The desire to develop a holistic framework for knowing and modelling in human enterprises is not new. Methodologies, such as Systems Dynamics, Soft Systems and the Viable Systems Model all claim a holistic perspective. Each of these approaches emphasises the interrelatedness of `things', rather than the `things' themselves. Thus, they avoid the possible fragmentation that can occur when elements within a situation are treated as if they exist independently. Unfortunately, the systems approaches flounder because they fail to reconcile knowledge with the path that brings it into being, or to satisfactorily deal with the concepts of order or communication in language. The Thesis, therefore, provides a greater clarification of these issues, in the light of enactive cognitive science, chaos theory and contemporary theories on dialogue. As a result, a new framework is presented, for knowing and modelling in human enterprises, that is based on our `new' understanding of holism. The organisational context of the Thesis is provided by two generic models, both developed by the author (a model of Duopoly Competition and a model of Chaos Control ), together with a case study of the Danish hearing aid manufacturer Oticon. The Thesis concludes by presenting various insights arising from our new frame of reference and reflecting on their challenges for organisations.

Cette thèse rappelle les fondements du pilotage des systèmes logistiques et montre l'intérêt de la mise en place d'un SCP (Systèmes Contrôlés par le Produit). L'intégration de tels systèmes doit d'abord prendre en compte la cohérence entre les différents éléments le constituant. Ainsi les systèmes centralisés cherchent à proposer des plans de moyen-long termes visant un optimal de coût, mais aussi une certaine stabilité et peu de nervosité dans le temps. Par ailleurs, les systèmes distribués ont démontré leur capacité à permettre une réaction rapide à des événements impromptus survenant dans le système physique. L'hybridation de ces deux types de pilotage est donc une voie de gain de productivité pour les systèmes logistiques et industriels. Le premier chapitre de la thèse décrit l'évolution des systèmes de planification et de pilotage de la production, avec l'objectif d'identifier les forces et faiblesses des différentes approches proposées jusqu'à nos jours et permettent définir l'objectif général de la thèse. Le chapitre deux analyse l'état de l'art concernant les outils de modélisation des systèmes de production centralisés/distribués et aussi le concept de contrôle par le produit. Ce chapitre sert de base pour définir les objectifs spécifiques de la thèse. Le chapitre trois présente le cadre de modélisation proposé. Ce cadre est basé sur une approche cybernétique, et plus spécifiquement sur le modèle de système viable (VSM). Le chapitre démarre avec une présentation générale du modèle de système viable, puis présente un modèle générique de modélisation de systèmes contrôlés par le produit. Enfin, le chapitre décrit une application de ce cadre général aux systèmes de planification et pilotage de la production de type SCP. Le chapitre quatre définit les différentes méthodes de décision, tant centralisées que distribuées, développées pour l'implémentation du modèle générique définit dans le chapitre trois. Aux niveaux centralisés et distribués ces méthodes sont basées sur des modèles de programmation mathématique développés pour considérer l'adaptabilité et la flexibilité du système. Le chapitre cinq montre les principaux résultats dans une application basée sur un cas industriel qui a nécessité le développement d'un outil de simulation qui considère des variables de court, moyen et long termes pour les différents modèles d'optimisation. Ces résultats montrent l'intérêt de ce type d'hybridation / This thesis is concerned with the foundations of the planning and control logistics systems and shows the interest of the PDS (Product-driven Systems) applied in this context. The development of such systems must consider the coherence between the different components. Centralized systems offer long terms plans aiming an optimal cost, but also some stability and nervousness reduction. Distributed systems allow a fast reaction to perturbations happening in the physical system. Then, the hybridization of these two kinds of planning and control systems is a way of increase productivity for logistic and industrial systems. The first chapter of the thesis describes the evolution of the production planning and control systems, to identify forces and weaknesses of the different approaches proposed until our days and allow to define the general objective of the thesis. Chapter two analyses the state of the art concerning the tools for modeling hybrid centralized/distributed production systems and