While most managerial interventions into organizational and business processes have the character of a direct interference, the interventions of consultants are rather indirect. They are meant to improve the organization and its performance, via a dialogue with the management. To clarify the specific role of consultants we shall introduce the concept of second-order intervention, therewith sharpening or, in a certain sense, redefining that role. We shall revert to a case study, which refers to a System Dynamics (SD) modelling and simulation project, to illustrate how a series of second-order interventions has opened new paths towards superior organizational competence and performance. This was an exploratory study, in the tradition of Action Research, not a hypothesis-testing venture.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to discuss how system dynamics (SD) modeling can help in cases where the management models used by an organization are not adequate for the task at hand. Design/methodology/approach -Two specific cases of management model inadequacy are discussed in this paper -namely management model obsolescence and management model inappropriateness. Each of the two cases is being demonstrated with the use of a specific practical case study. SD simulation models have been constructed based on a more comprehensive view than the ones used at the outset in order to come up with more robust and reliable management models, which were appropriate to the situations at hand. The cases conducted were exploratory in the tradition of action research and the findings are preliminary. Findings -The inadequacy of prior management models was demonstrated by the superior results obtained -as derived from the SD models -if more appropriate management models, leading to new value potentials, were used. Practical implications -The use of complete systems models prevented the organizational obstacles hindering the assessment of management models used for their adequacy. The paper is addressed primarily to the academic research community; however, the findings are of interest to practitioners as well. Originality/value -The paper contributes to the research on management models, and the use of SD in organizations more generally.

Where should one begin with a design for the self-control of social systems? That is the question addressed by this paper. The traditional concepts of control rest on the feedback loop; control is essential to the attainment of goals. However, the simple feedback loop is insufficient for the modeling of a control system for an organization or other social system. For those systems, which search for multiple goals, it is necessary to design multilevel control systems incorporating the notion of pre-control. This eminently anticipatory function has hardly been considered by past research. Pre-control as understood here is a higher-order control that takes place between different logical levels of a control system. The Model of Systemic Control (MSC), a framework for multilevel control with pre-control relationships, is expounded and illustrated by means of a System Dynamics model.

No abstract

No abstract