Telecommunications as ecosystem : An Australian case study

In describing methods of analysing and evaluating alternative policy options of large systems, like the Australian Telecommunications Commission, this article proposes a set of criteria to test the policy options of Telecom Australia. The criteria are developed through three levels of enquiry. The rational enquiry describes the objective characteristics of the system; the mythological enquiry describes that set of beliefs which justifies the system's organization; and the ecological enquiry evaluates the adaptability of the system. This article concludes that re-evaluation at the mythological level is necessary for the successful continuation of Telecom Australia.