virtual learning organisations

[jwolfend@metz.une.edu.au (John W]

Hello all.

I am doing PhD research into how policies to achieve sustainable
development might best be identified and implemented. The case study for
this study will be the New South Wales Beef Feedlot Industry.

I propose to use a combined systems dynamics/learning organisation approach
of the type described in Morecroft and Sternman 1994, "Modeling for
Learning Organisations".

The main stakeholders involved in the policy process have been tentatively
identified as: Politician(s) responsible for environmental policy, the
policy implementation and enforcement agency (the New South Wales
Environment Protection Authority), environmentalists (perhaps represented
by an established group such as the Australian Conservation Foundation),
and producers (probably represented for modelling purposes by some
hypothetical production unit or units).

I am toying with the idea of examining the processes and interactions
involved by assuming that these stakeholders behave like a virtual
organisation which produces "goods" (beef products, nutrients, votes for
the politician) and "bads" (nutrients, other pollutants, odour). Nutrients
can be undesirable if they occur in the wrong place (e.g. phosphates in the
waterways), and beneficial if used as fertiliser.

By involving the stakeholders in the modelling process, their understanding
of the processes and interactions would be increased, and the possibility
of developing shared vision exists. Thus, some basic foundations of
learning organisations exist.

Does anyone have useful insights into this? Is a virtual organisation
approach valid? How else might I investigate this from the perspective of
LO theory/practice? Is anyone doing similar research?

Thank you in anticipation of some helpful responses.

John



John Wolfenden, Centre for Agricultural & Resource Economics (CARE),
University of New England, ARMIDALE NSW 2351 AUSTRALIA;
Intl code +61 67 / Austn code 067 - Phone: 733930; Fax: 733944;
email:jwolfend@metz.une.edu.au

["Prof. Khalid Saeed"]

To: John Wolfden

You seem to be considering modeling of implicit processes and intangible
variables, which have a great influence on system behavior, but which are
rarely included in formal analyses as it is difficult to represent them.
Fortunately, system dynamics is very amenable to doing this. You might
find many examples in the SDR and the SD conference proceedings. I would
also recommend taking a look the following three papers I wrote some time
ago.

Saeed, K. 1993. The Dynamics of Collegial Systems in the Developing
Countries. 1993 System Dynamics Conference Proceedings, Cancun, Mexico

Saeed, K. 1990. Government Support for Economic Agenda in the Developing
Countries. World Development. 18(6).

Saeed, K. 1986. The Dynamics of Economic Growth and Political Instability
in the Developing Countries. System Dynamics Review. 2(1).

Additionally, There is impressive work on Energy Futures by
Professor Choucri at MIT. Last, but not least, pioneering work was done
by Professor Roberts on R&D management long ago that posited formal
analysis of a very informal organizational set up. More recent work on
project management and software development, notably by Abdel-Hamid
and Madnick represent very innovative investigations into understanding
informal relationships in organizations.

Khalid Saeed
saeed@ait.ac.th