- Title
- Organisational resilience within a complexity science framework : A case study of Ballarat City Council
- Creator
- Stockton, Imogen
- Date
- 2016
- Type
- Text; Thesis; PhD
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/154227
- Identifier
- vital:11079
- Abstract
- Understanding the resilience of organisations, their vulnerabilities and capacity to adapt to an unknown future is critical because modern society is dependent upon the continuation of these systems or alternative systems which support humans, their communities and the environment. The challenge for organisations assessing their resilience is to find a way to undertake this assessment that best meets the needs of the organisation and the context in which it operates. Thus this study aims to develop an understanding of resilience, in particular, organisational resilience and develop a means of identifying resilience in an organisation. A conceptual model of organisational resilience was developed together with an operational Framework of Analysis which was then applied to the Ballarat City Council as a single case study. The conceptual model proposes that resilience is a state of being, that is a proximity to the edge of chaos, where the connections between agents within a system are most flexible. The absence of rigid, inflexible connections enables agents within a complex adaptive system to innovate, co-evolve and adapt to changing circumstances. This is achieved by having an awareness of the fitness landscape, having the flexibility to manage vulnerabilities and being able to adapt. Coevolution, adaptation and creativity occur most readily from close proximity to the edge of chaos. Using a Critical Realist approach, the Ballarat City Council case study evaluates the Framework of Analysis. Data collection occurred over a six month period with primary sources of data being an organisational document analysis, interviews and an infrastructure assessment. The results indicate that situational awareness, the identification and management of keystone vulnerabilities and an increase in adaptive capacity act as mechanisms of adaptation and are integral to an organisation achieving a position of resilience. This research presents a new perspective to the concept of resilience, in which resilience is a position relative to the edge of chaos, rather than a process or set of characteristics.; Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- Federation University of Ballarat
- Rights
- Copyright Imogen Stockton
- Rights
- Open Access
- Rights
- This metadata is freely available under a CCO license
- Subject
- Organisational resilience; Complexity science framework; Ballarat city council
- Full Text
- Thesis Supervisor
- Courvisanos, Jerry
- Hits: 691
- Visitors: 762
- Downloads: 117
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | Australian Digital Thesis | 2 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |