Autopoiesis and the Science of (Public) Administration: Essence, Sense and Nonsense

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.