Identifying System Archetypes in Order to Comprehend and Improve the Program Management Practices in Organizations

Mental models focused on the efficiency of products and services deliveries, typical of projects, can generate system archetypes that disturb the development of programs. The main goal of this article is to identify and describe the system archetypes that can occur in program management, improving the decision-making process, and consequently, increasing the probability of organizations to reach their strategic objectives through successful programs. Research was carried out with the participation of organizations that conduct programs, under a descriptive purpose and using system dynamics qualitative modeling, with the intent of building causal loop diagrams, and identifying and describing the system archetypes that may occur from the organizational policies. It was pointed out in the research, through the analysis of the four archetypes found, that the short-term vision problem impairs the achievement of results and benefits by the programs, the mere delivery of new capabilities by the projects not being sufficient for the effective engagement of stakeholders.