A Maturing of Systems Thinking? Evidence from Three Perspectives

This paper reviews trends in systems theory/thinking from the 1970s to the early 2000s. It proposes a maturation of the field based on certain conceptual and methodological advances that have sought to liberate systems thinking from earlier strictures. An edited dialogue among three prominent systems thinkers from different systems schools—Merrelyn Emery, Bob Flood, and Eric Wolstenholme—provides evidence. Similarities and differences are identified, complementarities among the schools are derived and analyzed, and trajectories for future research are indicated.     

广义城市生态系统安全性的评价与分析--以河北省11个设区市为例

广义城市生态系统是一个大的复杂系统,对其进行安全性评价是为城市健康、稳定发展提供相应的理论支持.本文对层次分析法构建的评价体系进行了改进,建立组合权重计算公式,以河北省11设区市为例,利用新建体系进行了实际计算和分析,根据分析结果总结出,工业化对城市化作用较弱、工业集约化水平低、资源供求矛盾突出、城市环境污染严重、循环经济发展缓慢等,都是造成河北省城市广义生态系统较不安全的主要原因.     

Action Engagement: Improving Researchers’ Involvement in Action Research Projects

This article presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of Action Engagement. This is a methodological approach implying that researchers involve themselves in the organization by working as ordinary employees. Our problem statement is this: How will Action Engagement improve the quality of action research? Given the fact that the researcher has limited time to use in the initial phase, we intend to show that Action Engagement is an effective introduction to the daily organizational life. The data is from an automotive supplier and two hospitals in Norway. The analysis contributes to the field of action research in two respects. First, it offers a detailed and varied understanding of how a broad empirical basis can be obtained in an action research (AR) project. Second, it presents an empirically grounded understanding of how this method can be used to achieve increased credibility and trust in ways that enable the researcher to bring in new and important aspects in organizational dialogues.     

运输成本内生动态化的经济地理增长模型

运输成本作为新经济地理学理论的"三大基石"之一,是影响经济活动空间分布与增长的核心因素.本文针对传统经济地理增长模型中运输成本外生给定这一问题,引入运输成本内生动态化机制,构建了一个包含技术溢出的运输成本内生动态化条件下分析区域交通政策的经济地理增长模型.结果发现,新模型能够更精准地模拟关键参数相关关系的动态变化趋势,区际运输成本的降低有助于缩小区域差异,发达区域内部运输成本的降低有利于经济增长但会扩大区域差异,而降低较落后区域内部运输成本既有利于经济增长也会缩小区域差异.由此说明引入运输成本内生动态化机制的模型更加符合现实,并且能够为分析区域交通政策提供有力工具.     

一种用于工业经济效益综合评价的模型与方法

经济效益综合评价是产业结构和产业政策研究的重要内容。从系统工程观点来看,经济效益综合评价本质上是一个有限方案多目标决策问题。因此,本文拟从多目标决策角度提出一种新的用于工业经济效益综合评价的模型与方法。该模型与方法以多目标决策中的加权法为基础,运用客观赋权方法确定各经济效益评价指标间的加权系数,评价结果准确、可靠,不具有主观随意性。     

Dialogue and Revolution: Proposal for Critical-Pragmatic Recursive Praxis to Support Operationalisation of Methodological Virtues

Systemic Practice and Action Research (SPAR) denotes a family of approaches with different theoretical foundations, the constructive encounter between which may propel the movement forward. A persistent scholarly debate persists between the so-called emancipatory and pragmatic strands, motivating perceptions of the impossibility to jointly accomplish both ‘dialogical’ and ‘revolutionary’ commitments of the movement. This reflects that SPAR is still grappling with how to maintain a normative foundation while prioritising local change processes, thus reconciling what is universally ‘right’ with the locally ‘good’ in order to foster an operational view of the nature of reciprocity and justification. In this paper, I mobilise experiences from five action research projects in the field of natural resource governance to undertake a methodological introspection to examine how we as SPAR professionals may negotiate our approach during project implementation and the encounter of concrete realities and stakeholder interests. The objective is to offer an alternative view on the relationship between the ‘dialogical’ and the ‘revolutionary’ elements of SPAR; a view which rejects a dichotomisation in favour of a critical-pragmatic recursive praxis that depends on the capacity of the researcher to negotiate methodological virtues with co-researchers in the process.     

