Abstract
The performance of social systems is an object of continuous theoretical debate and of manifold practical conflicts. Many approaches to defining criteria of performance and techniques of measurement have been developed and applied. The fact that the attempts are multifarious indicates that the domain of inquiry at hand is still at an immature stage, with pragmatism and eclecticism dominating the mainstream. Experts have called the subject area an “enigma” (Cameron 1984) and ascertained “a paradox of performance: organizational control is maintained by not knowing exactly what performance is” (Meyer & Gupta 1994: 309). Anyway, also some promising approaches to the conceptualization of organizational performance have emerged (Venkatraman & Ramanujam 1986 Bamberger & Fiegenbaum 1996). For an overview on the discussion, see Meyer & Gupta 1994 and Lumpkin & Dess 1996.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Ackoff, Russell L. 1981. Creating the Corporate Future, New York etc.: Wiley.
Ackoff, Russell L. 1994. The Democratic Corporation, New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Argyris, Chris Schön, Donald A. 1978. Organizational Learning: A Theory of Action Perspective, Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley.
Bamberger, Peter & Fiegenbaum, Avi 1996. The Role of Strategic Reference Points in Explaining the Nature and Consequences of Human Resource Strategy, in: Academy of Management Review, Vol. 21, No. 4 (926–958).
Beer, Stafford 1962. Towards the Cybernetic Factory, reprinted in: Harnden, Roger Leonard, Allenna, eds., 1994: How Many Grapes Went into the Wine. Stafford Beer on the Art and Science of Holistic Management, Chichester: Wiley.
Beer, Stafford 1979. The Heart of Enterprise. Chichester: Wiley.
Beer, Stafford 1981. Brain of the Firm, 2nd edition, Chichester: Wiley.
Beer, Stafford 1985. Diagnosing the System for Organizations, Chichester: Wiley.
Beer,Stafford 1994. Beyond Dispute. The Invention of Team Syntegrity. Chichester: Wiley.
Bowersox, Donald J., et al. 1982. Logistical Excellence, Burlington, MA: Digital Press.
Brocklesby, John & Cummings, St. 1996 Designing a Viable Organization Structure, in: Long Range Planning, Vol. 29, No. 1, (49–57).
Buzzell, Robert D., Gale, Bradley T. 1987. The PIMS Principles, New York, London: Free Press, Collier.
Cameron, Kim S. 1984. The Effectiveness of Ineffectiveness, in: Stow, Barry M. & Cummings, L.L., eds.: Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol. 6, Greenwich, Connecticut/London England: JAI Press (235–285).
Collins, James C.,Porras, Jerry I. 1994. Built to Last. Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, Harper Business.
Copeland, Thomas, E., Koller, Tim. Murrin, Jack 1994. Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, 2nd ed., New York etc.: Wiley.
Deal, Terrence E., Kennedy, A.A. 1982. Corporate Cultures. The Rites and Rituals of Corporate Life, Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley.
Espejo, Raúl, Harnden, Roger, eds. 1989. The Viable System Model. Interpretations and Applications of Stafford Beer’s VSM, Chichester: Wiley.
Espejo, Raúl, Schuhmann, Werner, Schwaninger, Markus & Bilello, Ubaldo 1996, Organizational Transformation and Learning. A Cybernetic Approach to Management, Chichester: Wiley.
Espejo, Raúl, Schwaninger, Markus, eds. 1993. Organizational Fitness – Corporate Effectiveness through Management Cybernetics, Frankfurt/New York: Campus.
Espejo, Raúl, Schwaninger, Markus, eds. 1998. To Be and Not to Be, that is the System. A Tribute to Stafford Beer, CD-ROM, Wiesbaden: Carl-Auer-Systeme-Verlag.
Etzioni, Amitai 1968. The Active Society. A Theory of Societal and Political Processes, London,New York: Collier, MacMillan.
Foerster, Heinz von 1984. Observing Systems, 2nd ed., Seaside, Cal.: Intersystems Publications.
Foerster, Heinz von, et al., eds. 1974. Cybernetics of Cybernetics, Urbana, Illinois: The Biological Computer Laboratory, University of Illinois
Freeman,Edward R.1983.Strategic Management:A Stakeholder Approach,in Lamb Robert (ed.): Advances in Strategic Management, Greenwich: JAI Press, (31–60).
Galweiler, Aloys 1990. Strategische Unternehmensführung, 2nd edition, Frankfurt/New York:
Geyer, R. Felix,van der Zouwen, Johannes, eds. 1978. Sociocybernetics, 2 Vols., Leiden/Boston/London: Martinus Nijhoff Social Sciences Division.
Gomez, P. & Zimmermann, T. 1997. Unternehmensorganisation. Profile - Dynamik - Methodik, St. Galler Management-Konzept (3rd ed.), Frankfurt, New York: Campus. (1st ed. 1992).
Hamel, Gary, Prahalad, C.K. 1994. Competing for the Future, Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press.
Hansen, G.S., Wernerfelt, B. 1989. Determination of Firm Performance: The Relative Importance of Economic and Organizational Factors, in: Strategic Management Journal, 10 (399–411).
Hedlund, G. 1986. The hypermodern MNC - A heterarchy? Human Resources Management. 25(1) 9–35.
Hedlund, G. 1993. Assumptions of hierarchy and heterarchy, with applications to the management in the multinational corporation. In S. Ghoshal & E.Westney (Eds.), Organization theory and the multinational corporation: 211–236. London: MacMillan
Jackson, Michael C. 1989. Evaluating the Managerial Significance of the VSM, in: Espejo, Raúl, Hamden, Roger, eds.: The Viable System Model. Interpretations and Applications of Stafford Beer’s VSM, Chichester: Wiley (407–439).
