The 42nd Annual Conference of the
International Society for the Systems Sciences
July 18 - 25 1998,
Held at Georgia Tech
Atlanta Geogia
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 42 ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF
THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE SYSTEMS SCIENCES
Janet K. Allen, Jennifer M. Wilby, Editors
Table of Contents and Abstracts Ahari, Parviz Systemic Usability Engineering Experiences From Software
Development Project 3069Allen, Janet K. The Development of a Sustainable System Under Uncertainty 3135
Allen, Janet K. Numerical Simulation Approaches For Modeling Industrial
Ecosystems 3104Allen, Janet K. On Evolution and Engineering Systems Development 3109
Bailey, Reid Numerical Simulation Approaches For Modeling Industrial
Ecosystems 3104Bakehouse, George J. Higher Education In The U.K.: To Sustain or Not to Sustain the
Current System 3127Bakehouse, George J. Information, Its Dimensions and Quality 3129
Bashias, Norman J. Using Distributed Computing Systems for Systemic Problem-Solving
3009Bausch, Kenneth C. A Confluence of Paradigm and Technology 3165
Bazewicz, Mieczyslaw On a Systemic Image of the Nature of Information 3108
Beeson, Ian Knowledge Drains: Automation and the Loss of Local Expertise 3038
Beeson, Ian Software for Sustaining Community: Metaphors in Collision 3039
Beeson, Ian Negotiating Expectations: Towards Sustainable Technology 3041
Benking, Heiner A House of Horizons and Perspectives a Cognitve Deep Openspace For Positioning, Comparing, Merging and
Morphing our Metaphors, Models, Maps and Views 3060Bergson, Bryan The Univesal Language 3008
Bergson, Bryan Darwin Evolution 3176
Bergvall-Kareborn, B. Analysing the Managerial Concept of Soft Systems Methodology
and Multi-Modal Systems Thinking 3164Bhola, H.S. Between the Social and the Spiritual: Reconciliation in South
Africa 3178Biggiero, Lucio Sources of Complexity in Human Systms 3194
Blind, Knut The Influence of Personal Attitudes on the Estimation of The
Future Development of Science and Technology: A Factor
Analysis Approach 3065Brady, Chris Football, Business, and Government - Can Studies of High Level
Teams Across Disciplines Produce Generic Principles For
Management 3072Bras, Bert Energy Accounting - A Step Towards Sustainability 3073
Bras, Bert Numerical Simulation Approaches For Modeling Industrial
Ecosystems 3104Broadbent, John A. Rationale For a System Approach to Industrial Design Education 3105
Brown, M.T. Emergy, Environmental Loading, and Carrying Capacity of
Production Systems 3151Bryant, Alden Human Society at the Climate Crossroads 3093
Burkhardt, Helmut Ecological Sustainability Through Alternative Energy 3171
Byeon, Jong Heon Consolidation of a Democratic System in the Bifurcation Process3062
Elohimjl Learning to Build a Sustainable Economy: It Ought to Be
Terrestrially, Biologically & Humanely Minded 3056Emblesvag, Jan Energy Accounting - A Step Towards Sustainability 3073
Escoe, Kenneth The Development of a Systainable System Under Uncertainty 3135
Evans, Thomas The Flaw in the Defenition of a Liability 3003
Farre, George L. Emergence: Its Characteristics and Limits 3153
Fey, Willard R. Pie in the Sky': A System Dynamics Perspective of Sustainability
3191Francois, Charles Human System Inquiry About Sustainable Development: A
Proposal for a Systemic Methodology of Inquiry 3066Frandberg, Tage Living Systems a Study of Its Philosophical Background 3048
Friend, Gil Business-Driven Sustainable Development By "Back-Casting"
From First Order Sustainability Principles 3120Galloway, Walter B. Appreciative Inquiry: A Mechanism For Maximizing Empower in
Social Systems 3107Gawitrha Toward A Science With Soul 3085
Georgiades, Savvas D. A Synthesis of Systemic Change in Child Protective Services:
Meta-level Implications For Family Preservation Practice 3190Grupp, Hariolf The Influence of Personal Attitudes on the Estimation of The
Future Development of Science and Technology: A Factor
Analysis Approach 3065Guimaraes, Tor Using a Systems Approach to Analyze the Impact of Financial
Systems On Society 3079Hamchaoui, Lara The Influence of Behavoural Skills on Performance Management
and Its Implications For Businesses Today 3068Hammond, Debora Historical Perspective on the ISSS: Concluding Reflections 3087
Hawk, David L. Sustainable Technology as a Revisitation of the Entropy
Argument & Related Dreams of Reason 3037Hebel, M. Human Values in Technology 3028
Herrmann, Amy E. The Development of a Sustainable System UInder Uncertainty 3135
Herrscher, Enrique, G. A Systems Approach to Business Ethics A Discussion Paper 3029
Hershey, Daniel Entropy, Infinity, and God - The Universe and Beyond 3005
Hershey, Daniel Six Parameters for Restructuring a Corporation: A Case History 3006
Herz, Sylvia Homocidal Pre-teens Do Not Come from Mars 3185
Hilton, Brian John The Impact of Modern Commercial Production and Procurement
Practices on Cost Estimating and Forecasting 3200Holmberg, John Business-Driven Sustainable Development By "Back-Casting"
From First Order Sustainability Principles 3120Hung, Shih-Chang Personal Computer Technology and Taiwanese Institutional
Structures 3112Hutchinson, W.E. The Role of Pragmatism in the Use of Systems Thinking for
Organisational Change 3010Ishida, Kazunari A Simulator For Operational Organization Design 3096
Ishida, Kazunari A Cyber Commons In a Virtual Society 3097
Jaros, Gyorgy Sustainable Technology: Meeting of Spirit, Mind and Matter 3001
Jaros, Gyorgy Living Systems Theory of James Grier Miller and Teleonics 3203
Jeffery, Christopher A Systems Approach to Measurement of Customer Loyalty -Case
Evidence 3100Jeffery, Christopher The Creation of Metaphors to Illustrate the Complexity of
Customer Loyalty 3101Kangas, Patrick Modeling Dangerous Ideas: The Energetics of Revolution 3110
Karamanos, Anastasios Managerial Heuristics For Knowledge Creation 3119
Kauffman, L. Process Thermodynamics and Information Entropy. Empirical
Study and Mathematical Formulation 3091Kauffman, L. Mathematical Physiology: A Process Theory of Systems 3092
Kelliher, Charles F. The Flaw in the Defenition of a Liability 3003
Kleva, Marty Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as a Path to Individuation
Through the Hero's Journey: A Phenomenological Study 3036Kick, Russell C. Spirituality and the New Millennium 3007
Konecki, J. Applying the Process Theory of Systems to Deprssive Illness:
Coupling Neurohormone and Co-Creative Behavior 3090Krattli, Inga Territoriality and Social Organization: A Study on Man's Spatial
Relationships 3199Lam, Ann C. Wimberly "Pie in the Sky': A System Dynamics Perspective of Sustainability
3191Latorre, Emilio. The Balanced Method: A Holistic Approach to Enterprise
Environmental Impact Assessment 3018Latorre, Emilio E. The Environmental Management System in Cali, Columbia The
Use of a Systems Approach to Design a City Environmental
Authority 3019Latorre, Emilio E. The Use of the Primer Project and Systems Science in Teaching
Environmental Enterprise Management in a University in
Cali, Columbia 3020Lee, Beomung Communitarin Ethics and System Thinking to Build the
Sustainable Ecological Community 3159Levidow, Les Exploring the Links Between Science, Risk, Uncertainity and
Ethics in Regulatory Controversies About the Commercial
Release of Genetically Modified Crops in Europe 3156Levkov, Sergey System Approach to Modeling the Stock Market Trading
Patterns 3183Levkov, Sergey Neuronet Approach to System Analysis and Modeling of Large
Social, Ecological, and Economical Systems 3184Maier-Speredelozzi, Valerie The Development of a Systainable System Under
Uncertainty 3135Mandel, Thomas The Four Winds: Meta-Perspectualism and Perspectualism the
One and The Many 3077Marenko, Alexander System Approach to Modeling the Stock Market Trading
Patterns
3183Marenko, Alexander Neuronet Approach to System Analysis and Modeling of Large
Social, Ecological, and Economical Systems 3184Martin, Jay Emergy Analyses of River Diversions Within the Mississippi
Delta
3054McGarry, Donna DeWitt Next Level Thinking 3179
McNamara, Curt Applied Systems Thinking 3115
Minati, Gianfranco Conceptual Frameworks for the Representation of Growth,
Development and Sustainable Development 3011Mirijamdotter, Anita A Multi-Modal Systems Extension to Soft Systems Methodology:
An Empirical Study 3161Miskelly, Clodagh Software for Sustaining Community: Metaphors in Collision 3039
Mistree, Farrokh Numerical Simulation Approaches For Modeling Industrial
Ecosystems 3104Nava-Tudela, Alfredo Modeling Dangerous Ideas: The Energetics of Revolution 3110
Odum, Howard T. Energy Hierarchy of the Earth 3067
Odum, Howard T. Limits to Memory in Ecosystems and Society 3114
O'Hara, Maggi Behavioral Treatment For the Developmentally Disabled: A
Systems Analysis of a Florida Residential Service Program 3078Ohta, Toshizumi A Simulator For Operational Organization Design 3096
Ohta, Toshizumi A Cyber Commons In a Virtual Society 3097
Olivia-Lopez, Eduardo Promoting Inquiring Attitudes For Effective Managerial
Development 3080Parent, Elaine R. Application of a Living Systems Perspective on Human
Experience: An Educational Model for Life Planning and
Change 3016Parent, Elaine R. A Living Systems Perspective as a Metaframework for Viewing
the Dynamics of Human Experience 3017Park, Hyo-chong The Medical Insurance as an Agenda For Systems thinking: The
Korean Case 3157Park, Jiwoon The Ethical Cognition About Complex World 3158
Patel, M. Applying the Process Theory of Systems to Deprssive Illness:
Coupling Neurohormone and Co-Creative Behavior 3090Patel, M. Process Thermodynamics and Information Entropy. Empirical
Study and Mathematical Formulation 3091Pederson, Kjartan Numerical Simulation Approaches For Modeling Industrial
Ecosystems 3104Pesch, Gerald G. Appreciative Inquiry: A Mechanism For Maximizing Empower in
Social Systems 3107Pothas, Anne-Marie Methodological Issues in Qualitative Analyses Based on Open-Ended
Questions: Whom to Question? 3147Pothas, Anne-Marie Methodological Issues in Qualitative Analyses Based on Open-Ended
Questions: Phrasing the Questions 3148Porter, Alan L. Forecasting Technological Sustainability 3071
Rapoport, Anatol The Problem of Peace From a General Systems Theory
Perspective 3193Randrup, Axel The Perennial Philosophy 3013
Reavill, Lawrence R.P. The Influence of Behavoural Skills on Performance Management
and Its Implications For Businesses Today 3068Reavill, Lawrence R.P. Football, Business, and Government - Can Studies of High Level
Teams Across Disciplines Produce Generic Principles For
Management 3072Reavill, Lawrence R.P. A Systems Based Stakeholder Model of Higher Education 3082
Reavill, Lawrence R.P. The Application of Chaos Theory to the Management of Change
in Organisations: A Theory of Humility: Metaphor or
Reality 3084Reavill, Lawrence R.P. Towards and Analytical Framework for Change 3118
Rhee, Yong Pil Complex Systems Model For the Analysis of Politics 3131
Robert, Karl-Henrik Business-Driven Sustainable Development By "Back-Casting"
From First Order Sustainability Principles 3120Robinson, Sionade The Influence of Behavoural Skills on Performance Management
and Its Implications For Businesses Today 3068Robinson, Sionade The Creation of Metaphors to Illustrate the Complexity of
Customer Loyalty 3101Robles-Diaz-de-Leon, L.F. Modeling Dangerous Ideas: The Energetics of Revolution 3110
Rose, James Integrity Pradigm A Systems Process and Philosophy 3043
Rose, James Systems Ethics: Coordinating Respect, Priorities and
Opportunities 3044Rose, James Broad Application of "Integrity" to Sustainability 3046
Rose, James Proportional Entropies: A New Class of Power Law 3047
Rose, James A House of Horizons and Perspectives a Cognitve Deep
Openspace For Positioning, Comparing, Merging and
Morphing our Metaphors, Models, Maps and Views 3060Rose, James Broad Application of Sustainability 3197
Rose, James N. Integrity Paradigm: A Systems Process and Philospohy 3033
Rosen, David W. The Development of a Sustainable System Under Uncertainty 3135
Sabelli, H. Applying the Process Theory of Systems to Deprssive Illness:
Coupling Neurohormone and Co-Creative Behavior 3090Sabelli, H. Mathematical Physiology: A Process Theory of Systems 3092
Salvary, Stanley W.C. Instrumentation and Calibration in Financial Accounting 3121
Savva, Savely A Systems Approach in Biology and Biophysics 3032
Schoon, Ben Sustainable Food Production and Structures of Responsibility 3145
Scott, Elaine The Application of Chaos Theory to the Management of Change
in Organisations: A theory of Humility: Metaphor or Reality3084Schwaninger, Markus Organizational Intelligence: The Ecological Dimension 3170
Sendzimir, Jan Limits to Memory in Ecosystems and Society 3114
Silva-Mendoza, E. R. Promoting Inquiring Attitudes For Effective Managerial
Development 3080Simms, James R. Living Systems Theory, Information and Knowledge 3180
Slawski, Carl Social E-Co-Realization: A Biospherical Ideal of "Syntropic
Wisdom" 3026Slawski, Carl Triangulating Levels of 'True Theory': The Case of 'Earth and
Global-Societal Sustainability 3027Starkermann, Rudolf Unity is Strength: From "Viribus Unitis" To "Corruptio" 3030
Starkermann, Rudolf The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend 3167
Strickland, Francis Towards and Analytical Framework for Change 3118
