Co-evolution path model : how enterprises as complex systems survive on the edge of chaos

In this theoretical paper, we introduce and describe a model, and demonstrate its origins from the disciplines of Enterprise Architecture, cybernetics and systems theory. We use cybernetic thinking to develop a &lsquo;Co-evolution Path Model&rsquo; that describes how enterprises as complex systems co-evolve with their complex environments. The model re-interprets Stafford Beer&rsquo;s Viable System Model, and also uses the theorem of the &lsquo;good regulator&rsquo; of Conant and Ashby, exemplifying how various complexity management theories could be synthesised into a cybernetic theory of Enterprise Architecture, using concepts from the generalisation of EA frameworks.<br /

Crossing the Communication Barrier in Global Software Development Projects via Global Software Development Brokers

As the key stakeholders in Global Software Development (GSD) projects are distributed across geographical locations, many GSD projects suffer from a communication barrier, which exists due to language-, cultural-, time zone (and possibly other) differences among key stakeholders. This barrier not only increases communication cost, it also decreases the efficiency and quality of stakeholder communication, adding extra risks to these projects, and decreasing the probability of success. So far, there is no simple solution to this problem. Using the Collaborative Networks paradigm, this paper introduces the concept of ‘Global Software Development Collaborative Network’ (GSD-CN) as a formal model to analyse communication cost and quality. The paper proposes a new entity (role) called Global Software Development Broker (GSDB). We argue and demonstrate in an example that the proposed GSDBs will (a) simplify the network structure, (b) decrease communication cost, and (c) improve communication quality – consequently increasing the probability of success of GSD projects

Global Software Development: Measuring, Approximating and Reducing the Complexity of Global Software Development Using Extended Axiomatic Design Theory

This paper considers GSD projects as designed artefacts, and proposes the application of an Extended Axiomatic Design theory to reduce their complexity in order to increase the probability of project success. Using an upper bound estimation of the Kolmogorov complexity of the so-called ‘design matrix’ (as a proxy of Information Content as a complexity measure) we demonstrate on two hypothetical examples how good and bad designs of GSD planning compare in terms of complexity. We also demonstrate how to measure and calculate the ‘structural’ complexity of GSD projects and show that by satisfying all design axioms this ‘structural’ complexity could be minimised

Enterprise Engineering and Management at the Crossroads

The article provides an overview of the challenges and the state of the art of the discipline of Enterprise Architecture (EA), with emphasis on the challenges and future development opportunities of the underlying Information System (IS), and its IT implementation, the Enterprise Information System (EIS). The first challenge is to overcome the narrowness of scope of present practice in IS and EA, and re-gain the coverage of the entire business on all levels of management, and a holistic and systemic coverage of the enterprise as an economic entity in its social and ecological environment. The second challenge is how to face the problems caused by complexity that limit the controllability and manageability of the enterprise as a system. The third challenge is connected with the complexity problem, and describes fundamental issues of sustainability and viability. Following from the third, the fourth challenge is to identify modes of survival for systems, and dynamic system architectures that evolve and are resilient to changes of the environment in which they live. The state of the art section provides pointers to possible radical changes to models, methodologies, theories and tools in EIS design and implementation, with the potential to solve these grand challenges.Griffith Sciences, School of Information and Communication TechnologyNo Full Tex

Capability Maturity Model for Collaborative Networks Based on Extended Axiomatic Design Theory

Part 15: Collaborative Networks PlanningInternational audienceThe paradigm of forming and sustaining Collaborative Networks as environments that create Virtual Organisations (VOs) assumes that effective (and efficient) enterprise engineering (EE) capabilities and processes are available. However, these processes are only effective if they produce VOs which have sufficiently limited complexity, because as complexity grows, the VO’s behaviour becomes increasingly harder to predict under all circumstances. This paper proposes the use of EE methods based on Extended Axiomatic Design Theory to limit the complexity of VOs – and of the CN itself. We introduce process- and people capability maturity levels, whereupon higher maturity implies higher probability of success of CNs in creating and maintaining VOs, and success of the VOs themselves, and formulate strategies for capability-improvement, intended to achieve higher levels of EE maturity

Sustaining Information Systems as a Discipline: Towards an Evolving Theory of Information Systems Discipline

When designing information systems as complex systems through Information Systems (IS) discipline, researchers and practitioners not only apply models, methods and theories of management and control – they also use the same from engineering, linguistics, cognitive science, environmental science, biology, social science, artificial intelligence, systems thinking and cybernetics and etc. This diversity of IS related disciplines derives from the nature of information systems as multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary entities with interacting dimensions and different design- and evolution concerns. We believe that for the design of large scale complex systems using IS discipline, like any other developing and evolving discipline, there should exist a theory, unified terminology, models and methodology. To model the discipline-as-a-system, we use Beer’s Viable System Model (VSM) and introduce three basic components of IS discipline as a viable discipline (system). A ‘co-evolution mechanisms’ for IS discipline is proposed, and a cybernetic model of co-evolution is applied to IS discipline

Cybernetics of the Collaborative Networks Discipline

Part 9: Models and Metamodels IIInternational audienceCollaborative Networks (CNs) research, like any other developing discipline, needs a roadmap facilitating the integration of previous results into a theoretical foundation. CN researchers argue that the required theoretical foundation must consolidate the existing body of knowledge, and provide grounding to define how to invoke results of other relevant disciplines. The authors have previously proposed the ‘Cybernetics of the Collaborative Networks’ (C2N) as a field of CN-research intended as a unified theory of CNs, formalising, synthesising, harmonising and systematising individual CN-related results addressing management and control problems in CNs. This article aims at further extending the concept of C2N and answering the question: what is a unified evolving theory of the CN discipline itself? To model the discipline-as-a-system, we use Beer’s Viable System Model (VSM) and introduce three basic components of the CN discipline as a viable system. A ‘co-evolution mechanisms’ for the discipline is proposed and a cybernetic model of co-evolution is applied to the CN discipline

Co-evolution Path Model (CePM): Sustaining Enterprises as Complex Systems on the Edge of Chaos

The purpose of this study is primarily theoretical—to propose and detail a model for system evolution and show its derivation from the fields of enterprise architecture (EA), cybernetics, and systems theory. Cybernetic thinking is used to develop the coevolution path model (CePM) to explain how enterprises coevolve with their environments. The model reinterprets Ashby\u27s law of requisite variety, Stafford Beer\u27s viable system model, and Conant and Ashby\u27s theorem of the “good regulator” to exemplify how various complexity management theories could be synthesized into a cybernetic theory of EA—informing management of mechanisms to maintain harmony between the evolution of the enterprise as a complex system and the evolution of its complex environment

Using extended Axiomatic Design theory to reduce complexities in Global Software Development projects

Global Software Development (GSD) projects could be best understood as intrinsically complex adaptive living systems: they cannot purely be considered as ‘designed systems’, as deliberate design/control episodes and processes (using ‘software engineering’ models) are intermixed with emergent change episodes and processes (that may perhaps be explained by models). Therefore to understand GSD projects as complex systems we need to combine the state-of-the-art of GSD research, as addressed in the software engineering discipline, with results of other disciplines that study complexity (e.g. Enterprise Architecture, Complexity and Information Theory, Axiomatic Design theory). In this paper we study the complexity of GSD projects and propose an upper bound estimation of Kolmogorov complexity (KC) to estimate the information content (as a complexity measure) of project plans. We demonstrate using two hypothetical examples how good and bad project plans compare with respect to complexity, and propose the application of extended Axiomatic Design (AD) theory to reduce the complexity of GSD projects in the project planning stage, as well as to keep this complexity as low as possible during the project execution stage