On Methodology: Context and Content

This chapter gives methodological guidance to support transformational processes rather than occasional problem solving exercises. It offers guidance to manage change in situations where organizations absorb problematic challenges. The methodology is grounded in an appreciation of issues of communication and complexity. It highlights structural shortcomings hindering the implementation of change. The Viplan Methodology puts the emphasis on the distinction between systems as ‘epistemological’ devices and systems as unities emerging from human communications with closure. Systems are always languaged by observers, but as epistemological devices they are ideas to think about the world; as emergent unities they are constructs to diagnose and improve human communications. Therefore systems are not only bounding ideas but also the ‘real world’ communicative processes that underpin the quality of the ideas created and produced by a collective. For diagnosing and improving organization structures the methodology uses the Viplan Method. Diagnosis can help seeing the necessary structural changes to improve communications of stakeholders in change processes. This is a methodology to understand both systemic shortcomings and to work out desirable improvements.