Strijbos, S. Towards a New Critical Systems Thinking: Philosophical
Reflections on Systems Methodology and Systemms Ethics
3144Subramanian, B.G. NLq Theory Applications to Modeling Complex Nonlinear
Systems 3113Sugerman,A. Applying the Process Theory of Systems to Deprssive Illness:
Coupling Neurohormone and Co-Creative Behavior 3090Sugerman,A. Process Thermodynamics and Information Entropy. Empirical
Study and Mathematical Formulation 3091Sundel, Martin A Social Systems Approach to Improve Mental Health and Ethnic
Relations In Cyprus 3034
Tausner, Miriam R. Using Distributed Computing Systems for Systemic Problem-Solving
3009Tilley, David R. Emergy Basis For Ecosystem Management: Valuing the Work of
Nature and Humanity 3095Tracy, Lane How to Kill a Living System 3181
Trees, Kathryn The Role of Information Systems in Sustaining Indigenous
Communities: The Ieramugadu Cultural Project 3134Turk, Andrew The Role of Information Systems in Sustaining Indigenous
Communities: The Ieramugadu Cultural Project 3134Uligiati, S. Emergy, Environmental Loading, and Carrying Capacity of
Production Systems 3151van der Lei, J. Evaluation of a Drug-Safety System 3142
van der Stoep, Jan Internet: A Game Without Rules 3143
Vanegas, Jorge Towards Sustainable Civil Infrastructure Systems 3094
van Gigch, John P. The Viability of System Science as a Scientific Discipline 3061
Vlug, A.E. Evaluation of a Drug-Safety System 3142
Waters, Sam Information, Its Dimensions and Quality 3129
White, Elizabeth Homo's Quest For Understanding Viewed as Innate Human
Spirituality: Implications For Secular Leadership 3102Williams, M. C. The Influence of Multi-Modal Thinking on a Self-Study of
Teaching Reform In a University Information Systems
Course 3025Wilby, Jennifer M. Three Paths For Exploring Hierarchy Theory 3173
Wilton, J. T. Process Oriented Change With the Industrial Supply System - A
Systemic Evaluation of Current Practices 3106Wood, Fred B. The N-Dimensional Knowledge Proximity Approach To
Technology Assessment: The Case of Quantum
Electromagnetic Systems 3103Zelenskiy, Valeriy V. System Approach to Modeling the Stock Market Trading
Patterns 3183Zhu, Zhichang A Trinitarian Relations Inquiry System in Systems/Management
Approaches? - More Findings 3002
Understanding the environmental and cultural impacts of economic development choices is a global imperative as our world resources continue to be depleted and international capital overtakes the natural frontiers. Theoretical frameworks of complex ecological systems are necessary to evaluate the nested, multiple scale effects of human actions in nature. Through research that explicitly addresses the interconnected human and natural impacts of development we can hope to successfully influence policy. One such natural frontier that has recently seen significant development is the island of Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles. Even eco-tourism development generates effects that ripple through natural and cultural environments. This case study, conducted by an anthropologist in one year of fieldwork, identifies and examines these global processes, with focused attention to both larger and smaller scale impacts. This case study uses Emergy accounting to evaluate the flows of natural and imported goods that have become part of Bonaire’s tourism development. And it uses Emergy theory to attempt to understand the social-organizational-economic transformations that have accompanied this lower-impact development alternative.
The managerial conventional wisdom holds that experience is
the best teacher. This view has been reinforced by the popular
press. The current thrust of the theoretical literature, however
bypasses this potentially paralysing paradox by shifting its focus
from the management of tangibles to that of intangible assets
and knowledge.
As globalization becomes a reality and hypercompetition is pervasive,
organizational learning theorists (e.g, Levinthal & March,
1993; Nass, 1994; Nonak, 1994) hold that the art of management
itself could also benefit from continuous improvement. However,
as pointed out by Weick (1979), Ackoff (1981) and Mintzberg (1989,
1994), strategic larning involves complex processes; yet one can
hardly opt out of the competitive race.
One approach is to conjure up a multiplicity of futures and thus
assess environmental uncertainties and their implications (Wack,
1985; Schoemaker, 1993). With current advances in information
technology (IT), this approach is emerging as a leading-edge area
of strategic theory. In addition to devising environmental scenarios,
it has been shown by Acar (1983) and Georgantzas and Acar (1995)
that the outcomes resulting from environmental triggers and company
actions can be computed on a contingency basis by alternating
forward and backward analyses, thus providing a resolution of
Weick's (1979) paradox.
This paper presents an approach to the scenario analysis of complex
sociooeconomic environments based on a causal mapping technique
that allows accurate representations of the propagation of change
in a causal network. Because it is a representation of cognitive
certainties and uncertainties, it is an excellent vehicle for
an analytically-based form of strategic organizational learning.
Keywords: Knowledge Management, Assumptional Analysis, Causal Mapping, Strategic Organizational Analsis
Software development involves customers, designers and products.
The relations among these components seem to be quite obvious.
Customers need a product and sometimes they contact designers
to develop and deliver this product.
However, customers do not want just a product. They require that
the product should have certain characteristics, for example,
in respect to quality, price, delivery time, compatibility, extendability,
integrability with other products, operation and maintenace.
These requirements make the product development a difficult task
which initiates complex activities. In addtion to these issues
it may also happen that customers do not know exactly what they
want or the product that they want may not be the product which
they should have.
These complex activities involve individuals, groups, organizations
and societies. They involve also other products, standards, regulations,
guidelines, cultural aspects, and ethical issues.
In this paper some experiences from a software development project
will be discussed from the systemic usability engineering point
of view. Systemic usability engineering integrates living systems
theory and breakthrough thinking with engineering activities and
issues. It provides an effective methodology for understanding
systems' purposes, complex processes and their relations. This
knowledge is required for developing more useful products for
human systems.
Ecological sustainability depends on societal sustainability.
Societies are problem-solving systems whose hierarchical structure
elaborates horizontally and eventually vertically in the face
of problems. Horizontal elaboration arises from solving local
problems as they arise, as happens in evolution of biological
systems. Societies are complicated, like organisms, in that the
infrastructure left from past problem-solving accumulates. Such
complicated systems soon become unmanageable, as diminishing returns
(marginal product) make the cost of problem solving too burdensome
(eg. in the Western Roman Empire was abandoned. The way out is
vertical differentiation through emergence, when local solutions
stumble into positive feedback. For instance, coal-fueled pumps
facilitate deeper mines (Roman slaves with buckets would have
gone nowhere). Modern complex society derives from a series of
vertical differentiations related to energy capture: agriculture,
irrigation and metallurgy, imperialism, and industrialization.
The information revolution offers the potential both to capture
and conserve energy, but the quality of information is presently
poor. The next recalibration must be of information quality.
Supply side sustainability recommends plugging into the sun with
as little complicatedness as possible. 1) Manage for whole ecosystems,
not resources. 2) Manage from the context to facilitate internal
functioning. The healthy ecosystems in context subsidize the effort.
3) Use positive feedbacks to achieve system change. Today that
means commerce. In the quality revolution, standards could be
maintained by academic institutions (which presently play a marginal
role). Failure to achieve a government catalyzed, business driven,
academically facilitated increase in quality will lead quickly
to non-sustainability.
Complexity needs to be parsed into two parts: 1) complicatedness and b) complexity of organization. In hierarchical terms, complicated systems are strongly horizontally differentiated to make a flat hierarchy. Such systems exhibit complicated behavior. As systems differentiate horizontally, they tend to differentiate vertically also, developing new levels of organization by an elaboration of organization. In contrast to horizontal differentiation, increased vertical differentiation makes system behavior simpler by collapsing degrees of freedom against the constraints coming from the upper levels. It is worth looking into ecological systems to see if there is a distinction between variables for complicatedness, which should increase continuously with system size, and variables for organizational complexity, which should change discretely with system size.
While technology is one of the most important factors in modern
society, it is ironically somewhat neglected in both social theory
and systems theory. This is partly due to the current emphasis
on living systems. For example, Living Systems Theory seldom emphasizes
the term “technology”, instead of referring to technological
entities as “artifacts”, and generally treating them
as inclusions into human systems. Sociological theory, while never
emphasizing technology to any great degree becomes ever more specialized
and fragmented). We clearly need a marcosociological systems theory
that is broad enough to incorporate nonliving elements such as
technology, along with living elements such as social organization.
I have endeavored to construct such and integrated theory in the
form of Social Entropy Theory (SET). SET utilizes, among other
things, the acronym PISTOL, for Population, Information, Space,
Technology, Organization, and Level of Living. These are seen
to be six important and interrelated factors that are used by
every society -- large or small -- in its everyday development.
According to this model, each society utilizes energy (either
internal or imported) to adapt to its particular spatial environment.
This involves doing work thought both its available technology,
and its particular level of organizational development. With its
spatial area and population size as givens at a particular point
in time, each society must utilize information , organization
and technology (including both information technology and non-information
technology) in order to produce the maximally efficient degree
of work that its energy resources will allow. If it is successful,
entropy can be controlled at acceptable levels, thus allowing
the society to maintain or even increase its level of living.
If it is unsuccessful for any reason (e.g., overpopulation, inadequate
energy resources, faulty information processing, antiquated technology,
or bureaucratic pathology), then entropy may increase, perhaps
to the point where the very future of the entire society is in
doubt (as is currently the case in North Korea.)
Industrial ecology deals with the study of systems of industries/communities
working together to mimic natural ecosystems, primarily through
transforming linear, open loop material and energy processes to
closed loop, feedback processes. Industrial ecology is a “systems-oriented
concept [which] suggests that industrial design and manufacturing
processes are not performed in isolation from their surroundings,
but rather are influenced by them, and, in turn, influence them”
[1]. Just as waste from one organism in nature is food for other
organisms, waste in an industrial ecosystem is treated as a resource
[2]. The complex dynamics of closed material, energy, and information
loops in industrial ecosystems makes them a prime candidate for
computer-based, numerical simulation. We assert that, with the
aid of simulation, options for improvement at the system level
of industrial ecosystems can be explored quickly and effectively.
In supporting this assertion, we first investigate the nature
of simulation in a general context.
The word “simulation” has almost as many meanings as
the word “system.” Simon refers to simulation with one
word, “imitation” [3]; Forrester is more explicit in
defining simulation as “the tracing of a specific time history”
[4]; Gordon focuses on simulation as “a technique of solving
problems by following the changes over time of a dynamic model
of a system” [5]; others emphasize that simulation “involves
the representation of a system or organization by another system”
or that simulation is “a method for analyzing the behavior
of a system by computing its time path” [6, 7]. In this paper,
we explore these and other perceptions of simulation in constructing
our frame of reference for investigating different approaches
to numerical simulation.
A common, fundamental thread to all definitions of simulation
is that a modeler is trying to understand a system better through
simulation. Simulation is performed to learn about systems. Systems,
of course, exist in all shapes, sizes, and kinds and different
people may want to learn about different aspects of these systems.
Consequently, several simulation approaches and tools have been
developed for use with different types of systems and different
types of studies. Approaches include discrete event modeling,
system dynamics, queuing theory, and the Markov chain Monte Carlo
method. One objective in this paper is to differentiate between
the major numerical simulation techniques and identify situations
well-suited to certain approaches.
Anchored in our general exploration of simulation approaches,
we examine the relevance of simulation in the development of industrial
ecosystems. Modeling approaches identified and investigated earlier
in the paper are examined with respect to their application to
studying the material, energy, and information flows in industrial
ecosystems. We argue that no single approach is “best”
for industrial ecology; instead, it depends on the nature of the
investigation.
The most direct contribution of this paper is the identification
of appropriate modeling approaches for industrial ecosystems.
Before spending excessive resources on implementing a particular
approach to modeling industrial ecosystems, the area of simulation
in general should be explored and analyzed for the most promising
approaches. This paper contains such an exploration and analysis.
The particularization of simulation to industrial ecosystems presented
in this paper is built upon a strong foundation. This foundation
is composed of an extensive review of existing approaches and,
more fundamentally, an exploration of the meaning of “simulation.”
References:
Graedel, T.E., Allenby, B.R., and Linhart, P.B., 1993, "Implementing
Industrial Ecology," IEEE Technology and Society Magazine,
pp. 18-26.
Frosch, R.A. and N.E. Gallopoulos, 1989, "Strategies for
Manufacturing", Scientific American, September, pp. 144-152.
Simon, H.A., 1982, The Sciences of the Artificial, Second ed.
The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Forrester, J.W., 1961, Industrial Dynamics. Productivity Press,
Portland, Oregon.
Gordon, G., 1978, System Simulation, Second ed. Prentice-Hall,
Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
Shubik, M., 1972, "On Gaming and Game Theory," Management
Science, No. 18, pp. 37-39.
Newell, A. and H. Simon, 1968, "Simulation: Individual Behavior,"
International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences (D.L. Sills,
ed.), Macmillan and Free Press, New York, pp. 262.
Sustainable development has become a key concept in a multitude
of disciplines, originally confined to ecology, environmental
studies, and allied disciplines. It is now becoming a part of
the glossary of terms in many academic subjects. Definitions vary,
but the majority agree that it involves the sustainability of
current systems into the future; in some cases this involves the
provision of a balance between man and nature, i.e. limiting man’s
ability to deplete the world of its natural resources, along with
man’s ability to pollute and destroy his own environment
for short term gains. Should the original aims of the sustainability
concept be confined to the physical environment?
Parra-Luna, in the opening session of fourteenth international
WACRA conference on Sustainable Development states, “If sustainable
development is taken as a system, the accountability of its elements
precede any formal definition of the system.... A debate could
be opened on whether these elements are only the traditional economic
factors which should be compatible with ecological or environmental
ones, or whether some other elements of a more social nature should
also be taken into account....” This paper will focus on
one social system that has sustained itself for over a century
at the expense of the majority of eligible participants, the higher
education system in the United Kingdom.
A brief overview of the historical development of the education
system will be described. The paper will concentrate on the participation
of young people in higher education based on their social class
and economic background. Major studies have indicated that although
the number of young people entering higher education has increased
by a dramatic two hundred and fifty percent over the past twenty
years, the ratio of entrants based on social background has not
changed. The range of participation in higher education as a percentage
of possible eligible young people varies from seventy nine percent
in the top classification to six percent in the lowest classification
group. Education has consistently been viewed as a means of social
equalization. Universal education can arguably help reduce disparities
of wealth and power by providing young people with the skills
to enable than to find a valued place in society. “..The
results are clear education tends to express and reaffirm inequalities
far more than it acts to change them.” (Giddens).
Equal opportunities in education has been a central issue of concern
to successive governments in the UK for many years. The recent
change in government and its “new policies” will be
discussed. Unfortunately, the future appears to be more of the
same: much talk and little action.
The fact remains that young people from the lower social economic
classes are proportionally under-represented in higher education.
This is particularly evident in the case of young males. Although
beyond the scope of this paper, the author believes the research
findings cited are not unique to the UK, but are universal.
Keywords: Sustainability, Education, Social Class, Equality
In this paper, we present our research in representing complex
knowledge in order to automate complex problem-solving on a distributed,
multi-processor computer system. We have previously developed
a conceptual framework for modeling complex problem-solving based
on a systems model and are now researching the implementation
of this model as an automated problem-solving tool on powerful
state-of-the-art distributed computing systems. Making such modeled
knowledge operational on such computer systems will allow researchers
to experiment with complex problem-solving, and will provide them
with the ability to formulate alternate solutions to complex problems
such as those addressed by this conference.
Distributed computing platforms are a new development in the field
of computer science. At this juncture, computer scientists are
researching ways in which problems can be partitioned to take
advantage of these powerful environments. We are convinced that
our systemic problem-solving approach will provide a effective
way of modeling distributed knowledge, and will be a valuable
contribution to the fields of systems science and computer science.
In the model that we have developed, we use different types of
systemic knowledge structures at different meta-levels. In addition,
we have identified and modeled classes of methodologies which
are appropriate for reasoning about each type of knowledge structure
and for reasoning about relationships between types of knowledge
structures. For instance, one type of systemic knowledge structure
is the source knowledge structure, which models collections of
attributes and their possible values. An associated class of methodology
that we have been using is the source generation methodology,
a methodology which generates a new source knowledge structure
from a previously-defined source knowledge structure. Another
type of systemic knowledge structure is the data knowledge structure,
which models collections of observations, which are valuations
of attributes. A methodological class which relates source knowledge
structures to data knowledge structures is the data generation
methodology; this is used for defining data knowledge structures
based on source knowledge structures.
In the world of distributed computing, tools are now available
for using objects, classes of objects, message-passing, methods
appropriate to object classes, etc. in distributed computing environments.
Current computer science research is involved in determining appropriate
partitioning of problems to use these tools. We believe our systemic
problem-solving approach provides such a way of looking at problems
to determine appropriate partitionings to make use of distributed
environments.
In this paper, we present a case study showing how the knowledge
of a group of automotive experts can be partitioned for implementation
in a distributed computing environment. In previous work, systemic
problem-solving models have been used to formalize the knowledge
involved in this case study. Now is the time to represent and
implement this problem-solving in distributed computing environment.
In the course of recent research into what systemic thinkers
have to say about the nature of social reality, I found converging
agreement and a remarkable clarity of vision, which I choose to
call the emerging systems paradigm of the social world. This paradigm
unites insights about dissipation and autopoiesis:
. Social realities are dissipative structures.
. They are totally temporized.
. They are ongoing patterns that are maintained by their manner
of continual reproduction.
. In far-from-equilibrium conditions, these realities are open
to bifurcations.
. In far-from-equilibrium conditions, small influences can generate
profound evolutionary effects.
. An optimal strategy to create profound change is to concentrate
energy at likely bifurcation points.
2. Social structures are autopoietic.
. As ongoing patterns of meaning that are constantly being reproduced,
social systems structure their reality on the basis of expectations
in order to cope with the complexities of their existence.
. The formula for sustainable and creative existence is to multiply
contradictory expectations and to hold them as alternatives for
future uncertainties.
The above-mentioned features of the systemic paradigm are incarnated
in today’s dominant technologies: the Internet in particular
and the interconnectedness of our evolving world in general. These
technologies provide the terrain upon which we travel. Our optimal
strategy for our journey into a humane and sustainable future
is to make conscious use of this confluence of paradigm and technology.
Key words: social systems, non-equilibrium thermodynamics, self-organizing systems, autopoiesis, philosophy
We are looking for answers to the questions: what is information, what is an information system? Scholars and scientists tray to find an answer to such questions and formulate various theories of information and theories of information systems. Cognitive currents of communication theory intiated by Wiener, Shannon and by language semiotics are not significantly cultivated neither in science and practice nor in education. The present research results as well as the focus of scholars` and scientists` interests in information problems, very superficially and fragmentally, do not assure chances of a rapid answer to the above questions.The oncoming 21th century of information presents a challenge to create wisdom and knowledge about nature, and to new ways of reasoning by categories of evolutional laws governing the symbiosis of the human being and entities with nature. Reasoning methods are necessary /eg. systems inquiry/ serving a dynamical transformation of knowledge dimensioned by time and value of flow of information about facts perceived by the human being/entities. In the paper a hierarchy and value categorization of levels of info-intellect-energo-transformation of entities are introduced that assure a coexistential dynamical equilibrium between evolutional processes of the nature and processes occuring in social activity systems. Information is living and organic kernal of the intellect-energo-dynamical equilibrium connected /communicated with transformation/ evolution processes of the nature. It plays a particular role in the intellectual transformations of knowledge and in the behavior of human being, and influences his/her consciousness and wisdom levels. The value and importance of information are more dependent of time dimension than the value and importance of knowledge. Information is a crucial factor of processes of evolution and behavior of the nature aiming at achieving a energo-dynamical equilibrium of the reality.
Keywords: Systems Sciences, Information Systems, Systems Evolution, Socio-technological Systems, Systems Transformation of the Nature
Automation has produced a progressive stripping out of human skills, knowledge and expertise from one area of work after another. Originally physical, later clerical, and more recently professional work forms have been reduced to codes and rules which can run quasi-autonomously in a machine system. This historical process, still under way, has led to a substantial displacement and loss of human skill and expertise across a wide range of organizational contexts. Zuboff has described these developments, the momentum driving them, and their consequences. She believes that, for organizations to retain sufficient flexibility and capacity for innovation in open, global markets, they must put this process into reverse, unlock their databases and expert systems, re-animate the codified knowledge in them, and re-instill it into the workforce. She suggests that managers will see it to be in their interest to support this projection of knowledge back into the organization, which she calls 'informating'. However, it is by no means clear either that managers will see informating to be in their (or the organization's) interest, or that, even if they do, they will be able to reverse the automation process. It would require managers to cede some of the power that automation has brought them. It is possible that the perennial contention between managers and experts will prevent managers from countenancing the local re-emergence of expertise. It is further possible that experts will not recognize - or will deny - that their expertise is being eroded even as it happens. Importation of packaged knowledge and reliance on external expertise may be irresistibly attractive to management but produce a draining away of accumulated local knowledge. I use an example of the introduction of an automated fingerprint recognition system in a UK police force to show the difficulty of preserving expertise in the midst of technological change.
The paper gives an account of one aspect of an investigation we are currently undertaking into how community groups might be able to use multimedia PC systems as a vehicle for self-discovery and mobilization. It looks possible to use these systems to create powerfully expressive records of community life. The power and complexity of the equipment, however, present an obstacle. More functions and features are provided, even in an inexpensive system, than can readily be exploited by novice users. There is a danger that, instead of the equipment being fashioned to work for the community's interest, the interest will be moulded to fit the equipment. We note in particular that software designed for professional multimedia applications are difficult for the amateur to master, and bring with them sets of perspectives, features, and metaphors which require considerable energy to assimilate before they can be put to constructive use. If this process of assimilation is not itself to divert the expressive purpose of the users, they must put some work into turning the software to their own advantage. Group members bent on telling their story, recounting their history, or formulating a project, bring to the task their own understandings and metaphors of what community life is. In learning to use the equipment, fresh understandings and metaphors are discovered, embedded in the software packages. To gain benefit from their encounter with the equipment, to make it work for them within their actions and purposes, group members have to learn how to translate and adapt the understandings they already have to the understandings that are presented as they engage with the technology. Out of collisions between metaphors and perspectives, new understandings are forged, and new possibilities opened. Our paper traces this general process with specific reference to one example.