The Concerns-Based Adoption Model: Teachers’ Participation in Action Research

This article views a particular example of action research through the theoretical lens provided by the Concerns Based Adoption Model of professional development. A small group of teachers in Lesotho, used action research to investigate their understanding and practice in the midst of externally initiated change. Data was collected from teachers’ discussions during the 2 years of the project. Teachers interacted during planning sessions; lesson observations and reflection meetings. Results indicated that these teachers’ development and change through action research corresponded with the seven levels of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) which are awareness, information, personal concerns, management, consequences, collaboration and refocusing. The demonstrated resonance between CBAM and action research is significant, given the differing orientations of the two models. There is a need however to conduct further studies with larger samples and possibly from diverse areas to further explore the relationship between the Concerns-Based Adoption Model and action research.     

Overcoming Challenges in Writing About Action Research—The Promise of the Development Story

There is great demand for articles and books describing what action researchers do but little methodological literature available explaining how researchers can go about writing such articles and books. This constitutes a serious challenge as writing high quality scientific texts is crucial for researchers to learn about and improve their practice. This paper addresses that challenge and offers a ‘recipe’ for writing, the development story, which aims to help action researchers reflect deeply on their empirical observations and convert these into concise and meaningful texts. The main purpose is to examine how using the development story as a support tool for writing impacts on engaged researchers’ field practice. We assess the value of the development story by using it to analyse and present an organizational development project in four Norwegian industrial service firms. We conclude that the development story can help instigating valuable reflection on the various roles researchers play out in the field, thereby helping them improve future practice. There is a need for more literature about analysis and writing adapted to the specific challenges of action research.     

Methodologies for the Participant Construction of Knowledge

Over the last few decades there have been increasingly rapid changes in all fields (economic, political, etc. ...) leading to new forms of education and research. During the 1990s we have been working on innovative forms of education and participant research. In this context, this article includes some reflections on specific experiences of the construction of collective knowledge carried out in several cities, mainly in Spain and Latin America. It focuses on concrete postgraduate course experiences and it shows some innovative ways of collaborative relations between University, Public Administrations, and Social Organizations. The main theoretical and methodological principles of these experiences are also developed. On the other hand, we have been developing a network with some Latin partners on both sides of the ocean and we have recently made contacts with partners from English-speaking countries. We hope this article will contribute to building new bridges and communications on participant and instituent forms of knowledge construction.     

美国再工业化祸兮福兮：双向FDI能否促进中国经济高质量发展？——基于产业结构和技术创新的中介作用

随着对外开放政策的实施，对外直接投资（OFDI）和外商直接投资（IFDI），简称双向FDI，无疑对中国经济的高速增长发挥了重要作用，但是面对美国再工业化战略的冲击，双向FDI能否发挥以及如何发挥对经济高质量发展的驱动作用，是需要迫切解答的问题。以新经济增长理论为基础，构建包含双向FDI的经济高质量发展理论模型，并结合中介效应模型和调节效应模型，实证检验并揭示了产业结构和技术创新这对“双引擎”在双向FDI对经济高质量发展影响的中介作用以及美国再工业化战略的调节效应，采用夏普利值分解法量化了不同中介作用的贡献比例。研究结果表明：双向FDI能够显著促进中国经济高质量发展，技术创新在其中发挥了部分中介作用，而产业结构合理化存在遮掩效应；美国再工业化战略的实施既能直接调节双向FDI对经济高质量发展的影响，也能通过调节双向FDI对产业结构高级化和技术创新的影响，间接影响经济高质量发展；夏普利值分解结果显示，产业结构对经济高质量发展的边际效应大于技术创新的边际效应。通过区域异质性分析发现：产业结构合理化在沿海和内陆地区均存在遮掩效应，产业结构高级化仅在沿海地区存在遮掩效应，技术创新的中介作用仅在沿海地区成立；美国再工业化对双向FDI的调节作用在沿海和内陆地区均存在显著差异。研究结果有助于揭示双向FDI对经济高质量发展的作用机理，为有效发挥双向FDI对中国经济高质量发展的积极作用提供政策依据。     

