Cybernetics and Public Administration: Rethinking Governance in an Age of Complexity
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Cybernetics has re-emerged as a powerful lens for understanding governance amid rapid technological change, complex socio-political systems, and increasingly unpredictable public environments. As governments confront rapidly evolving societal, technological, and geopolitical challenges, traditional bureaucratic models rooted in hierarchical control and linear planning are proving insufficient. This article provides a comprehensive examination of cybernetic theory and its applications to public administration, highlighting the contributions of first- and second-order cybernetics, systems theory, complexity science, and related governance innovations. This article examines the intellectual history of cybernetics in governance; reviews contemporary applications in public management, digital-era governance, complexity science, and algorithmic decision-making; and proposes a conceptual model of “Cybernetic Public Administration.” Findings show that cybernetic principles enhance administrative capacity by supporting anticipatory governance, adaptive learning, policy coherence, and resilience. However, risks remain, including algorithmic opacity, power asymmetries, and techno-bureaucratic overreach.
Author: Amagoh F.
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7119982973