also the concept of product-driven systems. This chapter serves as a basis to define the specific objectives of the thesis. Chapter three introduces the proposed modeling framework. This framework is based on a cybernetic approach, and more specifically in the Viable System Model (VSM). The chapter starts with a general presentation of VSM and then introduces a generic framework to model PDS. Finally, this chapter describes an application for production planning and control. Chapter four defines the different decision methods developed for the implementation of the generic model defined in the chapter three. At centralized and distributed levels these methods are based on mathematical programming models. Chapter five shows the main results of an application based on an industrial case which required the development of a simulation tool which considers variables of short, médium and long terms for the different optimization models. These results show the interest of this type of hybridization

Cybernetics is the science of effective organization, i.e. the science that describes the general principles of growth, learning and adaptation in complex, dynamical systems. Stafford Beer regards his viable system model as a design for effective formal organization. He also declares that since his model is explicitly based upon the principles of cybernetics, it facilitates consideration of what is and is not possible within formal organizations and provides guidance in creating efficient structures. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate and test Stafford Beer's ideas on the viable system model via the simulation of certain business activities. A methodology for getting access to the cybernetic body of knowledge is given as well as examples of cybernetic laws relevant to managerial and business practice. An important part of the work is devoted to the explanation and discussion of Stafford Beer's viable system model, and the importance it represents as a cybernetic method for the design of organizational structures. Simulation models incorporating the major activities of a business firm are represented and used as case studies to investigate how basic industrial organizations based on Beer's viable system model work under operational conditions.

O desenvolvimento municipal sustentável é um fenômeno complexo. Para que seja possível entender tal fenômeno, é necessário levar em consideração como se comportam as diversas variáveis de dimensões distintas e a interação de uma grande quantidade de atores envolvidos em um processo dinâmico, transformando constantemente o sistema social de uma determinada região. Esta dissertação tem em sua essência, ser um trabalho que está de acordo com o novo paradigma da ciência, descartando explicações simples e prontas sobre o desenvolvimento. Busca agregar toda a complexidade, instabilidade e intersubjetividade que o assunto compreende. Assim, o principal objetivo deste trabalho é desenvolver e diagnosticar o sistema de administração das prefeituras municipais para o desenvolvimento sustentável, tendo como base os objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável (ODS), utilizando como métodos o Viable System Model (VSM) em prefeituras municipais e a criação de Indicador Sistêmico-Cibernético de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ISCDS) por meio da análise fatorial (AF) para os municípios do estado de São Paulo. Os objetivos específicos também são desenvolvidos de maneira a contribuir ao objetivo principal. Dentre eles estão: diferenciar os diversos conceitos de desenvolvimento, identificar e delimitar o sistema onde acontece o desenvolvimento local, verificar como os ODS podem ser uma forma de promover o desenvolvimento sistêmico, identificar as principais variáveis secundárias que podem compor o desenvolvimento local e que estejam ligadas a cada um dos objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável da ONU, desenvolver um indicador capaz de medir o desenvolvimento sistêmico utilizando os ODS e, por fim, identificar as diferenças entre os municípios do estado de São Paulo criando agrupamentos de municípios semelhantes. Para tanto, este é um trabalho sistêmico tanto em sua filosofia quanto estrutura, adotando métodos e técnicas tanto quantitativas como qualitativas para se chegar aos resultados das perguntas de pesquisa. Para que fosse possível obter conhecimento suficiente acerca dos temas tratados e propor uma base metodológica sólida de modo a mostrar os resultados esperados, optou-se por realizar um amplo referencial teórico, envolvendo três itens: desenvolvimento, abordagens sistêmico-cibernéticas e objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável. Os resultados mostraram que é possível aplicar o VSM no sistema administrativo das