Management cybernetics

Citation

Rudall, B.H. (1999), "Management cybernetics", Kybernetes, Vol. 28 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/k.1999.06728baa.002

Management cybernetics

Keywords Automation, Cybernetics, Research and development

Abstract Presents reports and surveys of selected current research and development in systems and cybernetics. They include: Cybernetics studies in Romania; Management cybernetics; Nanofabrication; Global information access; Web publishing revolution?; Innovations in systems and cybernetics.

Management cybernetics

1. New distributed information management initiative

In the UK a new distributed information management (DIM) programme to develop long-term innovations has been launched. It is hoped that this initiative will make it easier and more efficient for people to retrieve what they want from globally interconnected distributed information sources.

The programme is going to address complex technical and organisational issues. It will have a budget of some £1-2 million for each of the next three years. The advisers to the DIM programme, speaking about its structure and objectives say that:

Traditional approaches to storing, indexing, searching and managing information are proving to be inadequate for meeting the demands posed by the qualitative change in the amount of information that people need to manage and access for research, business or leisure.

In order to overcome current limitations on fully exploiting technological capabilities, answers must be found to some hard and important research challenges.

The following are some of the areas that challenge the DIM initiative and incidentally are areas of research and development for management scientists who work in cybernetics and systems:

Such challenges will be covered by DIM in areas such as: techniques for describing the qualities and interactions of distributed information systems; strategies for supporting information searching; data fusion from diverse distributed sources; privacy and integrity controls; distributed architectural design; dealing with inconsistencies; fault tolerance; and the management of evolution and change.

The independent consultant Dr Martyn Thomas, who is also Chairman Emeritus of Praxis Critical Systems Ltd (UK), believes that:

An important objective of DIM should be to create a community of people that can stimulate each other's work in addressing the very complex issues in distributed information management.

This is vital because current work is fragmented and progress depends on developing more vertical integration between all related activities, from data storage through to retrieval and use.

The programme is funded by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and a series of workshops on DIM are to be held to help build up the community. Details of these and further information on DIM can be obtained from: P. Hedges (UK Tel: 01793 444426).

2. European telework

Teleworking in practice

At the end of last year a European Telework week was held to highlight the importance of this new way of work and to provide a framework in which to debate the significant impact of telework on work practices. It has resulted in a new concept for management cybernetics called Companies in Cyberspace.

There is, unfortunately, no completely satisfactory definition of teleworking, but best estimates, available only for Europe, indicate that 4 million Europeans (that is 2.5 per cent of the workforce) are currently involved in some form of telework activity.

Erberhard Köhler, who is a co-ordinator for information technology research in the European Foundation of the Community (EEC), views the development of teleworking as part of the evolution towards greater flexibility in many aspects of work. He says:

These developments reflect the move away from the standard assumption that work must be performed in a central workplace where people come to work and then go home again. The emphasis is growing on greater spatial flexibility, in working time and in work contracts.

Virtual companies

Köhler is currently researching a new form of work organization ­ the virtual company ­ an electronic networking company where a number of people with specialist skills come together, usually via the Internet, to do a specific task for which these skills are needed. The multi-media industry is a typical example. In the virtual company scenario, a sound engineer teams up electronically on the Internet, with computer, graphic and text specialists to compete for a large contract. If successful, they carry out the job, operating as a virtual company for a limited period.

Operating as a virtual company, Köhler and with a team of experts have produced a guide for virtual companies in CD-ROM format in German and English. It includes background information on:

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  how decentralized working has developed;

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  the opportunities and the pitfalls of the virtual company; and

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  the route companies and individuals can take towards electronic decentralization.

The CD-ROM has links to the Web site of the University of Berne, which carries case studies of operating virtual companies.

Evaluation features

The CD-ROM features a questionnaire which assists companies in evaluating their own position vis-à-vis decentralisation.

It also makes suggestions as to steps which need to be taken to move a company closer to virtualization. The CD-ROM has already been presented in the UK at the Henley Management College last year.

The European Guide for Virtual Companies ­ A Framework for Action ­ CD-ROM costs ECU20. On request 100 copies are available free. In return the Foundation is anxious to have feedback from users which can be submitted via an electronic evaluation form incorporated on the CD-ROM. Contact: camilla.gallidabino@eurofound.ie