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Literary Praxiphorical Analysis: Using Science Fiction and Fantasy to Shape Organizational Futures
Abstract
In the last two decades, organization theorists have sought to apply complexity theories developed in the natural sciences to the study of organizations. This article develops a fictional approach for critically interrogating two important complexity concepts — order-through-fluctuations and autopoiesis. Using these concepts in a metaphorical sense, this paper explores how science fiction and fantasy (SFF) can be used to prepare for and shape organizational analysis. Exploring the consequences of scientific innovation is a key purpose of SFF. The speculative nature of the genre makes it a fertile metaphorical ground for testing new management concepts. This article, therefore, uses two classic SFF novels to explore the metaphorical use of complexity concepts for organizational analysis: i. William Golding's Lord of the Flies is used to explore the dissipative structures model, a theory devised by Ilya Prigogine; and ii. Arthur C. Clarke's The City and the Stars is used to explore autopoiesis, a theory devised by Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela. The article outlines the theoretical modeling possibilities from embedding fictional constructs into critical organizational analysis. It concludes by summarizing the methodological guidelines and business contexts for implementing literary praxiphorical analysis.
... In this conceptual paper, we follow the narrative turn and consider, further, the role of cultural products in futures thinking. Here, our objective is to offer a critical contribution to the literature on science fiction (SF) in Futures Studies (for example: Bell et al., 2013;Keane et al., 2014;Schwarz et al., 2014;Schwarz & Liebl, 2013), in which we highlight a gap in ontological and epistemological understanding. Given this objective, our aim is to propose a novel critical counterfactuals method of futures research, validated through exploring conjectures about a fictional future of entrepreneurship. ...
... Some authors take the construction of a SF novel as a basis for the narrative prototyping (Lee, 2014) or critique (Keane et al., 2014) of specific contexts. Such applications run alongside the more traditional application of SF novels as cultural artifacts -a basis for detecting the (weak) signs or signals of a potential future (Bell et al., 2013;Livingston, 1971;Schwarz et al., 2014). ...
... In our critical approach we avoid the 'hope' intrinsic in SFP. We also distinguish between SF and fantasy, rather than as has been described by Keane et al. (2014): SF and Fantasy (SSF). We draw from literary criticism (for example: Mandala, 2010) and define SF as the genre of narrative that could not arise in the world we know (the present) but which is hypothesised on the basis of some aspect of science or technology, whether human or extraterrestrial in origin. ...
This conceptual paper is inspired by a critical and counterfactual application of science fiction. Although both science fiction and counterfactuals in futures studies are not uncommon, this paper sets out a theoretical position for a critical perspective on their use. A critical counterfactuals method is proposed, in which a device of fictional news headlines provides a set of counterfactual vignettes-small scenes from the future-used to explore the emergence of an extant concept of entrepreneurship. In order to assign relative truth values to science fiction vignettes, a truth-table is used to examine coherence between the counterfactuals and a range of projected future moments, based on three dimensions of an uncertain future history. This approach is argued as overcoming several limitations of fictional scenarios/vignettes in counterfactual analysis, including the indeterminacy intuition: the accepted wisdom that impossible or wholly implausible scenarios are unfeasible. In reporting on an initial study, the paper draws conjectures about a future entrepreneurship, highlighting the method's potential in delivering new insights into how future education and support policies might better develop entrepreneurship for a sustainable economy.
... Nonetheless, in the literature, SFP is considered conceptual rather than a physical prototype , since it creates hypothetical social arguments (Keane, Graham and Burnes, 2014), and its physical realisation of the created innovation can only be proven over time in the unforeseeable future (Wu (2013). It is clear therefore, that creating innovation is a complex process and as a result researchers are increasingly trying to discover new ways to apply SFP. ...
... But the authors point out that the development of such games requires professional skills. Not surprisingly, Keane, Graham and Burnes (2014) claim that most science-fiction writers are trained scientists. Therefore, it can be argued that writing sciencefiction stories require artistic flair, creative writing and professional scientific skills. ...