prefeituras municipais, sendo uma poderosa ferramenta para administrar o a prefeitura de maneira eficiente e também útil para identificar diversas falhas sistêmicas, conforme são expostas nas considerações finais deste trabalho. Por meio da análise fatorial, tendo como base os ODS, foi possível desenvolver um modelo para se medir o desenvolvimento sustentável sistêmico municipal: o ISCDS para os 645 municípios do estado de São Paulo. A partir da obtenção do ISCDS, foram encontrados sete clusters com características diferentes, indicando a necessidade de tratativas administrativas diferentes que visem o desenvolvimento sustentável para cada agrupamento encontrado. / Sustainable municipal development is a complex phenomenon. To understand this phenomenon, it is necessary to take into account not only the way of huge number variables of different dimensions behave, but also how the large number of actors are involved in a dynamic process, constantly transforming the social system of a given region. This dissertation has in its essence, to be a work that is in accordance with the new paradigm of science, discarding simple and ready explanations about development. It seeks to add all the complexity, instability and intersubjectivity that the subject comprehends. Thus, the main objective of this work is to develop and diagnose the municipal town hall administration system for the sustainable development, based on the sustainable development goals (SDG). The methods used are the Viable System Model (VSM) for the municipal town hall management, and the factor analysis to model the Systemic-Cybernetic Indicator of Sustainable Development (SCISD) for the municipalities of the state of São Paulo. Specific objectives are also developed in order to contribute to the main objective. These include: a) to differentiate the various development concepts, b) to identify the system where local development takes place, b) to check how the SDGs can promote systemic development, c) to identify the main variables that could be used to measure sustainable development, and which of them are connected to each of the UN\'s SDGs and, finally, d) to identify the differences between the municipalities of the state of São Paulo, creating clusters of similar municipalities according to the SCISD developed. To do so, this is a systemic work both in its philosophy and structure. It was adopted methods and techniques both quantitative and qualitative to explore to the results of the research questions. In order to obtain sufficient knowledge about the topics addressed and to propose a solid methodological basis to show the expected results, it was decided to make a broad theoretical reference, involving three items: development, systems thinking and cybernetics approaches and sustainable development goals. The results showed that it is possible to apply the VSM in the administrative system of the city halls, being a powerful tool not only to manage the city in an efficient way, but also useful to identify several systemic failures, as they are exposed in the final considerations of this work. Through the factorial analysis, based on the SDGs, it was also possible to develop a model to measure the level of municipal sustainable development: the SCISD for the 645 municipalities of the state of São Paulo. Also, from the SCISD, seven clusters with different characteristics were found, indicating the need for different administrative approaches according to the different at sustainable development characteristics found in each cluster.

O desenvolvimento municipal sustentável é um fenômeno complexo. Para que seja possível entender tal fenômeno, é necessário levar em consideração como se comportam as diversas variáveis de dimensões distintas e a interação de uma grande quantidade de atores envolvidos em um processo dinâmico, transformando constantemente o sistema social de uma determinada região. Esta dissertação tem em sua essência, ser um trabalho que está de acordo com o novo paradigma da ciência, descartando explicações simples e prontas sobre o desenvolvimento. Busca agregar toda a complexidade, instabilidade e intersubjetividade que o assunto compreende. Assim, o principal objetivo deste trabalho é desenvolver e diagnosticar o sistema de administração das prefeituras municipais para o desenvolvimento sustentável, tendo como base os objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável (ODS), utilizando como métodos o Viable System Model (VSM) em prefeituras municipais e a criação de Indicador Sistêmico-Cibernético de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ISCDS) por meio da análise fatorial (AF) para os municípios do estado de São Paulo. Os objetivos específicos também são desenvolvidos de maneira a contribuir ao objetivo principal. Dentre eles estão: