Methodological foundations of systems methodologies

In social systems science generally, and in management science particularly, recent developments in the variety of types of specific problem-solving methodologies (under the rubric of hard and soft systems approaches) have given an impetus to a line of inquiry, as well as debate on the nature of those methodologies. On the one hand, there has been the view that what we are witnessing is a form of Kuhnian crisis. On the other hand, a complementarist view of developments has been argued and a contingency approach proposed. But one thing has been common among the competing views: a belief that the prospects for further advances in the design and application of those methodologies, and in resolving the current controversies, lie in serious attempts to reconsider and clarify the underlying metatheoretical assumptions and concerns. This paper is an attempt to contribute to such an endeavor. A brief exposition of three methodological foundations (namely, empiricism, hermeneutics, and critique) is made, not only with the purpose of highlighting the nature as well as the limits of their epistemological and ethical claims, but also as a basis for illuminating both the nature of contemporary work on systems inquiry, design, and problem solving and the ongoing debate on what constitutes appropriate criteria for choice of specific methodologies.     

Knowing as intervention: Reflections on the application of systems ideas

The relation between theory and practice is explored in this paper with respect to an examination of various systems approaches. It is argued that the moment of knowing already contains practical implications in that comprehensiongears practice in certain directions. Practice/application can fulfill the demands of theory through the operation of a self-fulfilling prophecy effect. The way in which theoretical conceptions of systems researchers may constrain practice is explored with reference to the work of Beer, Checkland and Scholes, and Ulrich. In the course of this exploration, alternative views of the way in which viable systems diagnosis, soft systems methodology, and critical systems heuristics may be utilised, are offered.     

Systems thinking,systems practice,and practical philosophy: A program of research

IfSystems Practice is to serve the cause of socially rational decision making, its understanding of systems approach must open itself up to the communicative dimension of rational practice uncovered by contemporary practical philosophy. This programmatic paper argues that building the bridge between the two traditions of systems thinking and practical philosophy is a key challenge to be faced by the systems community. A three-level framework of rational systems practice is suggested as a point of departure for a program of research.     

Decision Support Systems (DSS) development using a model of user inquiry types: Methodological proposals and a case study

A study of the DSS implementation area reveals an increased emphasis on methodologies for DSS development. As the DSS field matures, a larger number of methodological options are becoming available to the DSS developer. Existing methodologies have adopted various methods for performing the important task of DSS requirements analysis and specification. In envisaging a hierarchy of requirements analysis methods, a method for improved requirements analysis is proposed to remedy observed deficiencies within it. This method is based on a view of generic types of inquiries or solicitations made by the DSS user during decision-making. This formalism constitutes the basis of a proposed DSS development methodology that offers several benefits to DSS development. The intended benefits include a sharper and more focused requirements analysis to improve the DSS development process. This paper describes the model and methodology, alongside details of a real-world example of their use in developing a Marketing Decision Support System (MKDSS) for the support of marketing decision-making.     

Decision Research Using Cognitive Structures

This paper describes a form of management epistemology, and suggests that it be called Decision Research, since it is primarily based on what can be learned from how managers make decisions in practice. The paper proposes that Decision Research be founded on generic cognitive structures that show a high degree of stability from east to west, old to new. These are described by Nomology, the science of the laws of the mind, and so have a positivist flavor. The paper develops, through an understanding of settled practice, how these structures are used in different cultures and fields of management. The richness of diversity it reveals encourages an interpretivist approach. Its value to Systemic Practice comes from the way that it provides frameworks and maps to elucidate issues and resolve situations in management.     

Toward a Buddhist Systems Methodology 1: Comparisons between Buddhism and Systems Theory

This paper compares some key concepts from Buddhism with ideas from different traditions of systems thinking. There appear to be many similarities, suggesting that there is significant potential for dialogue and mutual learning. The similarities also indicate that it may be possible to develop a Buddhist systems methodology to help guide exploration and change within Buddhist organisations.

Methodology choice in a coercive context

Action research has been conducted into the problem of software usability. Guidance in methodology selection was sought in the work of M. C. Jackson. In the absence of suitable methodology for what was judged to be a systemic-coercive situation, use was made of radical design methods. Both radical design and the theory of Jackson are evaluated in this paper     

The roots of reductionism: A counter-ontoepistemology for a systems approach

Both an ontoepistemology for reductionist modern science (counter-ontoepistemology) and an ontology for interpretive Systemology have been outlined in the two preceding papers in this special issue ofSystems Practice. In the present article, the notion of truth is interpreted in terms of both the ontoepistemology of reductionism and the ontology of interpretive systemology. Both interpretations are discussed. Such a discussion represents the objective of this paper, that is, to outline the epistemological face of the ontoepistemology of interpretive systemology. In order to design that epistemological face, the relation between ontology and epistemology must be clarified. Such a relation is seen from the standpoint already provided by the ontology. After the discussion on the notion of truth, the general shape of a systemic-interpretive inquiring process is outlined.     

ADVANCES IN SUSTAINABLE SECURITY SYSTEMS ENGINEERING WITH DRAMA THEORY （DT） II

We put forth Drama Theory II (DT II) as a formal multiple participant decision making framework that can be used to systematically model complex security challenges, and advance the field of Sustainable Security Systems Engineering. DT II is defined as a theory of “large world” pre-game communication and equilibrium selection. While game theoretic tools have been widely applied to resolve environmental conflicts and promote global security, traditional game theory assumes that decision makers, options, and preferences are fixed. A mathematical treatment of key drama theoretic concepts (i.e. positions, intentions, doubts and dilemmas) is provided. The dynamics of the drama theoretic process are discussed and the expected equilibrium set is derived. The fundamental theorem of drama theory is proven and all theoretical results are applied to promote sustainable security solutions. It is emphasized that DT II represents a flexible systems engineering technique to address time-sensitive, multi-faceted, and complex multiple participant negotiations.     

Total systems intervention: A practical face to critical systems thinking

This is the first exposition of a new methodology (or perhaps meta-methodology) for systems practice known as Total Systems Intervention (TSI). Designed to overcome the weaknesses of hard, cybernetic, and soft systems approaches and build on their strengths, TSI represents a practical face of critical systems thinking. It advocates combining three building blocks-systems metaphors, system of systems methodologies, and individual systems methodologies—in an interactive manner which is deemed to be particularly powerful and fruitful. In this paper the philosophy, principles, and phases of the TSI methodology are set out and two very different examples of its use are provided.     

Applications of living systems theory

Living systems theory identifies basic principles that underlie the structure and processes of living things and relates them to the nonliving physical world, integrating and bringing order to the ever-growing mass of empirical data about them. In addition, living systems models and methodology are useful in empirical research on the great variety of systems of interest to psychology and related fields and in study of individual systems at any of the eight levels of living systems.FromAnalysis of Dynamic Psychological Systems, Volume 2: Methods and Applications, edited by Ralph L. Levine and Hiram E. Fitzgerald, Plenum Press, New York, 1992.     

David Hume and systems practice

The aim of this paper is to provide some refreshment for jaded and confused spirits. David Hume, the foremost critic of the Enlightenment, asked some questions, pertinent to systems practice, which have yet to be answered fully. His attacks on superstition and naive realism will be received with sympathy today, but he still makes challenges to rationalism and to a priori knowledge and principles, which are as fresh today as they were in his time. He also has some advice for systems practitioners.     

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.     

Qualifying Function in SSM Modeling—A Case Study

In a previous paper the author introduced a concept called qualifying function as a conceptual tool for modeling and design. The concept was incorporated into the modeling phase of soft systems methodology (SSM), with the purpose of addressing some of the criticism directed toward the methodology, such as its tendency to result in regulatory, rather than radical, agendas for change. It was argued that the concept had the potential to help people in a particular problem situation to view the situation from new and different perspectives and that it could enrich the conceptual models by giving the transformation process a direction. The aim of this paper is to apply the concept, embedded in SSM, to a case study involving two projects, focused on creating new work opportunities, to explore the practical applicability and usefulness of the concept, both in general and as a part of the modeling phase of SSM.     

