scholarly journals A systems perspective as a tool to understand disruption in travel and tourism

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Postma ◽  
Ian Seymour Yeoman
Keyword(s):  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Scenario Planning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Travel And Tourism ◽  
Systems Perspective ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Strategic Foresight

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of systems thinking and its value for strategic foresight and scenario planning to address disruptive forces from the outside, with the outbreak of COVID19 as a case study. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual paper concisely discusses the notion of systems thinking and the concept of complex adaptive systems and puts this in the context of contemporary society in general and travel and tourism in particular. Strategic foresight and scenario planning are introduced as an approach to anticipate disruptions in the complex adaptive travel and tourism system. Findings As COVID-19 has demonstrated, travel and tourism is sensitive for disruptions from the outside. To ensure long-term resilience and sustainability, a systems approach embedded in strategic foresight and scenario planning is emphasised. Practical implications Strategic foresight and scenario planning is a competence that can be learned. Originality/value Given the present status of COVID-19 and other disruptors on travel and tourism, a resilient approach to the future is necessary; thus, the value of this viewpoint paper is the proposition of an adaptive capacity system. This paper offers advice to understand and manage complexity and adaptive systems.

Remarks on whale cultures from a complex systems perspective

2001 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 344-344
Author(s):  
Gottfried Mayer-Kress ◽  
Mason A. Porter
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Small World ◽  
Small World Networks ◽  
Systems Perspective ◽  
Target Article ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Spatio Temporal

The target article provides stimulating evidence for culture in cetaceans but does not provide a coherent theoretical framework. We argue that a complex, adaptive systems approach not only can provide such a framework but also can contribute advanced data analysis and simulation methods. For humpback whale songs, we suggest the framework of “small-world networks” to model the observed spatio-temporal dynamics.

scholarly journals Investigating work and learning through complex adaptive organisations

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 554-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Louise Lizier
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Learning And Adaptation ◽  
Industry Sectors ◽  
Sydney Australia

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline an empirical study of how professionals experience work and learning in complex adaptive organisations. The study uses a complex adaptive systems approach, which forms the basis of a specifically developed conceptual framework for explaining professionals’ experiences of work and learning. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 professionals from a variety of organisations, industry sectors and occupations in Sydney, Australia. The transcripts were subjected to an adapted phenomenographic analysis, and an analysis using the complex adaptive organisations conceptual framework (CAOCF). Findings The findings indicated that professionals experienced learning mainly through work, where work was experienced as fluid and influenced by varying degrees of emergence, agency, complex social networks and adaptation. Further, the greater the degree of work fluidity, the greater the impetus towards learning through work, empirically indicating that the experience of learning in contemporary organisations is entwined with work. Originality/value This study used the concept of complex adaptive organisations as a conceptual framework, coupled with an adapted phenomenographic methodology, to investigate individual professionals’ experiences of work and learning. The adoption of the concept of complex adaptive organisations provided a rigorous way to adopt a complexity approach. In particular, the concept of emergence provides insights into how organisational complexity influences work and, subsequently, learning and adaptation.

scholarly journals Destination governance in times of change: a complex adaptive systems perspective to improve tourism destination development

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Hartman
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
System Level ◽  
Tourism Destination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Tourism Development ◽  
Systems Perspective ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
The Individual

PurposeThis paper brings together the literature on theories of complexity adaptive systems (CAS), develops an analytical framework, applies this framework to the development of tourism destinations and critically reflects on the use of this perspective.Design/methodology/approachThis paper elaborates on a CAS perspective on destination development, to further develop complexity thinking in tourism studies. This approach enables to identify policy avenues geared towards improving destination governance and contributing to sustainable tourism development.FindingsTheories of CAS offer an analytical lens to better understand destination development, drawing explicit attention to (1) the levels of the individual, (emergent) structures, the structure-agency interface and the system level, (2) the steps related to the process of adaptation that is critical for systems to survive and thrive in times of change and (3) the undervalued importance of considering the factor of time.Originality/valueApplying CAS theories help to address a range of (policy) avenues to improve destination governance, contributing to a shift in focus from reactively fixing problems to proactively addressing the structural issue of adaptive capacity building. It shows that managing tourism destination as complex systems involves a set of conditions that are critical as well as difficult to meet in tourism practice.

scholarly journals Re-considering the nature of work in complex adaptive organisations – fluid work as a driver of learning through work

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda L. Lizier
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
Industry Sectors ◽  
Sydney Australia

Purpose This paper aims to draw on data from a study of professionals’ experiences of work and learning framed by a complex adaptive systems approach to examine the nexus of work and learning in complex adaptive organisations. Design/methodology/approach The study used an adapted phenomenographic approach and the complex adaptive systems conceptual framework (CAOCF) to analyse data from semi-structured interviews with fourteen professionals from a variety of organisations and industry sectors within Sydney, Australia. Findings The findings highlight that work in complex adaptive organisations is best described as fluid work. Further, the findings suggest that fluid work influences professionals towards flexible learning approaches that take place in the flow of work. Originality/value This paper empirically demonstrates the nexus of work and learning as experienced by professionals in their day-to-day work, as well as the ways in which fluid work influences flexible and adaptable learning through participation in work.