diferenciar os diversos conceitos de desenvolvimento, identificar e delimitar o sistema onde acontece o desenvolvimento local, verificar como os ODS podem ser uma forma de promover o desenvolvimento sistêmico, identificar as principais variáveis secundárias que podem compor o desenvolvimento local e que estejam ligadas a cada um dos objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável da ONU, desenvolver um indicador capaz de medir o desenvolvimento sistêmico utilizando os ODS e, por fim, identificar as diferenças entre os municípios do estado de São Paulo criando agrupamentos de municípios semelhantes. Para tanto, este é um trabalho sistêmico tanto em sua filosofia quanto estrutura, adotando métodos e técnicas tanto quantitativas como qualitativas para se chegar aos resultados das perguntas de pesquisa. Para que fosse possível obter conhecimento suficiente acerca dos temas tratados e propor uma base metodológica sólida de modo a mostrar os resultados esperados, optou-se por realizar um amplo referencial teórico, envolvendo três itens: desenvolvimento, abordagens sistêmico-cibernéticas e objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável. Os resultados mostraram que é possível aplicar o VSM no sistema administrativo das prefeituras municipais, sendo uma poderosa ferramenta para administrar o a prefeitura de maneira eficiente e também útil para identificar diversas falhas sistêmicas, conforme são expostas nas considerações finais deste trabalho. Por meio da análise fatorial, tendo como base os ODS, foi possível desenvolver um modelo para se medir o desenvolvimento sustentável sistêmico municipal: o ISCDS para os 645 municípios do estado de São Paulo. A partir da obtenção do ISCDS, foram encontrados sete clusters com características diferentes, indicando a necessidade de tratativas administrativas diferentes que visem o desenvolvimento sustentável para cada agrupamento encontrado. / Sustainable municipal development is a complex phenomenon. To understand this phenomenon, it is necessary to take into account not only the way of huge number variables of different dimensions behave, but also how the large number of actors are involved in a dynamic process, constantly transforming the social system of a given region. This dissertation has in its essence, to be a work that is in accordance with the new paradigm of science, discarding simple and ready explanations about development. It seeks to add all the complexity, instability and intersubjectivity that the subject comprehends. Thus, the main objective of this work is to develop and diagnose the municipal town hall administration system for the sustainable development, based on the sustainable development goals (SDG). The methods used are the Viable System Model (VSM) for the municipal town hall management, and the factor analysis to model the Systemic-Cybernetic Indicator of Sustainable Development (SCISD) for the municipalities of the state of São Paulo. Specific objectives are also developed in order to contribute to the main objective. These include: a) to differentiate the various development concepts, b) to identify the system where local development takes place, b) to check how the SDGs can promote systemic development, c) to identify the main variables that could be used to measure sustainable development, and which of them are connected to each of the UN\'s SDGs and, finally, d) to identify the differences between the municipalities of the state of São Paulo, creating clusters of similar municipalities according to the SCISD developed. To do so, this is a systemic work both in its philosophy and structure. It was adopted methods and techniques both quantitative and qualitative to explore to the results of the research questions. In order to obtain sufficient knowledge about the topics addressed and to propose a solid methodological basis to show the expected results, it was decided to make a broad theoretical reference, involving three items: development, systems thinking and cybernetics approaches and sustainable development goals. The results showed that it is possible to apply the VSM in the administrative system of the city halls, being a powerful tool not only to manage the city in an efficient way, but also useful to identify several systemic failures, as they are exposed in the final considerations of this work. Through the factorial analysis, based on the SDGs, it was also possible to develop a model to measure the level of municipal sustainable development: the SCISD for the 645 municipalities of the state of São Paulo. Also, from the SCISD, seven clusters with different characteristics were found, indicating the need for different administrative approaches according to the different at sustainable development characteristics found in each cluster.

