Stafford Beer and the legacy of Cybersyn: seeing around corners

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the legacy of Stafford Beer and the continuing implications of his work on Cybersyn and the models and tools he used and explored during the project and in his later work. Design/methodology/approach – Description of Stafford Beer’s work on Cybersyn and examples of its present day applicability. Findings – The values and tools associated with the Cybersyn work in Chile continue to be relevant for the challenges of the present and an example of an approach to management structure and practice that serves both efficiency and humanity. Originality/value – The value of this work is to contribute to the history and future possibilities of the ideas and tools pioneered in the Cybersyn project by Stafford Beer and others and their broader context in organizational cybernetics.