Science-Fiction Prototyping (SFP) is a method that applies mythical narratives in the form of novels, comics or animated videos to encourage disruptive innovation and to help to discover the positive or negative consequences of future technologies. This research project investigates SFP as a potential design tool that could help start-up entrepreneurs to
innovate or develop new technologies. The study aims to explore whether the process can improve entrepreneurial skills such as creative and critical thinking, and whether it is a useful technique to identify new markets, product features or technologies. Furthermore, the study observes if the current global pandemic has any effect on the created stories written by aspiring and start-up entrepreneurs.
The study applies both qualitative and quantitative (mixed) research methodology in order to answer the suggested hypotheses. The study is distributed online in a form of a survey that consisted of three main parts: (a) Pre-Questionnaire to gain insight of the key statistical data
such as participants’ perception of future innovation; (b) Writing Tasks, where respondents were asked to write short fictional stories and (c) Post-Questionnaire for the purpose to test if the SFP method has improved the partakers’ creative thinking capabilities. The gathered data is analysed with different methods, such as coding on NVivo-12,
Qualtrics Analytics and SPSS for statistical information.
25 people took part in the study, which from after the reliability check, 20 responses were qualified for the quantitative and 24 for the qualitative data analysis. The study found positive results on the improvement of creativity and the majority of participants were able to identify product features, technologies and new markets. Although, most of the partakers
believed that future innovations are driven by external factors such as economy or politics, COVID-19 on the other hand did not have any influence and connection to the created narratives.
... Space stations like Deep Space Nine in the Star Trek saga serve as logistical hubs where goods are processed, ships are repaired, and resources are stored before redistribution. As John Keane and his colleagues [12] highlight, science fiction offers insights into how future organizations might be structured. In short, the logistical facilities are essential for maintaining stability and enabling the expansion of intergalactic civilizations by centralizing and managing the movement of goods and people across vast distances in space. ...
This research note explores how logistics, though often overlooked, is a central element in space fantasy science fiction narratives. In Frank Herbert’s Dune, the spice—essential for interstellar travel—demonstrates how logistics influences space geopolitics. Star Wars highlights the logistical challenges involved in managing an intergalactic empire, from constructing the Death Stars to coordinating rebel fleets. In Star Trek, space exploration depends on intricate logistics to sustain ships, space stations, and diplomatic relations. Finally, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation illustrates how the collapse of logistics can lead to the downfall of an intergalactic empire. These films and novels reveal that logistics extends beyond mere materials and operations management; it becomes a key question of survival, power, and stability within these fictional universes. Science fiction narratives not only offer insights into future logistics but also prompts reflection on contemporary challenges in supply chain and infrastructure management.
... With a single exception (Bina et al., 2017) scholarship on the usage of science fiction in futures & foresight has been circumscribed to science fiction prototyping case studies (e.g. Birtchnell & Urry, 2013;Burnam-Fink, 2015;Merrie, Keys, Metian, & Ö sterblom, 2018;Postada & Zybura, 2014;Wu, 2013), interpretation of selected films and writings (Bell, Fletcher, Greenhill, Griffiths, & McLean, 2013;Burri, 2018;Keane, Graham, & Burnes, 2014;Mengel, in press), or essays (Carrasco, Garcia Ordaz, & Martinez Lopez, 2015;Dolan, 2020;Graham Raven, 2015;Zaidi, 2019) with little or no scientific rigor. These works consider a limited number of images of the future, often in a "case study" manner. ...