THIS THESIS PRESENTS an empirical ethnographic study that has been conducted as fieldwork within army command organizations, leading to a qualitative analysis of data. The title of the thesis captures the contents of both command work and research, both domains being affected by new technologies during a period of drastic changes in the military institution. The overriding research question was why efforts to implement modern information technology are so slow, costly, and why the contribution from the output as regards higher control efficiency is so uncertain. Two cases will be described and analysed. One is a meeting and the other is the development of a computer artefact. Based on these two cases, the study suggests that social value and not only rational control efficiency defines what is applied, both in the development process and in practice. Knowledge and power, expertise and authority, represented by experts and formal leaders have to be brought together if the work is to be efficient. Both knowledge from research and information technology will be rejected, if considered irrelevant. I have called this applying a rationality of practice. From the case analysis it can be said that command work is not ordinary managerial work. Rather, it is a kind of design work, dynamic and hard to define and control. Command work is knowledge-intensive; it designs and produces symbols. Therefore it is very flexible and involves interpretation and negotiation of both its content and products. The most important symbol is the Army, which must be visible and credible, built from real components. Command work is pragmatic and opportunistic, conducted by experts in the modern military command structure who transform the operational environment, and control it through controlling actions. In that respect autonomy, a prerequisite to meet evolving events—frictions—and power become core issues, interchangeable goals and means for flexible social control, in cybernetic terms variety. Key concepts are social value, function and visibility. Actors must be visible in the command work, and make work visible. Consequently, when designing control tools, such as information systems, the design challenge is to reconcile dynamic and pragmatic demands for power, autonomy and control with demands for stability. Such an organization becomes a viable system, one that can survive, because there is no conflict between its mind and physical resources. In operational terms, this means having freedom of action. The prerequisite to achieve this is one perspective on knowledge and information and that information systems match the needs growing from within the work because work builds the organization.

A teoria sobre as capacidades dinâmicas acolhe influências de várias teorias que a antecederam no campo da economia, da teoria das organizações e da estratégia. Em função dessas influências variadas, seu construto central, a capacidade dinâmica, tornou-se complexo e multifacetado. Vários autores especulam acerca da natureza e da evolução das capacidades dinâmicas. A percepção que se tem a partir das definições fornecidas pelos autores seminais é de que a natureza das capacidades dinâmicas é sistêmica e evolutiva. Em particular, é perceptível a afinidade do conceito de capacidades dinâmicas com duas abordagens sistêmicas específicas: o modelo do sistema viável (viable system model, VSM) e a metodologia sistêmica soft (soft systems methodology, SSM). Entretanto, apesar dessa aparente afinidade das capacidades dinâmicas com a visão sistêmica, estudos que relacionem os dois domínios da literatura são muito raros. Praticamente inexistem trabalhos que apliquem o VSM ou a SSM no estudo ou na administração de capacidades dinâmicas. O objetivo desta pesquisa é investigar a natureza e a evolução das capacidades dinâmicas sob uma perspectiva sistêmico-evolutiva. Como descrever a natureza das capacidades dinâmicas segundo uma perspectiva sistêmico-evolutiva? Como operacionalizar uma abordagem de administração evolutiva de capacidades dinâmicas através de metodologias sistêmicas como o VSM e a SSM? Essas são as perguntas que orientam este estudo. Através de revisão narrativa de literatura, a visão de capacidades dinâmicas e as teorias que a influenciaram foram analisadas e relacionadas com a visão sistêmica. Além disso, na falta de artigos que relacionassem os dois domínios da literatura, empreendeu-se uma revisão integrativa de literatura com artigos que tratam sobre a construção, desenvolvimento, evolução, obtenção, manutenção, mobilização e gerenciamento de capacidades dinâmicas. Esses artigos foram submetidos à análise categorial, uma variante da análise de conteúdo, para verificar a ocorrência de temas relacionados ao VSM e à SSM. Como resultado da revisão narrativa, demonstrou-se que a visão de capacidades dinâmicas está intimamente relacionada com a visão sistêmica, inclusive com o VSM e a SSM. Essa relação é uma herança da relação que as teorias que influenciaram a visão de capacidades dinâmicas já possuíam com a visão sistêmica. A revisão integrativa de literatura com análise de conteúdo permitiu concluir que (1) as capacidades dinâmicas têm, de fato, uma natureza evolutiva, (2) a intervenção da administração tem um papel importante na construção e na evolução de capacidades dinâmicas, e (3) essa intervenção pode ocorrer de duas maneiras básicas, que se chamou de evolução por projeto e evolução por aprendizagem, que se relacionou, respectivamente, às abordagens do VSM e da SSM. As descobertas da pesquisa foram sintetizadas em um modelo sistêmico evolutivo de organização que possui múltiplas vistas: um modelo hierárquico de administração de recursos e capacidades, um modelo recursivo de competências, um modelo recursivo de capacidades, um modelo de evolução de capacidades e um modelo de administração evolutiva baseado no VSM e na SSM. A pesquisa oferece uma contribuição teórica, no que diz respeito à compreensão da natureza sistêmica das capacidades dinâmicas. A pesquisa também oferece uma contribuição prática, ao propor a administração evolutiva, operacionalizada através do VSM e da SSM, como uma abordagem para o gerenciamento das capacidades dinâmicas. / The theory of dynamic capabilities gathers influences from several theories that preceded it in the fields of economics, organizational theory and strategy. Due to these varied influences, its core construct, the dynamic capability, ended up to become complex and multifaceted. Several authors speculate about the nature and the evolution of dynamic capabilities. The perception that we have from the definitions provided by the seminal authors is that the nature of dynamic capabilities is systemic and evolutionary. In particular, it is noticeable the affinity of the dynamic capability concept with two specific systems approaches: the viable system model (VSM) and the soft systems methodology (SSM). However, despite this seemingly affinity of dynamic capabilities with systems approach, studies that relate both realms of the literature are very scarce. There are practically no studies that apply the VSM or SSM in the study or the management of dynamic capabilities. The goal of the present research is to investigate the nature and the evolution of dynamic capabilities under a systemic-evolutionary approach. How to conceive the nature of dynamic capabilities according to a systemic-evolutionary perspective? How to operationalize an evolutionary management approach to dynamic capabilities by using systems methodologies such as the VSM and SSM? These are the questions that drive this research. By means of a narrative literature review, the dynamic capabilities view and the theories that influenced it were analyzed and related with systems thinking. In addition, given the lack of articles that relate both realms of the literature, an integrative literature review was undertaken with articles that address the construction, development, evolution, attainment, maintenance, deployment and management of dynamic capabilities. These articles were submitted to categorical analysis, a variation of content analysis, to verify the occurrence of themes related to the VSM and SSM. As a result of the narrative literature review, we showed that the dynamic capabilities view is closely related to the systems thinking, including to the VSM and SSM. This relation in an inheritance of the relation that the theories that influenced the dynamic capabilities view already had with systems thinking. The integrative literature review with content analysis led to the conclusion that (1) the dynamic capabilities do have an evolutionary nature, (2) the intervention of management has an important role in building and evolving dynamic capabilities, and (3) this intervention can take two basic approaches, that we named evolution by design and evolution by learning, which we respectively related to the approaches of the VSM and SSM. The findings of the research were synthesized in a evolutionary system model of the organization that has several multiple views: a hierarchical model for resources management, a recursive model of competences, a recursive model of capabilities, a capabilities evolution model and a model for evolutionary management based on the VSM and SSM. The research provides a theoretical contribution, which regards the understanding of the systemic nature of dynamic capabilities. The research also provides a practical contribution, as it proposes evolutionary management, operationalized by applying the VSM and SSM, as an approach to the management of the dynamic capabilities.

O trabalho apresenta um estudo com a finalidade de verificar a aplicabilidade do Modelo do Sistema Viável (VSM Viable System Model) no projeto de uma arquitetura robusta de um Sistema de Informação voltado à área naval nuclear. A ênfase do estudo está em avaliar uma modelagem alternativa para a especificação da arquitetura do Sistema de Informação, incorporando o conjunto de funcionalidades especificadas pelo VSM, com o objetivo de fortalecer esta arquitetura. A estratégia desta pesquisa baseia-se em uma revisão bibliográfica relacionada ao VSM, aos Sistemas de Informação e a sua arquitetura, e às influências destes elementos na sobrevivência das organizações diante das mudanças constantes no ambiente. É apresentado um estudo de caso onde são mostrados os elementos teóricos do VSM e da arquitetura de SI aplicados na elaboração da arquitetura de um SI. O Sistema escolhido para esta aplicação é o Sistema de informação de incidentes nucleares (SIN) nas instalações onde são feitas pesquisas e desenvolvimento de tecnologia nuclear a ser aplicada na propulsão de um submarino. / The present work presents a study aiming to verify the applicability of the Viable System Model (VSM) in a robust architecture for an Information System targeting nuclear naval area. The emphasis of the study is in assessing an alternative modeling for the Information System (IS) architecture specification, incorporating a set of functionalities defined by the VSM, with the purpose of strengthening this architecture. The strategy of this research is based on a bibliographic revision on VSM, Information System and its architecture, and the influence of those elements in the survival of the organizations in a ever changing environment. It is presented one case study where it is showed the theoretical elements of the VSM and IS architecture applied on the development of a IS architecture. The selected system for this application is the IS for nuclear incidents (SIN) on the installations dedicated to research and development on nuclear technology applied to submarine propulsion system.

