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.     

Systems Thinking and Systems Practice: Working in the Fifth Dimension

This paper describes how a messy organizational problem was tackled using a systems approach which led to a resolution of the problem and to an improvement in the working relationships of the people involved. The example also shows how people who are not familiar with systems thinking, as such, can quickly be helped to develop a shared systemic view of a complex situation using activity modeling. At a deeper level, the paper also shows how the underlying dynamics of the problem situation was altered as a result of using a cooperative, dialogical working method, leading to an improvement in the quality of service provided by that part of the organization. The paper uses Peter Senge's five disciplines of a learning organization, together with various systems concepts, as a framework for describing how the process of change was brought about through the simultaneous management of task and social processes, leading to both individual and organizational learning.     

基于目标导向的多属性决策属性价值公度方法

MACBETH方法在多个属性维度上确定出的一组属性Good值(或Neutral值)并不能真地具有保证属性价值公度的完全相同的偏好涵义.为克服该方法缺陷,基于包容性属性价值函数,通过引入数据包络分析技术和马尔可夫理论给出了以目标参照方案为导向的目标导向属性价值函数和多属性决策属性价值公度的方法程序.相比于具有较大随意性确定属性Good值和Neutral值的MACBETH方法,依赖目标导向属性价值函数的多属性决策属性价值公度程序具有更明显的科学合理性,因此具有发展MACBETH方法,推动实际决策应用该方法及相关多属性偏好关联决策模型的创新价值.基于决策实验的应用分析直接验证了多属性决策属性价值公度方法程序的科学有效性,间接验证了包容性属性价值函数和目标导向属性价值函数的科学理性.     

A Systemic Exploration of Lesotho’s Basic Education through Interactive Management

Lesotho is an inland country striving to improve its economy. Accessible education is perceived as an effective approach to economic growth. Over the years, various projects were commenced to improve Lesotho’s basic education provision. However, the progress is not satisfactory or stable. This paper argues for systemic thinking and adopts Warfield’s interactive management to identify the difficulties in Lesotho’s education projects. Interactive management can help stakeholders to identify system elements, structure the relationship between systems elements and produce a diagraph representing the system in question. The core mechanism of interactive management is a binary matrix which can infer the existence of a relationship between system elements, provided that the relationship is transitive. Four root problems were identified through the interactive management process: ‘board members not educated’, ‘poor service delivery by the Ministry of Education and Training to teachers’, ‘food insecurity’ and ‘reduced and standardisation of school fees at post primary schools’. The developed model demonstrates how system elements are interconnected. The model has potential to be used as a starting point for the Lesotho government to manage on its basic education problems through the identified root causes.     

Design and analysis of the green climate fund

The Green Climate Fund （GCF） has been one of the core issues of the world climate summits under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change （UNFCCC） in recent years. However, the GCF has not progressed smoothly, and currently there are no satisfactory schemes for raising and distributing the fund. This paper first discusses how to finance the GCF among Annex II countries. It introduces the ＇preference score compromises＇ （PSC） approach which is based on environmental responsibility and economic capacity, with historical emissions as an indicator for environmental responsibility and GDP as indicator for economic capacity. The results show that the United States and the European Union are the two largest contributors to the GCF, sponsoring more than 80% of the funds. Second, we discuss how to allocate the funds among non-Annex II parties. The ＇adaptation needs＇ （AN） approach, which takes account of economic strength and climate damages, is proposed to achieve the adaptation purpose of the GCF, and the results reveal that African countries with high levels of climate vulnerability could get most funds, with a share of almost 30%. Regarding the mitigation purpose of the GCF, this research introduces two approaches： the ＇carbon reduction contribution＇ （CC） approach and the ＇incremental cost＇ （IC） approach. Both approaches could achieve significant reductions in carbon emissions in non-Annex II parties, whereas the latter may provide limited adaptation finance but result in more mitigation effects. This paper also develops a method to combine abatement efficiency and adaptation fairness of the GCF, and we find that with an equal split between the AN and CC （or AN and IC） approaches, the amount of USD 100 billion could finance an emissions reduction of 1613 MtCO2 （2477 MtCO2）, while allocating USD 16 （or USD 9） per capita for adaptation in non-Annex II parties. The schemes proposed may be useful for promoting the development of the GCF in the future.     

A Set of Conventions,a Model: An Application of Stafford Beer’s Viable Systems Model to the Strategic Planning Process

In contemplating better ways to manage, Stafford Beer says the big problem is that you are not determining absolute facts: you are establishing a set of conventions. Hence his view, that a model is neither true nor false: it is more or less useful. And while this paper suggests Beer’s Viable Systems Model (VSM) is overwhelmingly more, rather than less useful, that the VSM and its founding theories are virtually unknown at the level of everyday management begs the question, why? Over time we have learned about the usefulness of the VSM compared to other management theories, when used in the contest of the organisational strategic planning process. Thus through a sequence of diagrams based on Beer’s original drawings, we show how the VSM came to underpin a process for strategic planning in one organisation. The paper has three aims; to attach an everyday ‘common speak’ understanding to some of Beer’s work, to demonstrate how we have learned to appreciate the usefulness of the VSM and its associated diagrams and conventions and to suggest a link between the Action Research change methodology and Beer’s work.     

The First-, Second- and Third-Person Dynamics of Learning History

Learning history is a well delineated action research process consisting of consecutive stages of inquiry where groups and individuals engage in learning and reflecting on their past shared, but often multiple, experiences as these are recorded in a ‘learning history’. Learning history has much in common with other forms of action research in that it configures first-, second- and third-person processes of inquiry in a particular way and enacts research qualities of rigour, relevance and reflexivity. Yet these and other links have as yet been tacit and under articulated - resulting in learning history often conceived as a distinctive linear method with the practice of learning history likewise confined. This reflective article opens out and makes explicit the inherent first- second- and third- person dynamics of learning history. These dynamics are explored from the point of view of different actors – the historian, the participant and the reader - in a learning history process and connections to a general empirical method are made. Finally questions of quality in a learning history are discussed. The aim of this article is to establish firmer methodological foundations for the learning history approach and to provide practical insight into how action researchers might engage more readily in learning history work.     

Systemic Intervention Practice at an Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Alcohol and Other Drugs Treatment Centre

The purpose of this article is to describe the use of systemic intervention research methodology at an Indigenous-specific Australian drug and alcohol ‘therapeutic community’ rehabilitation setting. Systemic intervention is a three step methodological framework belonging to the systems thinking discipline. Practitioners must be mindful of the boundaries of the systems with which they are working; the need to select appropriate theoretical and methodological approaches to the context of the research, and undertake interventions towards sustainable and desirable change. Three participatory methods are detailed to highlight the importance and value of reflective practice. The three methods ranged from consultative through to collegial levels of participant engagement. Systemic intervention is a useful methodology in the context of indigenous health research and could be a valued approach in other research contexts that are explicit in their intent to help close the gap on Indigenous health disadvantage.     

Systems Thinking and Higher Education: The Vanguard Method

Reforms to the higher education sector in the UK are only increasing competitive pressures between institutions. Universities are therefore looking to gain competitive advantage over their rivals both in terms of student experience and through administrative efficiency. This paper will present an alternative view of how to transform the way that the higher education system delivers service to students in an environment where ‘student choice’ will be viewed as of paramount importance. The paper will argue that the prevailing ‘command and control’ (Seddon 2003) management logic, which can be found at work throughout both the public and private sectors, is the primary cause of inferior, expensive service. As an alternative, this paper will explore the benefits of working in a systems thinking way, whilst comparing and contrasting this with the flawed thinking which currently prevails. The Vanguard Method (Seddon 2008) is one particular form of systems thinking which has been developed for use in service organisations (Jackson et al. 2008) and which has been applied to many public sector organisations (ODPM 2005; Middleton 2010; Zokaei et al. 2010). Using a case study methodology (Yin 2009), this paper will address what has been learnt by applying the Vanguard Method in an HEI environment for the first time.     

Insights into Operationalizing Communities of Practice from SSM-Based Inquiry Processes

Two systemic inquiries, based on soft systems methodology (SSM), into the potential for using community of practice (CoP) theory by an Australian-government created research and development corporation to change its knowledge management (KM) strategy, are reported. Key staff were engaged in the inquiry into how to build a third-order KM strategy based on CoPs; an exploration of key published work on CoPs yielded four SSM activity models—‘being a community practice system’; ‘doing the work of imagination sub-system’; ‘doing the work of alignment sub-system’ and ‘doing the work of engagement sub-system’. These models can be used as heuristics to aid the purposeful design of CoPs in other settings. SSM, enacted as a systemic inquiry, can be understood as a form of systemic action research, which was well equipped to deal with CoP theory and, when enacted participatively, can generate important systemic insights. The inquiry began the process of fostering an appreciation of third order KM but, on the evidence available, did not lead to on-going commitment to a CoPs-based KM strategy. Future research should acknowledge how the framing of research situations influences the research process, the importance of the design of practice change settings and the limited evidence for purposeful interventions leading to successful CoPs.     

