This study explores the application of the Viable System Model (VSM) for diagnosing and designing sustainable development initiatives across recursive levels: community, city, county, and nation. It positions the VSM as a cybernetic tool for understanding and structuring governance systems capable of adapting to dynamic environmental and societal challenges, both present and future. Grounded in Stafford Beer’s principles of organizational cybernetics, the study introduces the core design criteria of the VSM for sustainable governance and examines its complementarity with other systemic approaches to sustainability. A systematic review supports the relevance of the VSM across geographical and organizational contexts, showcasing its value in managing complexity and fostering viability from micro-organizations to national systems. Despite growing interest in systemic governance, few studies have examined how cybernetic models, such as the VSM, can be scaled to address structural and coordination barriers in national sustainability strategies. This research addresses that gap by analyzing the case of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—a federation that has actively adopted the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through national vision documents and policy frameworks. While the UAE has established a national committee and institutional mechanisms to guide SDG implementation, progress remains fragmented, particularly beyond Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Using VSM criteria, the study identifies structural limitations in the country’s existing governance architecture, highlighting missed opportunities for effective communication, integration, and feedback across federal and local systems. By reframing the UAE's governance challenges through the lens of organizational cybernetics, this study demonstrates how VSM principles can inform the design of more coherent, adaptive, and participatory governance systems. It evaluates the advantages and trade-offs of adopting the VSM compared to other governance models, providing cyberneticians with insights into the real-world applications of cybernetic theory in complex, multi-level governance environments. The paper concludes with implications for policymakers, regulators, and sustainability stakeholders in the Gulf region. It contributes to the expanding literature on the use of cybernetics and systems thinking in sustainable development and public governance.
Deputy Dean of College of Business; Associate Professor, Al Ain University, United Arab Emirates
Dr. Iffat Sabir Chaudhry is an Associate Professor of Management and Deputy Dean at the College of Business, Al Ain University, United Arab Emirates. She got her PhD in Management from University of Hull, United Kingdom. With over a decade of experience across the UAE and Oman, her... Read More →
