Dealing with Complexity: An Introduction to the Theory and Application of Systems ScienceWith technological advance, the difficulties faced by decision makers and researchers become even more complex and hence more difficult to understand and manage. Traditional approaches have their limitations, particularly when dealing with issues that span many fields of endeavor. Fortunately there has emerged, particularly over the past four decades, the discipline of systems science, which provides a framework for dealing with such complexity. This book gives an account of the underlying theory of systems science and illustrates its applicability to a range of "real-world" problems. To gain an understanding of systems science and what motivates the systems scientist requires at least a reasonable degree ofliteracy and numeracy, a consequence of the interdisciplinary nature of the subject. The numerate content of this book, however, is almost entirely confined to Chapters 8 and 9. As a result, those who class themselves as nonnumerate are not continually confronted by equations that would, in some cases, prevent satisfactory comple tion of the text. Nevertheless, it has not been possible to exclude totally all aspects of numerate thinking from the remaining chapters. It would be useful, therefore, for those who class themselves as nonnumerate to read initially the section of Chapter 8 entitled "Using Letters Instead of Numbers. " This provides sufficient material to enable the nonnumerate reader to deal with the small amount of quantitative material outside Chapters 8 and 9. |
Contents
1 | |
Contents | 5 |
CHAPTER TWO SYSTEMS AND COMPLEXITY | 19 |
Contents | 33 |
CHAPTER FOUR SYSTEMS AND MEASUREMENT | 63 |
CHAPTER FIVE SYSTEMS VIEW OF MANAGEMENT | 73 |
19 | 141 |
CHAPTER SEVEN SYSTEMS THEORY | 159 |
CHAPTER NINE SYSTEMS AND MODELING | 205 |
95 | 236 |
25 | 243 |
96 | 244 |
277 | |
281 | |
285 | |
76 | 200 |
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Dealing with Complexity: An Introduction to the Theory and Application of ... Robert L. Flood No preview available - 1989 |
Common terms and phrases
achieved activity alternative appropriate ARIMA assessed attributes autocorrelation Beer's behavior Chapter Nine Chapter Six Checkland complexity concepts conceptual model considered context correlogram cybernetic model decision defined described developed diagrammatic differential equations digraph discussed dynamics effect elements environment estimated example feedback hard systems hyponatremia ideas identified initial input interactions interpretive investigation linear logical loop measurement metalanguage MINITAB mmol modeling approaches nonlinear objectives operations research organization organizational output paradigm parameters partial autocorrelation presented Problematic Situations Problems and Problematic qualitative quantitative real-world recursive relationships relevant represent representation rich picture root definition scale shown in Figure signed digraph simulation social sodium soft situations soft systems methodology solution statistical structured situations studies subsystems symbols system diagrams system identification systems engineering systems science systems theory systems thinking techniques transfer function Urine validity values variables Viable System Model