Developing total systems intervention (TSI): The critical review mode

Total systems intervention (TSI) is a meta-methodology which interprets and brings into action a range of problem solving methodologies, viewing problem solving as a process of intervention where practitioners can learn about and manage complex interacting issues. When first presented, TSI was the framework that evolved from one of many possible operationalisations of critical systems thinking. From these beginnings, TSI (as one practical implementation of the principles of CST) now continues its development into a methodology for use by problem solvers in all situations, not just the organisational-enterprise setting. This paper presents a detailed operationalisation of the critical review mode, the framework of which may also be of use in the operationalisation of the other modes in TSI.     

Towards a critique of Critical Systems Thinking within a foucauldian framework: A “demystification process” or an “instrumental use” of Critical Theory

Critical Systems Thinking is an approach which aims at providing a coherent platform to guide systems practitioners through the numerous systems paradigms and systems methodologies currently available. However, it claims not only that it can provide an efficient way for choosing the appropriate methodology based on proper understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, but also that it is grounded within a commitment to critique, complementarism, and emancipation. Furthermore, it has claimed to be deeply rooted in the ideas of Habermas and Foucault. Considering recent research in Foucault's philosophy, this paper attempts to provide of CST a critical examination which can be extended to other areas of the management and systems sciences. In the context of this examination, the conclusion has been reached that CST has at least two options. The first is to redefine itself as a demystification process (of cherished concepts such as emancipation, complementarism, intervention and so on), if it wants to remain somehow ‘inspired’ by Critical Theory. The second one is to redefine its ‘critical’ claims so as to become aligned with managerial activities such as business consultancy and intervention, openly acknowledging an application of Critical Theory that is instrumental, if such an influence indeed exists.     

解决不确定问题情境的系统方法论及其反思

解决由人参与的不确定问题情境是当代系统方法论应用研究的主要方向。硬系统方法论采用功能主义整体优化的分析手段来解决目标明确的复杂技术问题,忽视了关于人的价值观和世界观等因素。软系统方法论采用诠释主义的范式来探询和改善问题情境,在处理组织内部关于权力不对等和价值观对立的问题情境时遇到很大挑战。批判系统思想融合了哈贝马斯的三种理性,其中创造性整体论提出了根据不同问题情境采用相适应的系统方法论来解决问题的研究进路。     

Total systems intervention and human inquiry: The search for a common ground

Total Systems Intervention (TSI) is an approach to intervening in problem situations which has much to offer where complex interacting issues need to be addressed by the complementary use of intervention methodologies. That such an approach has much in common with Action Research (AR) has been recognized, with much recent effort being devoted to the relationship between AR and Critical Systems Thinking (CST), the theoretical endeavor underpinning TSI. This paper further develops this line of debate and relates AR or Human Inquiry (HI) more directly to TSI, using an information systems intervention to enhance the study. The outcome is a demonstration of how TSI implicitly uses techniques informed from the field of Action Research, and how a more thorough synthesis of HI with TSI might serve to improve the overall intervention process.     

Management Sciences/Operational Research Units in Business and Management Courses in the UK

The paper reviews the development of management science/operational Research (MS/OR) in management education and explore how far the syllabuses of undergraduate business courses and MBA courses in the UK, are giving space to the teaching of management sciences methodologies (MSM). The academic phase of early MS/OR is outlined and a time-based framework to map the evolution of four MS/OR discourses informing a set of MSMs currently in use is advanced. At an undergraduate level the review is based on a sample taken from Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS) of business and management studies degrees and at a postgraduate level the review considers a sample of MBA programmes offered by six UK universities. Results indicate that most of the MBA courses include a core unit in quantitative methods in the first year and that universities are still at large teaching the ??hard?? end of the MSM spectrum, the type of problem solving methods developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Business courses incorporating units containing systemic thinking and management sciences methodologies developed from the 1970s to now (e.g.: soft systems methodology, viable systems model, cognitive mapping), are rarely taught at undergraduate (UG) level; and at post-graduate (PG) level they have been confined to a handful of institutions in the UK. The paper highlights the fact that MSMs associated with the soft and critical end of the spectrum are still lacking of credibility amongst the designers of management education at both undergraduate and graduate management education. Conclusions from the survey results are drawn and an agenda for further research is proposed.     

The observer's role and the process of critical review

The intention in this paper is to present a framework of critique which can be used to evaluate OR and determine (1) whether it is possible for OR to address its missing systemic, interdisciplinary components and (2) whether OR might address the practical (human) considerations often found in complex problem situations. The discussion begins with hierarchy theory and the work of C. West Churchman and moves towards incorporating those insights into a process of critical review (Wilby, 1996) as practiced within Total Systems Intervention (Flood and Jackson, 1991a, b; Food, 1995; Flood and Romm, 1996).     

企业战略研究方法论的综合集成与创新——概念框架与初步的理论假设

基于系统概念与系统方法论的新进展 :系统隐喻、系统方法论的系统体系及“全面系统干预”,提出了对企业战略各学派的研究方法论 (简称企业战略研究方法论 )综合集成与创新的总思路、概念框架及初步的理论假设 ,以克服企业战略研究方法论在实践中遇到的困难.     

Enhancing Emancipatory Systems Methodologies for Sustainable Development

Our interest lies in applying the principles of critical systems thinking to human activity systems in developing countries in situations where issues of natural resource sustainability constrain the feasible set of long-term strategies. The concept of sustainable development provides an expanded domain for critical systems thinking. The fundamental values underpinning sustainable development are that both intragenerational and intergenerational equity are important. As a consequence, key stakeholders are often excluded from power-sharing within current social systems. Addressing these issues requires renewed focus on emancipatory commitment and methodologies. To date, Ulrich's critical systems heuristics is the only critical systems methodology that offers practicable tools for emancipation. A case study analysis in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, provides insights in relation to the application of critical system heuristics to issues of sustainable development and highlights the need to extend the use of critical systems heuristics beyond the design and monitoring of structured interventions.     

元模型理论及其在企业体系结构开发设计中的应用

针对传统以产品为中心体系结构开发设计方法在体系结构建模过程中重产品而轻数据的弱点,分析研究了元模型理论以及基于元建模的体系结构开发设计方法中以数据为中心的实现方法.对两种体系结构开发设计方法论进行了比较,展现了元建模方法在开发流程与数据管理等方面的良好特性.结合工具软件MAP^TM,给出了体系结构开发设计中元建模扩展机制 的一种应用模式.     

Problem contexts—A consultant's perspective

This paper is an attempt at building on the idea of a “system of systems methodologies” to introduce a dynamic element in its use and thereby increase its effectiveness. The author, a practicing management consultant, has perceived the advantages of classifying various systems methodologies on the basis of problem contexts. Additional benefit, assesses the author, will be obtained by recognizing the dynamic nature of these contexts. Some insights have been developed on this theme. Areas needing further theoretical enhancement and action research are also identified.     

Soft System Dynamics Methodology in Action: A study of the Problem of Citizen Insecurity in an Argentinean Province

This paper illustrates an application of soft system dynamics methodology (SSDM). SSDM arose as a fusion of two well-known methodologies in the systems movement: system dynamics (SD) and soft systems methodology (SSM). SSDM includes 10 steps to orchestrate and implant change in social systems, based on a multimethodological and multiparadigmatic approach as an outcome of the combination of the mentioned methodologies. After a brief introduction, the paper starts by briefly explaining SSM and SD, their stages and their problematical issues as systemic methodologies, then goes on to explain SSDM, its philosophical roots and stages, ending with a comparison among the three. It then introduces the citizen insecurity problem in Argentina, specifically in Mendoza Province, where SSDM was applied to analyze this issue. The paper concludes with an explanation of the learning points that arose from the use of SSDM in this study and suggestions for further research on citizen security and SSDM.     

Emancipation and truth in critical systems methodologies

This paper deals with the need for stakeholders to participate actively in organizations, so that systems methodologies can be applied in a critical fashion with the objective of arousing the emancipatory interest. It discusses the meaning of emancipation in the labor movement tradition and the emergence of the apathy of working people toward it. Critical Systems Thinking is obliged to face this apathy in its attempt to motivate the emancipatory interest.     

