Introduction

We created the term 'engeflux' by combining the words 'engineering' and 'flux' with the intention to identify the phenomenon related to structuring and operating optimized value flows. Value is understood as the delivery of benefit at cost. In other words, the utility or reward that stakeholders expect to obtain in exchange to their respective contributions. Therefore, value flows are related to the systemic processes that emerge over time to satisfy the necessities of these stakeholders.

The systems structuring approach used is based on the engineering process and treated with scientific rigor. We call it PENSO, an acronym that refers to 'Optimizing Systems ENgineering Process'. PENSO is organized according to system life cycle stages and reference processes, in harmony with norms and rigorous international standards for excellence. These stages are: conception, development, production, utilization, support and retirement. Due to its holistic and universal characteristic, PENSO is applicable to engineered systems at any hierarchical level, including what has come to be identifyed as 'system of systems', as well as the generic notion of enterprise. It incorporates, by definition therefore, the notions of product development, factory development, innovation, entrepreneurship and operations as integrated aspects.

In this context, it is relevant to emphasize that modeling in general, including certain quantitative and computational aspects, is a central foundation. Modeling helps to comprehend the relationship amongst system structure and system behavior; allowing the testing of hypothesis and scenarios in the virtual world before implementing interventions in the real world. It involves dealing with the relationship amongst form, function and emergent system properties. These foundational considerations are universaly applicable in the search for high performance in enterprises of any type and size.

Upon such guiding considerations we seek to act as an orchestration agent of cycles of learning and system transformation, positioning ourselves as partners in projects of high strategic impact, including those of large scale and complexity at the intersection of industry, academy and government.