This paper reports some research into the design and implementation
processes associated with the introduction of the UK National
Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) into the Avon
and Somerset Constabulary. The complexity of the system specification
and the organisational setting gave rise to a range of expectations
of the system and conflicting agendas for its use. These issues
are explored through a comprehensive discussion of the research
process.
The research process itself is identified as a vehicle for the
exploration of participative techniques which can be used to ameliorate
the dissonance which arises from these conflicting expectations.
The capacity of researchers to facilitate what Elden and Levin
(1991) call “cogenerative dialogue” is explored in the
context of the case study.
The paper sets out to demonstrate the complementarity of existing
methods, tools and techniques, thereby promoting their synthesis.
We argue that bridge building is more important in the information
systems context than grand theorising.
The local outcomes and national implications of the research to
date are reported and discussed in the paper.
Keywords: cogenerative dialogue, value systems, longitudinal study, organisational learning,
Kant requested orientation not only to take place in the physical
world, but also in our thinking. As such orientation must be sharable,
which means same positions, origins and horizons we can select
from various representation schemas. As all have their benefits,
circle, plane, vortex,... only one stands out in his quality to
simple and accustomed to all humans: physical, 3-dimensional space.
That space is the most common conceptual ground can be found obviously
in every language, as spacial metaphors are the basis for social,
ecological and foremost abstract concepts. If be endeavor to embody
and inhabit conceptual abstract spaces, we can discuss and relate
the different foci, levels, aspects and perspectives and even
map subjective and objective horizons.
The paper builds a scaffolding of eyes (ranging from the worm’s
eye and bird’s eye to the public eye and generations eye
and shows how are consciousness and awareness is related to the
way we learn about and explore the physical world and later conceptual
world through our extensions, self-models and mental models.
It not only combines the physical, contextual and semantic realms
into a common panoramic way (which means not in-depth intelligence)and
explores the scopic regimes while bridging media and reference
schemes. The paper emphasis the need for simple coherent and switchable
world views or general systems models, and shows that a panoramic
overview is not a hoistic representation (representing everything)
but and orientation schema helping to show relations and concepts
in their contexts and help to map holarchies created with different
aspects in mind
Maybe the following links can show some figures which are indispensable
and can help to evaluate the abstract ( beside the ISSS Primer
- Wholeness Seminar contributions ):
References
http://www.ceptualinstitute.com/genre/benking/landscape.htm
http://newciv.org/cob/members/benking/avi.html at:
http://www.ing.univaq.it/avi98/avi98confAnn.html
A daring hypothetical system is developed for the purpose of universalizing all modes of communication into a single nonverbal language originating from the core of the DNA. This hypothetical language is transmitted by way of a common universal medium, the holofield, at an estimated velocity a billion times that of light. These communication signals are comprised of pure information having neither mass nor energy, so their velocity is not subject to relativistic constraint. The mathematics of this system is based upon the imaginary number, characterizing emergent living systems in which the whole exceeds the sum of its parts. This language is composed of quanta of action defined as thought vectors generated by holistic brain functions. these action quanta, expressible in dimensionless numbers, are designed to bridge the gap between biological and physical phenomena, in keeping with Anatol Rapoport's suggestion that universal language should be mathematical. Existing evidence to substantiate this system of thought is briefly reviewed, but final substantiation awaits the development of holofield communication instruments.
Keywords: language, communication, holofield, thought vector, action, resonance, brain
“Universal Language” leads logically into “Evolution”, for it is the connectedness of all forms of life that makes universal communication possible. Darwin’s nineteenth century contributions to evolutionary sciences need to be superseded by applying the more advanced tools now available. His simplistic linear approach conflicts with the “nothing but fallacy” advanced by Ludwig von Bertalanffy. We need to replace this tunnel vision of evolution with the broader perspectives of the twenty-first century promised by the potentialities of the holofield. The combination separation principle is offered as a useful tool for updating evolutionary concepts to account for their complexity and non-linearity. An alternative hypothesis is advanced, suggesting that the evolution of species might be accelerated by the transfer of information in chunks via the holofield rather than by gradual randon statistical experimentation. The mathematical underpinning of this hypothesis is based upon imaginary numbers to accelerate the transfer of information. Funding is needed to implement techniques for generating the hard data necessary to substantiate these hypothetical concepts.
Keywords: Darwin, evolution, holofield, information, resonance.
This work builds on to the Multi-modal development of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). It analyses the management function in Beer's Viable Systems Model (VSM). This is done by comparing Beer's theories concerning management with traditional management functions found in the literature, such as planning, organising, leading and controlling. The conclusion is that Beer's model have a potential in providing managerial structure but lacks in guidance and visions.
In the context of the needed dialectic between the social and the spiritual, for reconstruction and development in post-apartheid South Africa, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has been both a historical and moral necessity. With all its limitations as a discourse of atonement and reconciliation, the TRC may have improved the odds for reconstructing a reconciled rainbow nation with a just state and a vibrant civil society. Monumental challenges still lie ahead. The multiple Spiritual systems in which the conscience of peoples is rooted have themselves to be made coherent in the superstructure of a shared moral order that illuminates and sustains the daily lives of all South Africans. The new moral values, even as they are merging and emerging have to be infused into the structures of the state and the institutions and patterns of the civil society. South Africa's "constitution of limits" has to be made elastic both by legislation and the pricked conscience of the powerful and the privileged classes. The circle will need to be completed by creating a system that can deliver to the white and the non-white in South Africa an education of the spirit through a pedagogy of conscience.
Key words: Spiritual Systems. Social-Spiritual Dialectic. Truth and Reconciliation. Civil Society. Education of the Spirit. Pedagogy of Conscience. Cultures of Peace.
Complex is a special attribute we can give to many kinds of systems. In a broad sense, it can be taken as synonym of unpredictable. Human systems are affected by several sources of complexity, belonging to three classes: logical, gnosiological and computational, in order of descending restrictivity. Systems belonging to first class are not predictable at all, those belonging to the second class are predictable only through an infinite computational capacity, and those belonging to the third class are predictable only through a trans-computational capacity. Using (also) a dialectical criterion of demarcation, we can distinguish a precise and useful meaning of the word "complexity", different from that of "difficulty". In first class (logical complexity) are two sources of complexity: the pure logical complexity, directly deriving from self-reference and Gödel incompleteness theorems, and the relational complexity, resulting in a sort of indeterminacy principle occurring in social systems. In the second class (gnosiological complexity) are four sources of complexity: pure gnosiological complexity, which consists in the variety of possible perceptions; the evolutionary complexity, which derives from the genuine notion of evolution; the semiotic complexity, which represents the infinite possible interpretations of signs and facts; and finally the semantic complexity, which consists in the infinite possible interpretations of words and texts. To the third class, computational complexity, belong three sources: pure computational complexity, which basically coincides with the mathematical concept of intractability; chaotic complexity, which characterizes phenomena of some dynamic systems; self-organizational complexity, which addresses the unexpected appearance of order from disorder. Artificial, natural, biological and human systems are characterized by the influence of different sources of complexity, and the latter appear as the most complex.
Keywords: Artificial, Complexity, Computation, Deterministic Chaos, Evolution, Gnosiology, Human Systems, Intractability, Mathematical Logic, Self-Organization, Self-Reference, Semantics, Semiotics
In 1996, the second German Delphi study was started. The German
Delphi ´98 is a two-round Delphi expert survey which is
conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation
Research (ISI) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education,
Research, Science and Technology (BMBF). The study is published
in February 1998 and is now getting into its implementation phase.
Its inherent focus was on the development of science and technology
in twelve thematic fields in the next 30 years. In order to arrive
at a better understanding of the influence of personal attitudes
towards general developments in our natural environment and our
society, the respondents were asked in the first round of the
Delphi exercise for their personal opinion towards several megatrends
concerning our natural environment, economic, sociological and
political developments. Over 2.000 answers lead to a very solid
data base, which give insights into the general thinking of the
German R&D experts. On some topics, there is a high consensus,
whereas in others two opposite groups appear. These results also
serve as the data base for a factor analysis leading to the identification
of five different expert types. In the second step, different
patterns in answering the development in science and technology
were looked for. In general, it turned out that differences in
personal attitudes towards megatrends do not influence the estimation
of developments in science and technology. However, differences
exist in specific topics and the distribution of five experts
types among the respondents differs significantly in the twelve
fields.
Elsewhere, we review the evidence for evolutionary processes
in those sociocultural systems in which industrial design is embedded(technological,
economic, organizational)(Broadbent, 1998). This growing evolutionary
awareness is consonant with the General Evolution Theory of Laszlo(1996).
We also present evidence which suggests that global societies
are at a point where management of these systems, together with
the biological systems within which they reside, should recognise
and benefit from their evolutionary nature. From this, we further
posit that human design activities in general should become ‘evolutionary
guidance systems’(Banathy, 1996), if global societies are
to successfully navigate the high turbulence many predict for
the early decades of the next millenium.
This paper takes this analysis a step further, by examining how
this broader view of design might be effectively brought into
an undergraduate industrial design program. In doing so, it is
important to recognise that industrial design is itself a system
yielding a product(and/or service) which is, and increasingly
so, a system and which, in turn, interacts with broader sociocultural
and biological systems.
The approach taken has been to determine the seemingly central
features of General Evolution Theory and apply them to this inclusive
view of industrial design. This analysis is set within the dominant
influence of our time - the convergence of information/communication
technologies with all other fields of human activity, here industrial
design. The phenomena examined are: informatization, complexification,
convergence(including globalization), divergence, collaboration,
efficiency(optimization), turbulence, creativity and ethical responsibility.
Each phenomenon has been assessed in terms of how it already finds
expression in contemporary industrial design practice, and in
respect of its potential for further influence as the Information
Age proceeds. These findings are reflected through the program
projects and their supporting informational inputs. Traditional
design concerns are also incorporated at this stage. A final project
seeks to bring all the defined phenomena to bear on the industrial
design process at the one time.
References
Banathy, B.H.(1996) Designing social systems in a changing world.
New York: Plenum.
Broadbent, J.A.(1998) Design and evolution. In preparation.
Laszlo, E.(1996) Evolution: the general theory. Cresskill, NJ:
Hampton.
Seven electricity production systems are evaluated using emergy
evaluation techniques to rank their relative thermodynamic efficiencies
using an Emergy Yield Ratio and their environmental efficiencies
using an Environmental Loading Ratio. The generation of CO2 was
also accounted for in order to compare renewable and nonrenewable
energy sources. The production systems include both plants using
non-renewable energy sources (natural gas, oil, and coal thermal
plants) and the so called renewable energy sources (geothermal,
hydroelectric, wind, and photovoltaic plants). A method for evaluating
environmental contribution to electric production is shown to
provide important information that can be used to support environmentally
sound public policy.
Emergy yield ratios of plants varied from a high of 8.2/1 for
wind generation to about 5/1 for thermal plants to a low of 1.0/1
for the photovoltaic plant. The renewable energy plants required
the highest environmental inputs per unit of output while fossil
fuel plants required relatively small environmental inputs for
cooling. Environmental loading was highest with thermal plants,
although the photovoltaic plant was very high as a result of the
electricity required for production of solar cells. Using an Emergy
Sustainability Index, it was found that renewable energy source
plants like hydroelectric, geothermal, and wind had higher sustainability
compared to thermal plants.
Different strategies to deal with byproducts of production processes
are also evaluated. Environmental services required to deal with
byproducts of electricity production are defined and calculated.
Then, the same approach is suggested for other production processes.
Accounting for environmental services provides a way to evaluate
the carrying capacity of the environment in relation to human
dominated processes. The need of environmental services at different
space-time scales translates into the need of a suitable support
area for the process under study. When the evaluation is done
in the larger scale of the economy, the approach provides an estimate
of the amount of economic activity that can be supported by available
area and environment.
Appeal to Reason and Common Experience, The Climate Is Changing
Rapidly
Millions of people have suffered conditions this century beyond
anything known in the past: from floods, monsoon changes, drought,
heat, winds (example -- Guam had equal to or more than 236 miles
per hour), tornadoes, hurricanes, freezing storms, record cold
temperatures each year for 15 to 20 years, record snow storms,
forest fires (China/Russia fire a few years ago, the greatest
in known history) , landslides, avalanches, and increased volcanic
action. Consider the weight of the increased ice masses in Greenland
and the Antarctic, a destabilizing pressure on the earth leading
to more volcanic action..