支持互联网上协同决策的分布式黑板控制机制

定义了黑板和知识源的描述语言以及知识交换格式 ,设计了一种以产生式系统为内核的智能代理 GA,实现了分布式黑板控制机制 ,利用 GA可以构造出支持互联网上多专家协同决策的技术平台 .实验表明 ,利用 GA构造的系统具有高度的可扩展性和灵活性 ,充分发挥了分布式计算的优势 ,有助于用户找到最佳的解结构     

Evaluating organizations: A systems and contingency approach

It has become increasingly difficult to keep pace with the amount of information being generated about how to evaluate organizations. If it were not enough that the situation is made difficult by the sheer mass of material on evaluation, clarity is further hindered by many of the publications on the subject failing to make explicit the principles and assumptions upon which they are based. This was the situation confronting the authors when they began a national project with the National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service on the evaluation of the performance of Councils for Voluntary Service. In an attempt to bring some order to the field, this paper adopts a systems and contingency approach to elucidate the nature and practical usefulness of the different methods of evaluation. It first seeks, using some tools of Checkland's soft systems methodology, to present a systematic analysis of the subject of evaluation. Then, in the light of the analysis, an attempt is made to formulate a simple classification of approaches to evaluation which serves to match the different forms of evaluation to the contexts in which they are most appropriate for use.     

Unfolding a Theory of Systemic Intervention

This paper interrogates four perspectives (structuralist community psychology, deconstruction, interpretive systemology, and critical systems thinking) to inform the unfolding of a theory of systemic intervention. A vision of epistemology is provided which clarifies the relationships among knowledge, power, will and intervention, and a normative framework for systemic intervention is then presented. Finally, the theory unfolded in this paper is deconstructed to reveal a second theory, yet to be explored, of systemic life projects. This provides an exciting agenda for future research.     

人机融合社会中的系统调控

科学技术的深入发展和广泛应用正在深刻改变人类社会的生产和生活模式,尤其是信息技术的快速发展,推动人工智能(AI)与人的关系由辅助到互助和融合不断深化.相应地,社会调控对象向着能力不断增强的AI系统以及AI赋能的人和组织演变,社会系统将呈现信息-物理-社会的高度耦合,调控环境也相应转换为人机融合的复杂社会系统.这一显著变化将倒逼法律体系的变革,对社会系统调控能力提出更高要求,迫切需要人文社科与科学技术相关方法的交叉融合.论文基于对人机融合社会系统发展的研判,在分析法律体系、控制论、人工智能等所面临挑战的基础上,从法律规制和系统控制的角度,提出将调控工程系统的控制科学与调控社会系统的法律充分结合,在系统科学框架内研究处理人工智能时代社会中的系统调控问题;并进一步归纳探讨了以人为本、优势互补、系统分析、量化支撑、算法规制、博弈控制等若干调控原则和可尝试的前瞻领域,以及需要深入研究的问题.这一思路可望量化表达公平正义等法学基本问题,优化调控系统技术指标,促进人机融合社会系统实现其安全稳定、公平正义、民主自由、和谐发展等价值目标.     

Tracking the development of the Emery-Trist systems paradigm (ETSP)

This paper is written to accomplish two objectives: first, to introduce the Emery-Trist systems paradigm to the critical systems thinking, a largely neglected and under-utilized paradigm; second using a critical systems thinking framework, to provide a rational justification in an attempt to track the developments in the ETSP so that an extended heuristic map is offered to the scholars interested in the Emery-Trist systems paradigm. Four tracks within ETSP are identified and analyzed to produce a liberation theme that has not previously been articulated. The liberation theme imminent in all four tracks of the paradigm development denotes the value and the promise of the ETSP to the critical systems thinking community as well as to other systems thinkers.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 34th meeting of the International Society for Systems Science, Portland, Oregon, in July 1990.