We propose a new scenario archetypes method generated by extracting a set of archetypal images of the future from a sample of 140 science fiction films set in the future using a grounded theory analytical procedure. Six archetypes emerged from the data, and were named Growth & Decay, Threats & New Hopes, Wasteworlds, The Powers that Be, Disarray, and Inversion. The archetypes in part overlap with and confirm previous research, and in part are novel. They all involve stresspoint critical conditions in the external environment. We explain why the six archetypes, as a foresight framework, is more transformational and nuanced than previously developed scenario archetypes frameworks, making it particularly suited to the current necessity to think the unthinkable
more systematically. We explain how the six archetypes framework can be used as
predetermined images of the future to create domain specific scenarios, making organizations more resilient to critical, disruptive futures. We finally present and discuss a case study of the application of the method to create scenarios of post-Covid-19 futures of work.
... A large body of theories addressing this challenge has been developed in the field of organizational change [11]. Approaches and concepts in this context are often interdisciplinary and range from the adaptation of theories of child development, evolution and chaos theory [5] to the derivation of future forms of organization based on existing science fiction literature [12]. Newer concepts are, for example, the phase model of the transformation lifecycle [13] or the model of dynamic equilibrium [14]. ...
... La naturaleza determinística de las relaciones humanas, donde la interacción consigo mismo, sus pares y el entorno estimulan acciones de características caóticas, es la base de nuestro estudio, que permite comprender y modelar la emergencia organizacional a corto plazo. Para [3] la complejidad organizacional puede apoyarse en ideas, teorías e investigaciones derivadas de las ciencias físicas y matemáticas. Asimismo, según [4], la complejidad organizacional y la teoría del caos permiten intentar entender y promover el cambio organizacional. ...
This research presents the application of Project-based learning at the School of Engineering of the Catholic University of the North. Three projects were presented to students of different levels of Industrial Engineering and Computer Engineering degree in four undergraduate courses. The innovation in the application of the method is to create transversal work groups to develop multidisciplinary and challenging projects. The planning between courses allowed integrate knowledge, experiences and interests of the various team members. These projects were organized into the following 4 stages; conception, design, implementation and operation. Finally, educational assessment of the impact of Project-based learning methodology was confronted with the method of cooperative learning. The principal advantage of PBL is obtaining better skills and competences developed by students.
In this review, we explore the evolution of scholarly research about organizational storytelling over the past 40 years in a sample of 165 papers published between 1975 and 2015. We contend that organizational storytelling has established a conventional foothold beside the dominant, scientific narrative of organization studies. Meanwhile, the voice of critical storytelling in organizations has emerged, confirming (and extending) five organizational storytelling themes identified by Rhodes and Brown’s (2005a): sense-making (and subverting); communicating (and manipulating); change, learning (and challenge); power (and dissent); and identity, and identification (and alienation). Our review reveals the growing influence of critical management studies, emphasizing the role stories play in disrupting conventional narratives, enriching our understanding of present and future storytelling in organizations and of organizations in general.
The fictional prototype uses imaginative narratives based explicitly on science fact as a design tool in the development of technology. Through traditional research and development we begin to define and understand what a technology is. This is the typical work that is going on in industrial labs and universities all over the world. Usually this work continues iterating itself until the technology is refined to such a point that can be productized and incorporated into an existing product. Fictional prototyping adds a step in the technology development process. It asks how the technology will be used. It provides a virtual reality in which the implications, problems and benefits of the technology can be explored. Its purpose is to facilitate the development of firm level “meta narratives” on future innovation and its social and humanitarian impact. http://www.fccrnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/SFP-Framework-Impact-paper-1V3.pdf
The corporation's social role is usually presented as a cultural phenomenon in which the corporation learns socially acceptable behaviors through voluntary social responsibility, government regulations/public policies, and/or acceptance of ethics principles. This article presents an alternative view of corporationcommunity relations as a natural phenomenon based on complexity-chaos theory and a biological-physical conception of corporate values. Corporation and community are depicted as interacting nonlinear adaptive systems having unpredictable futures, the corporate social role is depicted as largely indeterminate, and competing values are depicted as key factors driving change in corporationcommunity linkages. Normative duties of corporate and community leaders are described.