A Conceptual Framework Based on Maturana’s Ontology of the Observer to Explore the Checkland’s Soft Systems Methodology

This paper explores Checkland’s Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) through the lenses of a theoretical framework that incorporates key concepts from Maturana’s Ontology of the Observer (OoO) with the view of complementing Checkland’s SSM application process. We outline and examine paradigmatic compatibility between: Checkland’s ontological position (reality is problematic/chaotic) together with his interpretivist epistemology (multiple perceptions enrich the ever-changing reality); and Maturana’s OoO (we are immersed in the praxis of living in an ontological multi-universe). We argue that OoO resonates with key SSM theoretical underpinnings. After establishing compatibility between these two influential systems thinkers, we advance a conceptual framework in which Checkland’s SSM learning process is re-visited through a the framework grounded on Maturana’s OoO. The proposed framework illustrates how key ideas drawn from Maturana’s OoO can shed light into the way in which some of the main SSM devices (i.e.: Root definitions, Conceptual model) are used in the SSM process. By doing that, SSM is enriched and becomes more flexible as the stakeholders involved are placed within the domain of constitutive ontologies from which, a deeper dialogue can be promoted in a domain of coexistence in mutual acceptance. We argue that this is a suitable way to have more flexible and holistic views for a SSM intervention in particular to promote the learning process and debating proposed changes amongst the stakeholders involved. The proposed framework, when applied, may enhance the power of SSM learning process and when adopted can have substantial implications to complement the SSM process.

     

Experience in the Practice of One Tradition of Multimethodology

This paper explores issues arising from the growing experience in the practice of just one of the traditions of multimethodology, namely that associated with a set of theoretical principles labeled pragmatic pluralism, and a methodological framework which is being developed to put these into action, namely, PANDA (participatory appraisal of needs and the development of action). The paper begins with a short historical introduction to the tradition of multimethodology under consideration; Section 2 then briefly describes some of the main features and principles involved in the PANDA framework. We then present three short case studies to illustrate different features of PANDA in action. The concluding section reflects on the issues that arise from the use of PANDA and discusses our future agenda for its development.     

Is Action Design Research Indeed Necessary? Analysis and Synergies Between Action Research and Design Science Research

Action research is one of the research methods that seeks to develop scientific knowledge while simultaneously acting to solve real problems. Design science and design science research are approaches that address problem-solving oriented researches, converging in this aspect with the objectives of action research. A significant part of the literature discusses action research and design science research separately. However, there are some early discussions regarding the similarities and the differences between these research methods. The objective of this study is to deepen an analysis that distinguishes action research, design science and design science research as research methods considering their convergences and divergences. This leads to the discussion of the need for a third method: action design research. This study was conducted based on a configurative systematic literature review. The analysis and the synthesis of literature took into account themes and content analyses. Some results could be observed. First, there is a significant number of similarities among these research methods; second, there are complementary and positive synergies in their use; and third, the concepts of artifact and classes of problems seem to contribute both to the proposition and to the evaluation of the results obtained by action research. Finally, it was possible to establish a set of possibilities for the use of action research and design science research in a combined manner. The limitations of this study have a theoretical nature. There is a need for a comparative analysis of the use of action research and design science research and the use of action research under the paradigm of design science.     

Piaget,self-organizing knowledge,and critical systems practice

An examination of Piaget's conception of the source, nature, development, and use of knowledge reveals that his model for the genetic development of human knowledge is cybernetic and self-organizing. Moreover, Piaget presents a model of cognition which is a reflection and extension of autopoietic biological organization; both cognitive and organic systems are seen to exhibit organizational closure and structural plasticity. An action-based intervention method, modeling embedded learning structures as cybernetic, autopoietic systems, may provide insight toward clarifying some theoretical and methodological problems of critical systems thinking.     