scholarly journals A Transdisciplinary Complex Adaptive Systems (T-CAS) Approach to Developing a National School-Based Culture of Prevention for Health Improvement: the School Health Research Network (SHRN) in Wales

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Murphy ◽  
Hannah Littlecott ◽  
Gillian Hewitt ◽  
Sarah MacDonald ◽  
Joan Roberts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
School Health ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Culture Of Prevention

AbstractThe paper reflects on a transdisciplinary complex adaptive systems (T-CAS) approach to the development of a school health research network (SHRN) in Wales for a national culture of prevention for health improvement in schools. A T-CAS approach focuses on key stages and activities within a continuous network cycle to facilitate systems level change. The theory highlights the importance of establishing transdisciplinary strategic partnerships to identify and develop opportunities for system reorientation. Investment in and the linking of resources develops the capacity for key social agents to take advantage of disruption points in the re-orientated system, and engagement activities develop the network to facilitate new social interactions and opportunities for transdisciplinary activities. A focus on transdisciplinary action research to co-produce interventions, generate research evidence and inform policy and practice is shown to play an important part in developing new normative processes that act to self-regulate the emerging system. Finally, the provision of reciprocal network benefits provides critical feedback loops that stabilise the emerging adaptive system and promote the network cycle. SHRN is shown to have embedded itself in the system by securing sustainability funding from health and education, a key role in national and regional planning and recruiting every eligible school to the network. It has begun to reorient the system to one of evidence generation (56 research studies co-produced) and opportunities for data-led practice at multiple levels. Further capacity development will be required to capitalise on these. The advantages of a complex systems approach to address barriers to change and the transferability of a T-CAS network approach across settings and cultures are highlighted.

scholarly journals THE ADOPTION OF MANAGEMENT CONTROLS FROM A COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-24
Author(s):  
Joshua Mandre ◽  
◽  
James Kagaari ◽  
Levi Kabagambe ◽  
Joseph Ntayi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Systems Perspective ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Management Controls ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether self-organisation predicts of adoption of management controls in manufacturing firms. The study employed the lens of complex adaptive systems theory to investigate the research question. The study used a cross-sectional survey to collect data from 202 manufacturing firms with the use of a multi-dimensional self-administered questionnaire Data were analyzed quantitatively using PLS-SEM. The findings indicate a positive relationship between innovativeness, emergence and adoption of management controls. The hypothesis for networks of interaction was not supported.

Strategy in the era of “swans”: the role of strategic leadership under uncertainty and unpredictability

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry Adobor ◽  
William Phanuel Kofi Darbi ◽  
Obi Berko O. Damoah
Keyword(s):  
Mental Models ◽  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Strategic Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complexity Leadership ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Strategic Leaders ◽  
Impact Events

PurposeThe purpose of this conceptual paper is to explore the role of strategic leadership under conditions of uncertainty and unpredictability. The authors argue that highly improbable, but high-impact events require the upper echelons of management, traditionally the custodians of strategy formulation to offer a new kind of strategic leadership focused on new mindsets, organizational capabilities, more in tune with high uncertainty and unpredictability.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on strategic leadership, and complexity leadership theory, the authors review the literature and present a conceptual framework for exploring the nature of strategic leadership under uncertainty. The authors conceptualize organizations as complex adaptive systems and discuss the imperatives for developing new mental models for emergent leadership.FindingsStrategic leaders have a key role to play in preparing their organizations for episodic disruptions. These include developing their adaptive capabilities and building resilient organizations to ensure their organizations cannot only bounce back after a disruption but have the capacity for transformation to new fitness levels when necessary. Strategic leaders must engage with complexity leadership by seeing their organizations as complex adaptive systems, reconfigure their leadership approaches and organizations to build strategic adaptive capability.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a conceptual paper and the authors cannot make any claims of causality.Practical implicationsOrganizational leaders need to reconfigure their mental models and leadership approaches to reflect the new normal of uncertainty and unpredictability. Developing the strategic adaptive capability of organizations should prepare them for dealing with high impact events. To assure business continuity in the face of disruptions requires building flexible, adaptable business models.Originality/valueThe paper focuses on how managers can offer strategic leadership for a new normal that challenges some of our most cherished leadership and strategic management paradigms. The authors explore the new mental models and leadership models in an era of great uncertainty.

Complex Adaptive Systems Thinking Approach for Intelligence Base in Support of Intellectual Capital Management

2013 ◽  
pp. 122-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Rabaey
Keyword(s):  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Organizational Design ◽  
Complex Adaptive System ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Systems Thinking Approach

This chapter introduces Complex Adaptive Systems Thinking (CAST) into the domain of Intellectual Capital (IC). CAST is based on the theories of Complex Adaptive System (CAS) and Systems Thinking (ST). It argues that the CAST, combined with Intelligence Base offers a potentially more holistic approach to managing the Intellectual Capital of an organization. Furthermore, the authors extend this IC management with additional dimensions proper to a social entity such as an organization. New organizational design methods are needed and the capability approach is such a method that supports IC in virtual and real organizations. The characteristics of Intellectual Capital are discussed in the iterative process of inquiry and the Cynefin Framework, guaranteeing a holistic view on the organization and its environment.

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