In the temperate zones we are caught in the middle of the hot
and cold air masses impacting each other, with resultant changes
in the ocean currents. Here is climate change! Let us put the
overall system together, and act accordingly.
It is imperative that each country have forest and energy physical
targets in order to make our best effort to stabilize climate
before it is too late.
Expanded and improved forests are necessary to remove carbon dioxide
(CO/2) from the world's atmosphere. Changes in energy technology
are necessary to stop putting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The goal, for our lives, is to bring the world's CO/2 count back
from around 370 parts per million (ppm) in the world's air mass
now to around 290 ppm where it was near the beginning of the century.
Energy, or better ?nergy available in a given environment?
i.e. ?nergy? is to societies what food is to individuals. It is
that which causes and sustains motion or other action. Historically,
the search for perpetual motion machines was as intense as the
alchemists dream of making gold, or of finding the stone of wisdom.
Today, we realize that ?making energy? is a pipe dream, but, that
we can convert existing exergy in nature into forms that are useful
for driving our technological civilization. Unfortunately, however,
we also realize that the energy conversion processes used by today?s
technology create undesirable waste, pollute our environment,
exhausts fuel resources, and are not sustainable.
The fossil fuel based energy systems release vast amounts of pollutants
that cause acid rain and global warming. The nuclear fueled terrestrial
energy systems discharge radioactive wastes that are difficult
to dispose of. Nuclear power installations are undesirable for
other reasons. The high density of nuclear energy makes it dangerous.
Nuclear power installations are vulnerable spots in a country.
On top of that, peaceful nuclear power technology facilitates
the production of nuclear weapons, and that is tempting additional
power for politicians. Given the large and growing human world
population, the fossil fuel and the nuclear fuel based energy
systems are unsustainable and create a severe disturbancein the
ecological, political, and social equilibrium on our planet.
It is maintained that renewable energy systems are desirable for
many reasons. A global renewable energy system is demonstrated
to be scientifically, technically and economically feasible. It
is shown that the solar exergy income of the planet is sufficient
to supply any reasonable level of world population for ever. Renewable
energy systems are considered to be environmentally friendly,
and less disturbing than the traditional energy systems of the
planetary and local ecological equilibrium since their material
waste can be recycled, and their thermal waste energy is part
of the natural climate forming heat. The decentralized nature
of the renewable energy and the absence of renewable energy related
weapons technology is seen as favourable factor contributing to
the political and social stability. In considering the full dimension
of the complex energy issue, it is concluded that the new energy
technology is locally and globally desirable, and that the time
for large scale use of direct solar energy and other renewables
has arrived.
Key Words: Energy, exergy, fossil energy, nuclear energy, renewable energy, feasibility, sustainablility, ecological and social equilibrium
The purpose of this research is to find out conditions that
can consolidate democratic system during the bifurcating process
of a political system. The political system as an open and living
one, could be reached maximum entropy level according to the system's
malfunctioning. Entropy within the political system, however,
could also be decreased through the intake of negentropy from
its environments. It means that the political system as a complex
living one can encounter the critical point of choice. Just at
this point, political system has a chance for favorable change
of the system's state as well as a risk of the system breakdown.
In the course of the time, the system increasingly approaches
near maximum entropy level. Then, the system could have a window
of opportunity as well as a probable devolution. At the point
of complex system theory, more democratic political system can
decrease the level of entropy comparing to the authoritarian system.
In such a transformation, it is necessary for the political system
to attain room for negentropy production. It could be represented
as temporarily functioning of dissipative structures, decreasing
the entropy level and transforming themselves into more adaptive
ones during this process. In the transition, it is significant
to ensure the elite transformation, including elite settlement
and elite convergence, and to establish the rules of competition
for lowing the political entropy level. I think it could be possible
only when the people who concerned know the newly emerging knowledge
of bifurcation and perceive the situation in terms of holistic
view.
Keywords: democratic system, bifurcation, entropy(negentropy), elite settlement, elite convergence
Human history counts just some millions of years, a tiny fraction
of that of hte universe and alos in relatin to our earth’s
history. Our species appeared when the natural development had
everything prepared for us. In the development process of mankind,
structure of the society was rather a multitude of structures
of local or regional societies, with some exceptions. But also
large empires did not last for very long, due to the relatively
long lasting times for information, reaction, transport, and power
display. This changed when mankind started to increase, finally
to multiply the individuals and the society energy: The fairy
tale from the giants became true. The fairy tales report about
good and bad giants. What makes the difference? It is the insight,
the internal reflective control system, modesty, which finally
decides whether the huge energy is used or not and for what purpose.
Energy, by physical definitin, is the potential to perform work,
to achieve something. The seemingly “unlimited” availability
pf energy started a process of inhumane acceleration, so the stream
of human development converts its mainly laminar flow into turbulances
- global turbulances.
The equilibrium of horror, the ultimate use of giant energies,
has up to now prevented big obvious changes in out societied imposed
externally. But “Essential things are invisible”, the
dams are leaking, energy achieves something also from the inside.
Keywords: Energy, Development, Society
It cannot be denied that the perspective engendered by the
civilization’s trends has been arising from the outcome of
human actions which have been determined in a large measure by
intelligent reasoning that has aimed at improving particular aspects
of the civilized way of life. At the same time these actions have
been producing an increasing number of undesirable situations
which generate the unsustainability of our civilized intentions.
We might deal properly with such paradoxical situation if we organize,
on our own, our individual and joint performances:
realizing explicitly that our civilized way of life cannot longer
process, because its perspective has become unsustainable;
learning to grasp well the kind of side effects that arise from
technological achievements and how these effects emerged and grow;
searching to reduce the possibility of a catastrophic crisis to
happen, caused by an increasing number of unsustainable situations;
learning to develop on our own ecological, ethological and ethical
criteria in order to improve the Gaia’s health, to push ahead
the evolvement of biological & cultural diversity, which presumably
will increase the survival chances of our species;
learning to sustain nature and create the circumstances needed
for building a green, blue, & humane economy, bearing in mind
we have inherited an enormous load of deeply rooted utilitarian
tradition;
finding out feasible options through suitable methodologies ,
such as a renewed Systems and Cybernetic Thinking for dealing
explicitly with ethical, ecological and ethological values as
framework for allowing the emergence and evolvement of autonomous
communities, which using explicitly cybernetic interactions (feedbacks)
may help everyone :finding a way forward (searching on its own
to be) both capable of learning from the effects of its own actions
and then acting on the insights so gained: [John Raven, 1995]
However to cope with tasks of this kind it is indispensable first
of all to grasp well why and how the Human, Biological, Ecological,
Technological and Educational worlds (structural circumstances
which rather paradoxically have made possible the emergence &
evolvement of our magnificent civilization) tend to be increasingly
unsustainable.
The Human World: Source of psychological, social and cultural
troubles caused by unethical and unecological performances of
the “modern human animal” increasingly alienated, after
being “confined in the unnatural conditions of captivity”
...trapped...by his own brainy brilliance...in a huge restless
menagerie...the city...a human zoo” [Desmond Morris], trying
to survive but passively after being increasingly fascinated by
unbelievable technologies and financial and economic business.
The Biological World: Nature increasingly disrupted by investments
implemented by decision makers who consider themselves the owners
of everything ‘discovered’ by them on the planet aiming
consequently to take advantage unilaterally of anything located
in their surroundings for making possible human ambitions to evolve
supported by utilitarian feelings derived from the assumption
that nature will sustain man always, without recognizing that
due to such intentions the number of threatened and endangered
(T&E) species is growing very fast caused by an indiscriminate
destruction of their critical habitat.
The Ecological World: Gaia seriously trouble by the impact of
inconvenient human activities conceived and implemented for allowing
some human beings to accomplish immediate selfish goals, which
are putting at risk the essential features of its peculiar atmosphere.
Agriculture, devastation of forests, overgrazing, construction
of roads, industrial and urban waste, roads traffic,... causing
soil, water and air degradation, and deterioration of the earthly
atmosphere cannot longer be simply sustained for accomplishing
efficiently competitive economic and financial aims. Neither can
be sustained huge touristic, agricultural and farming projects
conceived by means of very ‘modern’ standards which
do not recognize the existence of indigenous and poor people,
and many other living species.
The Technological World: Many troubling sources of our civilization
due to the increasing fascination generated by the spledour of
unbelievable technological achievement, which seems to bewitch
people who consider themselves as something lacking power, strength,
ability, etc. Such fascination and economic and financial interests
are causing: 1) degradation of cultural values because people
believe in the ‘immense power’ that such facilities
can possess, acquire and even develop on their own; 2) Retrogression
of human relations among individuals, ethnical and social groups,
and nations,... due to an homogenization conceived, designed &
implemented by means of facilities introduced indiscriminately
in public & private organizations under the assumption that
everything in society will be more effective, reliable & efficient,
and of course less expensive, when everybody involved behaves
and performs exactly to universal norms; 30 Deterioration of natural
environments due to the extended and indiscriminated utilization
of devices and processes that will assure more efficient and even
exhaustive exploration of natural resources, because most people
believe strongly in the ancient conjecture that Nature can always
‘take care automatically’ of its own recuperation, after
being altered by technological actions of any kind and dimension.
The Educational World: Processes conceived according to rather
inconsistent assumptions:
1)most human beings are no more that (human) resources, necessary
as objects for the accomplishment of (economic, organizational,
destructive, competitive,...) intentions of few leaders, rulers,
decision makers,...;
2)the human concerns must be tackled as endeavors leading towards
ideal perspectives determined by means of simple extrapolations
derived from or reinforcing traditional (primitive) beliefs;
3)ideals will be necessarily well and totally accomplished if
everything is taken into account, by means of systems thinking,
holistic approaches, total quality and productivity intentions
or any other methodology for the wholeness;
4)unexpected and uncertain side effects that arrive necessarily
from all human actions can be neglected and even ignored till
they are properly identified because it is supposed that there
problematic consequences can or should be tackled afterwards;
5)every problem that may arise will be solved ‘automatically’
by more technologies ‘scientifically’ developed;
6)the future of human kind ought to be a continuation of the history
of humankind which, willingly or not, is in a large measure the
outcome of ‘actions’ conceived for making possible the
development of selfish competences among powerful specimens followed
by masses claiming to have the right to be considered, at least,
human beings.
After the oil embargo in 1973, the world realized how important a steady energy supply is. Energy studies were conducted, but after the initial shock of the oil embargo the interest in energy analyses gradually declined. Today, it is only a minor part of the conventional Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies. We believe it is time to revive the energy studies, and in this paper we launch the idea of Energy Accounting equally to monetary accounting with basically the same General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). We are convinced that Energy Accounting can force the marketplace - organizations and end-users - towards higher energy efficiency and thereby towards less relative pollution. There are two major reasons for that: The importance of energy in socio-economic and consequently sustainable development and the strong correlation between energy consumption and pollution. Energy Accounting will most likely also give an economic return, however, this is not the focus of this paper. Then, environmental efforts can concentrate on issues which are not related to energy consumption, such as toxicity, and leave the general pollution prevention to be handled in the marketplace by Energy Accounting and an energy taxation system. If Energy Accounting was established, at least in the industrialized world, the energy assessments would be developed by the market itself and the incentive to use them would be along the lines of having cost management systems today. In our opinion, this is in sharp contrast to the ad hoc LCA methodology developed by e.g. ISO. In this paper, we therefore present a conceptual design Energy Accounting and energy taxation that, in our opinion, would be an important step towards sustainability.
Keywords: Energy Accounting, GAAP, energy taxation and sustainability.
This paper identifies a major flaw in the FASB's definition
of a liability in SFAC 6. The definition of the elements (assets,
liabilities, equities, etc.) is an important part of the Conceptual
Framework. These definitions are used by the FASB to structure
debate on accounting issues and represent the “building blocks"
with which financial statements are assembled.
The flaw relates to the definition's narrow requirement that liabilities
be settled with assets or services. Our concern is that the current
financial reporting market is one of rapid developments in the
design and implementation of hybrid financial securities and complex
financial instruments. These create situations in which a firm
is legally obligated to settle debts without using their assets.
