Systems Approaches to ManagementSystems Thinking is a new paradigm set to revolutionize management practice in the 21st century. Systems Approaches to Management is the most comprehensive guide available to the application of this new paradigm in the field of management. It, Traces the emergence of holistic thinking in disciplines such as biology, control engineering, sociology and the natural sciences Details and provides a critique, based upon social theory, of the range of systems approaches, methodologies, models and methods Offers numerous case studies to illustrate systems thinking applied to management Introduces critical systems thinking' as a coherent framework that brings unity to the diversity of different systems approaches and advises managers, consultants, scholars and students on their use Provides an accessible source of inspiration for managers, management consultants, scholars and students £/LIST£ Covers chaos and complexity theory, the learning organization, system dynamics, living systems theory, soft systems methodology, interactive management, interactive planning, total systems intervention, autopoiesis, management cybernetics, the viable system model, operations research (hard and soft), systems analysis, systems engineering, general system theory, sociotechnical systems thinking, the fifth discipline, social systems design, team syntegrity, postmodern systems thinking, critical systems thinking, and much more. Considers the work of Ackoff, Banathy, Beer, Capra, Checkland, Churchman, Eden, Emery, Flood, Forrester, Friend, Freire, Jackson, Jantsch, Linstone, Luhmann, Mason, Maturana, Miller, Mitroff, Prigonine, Rosenhead, Senge, Stacey, Trist, Ulrich, Varela, Vickers, von Bertalanffy, Warfield, Wheatley, Wiener, and many more. |
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 1 |
The General Theory The Living Organization Methodology and Living Systems Theory 6 6 4 Case Studies of the Application of Living Systems The... | 6 |
Four Other Disciplines of the Learning Organization 7 7 2 Strengths and Weaknesses of Senges Soft Systems Thinking | 7 |
ORIENTATION AND STRUCTURE | 11 |
APPLIED SYSTEMS THINKING | 91 |
6 | 99 |
SYSTEMS APPROACHES | 105 |
HARD SYSTEMS THINKING | 127 |
THE EMANCIPATORY SYSTEMS APPROACH | 291 |
THE POSTMODERN SYSTEMS APPROACH | 333 |
CRITICAL SYSTEMS THINKING | 355 |
11 | 375 |
12 | 395 |
427 | |
438 | |
441 | |
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Common terms and phrases
according achieve action allowed analysis applied appropriate argued aspects assumptions attention become behavior Chapter Checkland communication complexity concepts concern consider context continually critical systems thinking cybernetics debate decision discipline discussion dominant effective emancipatory employed ensure environment example existing function functionalist given hard human ideas important improve individuals interactive interest interpretive intervention involved issues knowledge lead learning means metaphors methods nature necessary objective ofthe operational organization organizational paradigm participants particular perspective planning pluralism position possible postmodern practice problem problem situation production reflect relations relationship relevant requires result role seek seen situation social systems society soft systems structure success system dynamics systems approach systems methodologies systems thinking techniques theoretical theory thinkers traditional understanding values variety various whole