Using Structural Coupling Approach for Defining and Maintaining Identity of an Educational Institution. Experience Report
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This document presents a model for defining and maintaining the identity of an educational institution using structural coupling theory. It discusses: - Background on the Viable System Model and structural coupling concepts - An identity model developed for the Department of Computer and System Sciences (DSV) at Stockholm University - Five examples of how DSV managed changes that affected its structural couplings in the past - Lessons learned around maintaining structural couplings when implementing changes The conclusion is that structural coupling can be a useful framework for managing organizational identity, and future work could focus on testing the model from the perspectives of different structurally coupled stakeholders.
Using Structural Coupling Approach for Defining and Maintaining Identity of an Educational Institution. Experience Report
- 1. DSV SU Using Structural Coupling Approach for Defining & Maintaining Identity of an Educational Institution Experience Report 1 Ilia Bider and Erik Perjons 7/3/2018 4th International Workshop on Socio-Technical Perspective in IS Development (STPIS'18) , Tallinn, June 12, 2018
- 2. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Objective Create a kind of practical model that would help a higher education institution, like a department or school at a university, to make informed decisions on how to maintain its identity 2
- 3. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Plan of presentation • Background (Viable System Model and Structural Coupling) • Identity model of DSV • Analysis of examples of identity management from the past • Lessons learned • Conclusion 3
- 4. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Viable System Model (VSM) Viable system – a system that can adapt to the changing environment via adjusting itself to changes or/and influencing the directions in which the environment changes VSM – defines the structure of the viable system S. Beer, The Heart of Enterprise, Chichester : Wiley, 1979. . 4
- 5. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Viable System Model (VSM) A. Golnam, G. Regev and W. A., "On Viable Service Systems: Developing a Modeling Framework for Analysis of Viability in Service Systems," in Exploring Services Science, IESS,2011,LNBIP Vol. 82, Springer, 2011, pp. 30-41.. . 5 Identification Naming System 1 Operations, Implementation, Delivery System 2 Coordination System 3 Control, Delivery management, Cohesion, Homeostasis System 4 Intelligence, Future, Heterostasis System 5 Identity, Policy
- 6. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Structural Coupling 6 L. Fell, D. Russell. An introduction to ‘Maturana's’ biology. L. Fell, D. Russell, A. Stewart (Eds.), Seized by agreement, swamped by understanding, Hawkesbury, Sydney (1994).
- 7. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Business Case • Department of Computer and System Sciences, abbreviated to DSV, at Stockholm University • Bachelor, master, and doctoral programs in the fields of Computer Science and Information Systems. • About 5000 students in undergraduate and graduate studies • About 180 staff members including teachers and administrative staff Only educational activities are considered in this study . 7
- 8. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Finding Coupled Elements 8 Concept Rule Input Identify essential for the system inputs. Find out the systems that produce these inputs. These, potentially, are structurally coupled elements of the system's environment. Output Identify system's outputs, even unintended ones, like waste produced during the operations. Identify the systems that consume (voluntary or involuntary) the outputs. These, potentially, are structurally coupled elements of the system's environment. VSM Identify systems of which the organization in focus is a part, i.e. a semi-autonomous System 1 unit. This can be done for several level of recursive decomposition of the upper system(s). Identify the management subsystems (System 3) of these upper systems. These, potentially, are structurally coupled elements of the system's environment. Location Identify physical location of the organization in focus. The system in focus might be structurally coupled to the location. This is not always true, e.g. not for a virtual enterprise.
- 9. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Identity Model of DSV 9
- 10. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Socio-Technical Matrix 10 Social Technical Methods Structure Technology People
- 11. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Examples of Identity Management 11 # Case name Structural coupling Affected parts 1 Introducing international MS programs LLES Technical changing teaching language to English 2 Introduction of a new process for BS and MS theses courses SHEMS Social and technical. A new process established with a set of responsibilities defined for different groups of academic staff. People trained to work differently. New technology (system) introduced 3 Dealing with decreasing levels of students' academic preparedness LLES Technical – changing teaching methods and utilizing new technology 4 Introducing Bologna Process recommendations UMS ES Technical – reducing the number of courses, while remaining relevant to ES 5 Introducing distance MS programs SM Technical – changing teaching methods and using new technology
- 12. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Structure of Examples 12 DSV School (LLES) Employment (ES) Stockholm (SM) University (UMS) State (SHEMS) Output Input Location Management Higher Management When Cause Conditions Changes Methods Structure Technology People Synopsis - Affected structural coupling - Affected components of the socio-technical system School (LLES) Methods
- 13. 7/3/2018 DSV SU #1 - Introducing international MS programs 13 DSV School (LLES) Employment (ES) Stockholm (SM) University (UMS) State (SHEMS) Output Input Location Management Higher Management When End of 1990th Cause • Demographic deep • IT boom Conditions All programs taught in Swedish ( hinders for international students) Changes International MS programs taught in English Methods Structure Technology People
- 14. 7/3/2018 DSV SU #2 - Introduction of a new process for theses courses 14 DSV School (LLES) Employment (ES) Stockholm (SM) University (UMS) State (SHEMS) Output Input Location Management Higher Management When 2011 Cause Inspection from SAHE found the quality of thesis reports low. Threat of closing some programs Conditions Despite high employability of graduates. Forgetting importance of the structural coupling. Changes Thesis course redesign, new set of responsibilities, new management system Methods Structure Technology People
- 15. 7/3/2018 DSV SU #3 - Decreasing levels of academic preparedness 15 DSV School (LLES) Employment (ES) Stockholm (SM) University (UMS) State (SHEMS) Output Input Location Management Higher Management When During the last two decades Cause Policy changes Conditions Without formally changing requirements on the graduates Changes Teaching Methods. Utilizing technology Methods Structure Technology People
- 16. 7/3/2018 DSV SU #4 - Introducing Bologna recommendations 16 DSV School (LLES) Employment (ES) Stockholm (SM) University (UMS) State (SHEMS) Output Input Location Management Higher Management When Around 2000 Cause University accepting Bologna recommendation Conditions The undergraduate programs where 1 year longer, why post-graduate program was one year shorter Changes Cutting up the number of causes while remaining relevant to employees Methods Structure Technology People
- 17. 7/3/2018 DSV SU #5 - Introducing distance MS programs 17 DSV School (LLES) Employment (ES) Stockholm (SM) University (UMS) State (SHEMS) Output Input Location Management Higher Management When 2010th Cause Lack of Resources. Attracting better students Conditions Technology that supports distance education Changes Teaching methods, technology Methods Structure Technology People
- 18. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Lessons Learned 1. When making a decision that affects structural coupling to one of the elements of the environment, there is a need to see how it may affect structural coupling to other components 2. Making a change or allowing a change happened evolutionary while forgetting an important structural coupling may result in an existential threat 3. Changes related to managing structural coupling may affect any component of the socio-technical structure of an organization: methods, technology, people, or their relations. 4. When considering decisions related to structural coupling, there is a need to take into consideration the capabilities existing in the current (socio-technical) system. A decision that does not require developing new capabilities, e.g. hiring new people, or convincing the existing staff to change their research directions, has more chances for success than when the development of new capabilities is required 18
- 19. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Conclusion & Future Research Conclusion: Using the concept of structural coupling for creating a practically useful model for managing organizational identity could be considered as verified, at least partially, for a higher education institution. Future: Testing a model for investigating image from the perspective of different structurally coupled elements. 19
- 20. 7/3/2018 DSV SU Q & A Thank you for your patience Questions and comments Please Contact: [email protected] 20