Reflections on Service Systems Boundaries: A Viable Systems Perspective. The case of the London Borough of Sutton

The aim of this paper is to propose a systems interpretation of the concept of complexity and its implications for a theoretical discussion of the concept of boundary in complex service systems. The proposal highlights the interpretative contribution of a dual perspective of observation that distinguishes between a structure-based view and a systems-based view. When dealing with complexity, the phenomenon under investigation cannot be addressed through management approaches that aim to measure and control it in a vain attempt to find the best solution. Due to the inner nature of complexity, a more rewarding approach to a full understanding of problematic situations should place consolidated management models within a more general interpretation framework that suggests preliminary insights about the real nature of the investigated phenomenon. First, this paper outlines the theoretical background of the literature on service, service systems and complex service systems, providing evidence of the contribution of recent service research advances such as service science and service-dominant logic. Next, the paper focuses on the basic principles of systems thinking to introduce the Viable Systems Approach (vSa) as a general framework of reference for both the investigation and the governance of social organisations. The vSa conceptual framework is adopted for proposing some reflections from a systems perspective in the investigation of the case of the London Borough of Sutton (LBS). The focus is on interpreting the paradoxical situation of an increased fear of crime among LBS residents despite the evidence of reduction in the crime rate. Although the incidence has fallen for most types of crimes, a recent poll confirmed that crime is still rated as the most important issue for residents. Therefore, improving safety and reducing crime remain the top priorities for the Safer Sutton Partnership Service. In short, this study proposes to consider ‘‘reducing the fear of crime in a community’’ as a complex service system

S-D logic research directions and opportunities: the perspective of systems, camplexity and engeneering

To date, several disciplines have broached the systems view of service and the engineering of service systems. Operations research applied to services began with a rather simplistic, macro view of resource integration in the form of data envelopment analysis (DEA), introduced by Charnes, Cooper and Rhodes in 1978 (Banker et al., 1984; Charnes et al., 1994). Micro models of service systems have tended to study the systems’ IT components (Hsu, 2009; Qiu 2009). Engineering, which has always been associated with ‘assembling pieces that work in specific ways’ (Ottino, 2004) and ‘a process of precise composition to achieve a predictable purpose and function’ (Fromm, 2010: 2), has contributed to greater scalability and purposeful control in service systems. However, the agents of the system are usually people whose activities may not easily be controlled by predictable processes and yet are critical aspects of the value-creating system (Ng et al., 2011b). There is need for a new combinative paradigm, such as third-generation activity theory, in which two or more activity systems come into contact, to explore dialogue, exchanging perspectives of multiple actors, resulting in networks or groups of activity systems that are constantly interacting (Marken, 2006; Nardi, 1996, Oliveros et al., 2010). While various systems approaches, such as general systems theory (von Bertalanffy, 1962); open systems theory (Boulding, 1956; Katz and Kahn, 1978); and viable systems approach (Barile, 2008; Beer, 1972; Golinelli, 2010), will not be reviewed here (see Ng et al., 2011a for a systems approach to service science), they share common tenets: boundaries, interfaces, hierarchy, feedback and adaptation to which most systems writers would add emergence, input, output and transformation (Kast and Rosenzweig, 1972). These terms may be used as a basis for a research agenda for the consideration of a service system

A New Approach to Enhance the Strategic Impact of Digital Education in Universities and to Foster the Development of a High Performing Common EU Smart Education Ecosystem

In response to the negative COVID-19 impacts, it is urgent to support digital transformation plans at all levels of educational online activities. Fundamental it is also to support new inclusive digital pedagogical methods and skills for a resilient free adoption of digital tools for academic teachers (digital integrated learning, advanced multimedia, but also hybrid and interactive new methodologies, 3D, VR, holographic tools, etc.) and allow effective use for students, including participants with fewer opportunities: physically impaired (deaf, blind, paralytic), cognitive impaired and low-income students. This to create the condition of a more EU integrated strategy to consent the proposal for a Council Recommendation on the enabling factors for successful digital education by 2022–2025. We are following and improving the recommendations of OECD and UN, of EU Future Government 2030+, of EU’s strategy for e-Skills in the 21st Century, of KES international network and of FOME - Future of Management Education international scientific alliance. Also, some new EU Directives will imply a real digital revolution in educational processes and learning skills. So digital technologies have made this transition possible: surely, there have been a number of e-learning platforms for some years now, but their role has only in the last months gained massive relevance concurrently with the pandemic global situation. Only a few EU Universities are already ready for good quality distance learning, with tools for course management, including live sessions, interactive teaching and collaborative activities. Most EU Universities had to cope with the emergency situation that called for a quick organizational and cultural rearrangement and a change of learning strategies, which perhaps represented the most difficult step for teachers and students. Digital technologies are becoming very relevant at the EU level for teachers and students. However, the current limitations on the movement of people and teaching hours may restrict this type of delivery. For this reason, the described EDU-GATE initiative is providing a detailed European multi-sectoral analysis indicating the comparison of current situations of teaching digitalization (As-Is and To-Be analysis), together with a transversal needs’ analysis. Also, a smart innovative curriculum, including the most advanced educational design and delivering techniques, has been created for the improvement of teachers’ skills. Almost 12 innovative multimedia e-modules have been prepared, permitting effective learning activities and to share best practices in the EU

Approcci cibernetici per la governance dei sistemi sociali. Lezioni dal passato o emergente attualità?

La cibernetica nella prospettiva di Stafford Beer emerge dalla comprensione che l’osservazione e l’evoluzione a lungo termine dei sistemi vitali in natura può offrire preziose indicazioni per l’interpretazione della complessità nell’ambito delle scienze sociali. Dalla esperienza cilena del progetto Cybersyn emergono interessanti implicazioni per la governance dei sistemi social

Il ruolo del locus nell’implementazione dell’innovazione nella pubblica amministrazione

Il lavoro recensisce e riassume una interessante ricerca volta a discutere il “successo” delle innovazioni adottate nelle organizzazioni pubbliche in funzione della fonte dalla quale esse promanano, e della loro prossimità alla stessa fonte . Ai fini dell’analisi e della predicibilità dell’esito del processo di innovazione, gli autori sottolineano e forniscono evidenza dell’importanza di considerare, accanto alla dimensione verticale (top-down e bottom-up), anche quella orizzontale (organizzazione, confini organizzativi e contesto esterno di riferimento)

A Viable Systems Approach to Relationship Management in S-D Logic and Service Science

This study valorizes the Viable Systems Approach (VSA) contribution to relationship management to explore the theoretical connections between Service-Dominant logic (SD logic) and Service Science (SS). It presents a conceptual analysis of recent developments in the study of relationships in SS, S-D logic, and VSA. As a broad interdisciplinary approach based on systems theory and resource-based theory, VSA represents a useful framework for the interpretation of the complex phenomena involved in the relationship between S-D logic and SS