For example, a firm may acquire services and be obligated to settle
the obligation with their stock or other securities. In this situation,
although the firm is obligated, no liability would be shown according
to the FASB's definition. The paper analyzes such situations and
proposes a solution that involves expanding the definition to
include “other resources." This remedy would make the
definition in step with current and future developments in financial
markets and enhance the usefulness of the Conceptual Framework.
For example, how do you account for the following situation? Suppose
an venture-investor was approached at the beginning of a year
by a recently organized firm (MLC Corporation) that was in the
process of developing a new software product. The investor recognized
the risky nature of the business and was willing to invest $1,000
as a one-year loan, with annual interest at 12%. The loan was
made and the firm signed a note payable. However, the note states
that the loan will be settled by the issuance of 1,120 shares
of the firm's own authorized but unissued $1 par value common
stock (the market value of the stock at the beginning of the year
was $1).
Graphically,
The implications of the stratification of interactions in energy
levels discovered in the last few decades, have not been fully
grasped outside of the physics community, despite the fact that
they have to do with the fundamental theory of matter. Yet, the
existence of energy gap of varying widths between strata is of
supreme significance because of the hierarchical complexity of
natural systems.
The existence of natural hierarchies bespeaks of processes of
energy transformation that are unlike the interactions between
systems confined within the same stratum, which leave observable
traces. Two of these energy gaps, which play a particularly significant
role in the emergence of complex systems, are referred in the
technical literature as Cuts. The Cartesian Cut, which separates
mind from its quantal substrate, is constitutive of observations.
The Heisenberg Cut separates a natural system's objectual characteristics
from its internal dynamical r_gime. These characteristics, which
are endogeneous to the system, define the kinds of interactions
it can enter into in its surround, while its internal r_gime is
what enables it to be thus interactive.
A number of interesting problems have their roots in the manner
these two types of processes of energy transformations are synchronised
in hierarchisation. The chief one is that of representing, in
a scientifically respectable way, the processes which bridge the
gaps between strata and are primarily responsible for the emergence
of natural systems, hence for their hierarchisation. A representation
is scientifically respectable in this sense if it is
mathematically perspicuous, i.e. it serves the function of the
fundamental theory which underlies such processes, as well as
satisfies stringent criteria in the observation of their effects,
given that these processes leave no observable interticial traces.
Another problem of great interest in the context of the hierarchisation
of matter is the emergence of mind in natural systems. This problem
is unusually recalcitrant, for the reason that neither the Cartesian
Cut nor the Heisenberg Cut are operative here, all interactions
being internal to the sytem {observer, observed}, which is non-existent
in this case. The same can be said, mutatis mutandis, of all systems
in which the observer is an internal actor, e.g. social systems.
This should not be construed as denying the objectivity of the
sciences of matter (physics, chemistry, biology), in which both
Cuts are operative.
Based on these considerations, a case will be made for the view
that biological and social systems differ in radical ways that
rule out the possibility of using similar strategies to model
them. They belong not just to different strata, but to different
eras of cosmic evolution. And while scientific discourse is clearly
used in biology (leaving aside much of what is called "theoretical
biology"), it is inapplicable to the case of social systems.
Exponential growth in world population, energy generation, production, pollution, and world-threatening destructive power has focused attention on the earth system and ways to insure its survival in the long-term. Many fear that this growth will result in future crises such as the disintegration of the ozone layer, global warming, mass starvation, resource exhaustion, massive species extinctions, environmental destruction, and global terrorism and war. The quest is for a formula for “sustainability.” Most believe that the solution lies in the continued growth of technology, the regulatory policies of governments, and/or automatic corrections inherent in the world economic system. Reasons are presented why technology, economic adjustments and regulatory policies will not solve the problems; and why evolutionary human instinctual imperatives energize the complex, interdependent, feedback control structures in today’s technological world society which produce the observed unsustainable growth. World human consumption growth, the force that drives environmental deterioration, is caused by population growth, technology growth, economic growth, government policies and human expectations and instincts. To save the Earth, human consumption growth must stop. Therefore, attaining sustainability is a human behavioral problem.
Keywords: system dynamics, exponential growth, technology, world modeling , environment
Sustainable development depends basically on a stable carrying
capacity of the supporting ecosystem. This in turn depends to
a large extent on the nature of the technical level of the concerned
human group. A short African example will be given.
Historically, this level has been evolving in a progressively
accelerating way, allowing for an ever more massive use of natural
resources, renewable or not. Moreover a general trend toward wider
geographically embracing human ecosystems in concordance with
technical progress is obvious. The global planetary system is
now in the making.
Accordingly, we need ways and means to evaluate as best as possible
the global and local limits to quantitative development and altogether
the possibilities for a more conservative type of development.
This includes necessarily an inquiry about the urgent need for
a transition from generally plundering techniques of exploitation
of shrinking resources (including sinks!) to more stabilizing
and renovative techniques. Systemic models related to various
modes of growth, dissipative structuration and emergence of higher
levels of complexity, the onset of dynamic stability in correlation
with Eigen-behavior (or autopoiesis), followed by possible uncompensated
positive feedback, runaway processes, critical states, instability
thresholds, crashes and collapses or, on the contrary tolerable
cyclomorphic oscillations and self reproduction in metastable
systems could certainly be adapted to such inquiry.
Examples, suggestions, and conjectures will be proposed.
Toward a PROMISE OF TOMORROW Using Interconnecting Theory to Re-connect
Charles Francois
Editor, International Enclyclopedia of Cybernetics and Systemics
It is generally agreed that the systems movement has not penetrated other fields as much as we had dreamed. Charles Francois, Editor of the International Enclyclopedia of Cybernetics and Systemics, presents a Target Paper B for the Primer Group reflecting on our shortcomings. The specialist syndrome, incomplete knowledge of systemic implications, and selective usage of systemic principles all contribute to a general apathy toward interdisciplinary and wholismic principles. But, as Charles points out, "We eventually need all of them."
But Charles also brings us a Promise of Tomorrow, proposing, an cooperative inquiry into interconnectedness at all levels. An outline of the new Connecting Theory as well as the more general Relationship Theory, will be presented as Target Paper C during an ISSS electronic seminar following the Atlanta Meeting.
Keywords: Connection, Systemic, Relationship, Connecting Theory, Relationship Theory
James Grier Miller begins his preface to Living Systems by
quoting from Alfred N. Whitehead's Science and the Modern World,
and concludes his book with a quotation from Whitehead's Process
and Reality. Each actual entity is itself only describable as
an organic process. It repeats in microcosm what the universe
is in macrocosm. It is a process proceeding from phase to phase,
each phase being the real basis from which its successor proceeds.
This philosophical background to Living Systems is studied, as
well as concepts, such as systems, organism, subjectivism, objectivism,
process etc.
Reference literature which mentioned in the preface is studied,
together with literature subsequently published by Whitehead,
and also a selection of the extensive literature which in later
years has dealt with Whitehead's philosophy.
The intention is to give grounds for a discussion with those who
base their systems thinking on other points of view/points of
departure. The discussion of general considerations and approaches
facilitates the understanding of what is common, and what differs
in different kinds of systems thinking.
Business-Driven Sustainable Development by "Back-casting"
from First Order Sustainability Principles
Gil Friend
Gil Friend and Associates, 48 Shattuck Square #103
Berkeley CA 94704
John Holmberg
Department of Physical Resource Theory, Chalmers University of
Technology and Goteborg University, S-41296, Goteborg, Sweden
Karl-Henrik Robèrt
The Natural Step, Wallinsgatan 22
111 24 Stockholm, Sweden,
"Sustainability" -- while a compelling vision --
is all too often a vague one. The Brundtland definition, for example,
provides a philosophical context but does not provide a concrete
guide for investment decisions.
In this paper we present a management framework is needed that:
• provides broad understanding of principles of sustainability
that "make sense" and provide useful guidance regardless
of one's economic or political position or perspective;
• transcends ultimately irreconcilable controversies over
both ideology and "acceptable thresholds" of damage;
• offers pragmatic guidance for both fundamental business
strategy and specific investment decisions;
• enables rigorous evaluation of "sustainability vectors";
• contributes to both short term and long term financial
performance, competitive advantage, and other business goals
These "first order" principles for sustainability make
it possible to ask if each measure (investment) brings us closer
to sustainability and if each measure taken is a flexible platform
for the next step towards fulfillment of the first order principles?
We also present a method for strategic planning towards sustainability
that is based on back-casting: future desired conditions of sustainability
are specified, steps are then defined backward in time from the
goal to attain those conditions, rather than to take steps that
are merely a continuum of present trends extrapolated into the
future.
The paper also includes practical results from the use of the
tool within several large manufacturing companies.
This approach provides a superior approach in planning in relation
to traditional forecasting, particularly when:
· the problem to be studied is complex,
· there is a need for major change,
· dominant trends are part of the problem,
· the problem to a great extent is a matter of externalities
and
· the scope is wide enough and the time horizon long enough
to leave considerable room for deliberate choice.
This paper is an attempt to show that Science and Spirituality
can coexist and that their combined influences, within a proper
context, could result in producing the best of all possible worlds.
My own beliefs are rooted in the Iroquoian Longhouse tradition.
Over the years I have met traditional Native people from many
parts of North America. During our discussions I have noticed
two common threads running through our traditional Native belief
systems. One thing we share is the concept of Thanksgiving. The
other lies in the essential sameness of our different prophecies.
Since I am not free to divulge the content of our prophecies I
will concentrate on the Thanksgiving.
In our Longhouse we practice an annual round of Thanksgiving ceremonies
which are thousands of years old. When our first sacred messenger
brought us these ceremonies he also told us that there is a Creator;
that our Creator wishes acknowledgement from us in the form of
Thanksgiving; that we should use a Good Mind toward others and
that true "success" is for us to be reunited with our
Creator.
Though a simple concept, when the Thanksgiving is fully practised
it branches into many implications:
1. When we acknowledge a Creator we are admitting we did not create
ourselves. We are also admitting we are related to all fellow
creatures through a common Creator.
2. Since our lives are primarily gifts, we cannot take credit
for any of our strengths or talents. To take credit for these
gifts would be a form of plagiarism.
3. Any exceptional gifts we have should be shared as we share
all things. Our Earth is like a table and we are a family around
it. We should all have a chance to share in the meal.
4. There can be no "Private Property". All things should
be as air and water; things that all can share but none can "own".
5. Since we were promised enough we live and give thanks day by
day and take only what we need.
6. We cannot shun others because of their appearance. Our Creator
has seen fit to allow differences.
7. Our practice of sharing must extend to the "new faces"
who are on their way. They will have their own needs. This precludes
consumerism and the depletion of resources which it causes.
8. We know tomorrow's people should also have a clean place. This
precludes such things as pollution and nuclear devastation.
9. Truly thankful people will know when they have enough. As a
result their minds will be at peace and they will not be tormented
by greed for more than they need or more than their neighbour
has.
10. Our life is a privilege, a gift we should value and respect,
and because it is a gift we should not resent our demise.
These are a few views that result from the practice of the Thanksgiving.
Their relevance to modern society should be obvious.
Keywords: Spirituality, Thanksgiving, Role of Science, Longhouse, Industrial Civilization
Child Protective Services (CPS) are synthesized using General Systems ideas and applicable theoretical frameworks, as identified in the child welfare literature. The purpose of the paper is to lay out a conceptual change model that can benefit current CPS case workers and supervisors in their professional practice. The applied methodology resembles in many ways Checkland’s (1981) soft systems methodology, which basically calls for a systematic comparison between ‘the real’ and ‘the conceptual’, whenever organizational change is deliberated by managerial staff and administration. To elaborate on the complexity and multi-dimensionality of CPS system’s operations, a pathological CPS model is formulated using clients, direct service staff and CPS supervision as the major units of analysis. Organizational CPS pathology is delineated with consideration to three disparate dimensions of dysfunctional CPS system operations : pathological supervision, intergenerational and work-related staff partialities and turbulence in the practice field. With a considerable amount of feedback resulting from the pathological model, a change model is initiated to help extract the CPS system from its current failures to explicate family preservationistic philosophy and practice. Humanistic supervision, staff development in the areas of self-awareness, cultural responsiveness and client-based practice, lobbying and child advocacy are considered central in optimal future change efforts. It is suggested that recommended changes in the organizational CPS culture can give genesis to disparate feedback loops within the CPS system that can motivate and perpetuate family preservationistic philosophy and practice, both in the direct service as well as the administrative field. The ultimate beneficiaries of such innovations will be the recipients of CPS services, who are unjustly disempowered by current dissenting and multifarious feedback-related, CPS systemic complications. Conclusively, it is recommended that collective search conferences and assertive staff self-evaluations can serve as practical implementation tools to support the application and sustenance of conceptual change in the CPS practice field. It is also suggested that the efficacy of the conceptual model be evaluated by outcome research, concentrating specifically upon the observed benefits of the proposed model for diverse CPS system operations and more importantly, on the benefits and repercussions of recommended changes for clients’ rehabilitation endeavors.
