Abstract. Current dynamic business environment forces managers to apply various tools in order to improve organisational performance and effectiveness. System archetypes enable to cope with complexity and make appropriate decisions. This study is theoretically grounded in the field of economic cybernetics and system archetype analysis. It applies qualitative research on the sample of 54 managers with the high level of seniority. The aim is to reveal whether system archetypes are effectively used in practice. Two hypotheses focused on both knowledge about and application of system archetypes are tested. The results prove that there are inconsistencies tied to forms of system archetypes insight and knowledge. Moreover, there is an inadequate level of attention identified in investigated organisations. Results imply various potential research pathways that are outlined in the final section of the paper. Hence, the manuscript offers a unique insight into the current state of practical system archetypes utilisation and contributes to the explanation of the role of system archetypes in the economic cybernetics framework.

Sustainability represents a system attribute that is widely investigated in many disciplines. System dynamics is mostly used for modelling specific issues. Not only can this methodology be used for this purpose, it can also be applied for the identification of behavioural stereotypes and consequent designation of variables that shape sustainability of the system. Based on the set of interviews with a sample of socio-economic system representatives, stereotypes are captured and modelled with the help of causal loop diagrams. After several modelling iterations that synchronised the acquired models with the obtained responses, four main key stereotypes were identified-quality, ego, competence, and motivation. Both dominant feedback loops and important multi-input and multi-output variables are used for their description. Thus, the models provide an endogenous explanation of their importance for sustainability and help to identify its key factors.

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