Evolutionary and Revolutionary Adaptation Processes Are Driven by Identity in Cooperative Systems: Theory Testing and Extension Through a Multicase Study Approach

ABSTRACT The article discusses adaptation in cooperative societies, drawing from classical literature and more recent studies on organisational cybernetics. It highlights the challenges these societies face, including market demands, resource scarcity, regulatory pressures and cultural issues. The research is grounded in a multicase study approach, which is suitable for both theory testing and building. The study examines four cooperative societies. The study identifies various processes through which cooperative societies adapt, processes that describe different dynamics. These processes are categorised under different themes. The study introduces new processes and extends existing theories on adaptation. It identifies a process termed ‘revolution,’ where cooperatives adapt by breaching social norms and laws to ensure survival. The study also proposes a categorization of adaptation processes, emphasising the role of identity in driving these processes. The article contributes to the field of organisational cybernetics by testing and extending theories related to adaptation processes in cooperative societies. It suggests that identity plays a crucial role in these processes and offers practical implications for developing further theories on the adaptive effects of identity within organisations. The article contributes importantly to understanding the adaptation process that viable systems use in their effort to continue their existence.