Organizational Change, Quality and Cybernetics

Abstract

Cybernetics provides a way of thinking about situations, placing emphasis upon the distinctions we make about situations. It provides a theory for handling these distinctions, a language to support relevant conversations and a framework for effecting change. Whilst Stafford Beer’s Viable System Model (VSM) has become familiar as a management tool, difficulties have surfaced regarding both its appreciation and use. From Raul Espejo’s efforts to clarify the language describing the VSM and develop an insight into the processes underpinning the situations in which the VSM can be used, has emerged his Cybernetic Methodology. It provides a coherent frame work embedded in a rigorous logic for dealing with the complexity of “problematical situations”. This thesis focuses upon the use of the Cybernetic Methodology in the context of the company, addressing the specific issue of effecting organisational change from the perspective of quality. Insights are provided into the concept of the organisation and approaches for effecting organisational change, drawing upon both the quality domain (The Shewhart cycle, Continuous Improvement Programmes) and the systems domain (The Soft Systems Methodology). The concepts underpinning Cybernetics, in particular the VSM and the Cybernetic Methodology, are reviewed then used: to examine the complexity inherent in the situation of examining the activities of a manufacturing site to effect quality orientated improvements from the perspective of a researcher (observer) as a member of a multi-disciplinary research project, to examine four different approaches to effect organisational change within a company from the perspective of a “change agent” (participant). In the light of the emerging insights, a reply is provided to criticisms directed against Cybernetics, the contribution and utility of the Cybernetic Methodology is upheld and areas for further research identified. This thesis concludes that the Cybernetic Methodology offers a powerful means for dealing with complex problematical situations.