On Purposeful Systems: An Interdisciplinary Analysis of Individual And Social Behavior As a System of Purposeful EventsThis book provides an innovative foundation for looking at human and social behavior as a system of purposeful (teleological) events. It uses a systems theoretical approach for the study of these phenomena, and illustrates and extends general systems theory. Part One develops the concepts of traditional mechanism from which, successively, the concepts of "function," "choice," "goal-seeking," and "purposefulness" are derived, leading to a quantitative formulation of "personality". Part Two provides an analysis of aspects of purposeful behavior and personality, and Part Three explores the interaction of purposeful systems. Part Four is concerned with the study of social groups and ideal-seeking behavior. Finally, structural concepts underpinning the theoretical system are redefined in technological terms, thus demonstrating the non-vicious circularity and interdependence of all scientific concepts. "What makes this book magical' is that Ackoff provides operational definitions' for many ill-defined words and concepts--from defining knowledge' and understanding' to providing definitions of feelings/emotions.... In terms of Kuhn's idea of paradigm shifts'--this book represents a shift that has yet to be appreciated, thirty years later." --W. Curtiss Priest, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Russell L. Ackoff is chairman of the board of the Institute for Interactive Management. Since 1986 he has been the Anheuser-Busch Professor Emeritus of Management Science, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He is also the Anheuser-Busch Visiting Professor of Marketing, Olin School of Business, Washington University, St. Louis. He was former chairman of the Social Systems Science Department and the Busch Center, which specializes in systems planning, research, and design. Dr. Ackoff is the author and co-author of nineteen books. Fred E. Emery was Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University, Canberra. Previously he was chairman of the Human Resources Centre at the Tavistock Institute, and a fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences, Palo Alto. Brent D. Ruben is professor of communication and executive director, Center for Organizational Development and Leadership at Rutgers University. |
Contents
The Process of Pursuing Purposes | 63 |
Interactions of Purposeful Systems | 137 |
Signs Messages and Language | 160 |
Models of Communication | 179 |
Conflict Cooperation and Competition | 196 |
Social Systems and Beyond | 209 |
Rounding the Conceptual Circle | 253 |
Appendix I | 265 |
Appendix III | 274 |
281 | |
Other editions - View all
On Purposeful Systems: An Interdisciplinary Analysis of Individual and ... Fred Emery Limited preview - 2017 |
On Purposeful Systems: An Interdisciplinary Analysis of Individual and ... Fred Emery Limited preview - 2017 |
Common terms and phrases
Ackoff amount of information analytic propositions artificial reality attitude available courses aware belief C₁ centraversion Chapter choice environment choice situation communication concepts conflict connotation consciousness consider cooperation coproduce course of action defined definition degree of intention denotation determine developed discussion effect efficiency environmental example exclusive and exhaustive expected relative value expected value familiarity feeling formulate functional properties Hence ideal individual or system individual's intuition involves knowledge meaning measure O₁ observed obtained operational definitions P₁ parameters perceives perception person possible outcomes potential pragmatic predicate probabilities of choice problem psychological purposeful behavior purposeful individual purposeful systems receiver redundancy relation relevant represent S₁ scientific sender sense sign function signifies slide rule social group specified stimulus structural properties subobjective systems theory t₁ t₂ teleological theory things time-slice tion variables wants West Churchman x₁ York