Viable Project Business: A Bionic Management System for Large Enterprises

Abstract
Preface
Acknowledgements
Contents
Figures
Tables
1 Introduction
	1.1 Challenges in Project Business
	1.2 Learning from Project to Project
	1.3 Improvement Machine
	1.4 Benchmarking
	1.5 Research Idea
		Develop a Management System that utilizes the System Dynamics of Life.
	1.6 Research Questions
2 State of the Art
	2.1 Projects
		Project Management Institute
		International Project Management Association
		Summary
	2.2 Organizations
		Summary
	2.3 Lean and Agile
		Agile
		Lean
		Summary
	2.4 Learning Organization
		Learning Organization
	2.5 Systems Dynamics and Theory of Constraints
		System Dynamics
		System Archetypes
		Theory of Constraints (TOC)
		Summary
	2.6 Autopoiesis
		Autopoiesis as a Holistic Perspective on Living Organisms
	2.7 Cybernetics and the Viable System Model
		Cybernetics
		Viable System Model
		Management of Complexity
		Holistic Complexity Management
		Summary
	2.8 Autopoietic Organizations
		Autopoiesis in Sociology
		Luhmann
		Summary
	2.9 Autocatalysis
		Autocatalysis as the Reason for Autopoiesis
		Autocatalytic Sets
		Autocatalysis in Social Systems
		Summary
	2.10 Intermediate Summary
	2.11 Decision for Further Research
	2.12 Summary
3 Methodical Approach
	3.1 Benchmarking
		3.1.1 Basic Idea
		3.1.2 Benchmarking Approach
		3.1.3 Benchmarking Question
		3.1.4 Benchmarking Partner
		3.1.5 Identification of Deviations
		3.1.6 Definition and Implementation of Countermeasures
	3.2 Six-Step Approach
		3.2.1 Identify Patterns in Living Organisms
		3.2.2 Translate Patterns to Business World
		3.2.3 Derive Requirements and Identify Existing Solutions
		3.2.4 Define Viable Business as a Management System
		3.2.5 Specialize Viable Business for Large Plant Manufacturing
		3.2.6 Apply Concept in Large Organizations
	3.3 Remarks
		3.3.1 Humans
		3.3.2 Evolution
4 Viability
	4.1 Forms of Life
		Business
		Biology
		Translations
		4.1.1 Simple Viable Systems
			Biology
			Business
		4.1.2 Simple Viable Systems with Substructures
			Biology
			Business
		4.1.3 Multilevel Viable Systems
			Biology
			Business
		4.1.4 Summary
			4.1.4.1 Insights
			4.1.4.2 Definitions
			4.1.4.3 Existing Solutions
		4.1.5 Annotations
			Abstract Terms
			Simple Viable Systems
			Multi-level Viable Systems
	4.2 Functions of Life
		Business
		Biology
		Translations
		4.2.1 Live Long and Prosper
			Biology
			Business
		4.2.2 Summary
			4.2.2.1 Insights
			4.2.2.2 Requirements
			4.2.2.3 Existing Solutions
		4.2.3 Annotations
			Autopoiesis: The Component That Creates Itself (and Others)
			Creation and Protection
			Sequence of Main Functions
	4.3 Foundation of Life
		Biology
		Business
		Translations
		4.3.1 Objects and Object Types
			Chemistry/Biology
			Business
		4.3.2 Time and Relative Dimensions in Space
			Physics
			Business
		4.3.3 Relationships
			Chemistry
			Business
		4.3.4 Processes
			Chemistry
			Business
		4.3.5 Speed, Concentration and Flow
			Chemistry
			Business
		4.3.6 Summary
			4.3.6.1 Insights
			4.3.6.2 Requirements
			4.3.6.3 Existing Solutions
		4.3.7 Annotations
			About the Foundation
5 Simple Viable Systems
	Business
	Biology
	5.1 Autocatalysis
		Business
		Biology
		Translations
