Design intervention for self sufficiency of a welfare organization using a cybernetic model

The paper presents a case of a social welfare organization, which had to be viable dealing with conflicting objectives in a complex environment. Complexity was due to multiple views about the organization, (Commercial & Welfare), Shareholders vs. a stakeholders (Government, Tribals, Employees etc.), performance measures, (profit, cost, price) etc. These concerns are not distinct but closely inter-related, which leads to the complex environment. The organization was set up by the Government “for the socio-economic upliftment of the Tribals serving around 3 million tribal´s, It was to facilitate primarily 3 objectives: (a) ensure payment of remunerative prices for Forest Produce collected by the Tribals by eliminating the middlemen and private traders who are indulging in unfair trade practices, (b) ensure availability of Essential Commodities to tribals (c) provide support to tribals in their Agricultural activities through extending credit facilities. This led to creation of two subsystems within a single organization creating losses for it. In order to meet the welfare requirements, the commercial aspects were comprised. This led to losses for the welfare organization. This paper presents the use of the cybernetic model to reflect the conflict and provide a direction for resolving this conflict.