Keywords: Organizational Pathology, Systemic Change, Child Protective Services, Family Preservation Practice
This paper looks at how human values measurement and systems
thinking principles can become a part of a sociocybernetic system
for understanding chaos in organizations. Tools and methodologies
will be examined to see how they might be used to help make sense
out of the complexity in the modern organization. Core issues
include such elements as decision-making, organizational culture
and the usefulness of effective values measurement techniques
and their applicability in a sociocybernetic framework.
Links will be made between values and organizational structure
and process. Discussion will be centered around how to specifically
and practically use both individual and organizational values
to transform organizations toward a more effective and efficient
reality.
The Influences of Behavioural Skills on Performance Management
and its implications for businesses today
Lara Hamchaoui, Dr. Lawrence Reavill, and Dr. Sionade Robinson
Department of Management Systems and Information
City University Business School
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB
Human Resource Management has had to re-vitalise its strategies
and philosophies in light of the increasing changes in customer
demands and their impact on organisation strategy. The level of
employee skill has had to increase dramatically to cope and manage
with customer requirements. The expansion of the service industry
has meant more focus on the service that company’s provide,
this in turn puts more onus on the employee who provides the service.
This paper will examine why and how Human Resource Management
has had to evolve into managing the performance of employees rather
than just their outputs and consequently try to influence the
level of competence of an employee in performing at an acceptable
level. This from a systems point of view introduces several elements
that may influence the success or failure of this competency approach.
Thus, this paper seeks to address these elements and discuss their
impact on Human Resource Management and organisations today and
in the future.
Key Words: Employee Development, Hierarchy, Control, Competency, Communication
In this paper, I would like to discuss some of the conclusions of my dissertation thesis, "Toward a Science of Synthesis: The Heritage of General Systems Theory," completed in May 1997 (finally!). My discussion will draw from a paper I presented at the biennial conference of the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology in July 1997, entitled "The Use of Biological Metaphor in the Behavioral Sciences: Society as Organism, Ecosystem, or Irreducible Emergent." In addition, I will address material from chapters nine and ten of my dissertation, in which I briefly outline what I consider to be some of the critical developments in the evolution of the Society for General Systems Research, from its inception in 1954. My inquiry focuses primarily on the social implications of systems thought, particularly in response to such critiques as Robert Lilienfeld's (1974) that systems theory is nothing more than technocratic ideology. In contrast, I suggest that certain strands of systems thought support much more participatory and inclusive models of social organization.
Small-scale vegetation in controlled environments to investigate
emergence in far-from-equilibrium ecosystem thermodynamics
T. Havlicek
University of Wisconsin-Madison
T.F.H Allen
University of Wisconsin-Madison
J. Norman
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Moving from leaves to kilometers of remotely sensed vegetation
interposes many emergent levels. By investigating emergence and
its positive feedbacks per se, we facilitate observation and manipulation
of large scale vegetation systems.
Controlled experiments were performed to test an emerging paradigm
of ecosystem thermodynamics which states that more mature and
complex ecosystems have more elaborate structure and pathways
which dissipate the gradient from the warm planet surface to cool
outer space. The purpose was to test experimentally the capacity
of simple and increasingly complex contrived Arabidopsis and Glysine
max (soybean) vegetation to dissipate energy through the latent
heat of vaporization when exposed to energy gradients. We grew
the vegetation in 2x3x4 ft wind tunnels to control for wind regime
effects on the vegetation, and to introduce morphological and
physiological differences to the contrived vegetation stands.
This enabled us to increase canopy complexity while holding geneticfactors
constant. We also introduced complexity to the canopy architecture
by mixing different genotypes and species within the contrived
stands. We measured energy degradation capabilities by evapotransipiration
rates and thermal infrared canopy surface temperature of the different
vegetation stands. Positive results should show that more complex
vegetation stands that embody far-from-equilibrium structures
emit less radiant energy because of their increased energy degradation
capabilities. Thus they should have a cooler surface temperature,
via increased levels of evapotranspiration and other pathways.
The paper’s contents will address an underlying problem
of early GST, and then trace how the implications of that early
dilemma have passed off into a wide range of socio-economic endeavors.
The results are problematic for the endeavors, and damaging to
the credibility of much of what was profound and beneficial in
systems theory.
The dilemma is the entropy concept and how it was presented in
early systems theory. Early developers of the systems perspective
used entropy in a way that does not stand up to close scrutiny.
They took the concept from its use in the more pessimistic world
of energy/material based phenomena, and pushed it into the metaphysical
world where the rules were ambiguous. From the new platform they
argued how in some spheres of thought entropy could be managed,
and sometimes even reversed. A logical framework was construction
as to how the operations of the metaphysical world were not subject
to restrictions associated with processes of decay and disorder
as clearly experienced in the physical world.
The dilemma began when other GST pioneers then shifted the framework
towards general living systems in order to argue that life forces,
including information systems, were in opposition to entropy processes.
Some of the followers of GST then expanded the logic to include
the social realm and all that it did. A few even re-entered the
real of energy/matter to argue that socio-economic and scientific
processes could stand up to, perhaps even defeat, entropic decay.
As systems theorists give their interpretation of sustainability,
and they should formulate one, there needs to be a resolution
of the early dilemma posed by the GST approach to entropy. Definitions
of sustainability change dramatically depending on how entropy
is defined, delimited or denied. Other areas of science have demonstrating
that the entropy process is clearly not to be denied.
In 1981, an IBM researcher, Charles Bennett, resolved Maxwell’s
problem by showing how a perfectly efficient engine was impossible
not just in fact, but also in principle. He showed how even Maxwell’s
“demon” must expend energy in the process of becoming
sustainable via “saving” energy. The “demon”
must forget each transaction prior to the next encounter. Rolf
Landauer had demonstrated some years before that the only steps
in computation that necessarily produce waste heat are erasures
of information. One caveat remained, Bennett’s proof relied
on classical physics thus there remained a shadow of doubt relative
to entropy’s operations in the realm of quantum mechanics,
and then in statistical thermodynamics.
In a 1997 Physical Review article by Seth Lloyd of MIT it is shown
that in the wholly quantum world the “demon” is even
less efficient than he was in the classical world. Outside systems
theory the issue is now settled. The contents of the paper will
argue that GST needs to reconsider its long-standing approach
to entropy in light of what is known from other sciences. this
especially important prior to it dealing with issues like what
is and can be truly “sustainability” in what humans
produce, consume, and do.
Aspects of a major research innovation of EPA will be presented
to support the thesis of the paper. The research involves non-regulatory
means to change human behavior. The key problem in the EPA project
is that via certain conceptual arguments about entropy the participants,
who are the producers and not consumers, avoid changing their
processes to provide consumers with greater product efficiencies.
Human Values in Technology
M. Hebel
University of Greenwich
School of Business and Management, Woolwich Campus
Riverside House, Beresford Street, London, SE18 6BU, UK
This paper takes a phenomomenological approach to the requirements of matching technology to organisational needs. It suggests that in order to achieve a good match it is necessary to harmonise the values embodied in both areas. It is based on research into the issues surrounding performance measurement which was found to contain many conceptual parallels and shared technology. The soft systems analysis places human values theory in the context of systems thinking, where values are taken as system components, their groupings as systems and the expectations and behaviours produced by the sytem as emergence. The paper goes on to discuss the interaction of value systems and their synergistic qualities of world-views which inevitably impact on the introduction of new technology or its application.
The separation, both conceptually and geographically, of design
and manufacturing activities is becoming more and more prevalent
in industry. With this separation, the “over-the-wall”
mentality, where design and manufacture iterate until a manufacturable
product is developed, is inevitable. This type of iteration requires
excessive travel and expense to maintain communications between
design and manufacture, meaning that the overall manufacturing
enterprise is becoming less and less sustainable. In order to
counteract this, we propose a distinct separation of design and
manufacture, which takes place earlier in the design process.
This means that design activities will encompass the act of determining
design intent, possible design configurations, and overall dimensions.
That design intent is then conveyed to the Design for Manufacture
design phase, where the embodiment of the design is developed.
This detail design of the artifact, as well as the manufacture
of the product becomes the responsibility of manufacturing professionals,
who take on the design responsibilities of the Design for Manufacture
phase. However, there is one problem with this scenario. That
problem is: How do we convey design intent, possible design configurations,
and overall dimensions of a product and ensure that they are maintained?
In this case, we will be exploring this question in the context
of Rapid Tooling. Rapid Tooling is the process by which Rapid
Prototyping Technologies are used to develop tools for the fabrication
of products. We are specifically interested in investigating the
Rapid Tooling of injection molds, or the development of injection
molds use Rapid Prototyping technologies.
The answer to the above question lies in the development of automated
tools which the designer may use to design an artifact. If the
designer is able to convey the design intent, possible design
configurations, and overall dimensions through the use of a CAD
model, the designer may then use an automated system to modify
the existing model and choose resources to build the product and
the tools necessary to fabricate that product without sacrificing
design intent. The proposed automated system includes an extensive
database of manufacturing processes, materials and heuristics.
Using these databases, the designer may include manufacturing
considerations in the design. With the aid of these automated
tools, the iteration between design and manufacture is eliminated,
making the system more sustainable.
In order to achieve this system of automated design tools, a set
of manufacturing resources must be compiled. The specifications
of these resources are not necessarily represented by definite,
crisp numbers. Often, these specifications are presented as ranges.
This means that when selecting the appropriate resources, some
uncertainty will exist. Through the representation of this uncertainty
in the final resource selection, a more informed decision may
be made as to the appropriate choice of resources. In this paper,
we describe a method for modeling uncertainty using fuzzy sets
and using a selection method, namely the Selection Decision Support
Problem, to determine the most feasible resources for use in the
manufacture of a specified product.
Keywords: Sustainability, Decision-Based Design, Decision Support Problem (DSP), Fuzzy Logic, Rapid
This paper will explore present issues related to Business
Ethics as referred to actual behavior of social actors involved,
its causes and consequences arising from and with impact on the
local, national and globalized context.
Certain basic principles will be studied, certain action - oriented
alternatives will be analyzed, and certain criteria for teaching
Business Ethics from a systemic viewpoint in higher education
will be developed.
Certain specific issues will be dealt with, such as:
1.Ethical purpose and ethical action
2.Ethics by abiding by the law and ethics by going beyond the
call of law
3.Ethical action and creation of a context for ethical action
4.Ethics as object of motivation and ethics as object of control
5.Ethical performance by persons and ethical performance by organizations
6.Ethics in processes and ethics in results
7.Ethics and Quality
8.Ethics compared with others (“ethics benchmarking”)
and ethics compared in time (“ethics dynamics”)
9.Ethics of employees and ethics of their bosses
10.Ethics protecting property and ethics protecting life
A symposium to discuss this type of issues is suggested, in lieu
of a paper session. This and other related papers would be used
as a discussion guideline.
Entropy, Infinity, and God - the universe and beyond
Daniel Hershey
Professor of Chemical Engineering
Mail Location #0171, University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0171 USA
A discussion of the second law of thermodynamics will introduce
the concept of Entropy and the consequences of increasing Entropy,
for aging, evolving systems. Entropy, as a measure of order and
disorder, tells us much about birth, aging, and death. Death is
when we achieve maximum disorder (maximum Entropy). Entropy also
indicates the direction of time’s arrow.
The theory of the big bang birth of our universe leads to questions
concerning the history, evolution, and dimensions of our universe.
