Second‐order intervention: enhancing organizational competence and performance

Abstract

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.

Applying System Dynamics Modelling to Strategic Management: A Literature Review

“…Other studies in which SD was applied with the aim of eliciting key actors' knowledge include Morecroft et al (1991), Morecroft (1992), Winch (1993Winch ( , 1995, Schwaninger et al (2006) and Black and Andersen (2012).…”

“…Among the articles adopting an OL perspective, SD has been often applied as a tool for educating mangers (Graham et al , ; Isaacs and Senge, ; Lane, , ; Morecroft, ; Senge and Sterman, ; Delauzun and Mollona, ; Warren and Langley, ; Rouwette et al , ; Rouwette and Vennix, ; Schwaninger et al , ; Kim et al , ; Perez‐Bennet et al , ; Sterman, ). Focusing on the ST, OL studies also demonstrate SD ability to foster both engagement and communication with different internal and external stakeholders (Morecroft, , ; Morecroft et al , ; Reagan‐Cirincione et al , ; Vennix et al , ; Winch, , ; Vennix, ; Rodrigues and Wlliams, ; Dangerfield, ; Appelman et al , ; Stave, ; Snabe and Größler, ; Swart and Powell, ; Schianetz et al , ; Skraba et al , ; Kapmeier, ; Rouwette et al , ; Videira et al , ; Rouwette et al , ; Schaffernicht and Groesser, ).…”

The spatial dimension of the triple helix: the city revisited – towards a mode 3 model of innovation systems

“…At the dawn of the 6th Kondratieff we analyze data flows to find patterns of connectivity and identify systemic risks to find answers not only for understanding how fuzzy relationships function and systems produce results, but also to find models of new governance and second order intervention to enable cities to organize themselves -in a desired, more sustainable direction. Research is dedicated to facilitate and speed up intelligent intervention into system behavior to enable systems to repurpose themselves (Schwaninger et al 2006).Governance of innovation applied to the complex process of city development and to decision-making in stakeholder based city systems is a relatively new and interdisciplinary strain of thought. Research goes beyond the Mode 2 networking institutional relationships and aims at the contours of a Mode 3 model to provide governance and steering information for managing the complexity of a multitude of Mode 2 organization.…”

“…At the dawn of the 6th Kondratieff we analyze data flows to find patterns of connectivity and identify systemic risks to find answers not only for understanding how fuzzy relationships function and systems produce results, but also to find models of new governance and second order intervention to enable cities to organize themselves -in a desired, more sustainable direction. Research is dedicated to facilitate and speed up intelligent intervention into system behavior to enable systems to repurpose themselves (Schwaninger et al 2006).…”

System Dynamics in the Evolution of the Systems Approach

“…4, 2006). Finally, in relation to consultancy methodology, modeling has been framed as a learning process [34] and as second order intervention [60].…”