## The idea in brief The **Viable System Model (VSM)** is a way of understanding how organisations, communities, or even societies can survive in complex and uncertain environments. Developed by **[[Stafford Beer]]** in the 1970s, it draws on **[[Cybernetics]]**, the science of self-regulating systems. Beer argued that for an organisation to remain viable—able to survive and adapt—it must contain certain subsystems that handle day-to-day operations, coordination, strategic intelligence, and policy-making. The model has since been applied to fields ranging from corporate management to public governance. --- ## Key concepts ### Viability - Viability means the ability of a system to **survive independently in its environment**. - A viable system must adapt to changes, maintain internal stability, and continue to deliver value. ### Systems 1–5 Beer described **five interacting subsystems**, each playing a different role: 1. **System 1 – Operations** Units that carry out the organisation’s core activities (e.g. departments, factories, teams). 2. **System 2 – Coordination** Mechanisms that ensure different operational units work in harmony, avoiding conflicts. 3. **System 3 – Control** The internal regulation system. It balances resources, sets rules, and oversees operational performance. 4. **System 4 – Intelligence** Looks outward, scanning the environment, detecting opportunities and threats, and planning for the future. 5. **System 5 – Policy** The identity and ultimate authority of the organisation. It defines purpose, values, and long-term direction. ### Recursion - Each operational unit (System 1) can itself be treated as a **viable system** with its own Systems 1–5. - This recursive structure means that the same model can be applied at multiple levels—from teams to entire nations. ### Homeostasis and Feedback - Stability arises from **feedback loops** between systems. For example, System 3 ensures control, while System 4 challenges it with external intelligence. - System 5 provides the final balancing force, ensuring unity of purpose. ### Variety and Complexity - VSM relies on **Ashby’s [[Law of Requisite Variety]]**: a system must be at least as complex as the environment it faces. - If complexity is not managed, organisations risk failure. --- ## Important People - **[[Stafford Beer]] (1926–2002)**: British theorist, consultant, and pioneer of organisational cybernetics. Creator of the VSM. - **[[W. Ross Ashby]] (1903–1972)**: Cybernetician whose work on complexity and regulation influenced Beer, particularly his “Law of Requisite Variety”.