Application and transformation of action research in educational research and practice

This paper examines research and theory in the area Kurt Lewin called action research. Action research is collaborative, driven by a partnership between theorist/researchers and practitioners. It focuses on both theoretical and practical implications of issues. When viewed in the context of other work by Lewin, action research is seen as focusing on the social context of behaviors and on the dynamics of situations in which behaviors occur. Action research provides a versatile, potentially powerful approach for use in applied research on groups and group settings. Principles of action research, a tracing of the development of action research, and variations of action research approaches that have emerged in education are presented. Finally, two ongoing studies that exemplify action research are described.     

Plurality revisited: Diversity management and triple loop learning

This paper suggests one way of managing plurality of theories and methodologies and ways of operationalising them. It suggests that the management of options needs to be linked to a process of reflexive consciousness. Reflexive consciousness operates by recognising that choices of theoretical and methodological commitment have to be made for the purposes of action. Awareness of the provisional and partial nature of choices is key to the management of options. Choice-making is marked by an awareness of the way in which the facility for judgement has been exercised. This includes considering how judgements may be accounted for in the light of alternative choices. Informed awareness means taking into accounttheoretical debates that may be brought to bear in facilitating an appreciation of methodologies and possible operationalisations of them. It also means taking into account matters ofcontemporary concern (specialist or popular) raised in the process of social debate. Our argument is detailed through an explication of what we call diversity management and triple loop learning.     

Constructive Scaffolding or a Procrustean Bed? Exploring the Influence of a Facilitated,Structured Group Process in a Climate Action Group

In this paper we present a case of a structured, facilitated group process with a climate action group engaged in a local Transition initiative. We explore how the interacting contexts between action researchers and the group acted as a constraint for the trajectory of the group process, by looking at the mismatches between the group’s and the researchers’ purposes and differences in expectations about methods of engagement. A methodological framework was used for evaluating the outcomes. The primary aim of this article was to investigate and point out dynamics that may be a hindrance to the effectiveness of a facilitated local climate initiative, with the view to inform facilitation practices and improve future action research processes.     

How Local Participation in National Planning Creates New Development Opportunities

This study looks into the role of participation in influencing the adaptation of national policies to generate local economic development opportunities. The main question put forward is: What are the preconditions for creating new local development opportunities in a national state’s government planning process? The subject of the study is a planning process for the designation of a national park in the southwestern part of Norway. The analysis looks into three factors from the perspective of power: the mobilization and power base development of local stakeholders, the planning authority’s intention and structure for participation and change, and how conflicts are handled in the dialogue arenas. The conclusion with respect to regional innovation literature is that local stakeholders could make a difference by articulating both power over and power with and that conflicts may be useful if the planning authority takes the participants’ claims seriously by showing compromise or allowing integration of interests. From such preconditions new local economic opportunities could be created by collaboration.     

When Research and Practice Collide: The Role of Action Research When There Is a Conflict of Interest with Stakeholders

This article discusses problematic aspects of the role of the action researcher when working with multiple stakeholders on a complex research project concerning regional development. The case presented here deals with the improvement of the regional innovation system in a small region in the south of Norway. The project resulted in a conflict between stakeholders and the action research (AR) team. We claim that when working in a regional context, the role of the action researcher is set to be a collaborator in a context of power play; the ultimate stakeholders must be defined as the citizens in that region. Therefore, in some situations the action researcher must have a legitimatised right to abandon collaboration and present a critical voice in the public deliberation. Strategic power play and strategic action by stakeholders represent a clear threat to the soft approach of collaboration, reflectivity, and democratic dialogue that AR represents. The ultimate challenge and obligation of the action researcher is to improve democracy in society in a long-term perspective through representing a critical capacity in the public deliberation.