		5.1.1 Processes
			Biology
			Business
		5.1.2 Catalysts
			Biology
			Business
		5.1.3 Auto-catalysts
			Biology
			Business
		5.1.4 Modular Auto-catalyst
			Biology
			Business
		5.1.5 Summary
			5.1.5.1 Insights
			5.1.5.2 Requirements
			5.1.5.3 Existing Solutions
				Process Approach
				SIPOC
				Muda/Waste
				Fishbone Diagram
				5S
				PDCA
		5.1.6 Annotations
			Other Aspects That Have Not Been Translated
	5.2 Self-Reference
		Business
		Biology
		Translations
		5.2.1 Two-Component Auto-catalyst
			Biology
			Business
		5.2.2 Translation
			Biology
			Business
		5.2.3 Transcription
			Biology
			Business
		5.2.4 Evolution
			Biology
			Business
		5.2.5 Summary
			5.2.5.1 Insights
			5.2.5.2 Requirements
			5.2.5.3 Existing Solutions
				Standard Work
				Work Instructions
				Tailoring
				Training & Coaching
				Process Improvement (PDCA, Kaizen, A3)
		5.2.6 Annotations
			Other Aspects That Have Not Been Translated
			Training Within Industry (TWI)
	5.3 Metabolic Network
		Business
		Biology
		Translations
		5.3.1 Feed the Auto-catalyst
			Biology
			Business
		5.3.2 Metabolic Pathways
			Biology
			Business
		5.3.3 Direct Connection
			Biology
			Business
		5.3.4 Anabolic Pathways
			Biology
			Business
		5.3.5 Catabolic Pathways
			Biology
			Business
		5.3.6 Energy
			Biology
			Business
		5.3.7 Summary
			5.3.7.1 Insights
			5.3.7.2 Requirements
			5.3.7.3 Existing Solutions
				Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
				Muda, Muri, Mura
				One Piece Flow, U-Cells
				Make-or-Buy Decisions
				Merger & Acquisition and Post-Merger Integration
				Coffee Breaks
				Motivation
		5.3.8 Annotations
			Other Aspects That Have Not Been Translated
			About Building Blocks and Process Chains
			Platform of Building Blocks
			Systems Biology
			Databases of Metabolic Pathways
	5.4 System Boundary
		Business
		Biology
		Translations
		5.4.1 Inside and Outside
			Biology
			Business
		5.4.2 Protection
			Biology
			Business
		5.4.3 Import
			Biology
			Business
		5.4.4 Export
			Biology
			Business
		5.4.5 Storage
			Biology
			Business
		5.4.6 Summary
			5.4.6.1 Insights
			5.4.6.2 Requirements
			5.4.6.3 Existing Solutions
				Empowerment of Teams
				Collocated Teams
				No Split Heads
		5.4.7 Annotations
			About Space
	5.5 Lifecycle
		Business
		Biology
		Translations
		5.5.1 Replication
			Biology
			Business
		5.5.2 Summary
			5.5.2.1 Insights
			5.5.2.2 Requirements
			5.5.2.3 Existing Solutions
				Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing
		5.5.3 Annotations
			About Cell Cycle
			Limitations of Growth/Apoptosis
	5.6 Adaptation
		Business
		Biology
		Translations
		5.6.1 Perceive, Decide, Act
			Biology
			Business
		5.6.2 Regulation of Pathways
			Biology
			Business
		5.6.3 Regulation of Gene Expression
			Biology
			Business
		5.6.4 Change of Form, Movement
			Biology
			Business
		5.6.5 Control of Lifecycle
			Biology
			Business
		5.6.6 Signal Pathways
			Biology
			Business
		5.6.7 Perception of the Outside World
			Biology
			Business
		5.6.8 Summary
			5.6.8.1 Insights
			5.6.8.2 Requirements
			5.6.8.3 Existing Solutions
				Retrospective
				Scorecard, Metrics and Key Performance Indicators, Dashboard
				Maturity Assessments
				Pull Systems, Kanban, WIP-Limit
