organizational cybernetics. The theoretical claim of the Viable System Model (VSM) is bold. It asserts to specify the necessary and sufficient preconditions for the viability of any organization. The empirical evidence, to date, amounts to a substantial corpus of case studies from applications that support the claim of the theory. The present contribution leads beyond the status quo. Its purpose is to test the theory empirically, on the grounds of a broad survey and pertinent quantitative analysis. The available data support the hypotheses and therewith corroborate the theory of the VSM. This implies that the VSM is a reliable orientation device for the diagnosis and design of organizations to strengthen their vitality, resilience, and development potential.Type: journal articleJournal: Cybernetics and Systems : An International JournalVolume: 47Issue: 7
Scopus© Citations 29 -
PublicationOrganizing for SustainabilityThe quest for the ecological sustainability of planet earth could be much more successful than is currently the case. The purpose of my presentation is to corroborate this claim and to propose a structure by which a sustainable future can be achieved. The issue of sustainability has been addressed in different contexts - local, regional and worldwide. I maintain that these efforts can only be effective, if actors at multiple structural levels strive simultaneously and cooperate for materializing the vision of a sustainable world. The distribution of tasks along these organizational strata is a nontrivial task. To master it, a recursive structure based on the Viable System Model is presented, which shows how the efforts for sustainability can be organized in a much more powerful way than by conventional approaches. The proposed structure enables agents at each level to generate variety in balance with the complexity they face. This presentation should also help decision-makers understand that pertinent frameworks are needed to enable actors at each level, from individual to global.Type: journal articleJournal: SystemaVolume: 2Issue: 2
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PublicationType: journal articleJournal: International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies (IJASS)Volume: 2Issue: 1/2
Scopus© Citations 6 -
PublicationCity Planning- "Dissolving" Urban Problems. Insights from an Application of Management CyberneticsUrban development in fast-growing cities is one of the huge challenges of our time, and several projects of technical cooperation are dedicated to this issue. The aim of this paper is to help project managers to enhance their capability of dealing effectively with the formidable complexities inherent in this kind of project. For this purpose, we explore the potential of Organizational Cybernetics and Social Systems Theory in a relatively new area of application. We have developed a set of conceptual tools that are helpful in coping with dynamic complexity in change and development projects. These tools have in common an inherent logic deriving to a great extent from Stafford Beer's Viable System Model and the St Gall framework for systemic management. The application of the tools is illustrated by a state-of-the-art case study from the realm of Technical Co-operation - the revision of the Urban Master Plan for the City of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. However, the toolkit is in principle also applicable to any complex project of change or development.Type: journal articleJournal: KybernetesVolume: 33Issue: 3/4
Scopus© Citations 8 -
PublicationThe Quest for Ecological Sustainability: A Multi-level Issue( 2006-04-18)The issue of ecological sustainability has been addressed in various contexts - local, regional and world-wide. This paper postulates that sustainability can only be achieved if actors at multiple levels cooperate toward the vision of a sustainable world. For this purpose, the structure of a model is presented, which shows how the efforts for sustainability can be organized in a more powerful way. This presentation should also help decision-makers understand that pertinent frameworks are needed to enable actors at each level, from individual to global.Type: conference paper
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PublicationIntelligent Organizations : Powerful Models for Systemic ManagementThe systems approach in which this work is grounded enables the development of the new kind of intelligent organizations so urgently needed. Powerful models, based on organizational cybernetics and system dynamics, are presented in a way that lets the reader immediately apply them in practice. This book will be a rich source of improvement for any kind of organization, whether private or public, non-profit, large or small. The second edition is updated and even more reader-friendly.Type: bookVolume: 2. ed.
Scopus© Citations 9 -
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PublicationDistributed Control in Social SystemsThe performance of social systems is an object of continuous theoretical debate and of manifold practical conflicts. Many approaches to defining criteria of performance and techniques of measurement have been developed and applied. The fact that the attempts are multifarious indicates that the domain of inquiry at hand is still at an immature stage, with pragmatism and eclecticism dominating the mainstream. Experts have called the subject area an "enigma" (Cameron 1984) and ascertained "a paradox of performance: organizational control is maintained by not knowing exactly what performance is" (Meyer & Gupta 1994: 309). Anyway, also some promising approaches to the conceptualization of organizational performance have emerged (Venkatraman & Ramanujam 1986 Bamberger & Fiegenbaum 1996). For an overview on the discussion, see Meyer & Gupta 1994 and Lumpkin & Dess 1996.Type: book section