Designing Political Communication with the Viable System Model: A Conceptual Framework and Diagnostic Insights

Abstract

This paper adapts Stafford Beer’s Viable System Model (VSM) to the field of political communication, introducing the VSM-Political Communication (VSM-PC) framework. This framework maps VSM subsystems and channels onto communication functions and offers an effective, structured way to diagnose coordination, strategy, and policy/identity gaps in political organizations. Conceptually, it shows how VSM can strengthen resilience, adaptability, and credibility in increasingly complex communication environments. In addition to highlighting the model’s potential, the paper identifies key limitations: possible oversimplification of socio-political dynamics, stakeholder resistance to systemic redesign, and the inherent difficulties in applying recursive structures to fluid media contexts. Combining theoretical insights with a diagnostic checklist, this paper introduces a new conceptual adaptation of VSM, which provides scholars and communication professionals with a roadmap for designing viable political communication systems.