		5.6.9 Annotations
			Other Aspects That Have Not Been Translated
	5.7 Interactions with Other Viable Systems
		Business
		Biology
			Autotroph
			Heterotroph
			Mutually Beneficial Symbiosis
			Parasitism
		Translations
		5.7.1 Mutually Beneficial Symbiosis
			Biology
			Business
		5.7.2 Summary
			5.7.2.1 Insights
			5.7.2.2 Requirements
			5.7.2.3 Existing Solutions
				Stakeholder Analysis
				Market Segmentation and Value Propositions
				Customer Orientation
				Employees and Organizational Behavior
		5.7.3 Annotations
			Other Aspects That Have Not Been Translated
	5.8 Compartments
		Business
		Biology
		Translations
		5.8.1 Compartments
			Biology
			Business
		5.8.2 Compartment for Self-Creation
			Biology
			Business
		5.8.3 Compartment for Export
			Biology
			Business
		5.8.4 Compartment for Creating Blueprints
			Biology
			Business
		5.8.5 Compartment for Creating the Primary Auto-catalyst
			Biology
			Business
		5.8.6 Compartments for Endosymbionts
			Biology
			Business
		5.8.7 Summary
			5.8.7.1 Insights
			5.8.7.2 Requirements
			5.8.7.3 Existing Solutions
				Lean/Agile: Visualization on Kanban boards, Obeya
				Agile: Sprint meeting, dedicated roles
				Getting things done: Plan
		5.8.8 Annotations
			Other Aspects That Have Not Been Translated
			Exocytosis, Golgi Apparatus and Vesicle
			Endocytosis, Endosomes and Lysosomes
			Transcytosis
6 Multilevel Viable Systems
	Business
	Biology
	6.1 Collaboration & Specialization
		Business
		Biology
		Translations
		6.1.1 Junctions
			Biology
			Business
		6.1.2 Specialization
			Biology
			Business
		6.1.3 Bilateral Exchange of Resources
			Biology
			Business
		6.1.4 Multilateral Exchange of Resources
			Biology
			Business
		6.1.5 Summary
			6.1.5.1 Insights
			6.1.5.2 Requirements
			6.1.5.3 Existing Solutions
				Self-Organizing Teams
				Holacracy
				Team Types in Project Business
	6.2 Subsystems
		Business
		Biology
		Translations
		6.2.1 High-Level Structures
			Biology
			Business
		6.2.2 Low-Level Structures
			Biology
			Business
		6.2.3 Specialization of Subsystems
			Biology
			Business
		6.2.4 Summary
			6.2.4.1 Insights
			6.2.4.2 Requirements
			6.2.4.3 Existing Solutions
				Viable System Model, Cybernetics
				Hoshin Kanri
		6.2.5 Annotations
			Classification of Subsystems by the Main Functions
			Human Medicine: Anatomy and Physiology
			Human Medicine: Pathology, Inner Medicine and Pharmacology
7 Viable Business
	7.1 Introduction
		Structures accelerate Dynamics, Dynamics create Structures.
		7.1.1 Organization
			Person or Group of People
			Objectives
			Functions
			Responsibilities and Authorities
			Relationships
		7.1.2 Management System
		7.1.3 Viable Business Management System
	7.2 System Dynamics
		7.2.1 Best Working Conditions for Each Process
		7.2.2 Resources
			Import
			Develop
			Protect
			Allocate
		7.2.3 Reinforcement Loop
		7.2.4 Balancing Loop
		7.2.5 Stakeholders
			Balancing Stakeholder Relationships
			Give …
			… and Take …
			… to Create Best Working Conditions for Each Process
		7.2.6 Summary
			Reinforcement Loop of Self-Creation
			Balancing Loop to Identify and Eliminate Bottlenecks (Adaptation)
			Reinforcement Loops of Give and Take with Stakeholders (Symbiosis)