A teoria sobre as capacidades dinâmicas acolhe influências de várias teorias que a antecederam no campo da economia, da teoria das organizações e da estratégia. Em função dessas influências variadas, seu construto central, a capacidade dinâmica, tornou-se complexo e multifacetado. Vários autores especulam acerca da natureza e da evolução das capacidades dinâmicas. A percepção que se tem a partir das definições fornecidas pelos autores seminais é de que a natureza das capacidades dinâmicas é sistêmica e evolutiva. Em particular, é perceptível a afinidade do conceito de capacidades dinâmicas com duas abordagens sistêmicas específicas: o modelo do sistema viável (viable system model, VSM) e a metodologia sistêmica soft (soft systems methodology, SSM). Entretanto, apesar dessa aparente afinidade das capacidades dinâmicas com a visão sistêmica, estudos que relacionem os dois domínios da literatura são muito raros. Praticamente inexistem trabalhos que apliquem o VSM ou a SSM no estudo ou na administração de capacidades dinâmicas. O objetivo desta pesquisa é investigar a natureza e a evolução das capacidades dinâmicas sob uma perspectiva sistêmico-evolutiva. Como descrever a natureza das capacidades dinâmicas segundo uma perspectiva sistêmico-evolutiva? Como operacionalizar uma abordagem de administração evolutiva de capacidades dinâmicas através de metodologias sistêmicas como o VSM e a SSM? Essas são as perguntas que orientam este estudo. Através de revisão narrativa de literatura, a visão de capacidades dinâmicas e as teorias que a influenciaram foram analisadas e relacionadas com a visão sistêmica. Além disso, na falta de artigos que relacionassem os dois domínios da literatura, empreendeu-se uma revisão integrativa de literatura com artigos que tratam sobre a construção, desenvolvimento, evolução, obtenção, manutenção, mobilização e gerenciamento de capacidades dinâmicas. Esses artigos foram submetidos à análise categorial, uma variante da análise de conteúdo, para verificar a ocorrência de temas relacionados ao VSM e à SSM. Como resultado da revisão narrativa, demonstrou-se que a visão de capacidades dinâmicas está intimamente relacionada com a visão sistêmica, inclusive com o VSM e a SSM. Essa relação é uma herança da relação que as teorias que influenciaram a visão de capacidades dinâmicas já possuíam com a visão sistêmica. A revisão integrativa de literatura com análise de conteúdo permitiu concluir que (1) as capacidades dinâmicas têm, de fato, uma natureza evolutiva, (2) a intervenção da administração tem um papel importante na construção e na evolução de capacidades dinâmicas, e (3) essa intervenção pode ocorrer de duas maneiras básicas, que se chamou de evolução por projeto e evolução por aprendizagem, que se relacionou, respectivamente, às abordagens do VSM e da SSM. As descobertas da pesquisa foram sintetizadas em um modelo sistêmico evolutivo de organização que possui múltiplas vistas: um modelo hierárquico de administração de recursos e capacidades, um modelo recursivo de competências, um modelo recursivo de capacidades, um modelo de evolução de capacidades e um modelo de administração evolutiva baseado no VSM e na SSM. A pesquisa oferece uma contribuição teórica, no que diz respeito à compreensão da natureza sistêmica das capacidades dinâmicas. A pesquisa também oferece uma contribuição prática, ao propor a administração evolutiva, operacionalizada através do VSM e da SSM, como uma abordagem para o gerenciamento das capacidades dinâmicas. / The theory of dynamic capabilities gathers influences from several theories that preceded it in the fields of economics, organizational theory and strategy. Due to these varied influences, its core construct, the dynamic capability, ended up to become complex and multifaceted. Several authors speculate about the nature and the evolution of dynamic capabilities. The perception that we have from the definitions provided by the seminal authors is that the nature of dynamic capabilities is systemic and evolutionary. In particular, it is noticeable the affinity of the dynamic capability concept with two specific systems approaches: the viable system model (VSM) and the soft systems methodology (SSM). However, despite this seemingly affinity of dynamic capabilities with systems approach, studies that relate both realms of the literature are very scarce. There are practically no studies that apply the VSM or SSM in the study or the management of dynamic