The Viable System Model: Interpretations and Applications of Stafford Beer's VSM

Abstract

Part 1 Concepts: the viable system model - its provenance, development, methodology and pathology, Stafford Beer the need for formal development of the VSM, Ron Anderton the VSM and Ashby's law as illuminants of historical management thought, Fred Waelchli the VSM revisited, Raul Espejo. Part 2 Applications of the VSM: P.M.manufacturers - the VSM as a diagnostic tool, Raul Espejo the organization of a fortress factory, R.A.Foss application of the VSM to the trade training network in New Zealand, G.A.Britton and H.McCallion application of the VSM to commercial broadcasting in the United States, Allenna Leonard the evolution of a management cybernetics process, Stafford Beer developing organizational competence in a business, Bengt A.Holmberg strategic planning and management reorganization at an academic medical center - use of the VSM in guiding diagnosis and design, Michael U.Ben-Eli. Part 3 Methodology and epistemology: national government - disseminater regulation in real time or how to run a country, Stafford Beer a cybernetic method to study organizations, Raul Espejo outside and then - an interpretative approach to the VSM, Roger J.Harnden. Part 4 Critical views: evaluation the managerial significance of the VSM, M.C.Jackson the VSM - an ongoing conversation, Raul Espejo and Roger J.Harnden.