	7.3 Organization
		7.3.1 Organization and Stakeholders
		7.3.2 Organization as a Legal Entity
		7.3.3 Self
	7.4 Objectives
		7.4.1 Mission Statement
		7.4.2 Vision Statement
		7.4.3 Principles and Values
	7.5 Functions
		7.5.1 Create Best Working Conditions for Each Process
			Best Working Conditions
			Non-production Environments
			Create Best Working Condition
		7.5.2 Create Competences, Develop Documented Knowledge
		7.5.3 Provide Resources
		7.5.4 Import and Develop Resources
		7.5.5 Protect Resources
		7.5.6 Balance the System
		7.5.7 Create Value for Stakeholders
		7.5.8 Acquire Stakeholders
		7.5.9 Communicate to Stakeholders
	7.6 Responsibilities, Authorities and Relationships
		7.6.1 Viable Role
			Responsibilities and Authorities
			Structures to Realize Viable Functions
		7.6.2 Viable Team
			Sprint Meeting
			Standup
			Support
			Sharing Information
			Sharing Resources
		7.6.3 Large Viable Organization
			Replication of Teams
			Specialization of Teams
			Team Types
	7.7 Identification and Elimination of Bottlenecks
		7.7.1 Perceive System
			Purpose of Perception
			Growth
			Throughput of Functions
			Stocks
			Duration of Functions and Concurrency
			Scarce Resources
			Value for Stakeholders
			Viable Business Dashboard
		7.7.2 Analyze and Make Decisions
			Identification of Bottlenecks
			Elimination of Bottlenecks
			How Management Achieves the Future State
	7.8 Viable Business Management System
	7.9 Summary
8 Viable Project Business
	8.1 Introduction
		8.1.1 People Perspective
		8.1.2 Functional Perspective
			Viability on Multiple Levels
			Internal Stakeholders, Exchange of Resources
			Purpose of Teams
		8.1.3 Organizational Perspective
			Teams
			Team Types
			Specialization
			Aggregation
			Association
			Object-Orientation
			Viable Teams
		8.1.4 Time and Location Perspective
		8.1.5 Team Collaboration Diagram
		8.1.6 Greenfield or Brownfield?
	8.2 Ontogenesis 1: Create Suborganizations
		8.2.1 Team 1: Top Management Team
		8.2.2 Team 2: Leadership Team
			Situation/Challenge
			New Team: Leadership Team
			Comment
		8.2.3 Team 3: Portfolio of Bids and Projects
			Situation/Challenge
			New Team: Portfolio of Bids & projects
			New Collaborations
		8.2.4 Team 4: Continuous Improvement
			Situation/Challenge
			New Team: Continuous Improvement Team
			Comment
		8.2.5 Team 5: Business Excellence
			Situation/Challenge
			New Team: Business Excellence
		8.2.6 System Dynamics, Teams and Collaborations
		8.2.7 Origin of the First Five Teams on a Timeline
	8.3 Ontogenesis 2: Detail Permanent Teams
		8.3.1 Growth
		8.3.2 Detail Portfolio Teams and Introduce Experience Exchange
		8.3.3 Detail Continuous Improvement Teams
			Sub-Teams
			Continuous Improvement End-to-End
			Portfolio of Complex Improvements
		8.3.4 Detail Leadership Teams
		8.3.5 Further Detailing
		8.3.6 Growth Phase on a Timeline
			Permanent Teams
		8.3.7 Growth and Balance
	8.4 Ontogenesis 3: Add Temporary Teams
		8.4.1 Add Existing Bid Teams, Project Teams and Subproject Teams
			Bid Teams
			Project Teams
			Subproject Teams
			Cascaded Portfolio
			Temporary Teams Contribute to Specific Functions
		8.4.2 Add Existing Improvement Programs and Projects
			A3 Problem Solving
			Improvement Programs and Projects
		8.4.3 Team Collaboration Diagram
			High-Level Structures
			Low-Level Structures
		8.4.4 Ontogenesis on a Timeline
			Temporary Teams
			Other Teams
	8.5 Improvement Machine
		8.5.1 Create Overall Transparency
			Acquire Customers and Create Customer Value
			Value Stream Analysis
			Key Performance Indicators
			Status of Projects
			Further Detailing
		8.5.2 Create Work Instructions
			Best Working Conditions for a Single Process
			Mapping the Fishbone to Internal Supplier Teams
			Work Instructions
		8.5.3 Provide Best Working Conditions
			Collaboration with Project and Subproject Teams
			Preparation
			Training
			Coaching
			Support
			Monitoring/Review
			Collect Data
			Collect Improvement Ideas
		8.5.4 Collect and Categorize Improvement Ideas
			Sources for Improvement Ideas
			Categorization of Improvement Ideas
		8.5.5 Improve with Kaizen Cards
			Kaizen
		8.5.6 Improve with A3 Problem Solving Story
			Local Improvements
			Distributed Improvements
			A3 Problem Solving Story
			Background/Motivation
			Current State
			Target State
			Root Cause Analysis
			Countermeasures
			Effect Confirmation
			Milestones and Net Benefit
			Management Decision
		8.5.7 Manage a Stream of A3 Problem Solving Stories
			Plan 1: New ideas
			Plan 2: Backlog for analysis
			Plan 3: Analyze and Plan
			Plan 4: Backlog for implementation
			Do: Execute Countermeasures
			Check 1: Check local effect
			Check 2: Check remote effect
			Act: Follow-up and lessons learned
		8.5.8 Improve the Improvement Process
			KPIs on A3 Problem Solving
			Improvement Value Stream
