Suggested Citation: S.M.B. Malaek, Hadi Farhangi, (2013) "From biology to the man-made systems: A parasitic behavior to describe deficiency in the financial systems", Kybernetes, Vol. 42 Iss: 7, pp.1086 – 1100 From biology to the man-made systems; a parasitic behavior to describe deficiency in the financial systems S. M. B. Malaek 1, 2 , H. Farhangi 1 1 Graduate School of Management and Economics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran 2 Aerospace Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a behavioral mode (as opposed to a numerical one), which considers any subsystem parasitic behavior as an indication of a potentially contributing element in the overall system deficiency. Design/methodology/approach – Similar to that associated with General Systems Theory, this paper concentrates on the organization and functions of natural systems which exhibit a loss of efficiency due to some general parasitic behavior. Based on the philosophy of “Bionics”, it clarifies the functional architecture and root-cause of this behavior in living systems in order to model subsystems characteristics which exhibit the same behavior in a complex system. In addition, a case study is done on the so called “Eurozone financial difficulties” to examine the idea of this paper. However, limited access to proprietary financial data limits the generalization of the theory and therefore special case-studies seem to be necessary. Findings – The study of “Parasites” and their associated functional introduces one possible explanation for the shortage of resources in systems. This concept could also help understand “interfaces” in a new perspective; where, changing the system boundary could alter the type of interfaces in the system. Practical implications – This work is applicable where there is a competition for the limited resources. Resource- based systems, such as financial systems, could be the subject of parasitic attack and therefore this work could build an appropriate foundation to understand and prevent this kind of danger to the system. Originality/value – The presented model would be very useful to predict failures in systems which are mainly rich in resources. Detailed analysis on the subject, presented in this paper, provides initial knowledge to prevent shortage in system resources, caused by a general parasitic behavior. Keywords Parasite, Host, Parasitic Behavior, Systems, Financial Crisis Article Classification Conceptual Paper