Supporting the Design of Competitive Organizations by a Domain-Specific Application Framework for the Viable System Model

Authors

  • Julian Wilberg Technical University of Munich Germany
  • Tarek Sadi Technical University of Munich Germany
  • Iris D. Tommelein University of California
  • Udo Lindemann Technical University of Munich Germany

Keywords:

Systems thinking,, Viable System Model, Management Cybernetics, Organizational Cybernetics

Abstract

Industrial companies face the challenge of a rapidly changing environment and struggle to keep up with the pace needed to be competitive. Organizational deficiencies are often reasons for failure. The Viable System Model (VSM) supports organizational diagnosis and design to ensure viability and avoid deficiencies. The objective of this paper is to further support the application of the VSM in industry. Therefore, we conducted a literature review and analyzed twenty-five VSM case studies in order to derive a common application pattern. The results showed that the main assessment criterion was the existence of all VSM subsystems. However, interrelations within the VSM subsystems are often ignored. This paper presents an extended framework for applying the VSM, emphasizing subsystem relations when diagnosing as well as designing organizational systems. The extension is provided in the form of four Domain-Structure-Matrices, which reveal necessary interrelations and connections for a should-be organizational design.

Author Biographies

  • Julian Wilberg, Technical University of Munich Germany

    Julian Wilberg, M.Sc., Technical University of Munich – Julian Wilberg is a research assistant at the Chair of Product Development since December 2014. His current research focuses on the systematic integration of use-phase data into product development and cost management. He holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the Technical University of Munich.

  • Tarek Sadi, Technical University of Munich Germany

    Tarek Sadi, B.Sc., Technical University of Munich - Tarek Sadi is a graduate student at the Technical University of Munich. His research focuses on supporting rapid innovation cycles at large companies. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering & Management from the Technical University of Munich and currently pursues a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Munich.

  • Iris D. Tommelein, University of California

    Iris D. Tommelein, PhD, University of California, Berkeley – Professor Iris Tommelein directs the Project Production Systems Laboratory at the University of California in Berkeley. She teaches and conducts research to develop and advance the theory and principles of project-based production management, applied to--but not limited to--the Architecture-Engineering-Construction (AEC) industry, what is termed 'Lean Construction.' She holds a 5-year Civil Engineer-Architect degree from the VUB (Belgium), as well as an MS (Construction Engineering & Management), an MS (Computer Science), and a PhD (Civil Engineering) from Stanford University (USA).

  • Udo Lindemann, Technical University of Munich Germany

    Prof. Dr.-Ing. Udo Lindemann full professor at the Chair of Product Development since 1995

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Published

2022-05-20

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2016): The Journal of Modern Project Management

Section

Articles-JMPM

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Copyright (c) 2022 Julian Wilberg, Tarek Sadi, Iris D. Tommelein, Udo Lindemann

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Supporting the Design of Competitive Organizations by a Domain-Specific Application Framework for the Viable System Model. (2022). The Journal of Modern Project Management, 4(2). https://journalmodernpm.com/manuscript/index.php/jmpm/article/view/234

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