Jantsch, Erich,Waddington, C.H., eds. 1976. Evolution and Consciousness: Human Systems in Transition, Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley.
Kotler, Philip 1994. Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation, and Control, 8th edition, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
Kotter, John, Heskett, James 1992. Corporate Culture and Performance, New York: Free Press. Leonard
Allenna 1989. Application of the VSM to Commercial Broadcasting in the United States, in: Espejo, Raúl, Harnden, Roger, eds.: The Viable System Model, Chichester:Wiley (175–209).
Leonard, Alleluia 1995. Team Syntegrity: Planning for Action in the Next Century, Working Paper, Toronto: The Complementary Set.
Lumpkin, G.T., Dess, Gregory G. Clarifying the Entrepreneurial Orientation Construct and Linking it to Performance, in: Academy of Management Review, Vol. 21, 1996, No. 1 (135–172).
McCulloch, Warren. 1988. Embodiments of mind (reprint). Cambridge, Mass./London: M.I.T. Press.
Meyer, Marshall W. & Gupta, Vipin 1994. The Performance Paradox, in: Staw, Barry M. & Cummings, L.L., eds. Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol. 16, Greenwich, Connecticut/London England: JAI Press (309–369).
Mitroff, Ian I. 1983. Stakeholders of the Organizational Mind, San Francisco etc.: Jossey Bass.
Nonaka, Ikujiro, Takeuchi, Hirotaka 1995. The Knowledge Creating Company, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Porter Michael E. 1980. Competitive Strategy, New York: Free Press.
Porter, Michael E. 1985. Competitive Advantage, New York: Free Press.
Prigogine, Ilya 1989. The Philosophy of Instability, in: Futures (396–400)
Rappaport, Alfred 1986. Creating Shareholder Value: The New Standard for Business Performance, New York: Free Press.
Probst, G.J.B. 1992. Organisation. Landsberg a. Lech: Moderne Industrie.
Pümpin, Curio 1991. Corporate Dynamism, Aldershot: Gower.
Rappoport, Alfred 1996. Creating Shareholder Value: The New Standard for Business Performance, New York: Free Press.
Schein, Edgar H. 1985. Organizational Culture and Leadership, San Francisco/London: Jossey-Bass.
Schoemaker, Paul J. H. 1992. How to Link Strategic Vision to Core Capabilities, in: Sloan Management Review, Fall (67–81).
Schwaninger, Markus 1987. A Practical Approach to Strategy Development, in: Long Range Planning, Vol. 20, No. 5, (74–85).
Schwaninger, Markus 1988. Anwendung der integralen Untemehmungsentwicklung, Bern und Stuttgart: Haupt.
Schwaninger, Markus 1989. Integrale Unternehmungsplanung, Frankfurt/New York: Campus.
Schwaninger, Markus 1993. A Concept of Organizational Fitness, in: R. Espejo, M. Schwaninger, eds. Organizational Fitness - Corporate Effectiveness through Management Cybernetics, Frankfurt/New York: Campus, (39–66).
Schwaninger, Markus 1994. Die intelligente Organisation als lebensfähige Heterarchie, Diskussionsbeiträge des Instituts für Betriebswirtschaft an der Hochschule St. Gallen, Nr. 14.
Schwaninger, Markus 1994a. Managementsysteme, Frankfurt/New York: Campus.
Schwaninger, Markus 1996. Structures for Intelligent Organizations, Diskussionsbeiträge des Instituts für Betriebswirtschaft an der Universität St. Gallen, Nr. 20.
Schwaninger, Markus 1998. Managing Complexity - The Path Towards Intelligent Organizations, Contribution to: Complex Systems Revisited, Conseil Suisse de la Science, Hearing at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, September 4 and 5 (Publication forthcoming: Th. Bemold, editor).
Schwaninger, Markus 1999 (in print). Intelligente Organisationen: Strukturen für organisationale Intelligenz und Kreativität, In: Papmehl, André, Siewers, Rainer, Hrsg.: Wissen im Wandel. Die lernende Organisation im 21. Jahrhundert, Wien: Ueberreuter
Senge, Peter M.1992. The Fifth Discipline. The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, London: Century Business.
Ulrich, Werner 1983. Critical Heuristics of social Planning. A New Approach to Practical Philosophy, Bern/Stuttgart: Haupt.
Underwood, Lynn 1994. Intelligent Manufacturing, Wokingham etc.: Addison-Wesley. Utterback, James M. 1994. Mastering the Dynamics of Innovation, Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Venkatraman, N., Ramanujam, Vasudevan 1998. Measurement of Business Performance in Strategy Research: A Comparison of Approaches, in: Academy of Management Review, Vol. 11, No. 4 (801–814).
Weber, B. 1994. Untemehmungsnetzwerke aus systemtheoretischer Sicht. Zum Verhältnis von Autonomie und Abhängigkeit in Interorganisationsbeziehungen. Diskussionsbeiträge, Nr. 9. Hochschule St. Gallen: Institut für Betriebswirtschaft.
Willemsen, Maarten Helmut 1992. Die Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft als lebensfähiges System. Kybernetische Analyse des schweizerischen politischen Systems, Dissertation Nr. 1314, Hochschule St. Gallen.
Zeeuw, Gerard de 1986. Social Change and the Design of Enquiry, in: Geyer, Felix/van der Zouwen Johannes
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2000 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Schwaninger, M. (2000). Distributed control in social systems. In: Parra-Luna, F. (eds) The Performance of Social Systems. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4251-3_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4251-3_10
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6908-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-4251-3
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive