Social systems theory and engaged scholarship: co-designing a semantic reservoir in a polycentric network

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose is to investigate a position for engaged scholarship bridging the gulf between theorizing and practice in a social system perspective using Design Thinking for assisting the emergence of a semantic reservoir in a polycentric network “in spe”.Design/methodology/approachThe paper combines social systems theory with the concept of engaged scholarship based on Design Thinking, and illustrates how such a research position might be applied to problems of polycentric networks as a theoretical/methodological case.FindingsThe paper concludes on a possible role for an engaged scholarship as a midwife assisting the emergence of a shared semantic reservoir that is needed to make commitments and couplings possible to become a polycentric network. Design Thinking is explained as a structured way to irritate (disturb) other systems, and the role of a shared semantic reservoir for a polycentric network “in spe” is accounted for.Originality/valueBridging the gulf between theorizing and practice in management theory is under-explored, and social systems theory underlines the immanent rigor-relevance gap, which this paper suggests a way not to overcome, but to bridge. The discussion of the rigor-relevance gap is revisited. Also, the critical process for a shared semantic reservoir to emerge in the formation of poly-centric networks is underexplored and so are its role for coupling of networks. The conceptual understanding thereof is also contributed to.

Theory as method: introduction to supertheoretical options for organization and management research

“…There is hence little surprise that this special issue of the Journal of Organizational Change Management on “Theory as method. Methodological options for organization and management research” unites a total of five use cases (Neisig, 2020; Roth, 2021; Sakai, 2020; Valentinov and Hajdu, 2019; van Assche et al , 2019) of social systems theory as method.…”

The circular economy: rearranging structural couplings and the paradox of moral-based sustainability-enhancing feedback

“…This explains why the proliferation of the CE is difficult, as seen from a social systems theoretical perspective. Furthermore, making CE mainstream requires more than strategic decisions, shared semantic reservoirs and collaborative systems (Foerster, 1992;Luhmann, 2018Luhmann, (2000; Nassehi, 2005;Roth, 2014;Seidl and Mormann, 2015;Rasche and Seidl, 2017;Teubner, 1993Teubner, , 2011Neumann et al, 2011Neumann et al, , 2012Neisig, 2020), based on semantics carrying moral communication. A key challenge lies in effectively generating and distributing the vast amount of information required (Wilst and Berg, 2017;Pagoropoulos et al, 2017).…”

“…As described by Neumann et al (2011), Neumann (2012) and Neisig (2020), the structural coupling of a polycentric network requires new layers of abstraction, e.g. collaborative systems, heuristics and shared semantic reservoirs.…”

“…collaborative systems, heuristics and shared semantic reservoirs. Neuman et al (2011) and Neuman (2012) point to the need for a collaborative system for business networks to couple, and Neisig (2020) argues that for polycentric organization-networks and their collaborative system to form, a shared semantic reservoir (heuristics, tools, procedures, language, etc.) with a horizon spanning across the entire network also needs to emerge.…”

“…Strategic decision-making, however, is a paradoxical and evolutionary process (Foerster, 1992;Luhmann, 2018Luhmann, (2000; Nassehi, 2005;Roth, 2014;Seidl and Mormann, 2015;Rasche and Seidl, 2017), which is best conceptualized as metacommunication. Further, the structural coupling of organizations into organizational polycentric networks (Teubner, 1993(Teubner, , 2011Neumann et al, 2011Neumann et al, , 2012Neisig, 2020) potentially closing the loop based on CEsemantics (eventually stabilized and enhanced by a modern digitalization) is not an easy process due to organizations being operational closures and self-referential decision-making Circular economy: moral-based sustainability machines. Moreover, such structural couplings may generate a new complexity.…”