系统论视域下的社会主义和谐社会构建

系统科学是一门重要的综合性横断科学,它从整体的、系统的、复杂的视角对事物的状态、结构及运动演化机制进行研究,探索系统演化的规律。从社会系统的整体性和层次性出发,构建社会主义和谐社会是一个系统工程。要正确处理经济建设、政治建设、文化建设、社会建设的关系。在现阶段,要把构建社会主义和谐社会作为各项工作中的重点,中国特色社会主义的新的战略指导思想。本文从社会系统论的角度,对理解和落实科学发展观、建设社会主义和谐社会的若干理论和方法论问题,进行一些研究和讨论。     

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.

     

SOFT CONTROL ON COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR OF A GROUP OF AUTONOMOUS AGENTS BY A SHILL AGENT

This paper asks a new question： how can we control the collective behavior of self-organized multi-agent systems？ We try to answer the question by proposing a new notion called ＇Soft Control＇ which keeps the local rule of the existing agents in the system. We show the feasibility of soft control by a case study. Consider the simple but typical distributed multi-agent model proposed by Vicsek et al. for flocking of birds： each agent moves with the same speed but with different headings which are updated using a local rule based on the average of its own heading and the headings of its neighbors. Most studies of this model are about the self-organized collective behavior, such as synchronization of headings. We want to intervene in the collective behavior （headings） of the group by soft control. A specified method is to add a special agent, called a ＇Shill＇, which can be controlled by us but is treated as an ordinary agent by other agents. We construct a control law for the shill so that it can synchronize the whole group to an objective heading. This control law is proved to be effective analytically and numerieally. Note that soft control is different from the approach of distributed control. It is a natural way to intervene in the distributed systems. It may bring out many interesting issues and challenges on the control of complex systems.     

Dilemmas of Confrontation

Practicing action research in workplaces is a choice of letting oneself be closely involved in other peoples’ integrity as working men and women. The encounter between the researcher and the social group in the contract organization is the vital and sometimes only instrument for generating new learning and lasting change, thus it is critical for engaged action researchers to continuously be self-reflective on our praxis and appearance in this encounter. Within the action research literature, this encounter is discussed in relatively broad terms emphasizing preferred roles, values and strategies for organizing collaborative learning processes. Relatively little is reported, however, on the unpleasant sides of this interaction between the researcher and the collaborative group. In line with Greenwood and Levin’s (1998) argument for the action researcher as a friendly outsider who confronts in a supportive way, most researchers practicing action research have experienced how difficult it is to be as confronting as it takes if dysfunctional social routines are to be changed. In this article, I report on my own practice from an action research project, where I gradually developed my skills and confidence in acting more confronting as to bring forward new collaborating working routines among metal workers. I discuss three different forms of confrontation to be of critical necessity. By daring to act more confrontational, I also realized that it made me feel better about myself as a professional engaged researcher as I could reveal my true meanings and perspectives to the workers. I conclude by suggesting that in order for an engaged researcher to be able to develop her role as a confronting practitioner it is important to work closely in a team with fellow researchers, as well as to have the personal capacity to be self-reflexive and self-therapeutic.     

Systemic Design for Applying the Combined Use of SSM and CDA to Social Practices

In this paper, we propose a framework for applying the combined use of soft systems methodology (SSM) and critical discourse analysis (CDA) based on social semiotic systemic functional linguistics to social practices. In the social practice, ‘participation’ mode of Checkland’s SSM is used for ‘problem-solving’ whilst CDA is used to problematize ‘problem-solving’ processes within the practice. During the meta-process of problematization of our research, we used Churchman’s systems approach and its theory of ‘boundary critique’ in order to explore issues such as governance, inequality of power, and social values within the organization examined for this study. In other words, the process-oriented methodology proposed in this paper consists of two processes: that of ‘problem-solving’ based on SSM and of problematization of naturalized discourse from the perspective of CDA and two phases of boundary critique in social practice. A detailed account of a case study of Korean social enterprise is given to demonstrate how our proposed framework of the combined use of SSM and CDA is applied into practice. Reflecting the outcome of the case study, this paper argues that critical social research from systemic inquiry using what we call ‘process-oriented methodology’ is useful to address some of the social and complex issues related to understanding dynamic relation between power and discourse amongst participants in the social enterprise in Korean contexts.     

