CFP | Luhmann Conference 2026

Call for Papers Luhmann Conference 2026 Theme: Meaning. Observed with … Venue: Inter-University Centre Dubrovnik, Croatia Conference dates: 14–18 September 2026Pre-conference dinner: 14 September 2026 Submission Deadline: 15 May 2026 Conference Theme Coded as the distinction between actual and potential, meaning (Sinn) occupies a central position in Niklas Luhmann’s theory programme. As the shared medium in which both psychic and […]

Release | Ideological Repurposing of Institutions of Higher Management Education: Historical Lessons and Contemporary Imperatives

Abstract: This article examines the ideological repurposing of institutions of higher management education (IHMEs) from a systems-theoretical perspective. Drawing on Niklas Luhmann’s theory of social systems, we analyse both historical and contemporary cases to identify structural similarities in how institutions of higher education (IHEs) have been reoriented to serve external political imperatives. Through a functional […]

Release | Reimagining ESG: A Tetralemma Approach to Multifunctional Sustainability Reporting

Abstract: ESG frameworks have become a central tool for aligning corporate strategies with sustainability imperatives. Yet, by reducing environmental, social, and governance dimensions to standardised metrics, conventional ESG framework risk obscuring the complex ethical commitments that arise from incommensurable societal subsystems. Drawing on Niklas Luhmann’s social systems theory, this paper critiques ESG’s tendency to privilege […]

Announcement | Kybernetes and SRBS included in the FNEGE journal ranking

I am very pleased to announce that, following a 2024 initiative by the Luhmann Conference Community, Systems Research and Behavioral Science and Kybernetes have been included in the FNEGE Classement des revues scientifiques en sciences de gestion et management 2025, the most influential academic business and management journal ranking in the francophone world.

Release | Multifunctional tetralemma. A systems-theoretical programme and its practical implications

Abstract: This general review introduces the concept of the multifunctional tetralemma as a systems-theoretical decision programme. It addresses how organisations can navigate dilemmas in functionally differentiated societies, where the same issue may appear simultaneously as good, bad, both, or neither depending on the function system through which it is observed. This paper situates the tetralemma within […]

Announcement | KSU Attains Leading National Results in the 2024 Lithuanian Research Council Evaluation

According to the official assessment conducted by the Research Council of Lithuania for the evaluation period 2024, Kazimieras Simonavičius University (KSU) achieved exceptional results in the field of social sciences, including: Moreover, two KSU publications were officially recognised as TOP Publications of 2024: In my capacity as Founding Director of the Next Society Institute (NSI), […]

Call | Proposals for Special Issues of Kybernetes

Call for Special Issue Proposals The editorial team at Kybernetes invites proposals for special issues from scholars and practitioners interested in topics related to cybernetics, systems thinking, and management science. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: If you would like to propose a special issue, please contact Paul Kidd pkidd@emerald.com to request a proposal form. The […]

CFP | EURAM 2026 | T12.03 Management History, Theory, and Philosophy

Proponents Track description The ‘Management History, Theory, and Philosophy’ track addresses the historical and philosophical foundations and challenges of management and organization theory and practice, as well as the application and evolution of historical research methods. Knowledge of these foundations and challenges is vital for interpreting trends, developing creative management solutions to persistent organizational problems, […]

Release | JBE | Multifunctional Tetralemma. Framework for the Strategic Management of Moral Trade-offs

Abstract: The issue of moral trade-offs is widely discussed in the literatures on sustainable development and stakeholder theory. Sustainability efforts often require corporate managers to balance economic, social, and environmental concerns, which frequently translate into trade-offs between legitimate stakeholder interests. We investigate how the nature of these trade-offs is illuminated by Luhmannian systems theory, particularly […]

Prof Steffen Roth

Author: Dr. Steffen Roth