While there is no set definition of what constitutes “complexity,” some general classes of definitions have emerged across the writings of several fields of science. The basis for the classifications and a general definition used in this issue are presented. The papers of this issue are classified into the general categories and introduced to the reader.
Twas bryllig, and the slythy toves did gyre and gymble in the wabe: all mimsy were the borogoves; and the mome raths outgrabe.
American law professor commenting on Niklas Luhmann, “The Unity of the Legal System”
European and American scholars of law and society apparently have problems in communicating with each other. To invoke Lewis Carroll's authority on a piece of legal theory indicates how serious the problems are. After all, traced to its true origins, “Jabberwocky,” the famous “Stanza of Anglo-Saxon Poetry” (Carroll, 1855; 1871: 191), means “weeks of woe” in its original German version (Scott alias Chatterton, 1872). And inextricably involved in the interpretation of the poetry is a certain Hermann von Schwindel . . .
In much of the current literature on supply chain management, supply networks are recognized as a system. In this paper, we take this observation to the next level by arguing the need to recognize supply networks as a complex adaptive system (CAS). We propose that many supply networks emerge rather than result from purposeful design by a singular entity. Most supply chain management literature emphasizes negative feedback for purposes of control; however, the emergent patterns in a supply network can much better be managed through positive feedback, which allows for autonomous action. Imposing too much control detracts from innovation and flexibility; conversely, allowing too much emergence can undermine managerial predictability and work routines. Therefore, when managing supply networks, managers must appropriately balance how much to control and how much to let emerge.
The model of 'autopoiesis' — originally a biological model of a living system- has stimulated some outstanding social and administrative scientists to creative thinking about possible implications and applications. In this paper, the applica bility of the model to the science of (public) administration is discussed. Applying a natural scientific model to a social science is hazardous. The paper begins with a description of the original model and a discussion of its systems theoretical impli cations. Next a review of the various interpretations of autopoiesis in different fields of the social sciences is presented. Finally an attempt is made to perform a careful translation and cautious application.
The autopoiesis model seems to offer new insights into the self-governance of organizations. The model opens a fundamentally different perspective on the relationship between organization and environment. From an organization science point of view the model seems intriguing enough to have a close look at it.
Organizational change processes are often modeled on a linear understanding of change in which the process is composed of individual succeeding steps. In this paper, an organization change process in a Swedish telecommunication company, TelCo., is studied from the perspective of non-linearity. Complexity theory is used in the paper as a loosely coupled framework of theories and perspectives that do not assume that social or natural systems operate in accordance with linearity. By integrating complexity theory perspectives on organization change, disruptive, fluid processes of change may be better understood. Notions such as non-linearity and complexity may thus be fruitfully integrated into the analysis of organizational change processes.
This paper aims to enable the operations management community to engage with concepts from the field of complexity theory and apply them to the issue of organisational transformation. It begins by reviewing existing work on strategic change, then provides an overview of complexity theory to show how the conditioned emergence model was developed. A brief statement on method follows, which describes our research process in terms of mode 2 knowledge production. An illustrative case study is then presented and is used to highlight aspects of the model and the overlaps and differences between conditioned emergence and other approaches. The paper concludes that organisational transformation can be viewed as an emergent process which can be accessed and influenced through three interacting gateways, i.e. order generating rules, disequilibrium and positive feedback. Finally, an appendix is included which focuses specifically on the issue of the research process. Here, it is argued that calls for managerially-relevant research will be best met through more widespread adoption of mode 2 as an approach.
Uses chaos theory as a model and explores the requirements for strategizing in a rapidly-changing business environment. Conjectures that organizations in a fast-paced business environment need continuous processes of strategy development to be strategic. Suggests that strategic thinking needs to be embedded in the manager’s role, all organizational processes, and the culture inself in order for an organization to be strategic.