O2O背景下的共享经济研究

共享经济目前已经成为运营管理领域一大新的研究热点,其相关研究在近几年如雨后春笋般涌现.首先明晰共享经济在运营管理领域研究的相关学术概念和研究主体及范围,并根据资源所属权将共享经济模式分成两大类——C2C (customer-to-customer)模式和B2C (business-tocustomer)模式,其中C2C模式又可细分为由市场定价和由平台定价两小类.之后分别选取每类模式内代表性的共享经济平台(共享住宿、打车平台和共享单车),对该模式内共享经济研究进行梳理,并侧重于关注C2C模式内的定价问题和B2C模式内的资源管理问题.通过介绍目前共享经济特别是平台经济的研究进展,展望未来共享经济的研究方向和可能的研究问题.     

Soft System Dynamics Methodology (SSDM): Combining Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and System Dynamics (SD)

Soft System Dynamics Methodology (SSDM), a systemic methodology product of the combination of two widely used systems-based methodologies from two different systems thinking paradigms, Systems Dynamics (SD) and Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), is presented. The paper argues that by combining some of SD and SSM stages, within the intellectual framework proposed by SSDM, a methodology developed by one of the authors¹ much can be gained in a systemic intervention to tackle complex social problematic situations. A framework for comparing the ontological, epistemological and methodological principles of SD, SSM and SSDM is proposed and the synthesizing and dialectical role of SSDM is advanced. The 10 stages of SSDM are outlined and illustrated by an application on a small Peruvian company; and a set of conclusions and points for further research are discussed.     

Evaluation practice and the tricky issue of coercive contexts

Recently, the study of evaluation theory and practice has been elevated to a position of prominence. However, while evaluation theory is burgeoning, failure to consider situations of coercion and oppression renders evaluation practice fundamentally deficient. In this paper the search for appropriate methods of evaluation for use in coercive contexts is initiated. Based on Flood and Jackson's (1991) recommendation for the use of Ulrich's Critical System Heuristics (1983) in coercive contexts, the principles of this methodology are used to guide the search. Following the alignment of Critical System Heuristics with Stake's Responsive Evaluation (1980), the potential contribution of critical evaluation methodologies to the general field of critical management studies is assessed.     

集装箱空箱调度问题的研究现状与发展

集装箱化运输是世界经济贸易发展的有力助推器，空箱调度是集装箱运输中占有巨额成本却不可或缺的环节，提高空箱调度的效率至关重要. 本文对集装箱空箱调度研究进行综述，从管理层次（战略层、战术层与运作层）、运输方式（多式联运与单一运输模式）与研究方法及目标等视角对国内外文献进行归纳总结，并对未来研究方向进行展望.     

Designing a Management System for a Rural Community Development Organization Using a Systemic Action Research Process

This paper describes the first phase, 'finding out', of a systemic participatory action research intervention in the management systems of a rural community development organization in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The aims of the intervention were to (a) improve the management system of this organization, and (b) evaluate the usefulness of particular systems methodologies for the improvement of management systems of organizations involved in community development in under-resourced rural contexts. The second phase, "implementation," needs to be completed and thoroughly evaluated before any final conclusions can be drawn about the suitability of the chosen systems framework for Third World type rural contexts. However, the second phase is, at the time of writing, underway and all indications are that an interpretive ('Soft') Systems Methodology, combined with insights from a more functionalist ('hard') approach (with methods chosen through a Critical Systems Thinking framework) holds much promise for participatory systemic interventions in these contexts.     

Approaching Action Research from a Socioecological Perspective

The paper seeks to explicate an action research methodological framework that can provide practical guidance to those approaching action research from a socioecological perspective. It does so by revisiting the developmental foundations of the Emery and Trist socioecological paradigm, by drawing on insights left scattered throughout Emery's writings, and by drawing on the author's own experience in action research. The framework explicated seeks to provide practical guidance for (i) intervention in field settings, to coproduce open social systems–environment active adaptation, i.e., action-research guided interventions to produce sought management outcomes, and (ii) generation and formalization of theory extensions to socioecological theory concerned with intervention strategy and intervention methodologies, i.e., action-research guided generation of socioecological theory suitable for social scientific publication.