Application of Viable System Model in Diagnosis of Organizational Structure

Zeinab Rezaee, Adel Azar (), Abbas Moghbel Ba Erz and Mahmoud Dehghan Nayeri
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Zeinab Rezaee: Tarbiat Modares University
Adel Azar: Tarbiat Modares University
Abbas Moghbel Ba Erz: Tarbiat Modares University
Mahmoud Dehghan Nayeri: Tarbiat Modares University

Systemic Practice and Action Research, 2019, vol. 32, issue 3, No 2, 273-295

Abstract: Abstract A well-designed organizational structure is a cornerstone of achieving an organization’s goals while suiting the environmental challenges. Structural design models must be built in such a way as to understand the inherent complexity of the environment as well as that of stakeholders’ relationships. The viable system model (VSM), which is rooted in Organizational Cybernetics, is capable of understanding external and internal complexities of organizations. This approach is an outline for diagnosing and designing organizational structure. The fundamental idea of the VSM is that the existence of specific systems and their relations can lead an organization toward viability and survivability. This study employed the VSM to diagnose the organizational structure of Iranian Construction Engineering Organization based on the proposed methodology that includes three steps: 1. system identification, 2. system diagnosis, and 3. other requirements for viability. Application of the proposed methodology demonstrated that a set of systems, information flows, and communication channels all have deficiencies within the organization, which must be amended in order to achieve the viability and ability to deal with the challenges.

Keywords: Organizational structure; Viable system model (VSM); Action research; Methodology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11213-018-9454-y

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