capabilities. The goal of the present research is to investigate the nature and the evolution of dynamic capabilities under a systemic-evolutionary approach. How to conceive the nature of dynamic capabilities according to a systemic-evolutionary perspective? How to operationalize an evolutionary management approach to dynamic capabilities by using systems methodologies such as the VSM and SSM? These are the questions that drive this research. By means of a narrative literature review, the dynamic capabilities view and the theories that influenced it were analyzed and related with systems thinking. In addition, given the lack of articles that relate both realms of the literature, an integrative literature review was undertaken with articles that address the construction, development, evolution, attainment, maintenance, deployment and management of dynamic capabilities. These articles were submitted to categorical analysis, a variation of content analysis, to verify the occurrence of themes related to the VSM and SSM. As a result of the narrative literature review, we showed that the dynamic capabilities view is closely related to the systems thinking, including to the VSM and SSM. This relation in an inheritance of the relation that the theories that influenced the dynamic capabilities view already had with systems thinking. The integrative literature review with content analysis led to the conclusion that (1) the dynamic capabilities do have an evolutionary nature, (2) the intervention of management has an important role in building and evolving dynamic capabilities, and (3) this intervention can take two basic approaches, that we named evolution by design and evolution by learning, which we respectively related to the approaches of the VSM and SSM. The findings of the research were synthesized in a evolutionary system model of the organization that has several multiple views: a hierarchical model for resources management, a recursive model of competences, a recursive model of capabilities, a capabilities evolution model and a model for evolutionary management based on the VSM and SSM. The research provides a theoretical contribution, which regards the understanding of the systemic nature of dynamic capabilities. The research also provides a practical contribution, as it proposes evolutionary management, operationalized by applying the VSM and SSM, as an approach to the management of the dynamic capabilities.

The Intelligent Control Paradigm for software architecture is the result of this work. The Viable Software Approach is developed as an instance of the paradigm. The approach uses the Viable System Model as the basis for software system architecture. The result is a model-based architecture and approach for developing software systems by piecemeal adaptation with the goal that they become adaptive systems at runtime. Software built in this manner is called Viable Software. Viable Software represents a unifying class of self-controlling software that is an “intelligent” control system. Cybernetics, Control Theory, and Complexity Theory are the background for this work, and aspects relevant to this work are presented. These results are related to software architecture and software engineering. Rationale for the selection of the Viable System Model as a basis for software systems is given. The Viable System Model is described. The model is restated as an Alexanderian “pattern language” to make it more accessible to software engineering. A Viable Software Approach is proposed and expressed in the form of a Product Line Architecture that arranges the Viable System Model, the Viable Software Architecture, a Viable Component Framework, and a Component Transfer Protocol into a system for generative programming. An important result is the formalisation of the pattern of the Viable System into the interface specifications of the Viable Component. Three case studies illustrate the approach. The first is an analysis and extension of the Groove collaboration system. This study shows how the approach is used to map an existing system into the Viable Software Architecture and add fuzzy-adaptive user interface controllers. The second study presents the design and detailed software construction of an adaptive camera controller as part of a smart environment. The final study shows how a Business-to-Business e-Commerce system can be evolved and an expert system-based controller developed to implement business contracts.