Title: Towards a G.O.D. theory for Organisational Engineering: modelling the (re)Generation, Operation and Discontinuation of the enterprise

Authors: David Aveiro, A. Rito Silva, Jose Tribolet

Addresses: Exact Sciences and Engineering Centre, University of Madeira, Caminho da Penteada 9000-390 Funchal, Portugal. ' Department of Information Systems and Computer Science, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal. ' Department of Information Systems and Computer Science, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract: Much time is lost in organisations in handling unknown exceptions because organisational models are not current or coherent with reality, and there is a lack of concepts and methods in Organisational Engineering (OE) for a continuous and timely update of models of organisational reality. To address these problems, a renowned methodology for OE – Design and Engineering Methodology for Organisations (DEMO) – is extended, enabling a precise and integrated modelling of three aspects that we consider to be part of the function perspective of an organisation: viability – norms of operation that ensure the viability of the organisation, dysfunctions and exceptions causing the dysfunctions; change – OE processes responsible for generation, operation and discontinuation of Organisational Artefacts (OAs) – e.g., business rules or organisational actors – to solve dysfunctions; architecture – design rules that guide the referred engineering processes, restricting the |shape| of their end result – OAs.

Keywords: organisational engineering; organisational change; organisational self-awareness; function; exception; architecture; organisational models; design rules; organisational artefacts.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIEM.2011.038383

International Journal of Internet and Enterprise Management, 2011 Vol.7 No.1, pp.64 - 83

Published online: 25 Apr 2015 *

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