Introduction to management cybernetics

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Anything beginning with "cyber" sounds rather futuristic
New research into an ancient topic
The common characteristics of the way in which living beings and machines function
Interdisciplinary complexity management
Management cybernetics
The natural basis of management
Fundamental principles for everyone
Interdisciplinary understanding
The theory of thinking, communicating, acting and functioning
The natural law of viability
The source of significant achievements
The science of effective organization
Examples

Anything beginning with "cyber" sounds rather futuristic
Terms that begin with "cyber" sound modern and hint at technical innovation. However, "cyber" has ancient roots. Its origins have nothing to do with electronics and electronic data. And yet along with a large number of other significant developments, cybernetics was to be responsible for the most important machine in the world today: the computer. However, the computer has its origins in biology...

New research into an ancient topic
The term "cybernetics" comes from the ancient Greek word "kybernetes", which means "helmsman". In ancient Greece, it was used to describe the captain or the man at the helm of a ship. It is thus connected with the skill and activity of steering and coordination, but also with the ability to lead a ship's crew in a wide variety of different circumstances: on the high seas and in the harbor, when the ship is becalmed or being battered by the raging oceans, when the crew is cooperative or mutinying, during wars and piracy, and on voyages of discovery and adventure. You only need to think of Odysseus or Christopher Columbus.

The common characteristics of the way
in which living beings and machines function
"Kybernetes" describes the ability to move independently through a constantly changing environment, and therefore represents a regulatory process. The mathematician Norbert Wiener recognized in the middle of the 20th century that all living, mechanical and social systems have modes of operation with identical patterns that can be calculated mathematically. The most important phenomenon in this respect is the circular nature of their processes..

Interdisciplinary complexity management
Cybernetics is a relatively new interdisciplinary science that concerns the way in which all types of biological, mechanical and social systems function and operate. Cybernetics research is devoted to:

1. the internal autonomous regulatory processes within systems
2. the control and regulation of and within systems
3. the communication or transmission of information between different parts of the system and its environment

The central issue is the effect of complexity and how its various modes of operation can be managed correctly.

Management cybernetics
Management cybernetics is the concrete application of natural cybernetic laws to all types of organizations and institutions created by human beings and to interactions with and within them.
For this reason, Stafford Beer's management theory is not limited only to industrial and commercial enterprises. It also relates to the management of all types of organizations and institutions in the profit and non-profit sectors:

	from individual enterprises to huge multinationals
	in the private and public sector
	in associations and political bodies
	and lastly in professional and private life

Institutions in the sense of general legal and contractual regulations are also covered.

The natural basis of management
Management cybernetics is a theory based on natural laws and covering general management issues that every individual who wants to influence an organization in any way must learn to resolve.

Fundamental principles for everyone
Management cybernetics is not restricted to the actions of top managers. Every member of an organization and every person who to a greater or lesser extent communicates or interacts with it is involved in the considerations.

Interdisciplinary understanding
Organizations and institutions created by human beings encompass all types of living, mechanical and social systems. Whilst management cybernetics focuses in particular on these systems, the fundamental principles of cybernetics can also be applied to the individual components and factors in an interdisciplinary way.

The theory of thinking, communicating, acting and functioning
Finally, cybernetics is also a way of considering and thinking about things that can be used to analyze the thinking, communication, acting and functioning of human beings themselves and to give them an effective meaning. This approach is thus also helpful in overcoming communication problems between different experts and specialist areas.

The natural law of viability
"Viable systems" are those that

	can absorb and make use of information from their environment
	can adapt to their environment
	maintain their identity
	learn

The natural law of viability described by Stafford Beer applies both to biological and social systems. It also illustrates the fundamental difference between his view of organizations and management and conventional views. These views are often still expressed in popular organizational and business administration theory.

The source of significant achievements
The science of cybernetics has produced much that has had an impact on modern life. These include a wide range of mechanical and electronic automata and mechanisms of different types serving a variety of purposes, the invention of the computer, current information theory and the most effective forms of psychotherapy. In addition, many other current methods of problem solving in a wide range of different scientific disciplines are based on discoveries within cybernetics. These include educational science, sociology, communications, mechanical engineering, environmental sciences and medicine.

The science of effective organization
Stafford Beer defines cybernetics as "the science of effective organization". He himself in his management theories combines cybernetics in particular with his practical experience and knowledge of neuropsychology, neurophysiology, computer science, communications, operations research, mathematics, formal logic and philosophy.

Examples
His viewpoint can be illustrated most clearly using a series of examples. You can find practical examples in Methods, models. However, it also seems obvious to use the management example of the pioneers of cybernetics themselves. The resulting view of some of the most important achievements of the 20th century demonstrates that, on the basis of their own insights, they have developed a new culture of thought and action that has produced notable results. Working closely with these researchers, Stafford Beer experienced and contributed to the shaping of many of the decisive developments of modern society. Ich wusste gar nicht, dass ich Prosa sprechen kann [I didn't know that I could speak prose] (a PDF file of around 28 pages) is an essay that explains amongst other things how cybernetics acquired its name. It shows that this discipline is an approach that is ideally suited to the management of complex systems. You can find a comprehensive description of management cybernetics in Stafford Beer's books that are listed under Publications.