Studying University as Social Systems Using the Viable System Model: mApp and Semantic Web Technologies at the Industrial University of Santander^†

† This manuscript is the result of the research carried out at the Industrial University of Santander, in the Master's Degree in Systems and Computer Engineering (Colombia) revised with the valuable collaboration by Sonia Cristina Gamboa Sarmiento and Davide Di Fatta.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to build on Systemic and Organizational Cybernetics (OC) through the Beer's Viable System Model (VSM) in order to study university analyzing them as social systems. A representation of the self-assessment process is provided through a model that allows university decision markers to diagnose or design information systems for self-evaluation process of graduate programs. The developed systemic framework could offer practical guidelines for decision makers in public or private universities in applying the concepts of organizational and systemic cybernetics in order to strengthen the viability of postgraduate programs and to perform processes for self-evaluation in collective decisions. This research also presents a case study carried out at the Industrial University of Santander, in Bucaramanga, Colombia. This article is an original attempt to fill the conceptual and practical gap on Organizational Cybernetics, existing in the design of self-assessment models graduate programs. Another contribution is the introduction of a Viable System Model of the higher education system in Colombia through the Organizational Cybernetics.

KEYWORDS:

• social systems
• Organizational Cybernetics
• Viable System Model
• universities
• self-assessment process

Notes on contributors

Camilo Andrés Toledo Parra, M.Sc. Engineering of Systems and Informatics of the Industrial University of Santander -UIS- (Colombia). He currently works in the Directorate of Internal Control in the Industrial University of Santander. He is a researcher in the research groups Philosophy and Teaching Philosophy, and Information Systems and Technology, attached to the UIS. The main fields of research: design of information systems, organizational cybernetics, strategic planning, government online.

Sonia Cristina Gamboa Sarmiento, PhD in Education from the National Pedagogical University (Colombia), Systems and Informatics Engineer at the Industrial University of Santander (Colombia). She is an associate professor at the Industrial University of Santander, at the School of Systems and Computer Engineering. Member and researcher of the research groups Philosophy and Teaching of Philosophy, and Systems and Information Technology. The main line of research is information technology and communication in education, through systemic methodologies and phenomenology.

Davide Di Fatta, PhD in Economics and Management at the University of Messina (Italy), nowadays collaborates with the SEAS Department at the Polytechnic School of the University of Palermo (Italy). He is also junior member referent of the BS Lab and editorial assistant for Kybernetes, IJMABS, IJEMR and IJMS. His main research fields are e-commerce, e-marketing, digital marketing and social media marketing; on the other hand, business system, system thinking and social networks.

Notes

† This manuscript is the result of the research carried out at the Industrial University of Santander, in the Master's Degree in Systems and Computer Engineering (Colombia) revised with the valuable collaboration by Sonia Cristina Gamboa Sarmiento and Davide Di Fatta.