TB871: Governance and identity in the Viable System Model (System 5)

Note: this is a post reflecting on one of the modules of my MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice. You can see all of the related posts in this category. 

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The Viable System Model (VSM) comprises five systems. This post focuses on System 5:

System 5: Governance — Ensures that the organisation as a whole functions cohesively and maintains its identity. It balances the present operational needs (System 3) with future planning (System 4). It deals with high-level decision-making, values, policies, and overall governance to ensure consistency and alignment with the organisation’s goals and principles.

Taken from TB871: The five systems of the Viable System Model (VSM)

System 5 within the Viable System Model (VSM) plays a crucial role in maintaining an organisation’s governance and identity. It oversees the balance between managing current operations (System 3) and adapting to future changes (System 4). This balance ensures that the organisation can respond effectively to both immediate and long-term needs.

Hoverstadt (2020) outlines two approaches to defining an organisation’s identity:

• Purpose-based definition: This approach describes the system based on its purpose, using a formula: “a system to do x by means of y for purpose z.” This approach considers the relationships with stakeholders, categorised using the ‘TASCOI’ mnemonic (Transformation, Actors, Suppliers, Customers, Owners, Interveners).
• Structural coupling: This approach emphasises the system’s relationships and boundaries, focusing on what is inside versus outside the boundary. It offers a comprehensive view by considering multiple perspectives, making it particularly useful for modelling existing organisational systems.

System 5 performs three key functions:

1. Governance: Ensures the organisation functions as a viable system, capable of self-management and maintaining a healthy relationship with its environment. (This may involve dissolving the organisation if necessary.)
2. Identity maintenance: Responsible for creating, maintaining, or recreating the organisation’s identity.
3. Understanding the meta-system: Maintains an understanding of the relationship between the system-in-focus and the larger system in which it operates.

These roles can be challenging to identify but are important for effective governance. They involve maintaining a coherent strategy that aligns with both immediate and long-term organisational needs.

Applying System 5 to my system of interest

My system of interest is ‘a system to promote lifelong learning’ in the context of libraries. System 5 within this context needs to balance the management of current library operations (System 3) with future educational needs and technological advancements (System 4). This ensures the library can meet both immediate and long-term educational objectives.

Taking the two approaches to organisational identity:

• Purpose-based definition: For a lifelong learning system in libraries, the purpose could be defined as “a system to facilitate continuous education by providing resources and support for self-directed learning.” This approach would consider relationships with various stakeholders such as patrons, educators, local communities, and government bodies, using the TASCOI mnemonic (Transformation, Actors, Suppliers, Customers, Owners, Interveners). In this case:
  • Transformation: Promoting learning and skill development.
  • Actors: Librarians, educational partners, volunteers.
  • Suppliers: Book publishers, digital content providers, educational institutions.
  • Customers: Learners of all ages, community members seeking educational resources.
  • Owners: Library management, local government.
  • Interveners: Educational policymakers, funding bodies.
• Structural Coupling: This approach in a library system promoting lifelong learning involves managing interactions with stakeholders like patrons, educational partners, and the community to adapt to technological advances and evolving educational needs while maintaining its identity as a learning hub. Continuous assessment, strong relationships, and integrating new technologies are all required. Local and national governments play a crucial role by providing funding, setting standards, and regulating operations. Libraries must align with these regulations and government priorities to secure support and maintain their role as pivotal centres for lifelong learning.

Moving on to the three key functions mentioned earlier:

1. Governance: Ensures the library functions as a viable system, capable of self-management and maintaining a beneficial relationship with its educational environment. This might involve policy-making to adapt to new educational trends or technologies and sometimes discontinuing outdated programmes.
2. Identity maintenance: Responsible for creating, maintaining, or evolving the library’s identity as a centre for lifelong learning. This involves continuous evaluation and alignment of the library’s mission with community educational needs and technological advancements.
3. Understanding the meta-system: Maintains an understanding of the relationship between the library system and the larger educational ecosystem. This involves recognising how changes in the broader educational landscape affect the library’s role and adapting accordingly.

So, in practice, System 5 in a lifelong learning system within libraries would ensure:

• Policy development and oversight: Creating policies that encourage the creation an inclusive learning environment, such as offering diverse learning materials and facilitating access to digital resources.
• Strategic partnerships: Building and maintaining relationships with educational institutions, technology providers, and community organisations to enhance learning opportunities.
• Monitoring and adaptation: Continuously monitoring external educational trends and internal performance to adapt programmes and services. For example, introducing new workshops on digital literacies in response to growing technological demands.
• Resource allocation: Ensuring resources are effectively allocated to support both current operations and future educational initiatives, balancing immediate needs with long-term goals.

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My next task will be to put together all of these diagrams into a single one which shows how Systems 1-5 in my system of interest work together. I think I’ll leave that to another day and head to the gym now… 😅

References

• Hoverstadt, P. (2020). ‘The Viable System Model’. In Reynolds, M. & Holwell, S. (eds.) (2020). Systems Approaches to Making Change: A Practical Guide. London: Springer, pp.89-138.