Prostitution and Human Rights in Indonesia: A Critical Systemic Review of Policy Discourses and Scenarios

This article considers policy making in practice focussing on case studies drawn from ethnographic research on prostitution in Indonesia carried out between 2012 and 2013 (this article is based on field research undertaken in Java, Indonesia, between November 2012 and 28 February 2013). Its theoretical underpinnings is that of ‘critical systemic heuristics’ which contends that policy making with respect to prostitution needs to take into account a range of factors and diverse views based on a process of ‘unfolding values’ and ‘sweeping in’ many variables before a decision is made. Applying ‘critical systemic approach’ or ‘critical heuristics’provides a means to test out the policy making ideas, as opposed to merely implementing the ideas of the powerful. The paper applies critical heuristic thinking to argue that the policy response ought to take into account the voices of those with a lived experience of poverty and prostitution, in order to protect their rights when making policy decisions.     

The Holistic Sense of Prison Phenomena in Venezuela. III. The Unity of the Research

In this paper the underlying systemic unity of the research reported in the two previous articles is sought. The research journey is examined in order to draw lessons concerning our systemic practice. In addition, an effort is made to relate Interpretive Systemology to some strands of systems, management and action research sciences. In so doing, we expect to draw some links that could be established between interpretive systemologists and the community of researchers who compose the select audience of SPAR.     

SERVICE VALUE NETWORKS： INTO PRACTICE

Modeling a business to match its customer perceived （and customer desired） outcomes, remains an on-going task. This paper considers shows how a service value networks （SVNs） approach may be engaged to model, and deliver, understanding of the front-end business and its direct engagement with its immediate （or front-end） customers. These front-end customers may be either： （1） its off-line, in-store customers - engaging directly with the business sales staff （or representative）, or-（2） its on-line, virtual customers - engaging with the business via internet or remote access. In this situation, both the business, and the customer draw upon their respective viewpoints, and both sides influence the interaction. External to these business and customer influences are additional factors that capture the immediate and broader global effects - termed environmental effects. These three business-customer engagement areas of influence are captured by a SVN SEM approach.
Without a business-customer encounter of some kind the likelihood of a services business, and a prospecting customer, successfully engaging in an exchange process is reduced. This exchange may be a physical, and/or services exchange, and/or an information and/or ideas exchange. To the business, this encounter is, in effect, a trade, and as a result, the business targets acquiring an economic exchange that will ultimately deliver a net positive economic outcome. To the customer, external and internal information feeds, servicing, perceived value, and satisfaction, are key encounter drivers. SVNs offers a new way to understand the business-customer encounter, and to then utilize this acquired knowledge to either： （1） build a strategic management model, or （2） reengineer its business networks, and to then create a re-positioned, more customer-aligned business operation - one that is capable of delivering win - win, competitive business-customer solutions.     

EVOKE: A Value-Driven Concept Selection Method for Early System Design

The development of new technologically advanced products requires the contribution from a range of skills and disciplines, which are often difficult to find within a single company or organization. Requirements establishment practices in Systems Engineering (SE), while ensuring coordination of activities and tasks across the supply network, fall short when it comes to facilitate knowledge sharing and negotiation during early system design. Empirical observations show that when system-level requirements are not available or not mature enough, engineers dealing with the development of long lead-time sub-systems tend to target local optima, rather than opening up the design space. This phenomenon causes design teams to generate solutions that do not embody the best possible configuration for the overall system. The aim of this paper is to show how methodologies for value-driven design may address this issue, facilitating early stage design iterations and the resolution of early stage design trade-offs. The paper describes how such methodologies may help gathering and dispatching relevant knowledge about the ‘design intent’ of a system to the cross-functional engineering teams, so to facilitate a more concurrent process for requirement elicitation in SE. The paper also describes EVOKE (Early Value Oriented design exploration with KnowledgE maturity), a concept selection method that allows benchmarking design options at sub-system level on the base of value-related information communicated by the system integrators. The use of EVOKE is exemplified in an industrial case study related to the design of an aero-engine component. EVOKE’s ability to raise awareness on the value contribution of early stage design concepts in the SE process has been further verified with industrial practitioners in ad-hoc design episodes.     

Masculinity, rationality, and family therapy

Contemporary accounts of masculinity have revealed masculine identity to be a fragile achievement. The ‘deconstruction’ of masculinity apparent in Western culture might also be seen in a powerful way in therapy, with the appearance of moments of breakdown in rationality, followed by the gradual articulation of an apparently nonrational position. The particular nature of this position will be as an expression of the ‘semiotic’: a breakthrough of the body into consciousness, an experience of being govened by something outside oneself which is nevertheless representative of the ‘truth’ of one's emotional state. Two illustrations are given of moments in family therapy where masculine assumptions appear to give way to a more confusional and fluid mode of experience.