			Leaving the End-to-End Value Stream
			Improvement of Improvement
		8.5.9 Define the Future State
			Future States
			Development of Organization-Wide Future States
		8.5.10 Manage Large Improvements with Programs
			Program Management
			Benefit Map
			Program Identification Phase
			Program Definition Phase
			Program Execution Phase
			A3s and Programs
			Coordination of Programs
		8.5.11 Manage a Portfolio of Programs
			Portfolio
			Portfolio, Program and Project Office
		8.5.12 Improve Other Functions
		8.5.13 Make Improvements Transparent
		8.5.14 Summary: Continuous Improvement as a Team Type
			Team Purpose and Scope
			Team Setup
			Lifecycle
			Methods and Collaborations
		8.5.15 How Does the Improvement Machine Help?
			Problem 1: Projects do not document problems accurately
			Problem 2: Teams do not exist or have insufficient resources / know-how
			Problem 3: Communication between teams is too slow
			Problem 4: Teams have different targets and priorities
			Problem 5: Projects are not trained in new standards
			Problem 6: Projects do not follow standard processes
			Problem 7: Improvements are not used in new bids
			Summary
	8.6 Practical Implementation
		8.6.1 Use Predefined Team Types as Building Blocks
		8.6.2 Design the Team Collaboration Chart Based on Organizational Needs
		8.6.3 Find the Best Opening Strategy
			Standard Opening from Top Management
			Opening with a Single Department
			Opening with a Crisis Project
			Opening with a Complex Improvement
			Recommendation
	8.7 Viable Business on Higher Levels
		Large Organizations with Several Business Units
		Internal Ecosystems
		External Ecosystems
	8.8 Summary
9 Case Studies
	9.1 Case Study as a Scientific Method
		9.1.1 Scientific Methods in Social Sciences
		9.1.2 Case Study Design
			Research Question
			Propositions
			Selection of Cases
				Possible Cases
				Selected Cases
			About Parallelized Case Study and Theory Development
				Chronology
				Chronology of Research
			Collection of Data
			Analysis of Data
			Reporting
				Anonymity
				Structure of the Case Study
		9.1.3 Measures to Ensure the Quality of the Research Design
			Construct Validity
			Internal Validity
			External Validity
			Reliability
	9.2 Case Study 1
		Background
		Implementation
		Results
		Observations
			Learning Organization
			End-to-End Coverage
			Usage of Predefined Team Types
			Viable Business
		Conclusion
	9.3 Case Study 2
		Background
		Implementation
		Results
		Observations
			Volunteer Implementation
			Active Part of Top Management
		Conclusion
	9.4 Case Study 3
		Background
		Implementation
		Results
		Observations
			Top-Down Approach
			Scorecard
			Main Key Performance Indicators
			Improvement Programs
			Culture
		Conclusion
	9.5 Case Study 4
		Background
		Implementation
		Business Results
		Observations
			Separation of Leadership Teams and Continuous Improvement Team
			Top Management Driven Implementation
			Collaboration Between Several Locations
			Implementation in Tranches
		Conclusion
	9.6 Summary
		Summary
10 Summary and Outlook
	10.1 Translation from Biology to Business
	10.2 Viable Business
		Viable Business Management System
		Life as the Best-of-Best Benchmark for Sustainably Growing Systems
		Utilizing the System Dynamics of Life
		Functional Overview Diagram
		Autocatalysis, Self-Reference and Metabolism
		System Boundary, Compartments
		Adaptation
		Symbiosis and Endosymbiosis
		Viable Project Business Management System
		Case Studies
	10.3 Answers to the Research Questions
	10.4 Outlook
		1. Organizational behavior
		2. Evolution
		3. Foundation
		4. Model for Simulation
		5. Detail translation of cells
		6. Translation for other business types
		7. Lean and Agile
		8. Business management textbooks
		9. Viable Consulting
		10. Digitalization of Viable Business
Appendices
	Abbreviations
	Glossary
		5S
		Amino acid
		Adenosine-triphosphate (ATP)
		Auto-catalyst
		Best working conditions
		Bottleneck
		Business Catalyst
		Catalyst
		Competence
		Continuous improvement
		Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
		Efficiency
		Effectiveness
		Enzyme
		Function
		Improvement
		Interested Party
		Kanban
		Large Viable Organization
		Management
		Management System
		Metabolism
		Mission
		Objective
		Organelle
		Organization
		Performance
		Policy
		Process (technical view of IEC)
		Process (quality management view of ISO 9001)
		Product
		Product
		Protein
		Program
		Project
		Requirement
		Resource
		Ribosome
		Ribozyme
		RNA (ribonucleic acid)
		RNA world
		Strategy
		Structure
		Success
		Sustained success
		System
		Top Management
		Transcription
		Translation
		Value Stream Mapping
		Viable Business Management System
		Viable Organization
		Viable Project Business Management System
		Viable Team
		Vision
		Work Environment
	References