Systems theories, because of the emphasis they place on the maintenance of order, have generally given an impoverished account of change. Complexity theory gives an explanation of non-linear systems which makes change fundamental and strikes a better balance between order and disorder. A theory of change management is outlined which unites a generalized notion of emergence in complex systems with a notion of accomplishment in human action. The analysis is applied to a case study of the introduction of a new information system for fingerprint identification into police forces in England and Wales. The analysis shows change management and strategic activity to be widely distributed in the organization. Explores how new practices and understandings are emerging as the new system is introduced.
Argues that efforts to adapt to increased volatility and uncertainty are still plagued by the traditional wisdom and domination of command-and-control hierarchies. In highlighting over two decades of intimation for appropriate organizational structural fit, identifies recurring barriers to change. In an effort to achieve organizational adaptability and improve change initiative success, proposes the creation of pockets of excellence. These self-organizing team structures are positioned as a resource to developing internal efficiencies and business opportunities as a means to enhance productivity and provide a measure of sustainable competitive advantage. The proposed team structure is informed by the developing field of complexity theory and evaluated through focus group discussions.
There is much debate about the nature of strategy formulation as content or process. This paper takes a process view informed from insights from non-linear dynamics, complexity and chaos theory and applies it to a well tested management of change process in cooperative supply chain management to draw illustrations from two case examples which reinforce the utility of this use of complexity in formulating emergent strategies.
Complexity theory or, more appropriately, theories, serves as an umbrella term for a number of theories, ideas and research programmes that are derived from scientific disciplines such as meteorology, biology, physics, chemistry and mathematics. Complexity theories are increasingly being seen by academics and practitioners as a way of understanding and changing organizations. The aim of this paper is to review the nature of complexity theories and their importance and implications for organizations and organizational change. It begins by showing how perspectives on organizational change have altered over the last 20 years. This is followed by an examination of complexity theories and their implications for organizational change. The paper concludes by arguing that, even in the natural sciences, the complexity approach is not fully developed or unchallenged, and that, as yet, organization theorists do not appear to have moved beyond the stage of using it as metaphor rather than as a mathematical way of analysing and managing organizations.
In much of the current literature on supply chain management, supply networks are recognized as a system. In this paper, we take this observation to the next level by arguing the need to recognize supply networks as a complex adaptive system (CAS). We propose that many supply networks emerge rather than result from purposeful design by a singular entity. Most supply chain management literature emphasizes negative feedback for purposes of control; however, the emergent patterns in a supply network can much better be managed through positive feedback, which allows for autonomous action. Imposing too much control detracts from innovation and flexibility; conversely, allowing too much emergence can undermine managerial predictability and work routines. Therefore, when managing supply networks, managers must appropriately balance how much to control and how much to let emerge.
A model is developed in which the change in the population distribution of a region is linked to the employment pattern, and this latter in turn to the population distribution through the concepts of Central Place Theory. The result is a dynamic model of interacting urban centres in which the fluctuations (the exact history) of the system play a vital role, and with which the effect of a decision (modification of the transport system, a new town, etc.) can be estimated in the long term.
In contrast to the punctuated equilibrium model of change, this inductive study of multiple-product innovation in six firms in the computer industry examines how organizations engage in continuous change. Comparisons of successful and less-successful firms show, first, that successful multiple-product innovation blends limited structure around responsibilities and priorities with extensive communication and design freedom to create improvisation within current projects. This combination is neither so structured that change cannot occur nor so unstructured that chaos ensues. Second, successful firms rely on a wide variety of low-cost probes into the future, including experimental products, futurists, and strategic alliances. Neither planning nor reacting is as effective. Third, successful firms link the present and future together through rhythmic, time-paced transition processes. We develop the ideas of "semistructures," "links in time," and "sequenced steps" to crystallize the key properties of these continuously changing organizations and to extend thinking about complexity theory, time-paced evolution, and the nature of core capabilities.
