CYBERNETICS & HUMAN KNOWING

Volume 6 No. 2, 1999

Darek M. Eriksson and Volker Wulf: Self-Organising Social Systems: A Challenge to Computer Supported Cooperative Work Full Text

Christiane Floyd: Software Development Process: Some Reflections on its Cultural, Political and Ethical Aspects from a Constructivist Epistemology Point of View  Abstract

Katharina Just-Hahn and Thomas Herrmann: Step-by-Step: A Method to Support Self-organized Co-ordination
within Workflow Management Systems  Abstract

Michael Paetau: Can Virtual Enterprises Build up an Own Identity? Abstract

Volker Wulf: Evolving Cooperation when Introducing Groupware:
A Self-Organization Perspective Abstract

Kurt Dauer Keller: Sociotechnics and the Structuring of Meaning: Beyond the Idea of Autopoietic Social Systems  Abstract

The artist of this issue is Bruno Kjaer

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Index, forewords and abstracts to back volumes

Abstract: The introduction of groupware into organizations impacts the existing patterns of cooperation. Applying the theory of self-organizing social systems, we try to gain insights into these introduction processes. First, we look at Maturana’s theory of autopoietic systems and Luhmann’s analysis of social systems. Then, we present case studies of evolving cooperation when introducing groupware into two organizations of the political administration. Using the theoretical framework developed previously, we analyse these case studies. It turns out that evolution, technical flexibility, and participation are important factors when introducing groupware into organizations.