The Metaphorum Group

The Metaphorum Group, commonly known as Metaphorum, is a global members' association and community of practice focused on organisational cybernetics (OC), particularly the Viable System Model (VSM) and Team Syntegrity developed by Stafford Beer. It was created in 2003 following a 'Staffordian Syntegration: A Tribute to Stafford Beer' event at Scarborough Management Centre, Hull University, England, organised by Angela Espinosa with Allena Leonard, Joe Truss and C Cullen, and sponsored by the University of Hull Business School. The group aims to continue developing and disseminating Stafford Beer's legacy through webinars, research projects, annual conferences, practitioner webinars, and publications. It also works to ensure high-quality VSM and Team Syntegrity education and practice by establishing certification criteria for training and coaching, and to develop a global community of training associates. Metaphorum curates knowledge and maintains a website and online community to enable a global community of knowledge and practice in organisational cybernetics. The organisation operates as a member-based community with a constitution that outlines its aims, ethics, and powers, including raising funds, encouraging membership, and cooperating with other organisations. It is not a commercial company but a non-profit association, and it does not sell products; instead, it offers membership, events, and knowledge resources.

The Metaphorum Group was established in 2003 as a direct outcome of the 'Staffordian Syntegration: A Tribute to Stafford Beer', held at Scarborough Management Centre, Hull University, England, on 13–14 June 2003. The event was organised by Angela Espinosa in collaboration with Allena Leonard, Joe Truss and C Cullen, and sponsored by the University of Hull Business School. One of the infosets from the Syntegration proposed creating the Metaphorum to continue developing Stafford Beer's legacy. Consequently, Metaphorum was created as a members' association aiming to continue developing and disseminating Stafford Beer's work. Since its founding, Metaphorum members have organised a series of conferences and workshops, attracting a growing number of interested people who have joined the Metaphorum Community and presented their research and practice in organisational cybernetics. These conferences have led to special issues in systems and cybernetic journals. The organisation maintains a website and online community to curate knowledge and promote dissemination of quality research and practice. It also works to ensure high-quality VSM and Team Syntegrity education and practice by establishing certification criteria for training and coaching, and to develop a global community of training associates. The Metaphorum Community Constitution outlines the group's aims, ethics, and powers, including raising funds, encouraging membership, and cooperating with other organisations. The group continues to operate as a global community of knowledge and practice in organisational cybernetics.

• 2003

  Metaphorum created following the 'Staffordian Syntegration: A Tribute to Stafford Beer' at Hull University.

• 2003

  Metaphorum established as a members' association to continue Stafford Beer's legacy.

Non-profit, member-based community of practice for organisational cybernetics, stewarding Stafford Beer's legacy.

Product categories. Membership · Webinars · Annual conferences · Research projects · Publications · Certification criteria for VSM and Team Syntegrity training

1. 1Metaphorum – The Home of Organisational Cyberneticsmetaphorum.org
2. 2Metaphorum: Short History – Metaphorummetaphorum.org
3. 3Metaphorum Community Constitution – Metaphorummetaphorum.org
4. 4The third dimension of corporate central functions – Metaphorummetaphorum.org
5. 5The Metaphorum Group – Wikidatawikidata.org