Structuring organisational information analysis through Viable System Model knowledge domains

Abstract

Operational Research (OR) has delivered significant benefits to the analysis of information across organisations, not least from Soft Systems Methodology, yet the potential of many other OR methods are only partially reported in OR journals. For example, the Viable System Model (VSM) offers useful analytical structures for organisational information analysis but is largely overlooked. This paper explores organisational information through a VSM analysis. To do this we analyse four case studies using a Knowledge Domain model to focus on the presence of types of organisational information that ensure “viability.” Our work demonstrates the capability that this model has to support information analysis, and identifies additions to strengthen its utility. Specifically, the research contributes to OR theory by identifying additional information requirements and structures to enhance organisational viability, as well as generating new understanding about relationships of viable information within systems.

Keywords:

• Problem structuring
• viable system model
• systems thinking
• information

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Matthew Hall of Aston University for his insight and suggestions during the research.