Modelling of Organisational Rules in Complex Adaptive Systems: a Systematic Mapping Study

Organisational rules, both created internally and externally mandated, are vital to an enterprise. Yet, understanding and managing these rules is problematic, as they are a part of a complex system. Thus, there is a need to view them in a complex setting of organisational actors and interactions. It has been suggested that enterprises, particularly in situations like collaboration in healthcare, should be analysed as complex adaptive systems (CAS). However, only some enterprise modelling contributions can represent perspectives of CAS theory. In this paper, we set out to examine how organisational rules in complex adaptive systems has been modelled. A systematic mapping study was conducted on modelling languages of organisational rules in collaborations, resulting in 22 identified languages. The constructs and modelling patterns of the identified languages were mapped against an analytical framework that included 15 concepts from CAS theory. Overall, even though most CAS concepts had yet to be addressed by the identified languages, potentially useful approaches were found, related to: abstraction of large organisational rule systems through power relations; interpretation and implementation of rules; feedback loops to rule-makers, including delays.