The document discusses the 2nd International Symposium on Systems Thinking for a Sustainable Economy, exploring advancements in economic and managerial theory, particularly through the lens of cybernetics and viable systems theory. It emphasizes the importance of sustainability and the role of the 'kybernetes' in organizational decision-making, highlighting the need for a long-term perspective that incorporates ecological considerations. The document also asserts that effective leadership must involve understanding complex interdependencies within an organization's environment to achieve sustainability and viability.

1. Business Systems Laboratory 2nd International Symposium
SYSTEMS THINKING FOR A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY.
Advancements in Economic and Managerial Theory and Practice
January 23-24, 2014 – Universitas Mercatorum, Rome, Italy
Gandolfo Dominici ,Ph.D.
Scientific Director B.S.Lab
Assistant Professor of Business Management,
University of Palermo, Italy
gandolfo.dominici@bslaboratory.net
Federica Palumbo
Secretary General B.S.Lab
Ph.D. student in Business Management
Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
federica.palumbo@uniroma1.it
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The role of kybernetes in Cybernetics and Viable
Systems Perspectives
Cybernetics can be defined as "the art and
science of the good kybernetes" (Dominici,
2013, p.39). We conceive cybernetics as both
an art and a science, while asserting that is
more than a mere technique. As the art of
governing, it is by definition the discipline of
leading, deciding, and managing social
organizations of all levels, including nations,
firms, and families.
With his ‘Sketch for a cybernetic factory’
(Beer, 1959), Beer introduced the Viable
System Model (VSM) as a set-theoretical
model based on the systems approach and
cybernetics systems viability. Cybernetic
systems’ main feature is their viability, which
is the ability to successfully face the problems
of a complex context, to self-regulate, and to
settle down. A Viable System is a set of
operational elements that are held together
in balance with the external context; when
the context changes, the organization
responds accordingly. The VSM focuses
mainly on the study and understanding of
organizational internal functioning in order to
conduct external adaptation (Espejo &
Harnden, 1989).
The external aspects of organizational
viability have been developed by the Italian
school of the Viable Systems Approach
(VSA). The VSA highlights the richness of
interdependencies in the environment, which
is perceived as an ecology of more or less
viable supra-systems.
The kybernetes is the Organ of
Governance, the decisional subject (as in
Miller's Living Systems Theory) who
dynamically construes the context and
creates the reality in which the organization
acts. What is not construed by the
kybernetes doesn't exist in the organizational
decision-making and action-taking process.
Therefore, the reality of the actor is that that
the actor can feel and perceive, as pointed
out by the so-called "second-order
cybernetics" (von Foerster, 1974, 1979 and
2003; Bateson, 1972; Krippendorff, 1996).
Sustainability in the viable organization
Beer (1981, 1985, 2002) states that an
organization is viable if it survives, remains
united and is complete; it is homeostatically
balanced both internally and externally and
furthermore has mechanisms that allow it to
grow, learn, develop, and adapt, and thus
become increasingly more effective in its
environment. The more the organization is
able to preserve and regenerate the
"commons", the more possibilities it has to
maintain viability in the long term (Rullani,
2010).
Viability assumes the relevance of "time"
as an important factor in decision-making and
action. This implies that, if we consider the
organization to be a dissipative system
(Prigogine & Stengers, 1984), then in order to
counterbalance the consumption of relevant
resources, it is necessary to think ahead to a
time horizon that extends beyond the mere
achievement of functioning resources in the
short to middle term.
Therefore, we can consider sustainability
as systemic viability in the long term. This
broader time horizon entails that the role of
the kybernetes not be limited to the quest for
functioning resources within a limited
timeframe but rather must be developed in a
more general way as a philosophy guiding the
kybernetes in every decision and action.
The above-mentioned philosophical
orientation of the kybernetes towards
sustainability represents the set of basic
principles according to which the supra-
systems can be shaped, thereby creating a
"reality" of the organization that includes
sustainable issues in a long-term perspective.
This is the starting point for creating and
implementing a sustainable organizational
vision and set of values that will ultimately
direct the "praxis" and implement actions to
achieve structural coupling (consonance) with
the supra-systems.
Sustainable leadership. The role of the kybernetes
for organizational sustainability
Being aware of the subjective nature of
"the science/art of effective organization"
leaves the kybernetes all the power and
responsibility to outline reality and direct the
organization towards its goals. The
kybernetes creates through the very act of
creation. Hence, to introduce the values of
sustainability into the organizational decision-
making and action-taking process, it is
necessary that the kybernetes is aware of
sustainability issues.
The search for consonance with supra-
systems beyond the “immanent” context
requires that the kybernetes be able to
imagine and consider a number of possible
scenarios and wider horizons than those
usually included in a business plan. In fact, the
recognition of the relevant supra-system in a
wide horizon of time and possibility drastically
increases the complexity of decisions and
action plans. This implies that it is impossible
to seek consonance through mere
negotiations, but rather it is essential to
involve "values" in the decision-making and
action-taking processes. For these reasons,
the kybernetes’ role, values and education
are of extreme importance to the
sustainability –and thus the long-term
viability – of human organizations.
References