Complex adaptive systems as metaphors for organizational management

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of complex adaptive systems (CAS) from the perspective of managing organizations, to describe and explore the management principles in a case study of an organization with unconventional ways of management and to present a tentative model for managing organizations as CAS -system management. There is a need for the development of knowledge, metaphors and language for management of the new forms of organizing, for example, value networks, which are evolving as a response to the increased demand for efficiency, flexibility and innovation. Design/methodology/approach -The frame of reference is based on a literature review of the area of CAS and an inductive and interactive approach is used to identify the management principles in the case study. Findings -A classification of the components of a CAS is suggested and described as properties of, and approaches for, managing CAS. The identified management principles in the case study are: a clearly formulated mission, delegation of responsibility and authority, diversity and competition, and follow-up and feedback. As a result of analyzing the frame of reference and the case study, a tentative, conceptual model for managing organizations as CAS -system management -is presented including; metaphor, components and approaches. Originality/value -The case study contributes to the empirical body of knowledge of organizing and management. The tentative model is a contribution to the ongoing discussion about managing organizations as CAS.Keywords Adaptive systems theory, Network synthesis, Chaos theory, Complexity theory, Case studies, Metaphors Paper type Research paper 1. Introduction -challenges for the organizations of this century During the twentieth century the development of production technology fundamentally influenced the society and the logic of business and organizations. In a similar way, the shift to the twenty-first century has been dominated by the development of information technology, affecting the way we communicate and the conditions for organizations, business and the production of goods and services. The consequences of the development of information technology include: increased interconnectedness, transparency, empowerment of individuals, speed of transactions, and decreased cost of information. These trends require organizations that can combine efficiency with flexibility and innovation (Cohen, 1999;Hamel, 2007;Sandberg and Targama, 2007).To respond to the demand for flexibility organization forms are emerging that are assembled at short notice, for a limited period of time and a limited purpose, and then disbanded (Cohen, 1999). Products and services are produced in new constellations, in networks of actors. The ability to use both external and internal resources to solve tasks has become more common. Organizations are increasingly involved in these

The Mentoring Relationship as a Complex Adaptive System: Finding a Model for Our Experience

“…Additionally, the mentoring relationship is systemic because it "has features not detectable by the inspection" of the mentor and the protégé "separately as isolated individuals" (Saarinen & Hämäläinen, 2010, p. 13). This is a point Palmberg (2009) also emphasized about CAS when noting that to understand a CAS we need knowledge of the systems and its relationships, not just knowledge of the individual agents.…”

“…This attention to context, too, accords with a CAS perspective. Palmberg (2009) argued that "a CAS can only be understood in the context of its environment" (p. 485), because such a system evolves as agents act and react in cooperation and competition with other agents in their context. For us, it makes sense to visualize the mentoring relationship in these terms, as the mentoring dyad is never isolated from relationships to others external to that dyad as we found in our own experience.…”

“…We found that lens in complex adaptive systems (CAS). A CAS is defined by Palmberg (2009) as "a set of interdependent agents forming an integrated whole, where an agent may be a person or an organization" (p. 484). It is based on complexity thinking and systems theory and thus allows for complex, dynamic relationships within a perceived structure.…”

Complexity in a Systems Engineering Organization: An Empirical Case Study

“…Palmberg [a] puts forward a tentative model for managing organizations as CAS in work that contributes to her doctoral thesis [Palmberg, b], which also includes a case study methodology for exploratory and interpretive empirical research in this field, which considers the work of Yin []. Friedman and Sage [] discuss the role of case study research in Systems Engineering and provide an example case study framework for Systems Engineering and systems management, also derived from Yin [].…”

Transferring Psychological Therapy Education into Practice in the United Kingdom: A Complex Systems Analysis

“…• Elements in the system are not fully aware of the behaviour of other parts of the system and only react to what is known locally [14,15].…”