Characterization of a Mexican MSME Technological Observatory through the Viable System Model

Abstract

The viable system model (VSM) is a conceptual framework for analyzing and designing complex organizations, which was developed by Stafford Beer in the 1970s. It is based on the idea that every organization is a system composed of a set of interconnected subsystems that must work together effectively to achieve its goals. One of the key scientific novelties of using the VSM in technological issues is its emphasis on adaptability and resilience. The VSM recognizes that organizations must be able to adapt to changing environments and circumstances in order to survive and thrive, and that this requires a flexible and responsive organizational structure that is capable of learning and adapting over time. By using the VSM to design and manage their technological systems, organizations can create more adaptive and resilient systems that are better able to respond to changing technological and market conditions. The current dynamics of the market push companies to look for ways to improve their competitive position by relying on instruments that facilitate the effective acquisition, processing, and analysis of large amounts of data from different and dispersed sources; in response to this need, various tools for research and information processing have emerged. One of them is the technological observatories that appeared in the nineties. They are considered tools that assist in the design of strategies, the decision-making of companies, and the development of public policies. The following research aims to characterize a technological observatory for MSMEs in Mexico based on the model of viable systems (VSM); its intelligence area is validated through a prospective model for the next five years using the I Think 8.0 software. The methodological strategy is based on the mixed sequential explanatory method; in the first instance, a quantitative analysis is carried out on the structure, processes, human resources, and innovation of twenty technological observatories of the business sector that operate worldwide, after which a qualitative analysis was elaborated established in thematic axes on the opinion of experts in areas of public policy, technologies, knowledge transfer, education, both contributions supported to generate an overview of the current state of technological observatories in Mexico and worldwide, then obtain the necessary inputs to develop the proposed model. As a result, an observatory model was obtained for MSMEs with good profitability and permanence over time, thanks to their anticipated strategies based on the perspective regarding their management. Keywords: MSMEs, observatory, foresight, viable systems, competitiveness. https://doi.org/10.55463/issn.1674-2974.50.4.19