This yields thoughts of what is “beyond” out universe
and raises questions, such as what does “beyond” mean.
This is the prelude for thinking the largest question: The meaning
and conceptualization of Infinity. Infinity is the grandest of
concepts, without limits, without boundaries, beyond our imagination.
No discussion of Infinity can ignore the concept of God, and God’s
relationship to Infinity. God, as a concept, is also beyond limits.
These three ideas, Entropy, Infinity, and God are examined together.
The aim is to show how they merge, and to try to understand our
existence, the birth of our universe, the presence of God, and
the question: What is “beyond” our universe.
This is a paradigm for restructing and re-engineering a corporation.
Cities, corporations, and civilizations are aging, evolving systems,
experiencing birth, life, aging, and death. They are affected
by size, structure, stability, and senescence.
Six parameters are identified which describe the efficiency of
a organization’s structure. These are: (1) overlapping activities;
(2) the geometry of the table of organization; (3) interactions
which by-pass the bosses; (4) the center of gravity of power;
(5) the distribution of power; and (6) informational entropy (the
efficiency of information flow).
We will describe how the first five parameters affect the sixth,
informational entropy. For example, high entropy is associated
with high disorder and overlapping activities. A more vertical
structure also yields high entropy. Interactions which bypass
the bosses distort information flow and raise entropy. having
the center of gravity of power near the top of the organization
creates an ease of information flow and less disorder and lowered
entropy. Making everyone equal, i.e., having all units in the
organization equivalent in power and independence is prescription
for disaster and high entropy. A case history will be presented.
The nation was shocked at the news that two pre-teen boys,
ages 11 and 13, opened fire in a pre-arranged fire drill at a
middle-school in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Besides four girls and one
teacher dead, there were ten others wounded. Not too long ago
other killings by youngsters in Mississippi and Kentucky similarly
stunned us. The latest open-fire school shooting on May 21 of
this year by a 15-year-old in Springfield, Oregon killed his parents
at home, two students at school with 22 other students wounded.
These incidents are a wake-up call for societal action.
No, these young kids did not come from another planet and suddenly
descended upon us. Indeed, we produced them. These horrific episodes
should serve as a wake-up call to all of us, individually and
collectively. What kind of society created these so-called “young
monsters”? Surely, they were molded by us - their parents,
their schools, their communities and everyone and everything that
touched their young lives. Yes, television, movies, cartoons,
“gangsta rap” and heavy metal music all played a part.
Not only is the entire culture more violent but there exist less
civility, less graciousness, less politeness, less kindness and
caring, and less “humanly correct” conduct in our personal
relationships.
The forces at work are complex and need to be understood since
they are crucially interrelated. To sum it up, we all live in
a violent society where hostility and overt aggression toward
others are all too common and from which our children learn. They
are “our children” after all. Infants are not born “bad”
nor violent. Children learn this behavior on a day-to-day basis
by how they perceive others react to any event and how they are
treated at home, at school, in the playground by other kids, by
the media, and by all occurrences that ever touched them. Certainly,
dysfunctional families are a root cause.
We need to take action. We need community speak-outs, town meetings,
school forums, TV panels and other forms of airing our overall
violence problem with its varied components. We Americans know
how to air an issue, with a multitude of media exposure, and we
know how to pound it to death - weeks, months, years, for as long
as it takes. Let’s get started. All our lives are at stake
and our children are crying out for help.
After decades of tremendous progress today’s medicine
is encountring limits, which have no longer anything to do with
medical practice in the sense of the hippocritical oath. Those
times are past when the doctor could help the patient with simple
advice and remedies. Today our medicine is embedded in a complex
correlation with various hierarchical systems. Right on top is
the wish of the patient to be healed and the doctor who should
fulfil this wish to the best of his knowldge and belief. In the
doctor’s decision over a correct therapy there are still
other aspects which determine his procedure with regard to the
treatment. These are: the financial management of the practice,
the scientificand official medical teaching, the social-and health
policy, consideration of costs and profit, health insurances and
last but not least also the personal integrity of the doctor,
ethical and moral aspects.
Modern medicine is technically becoming more and more expensive,
the resources however fewer and fewer, so that a constantly rising
density of doctors is leading to a struggle for few resources
between doctors, the pharmaindustry and manufacturers of equipment.
The laws of marketing such as supply, demand and financing are
ruling in public health.
In spite of the achievments of modern scientific and technical
medicine, patients are feeling this medicine to be inhuman. They
are complaining about an apparatus medicine and are looking for
a treatment in totality taking into consideration also unconventional
methods. Essential for the owner of a practice is the managerially
and economically efficient planning of the practice. The aim is
to attract patients and to offer profitable activities.
In the medical University reality is determined by the possibilityof
getting on fast in the medical profession. Struggling for power
and recognition and not least for survival at the University are
determinging goal and direction of medical research and with that
the kink of medicine practised at University. Through clever sponsoring
industry is assisting in finding the direction.
Politics too is playing an important role in today’s medicine.
Which ambitious goals like optimal health provision for everybody,
the question of how to finance it becomes increasingly prominent.
Steeply rising costs coupled with dwindling financial resources
have for a long timne made health politicians think aloud about
a reduction of medicine to a basic provision excluding more recent
and expensive treatments. Even highly explosive questions whether
for instance it is meaningful to offer a patient a treatment which
is costing more than he or she can ever earn in his or her lifetime
are publicly discussed.
The health insurances want to determine which treatments are useful
and can be paid for and which are not.
In specialized medical fields doctors are not showing an openess
to a complete and complicated system as a human being but a dogmatic
singletrack mind depending on the school they graduated from.
Those thinking differently are looked upon with suspiscion. Fundamentalists
of all trends bedevil the opposite party and would like to have
them outlawed.
In this conflict of various interest-groups one increasingly tries
to make a more productive coordination possible through cybernetic
ways of thinking. Cybernetic systems of theories are excellently
suitable for building and planning a health system which can be
paid for and whcih has a safe future.
However, where in cybernetic systems can one find the human values
of medicine which have been formulated quite clearly as medical
virtues already 2400 years ago by Hippocrates? Serve exclusively
the advantage of the patient
* Never harm the patient
* be honest
* be incorruptible be humble and confine yourself to your competence
and to your actual know-how
* do not kill, not even at the request of a patient
How important the observance of these principles is, becomes clear
to everyone of us when we imagine becoming ill ourselves. There
is a great danger that ethical and moral aspects are not sufficiently
taken into consideration in cybernetic patterns of thinking, because
they cannot easily be integrated in functional relations.
Therefor an interdisciplinarian co-operation is necessary. Medical
men, psychologists, moralists, social politicians in independent
incorruptible committees obliged to social ideas have:
- to define anew the advantage of the patient with today’s
methods of treatment.
- to eliminate dishonest irresponsible therapists and methods
of therapy.
- to prevent and stop the influence of industry, insurance companies
and poitics on medical treatment.
- to work out a modern code of conduct for physicians in the sense
of the hippocratical oath and to control the adherence to it.
Only so the decline of human values in modern medicine can be
prevented.
We are moving into an era of smart procurement, lean manufacturing
and integration of systems of systems. The introduction of the
first should enable the second and could lead to significant "Value
For Money" (VFM) in integration with clear implications for
cost forecasting and estimating. As these moves occur any historical
basis in defence procurement from which cost estimates can be
constructed will be eroded. This is a major challenge for those
responsible for estimating and forecasting costs. This paper sets
out to categorise the nature of each of these changes. Our intention
is to highlight the questions raised for the cost estimating community
in addressing them. The paper sets out to compare the development
agenda for cost estimating these changes imply with that already
in train. The evidence for this paper is published material.
"Smart Procurement" should have a significant impact
on future costs. Cost As an Independent Variable (CAIV) alone
is intended to have this effect (Kaminski, 1995). The author has
previously drawn attention to the estimates implication for cost
estimating relationships (CERs) itself being an independent variable
(Hilton, 1987). At that time the results produced suggested that
in practice cost was an independent variable. Project budgets
have always impacted on what one can afford to procure. This result
was based on data from an era when costs had ostensibly not been
an independent constraint, the Kennedy era of "How Much is
Enough?". Now the intention, under smart procurement, is
that costs should be explicitly treated as independent. However
independent of this the whole basis on which smart procurement
is being set up is such that costs is indirectly treated this
way anyway. Can we buy cheaper if differential defence specs are
eliminated? Can we buy cheaper by using "Dual Use" technology
and the technological spin-ins to defence it brings. Will the
commercial sector then in being bear a significant portion of
development costs? etc.
Lean manufacturing and its associated practices - Just in Time
Logistics (JITs), Low Inventories, Zero Defects on Delivery, flexible
small batch production, technical co-operation between manufacturer
and supplier to design for manufacturers, in service reliability
and ease of servicing are intended to impact dramatically on the
cost of putting products into the hands of customers. Japanese
companies have demonstrated this par excellence. Where are the
defence examples of this that can be used to form the basis of
estimates of future or even current costs. If "smart procurement"
leads to a seamless join between commercial and defence practice
procurement analogies from defence will not be necessary. Commercially
analogues will suffice. However even the strongest advocate of
procurement reform does not believe that a huge monopolistic state
controlled buyer like the DOD dealing with a few extremely large
prime contractors will ever be able to put itself in a position
entirely analogous to that pertaining in the commercial market
place. If it could, cost estimating would virtually become irrelevant.
The best cost estimate would be market price. This then leaves
open the question for the cost estimating community of how one
might adjust analogous from the commercial world, based on lean
manufacturing and JITs experience, to take account of the realities
of the defence market environment.
It is not however, just to the organisational integration prevalent
in the commercial world that we have to turn to consider the impact
of this type of change on cost. We also need to give active consideration
to the impact on cost of the integration that is now possible
between weapons and the organisational systems used on the battlefield.
Distributed processing, flexible working procedures and co-operation
between many independent parties is fundamental to the nature
of future Joint and Combined operations. In many ways it may be
the digital battlefield, and the challenges it brings doctrinally
and technically, that produces the biggest challenge for the cost
estimator. This is especially so when this need for integration
has to be coupled with the concept of technology insertion so
that military systems can at least keep pace with the rate of
advance of civilian IT.. With stealth and total communicated battlefield
visibility, a paradox exists if there ever was one. A battle space
more sparsely populated wit a human presence has implications
and complications for cost estimating that we are just beginning
to consider. At its simplest we have the choice to take the human
being out the loop and so lower costs significantly eg for reconnaissance.
The choice as to whether target acquisition or even attack should
be managed on or off a weapons platform also has significant implications
for the marketability and so cost sharing possible with a weapons
system. A weapons system that relies on expensive centrally provided
off-platform computation or acquisition technology will not be
sellable to those who cannot afford such centralised facilities.
The paper hints at possible resolutions to these cost estimating
dilemmas by giving deeper consideration of the idea of technology
insertion. If one can shorten the time span between procurements
while at the same time lengthening the time over which a particular
platform concept stays in service one can lessen technological
risk and spread costs out over a longer period of time. Both these
results attenuate the impact of cost estimating errors. If at
the same time one shortens the period ahead for which one has
to make a cost forecast, i.e. until the next point of technology
insertion one decreases the margin of error one has to build into
an estimate. Error bounds grow exponentially as one extrapolates
further into the future. In the age of the Information Revolution
with some product life-cycles down to as little as eighteen months
such extrapolations should only be for two or three years ahead.
In the past four decades, economic development in the Far East
is generally described as a miracle. Informed by this successful
story, many scholars now identify that appreciation of national
specificities is critical to explaining economic efficiency and
success in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore
(e.g. Hill, 1995; Nelson, 1993; Porter, 1990; Whitley, 1992).
Yet this stress on national institutional structures has so far
mainly led to study on the success of national industries. There
has been, in turn, limited detailed research focusing on the failure
of national industries within there economically successful Asian
countries. Insofar as national specificities have been taken for
granted, understanding the performance difference across national
industries has become a major challenge.
Within a nation state, some industries succeed, while others fail.
Taiwan’s auto industry, for example, is considered to be
a failure. but its PC industry is generally considered to be a
success. If Taiwan’s economic bureaucracy and business system
fail to support the development of the auto industry, then why
are the same bureaucrats and family businesses performing well
in microcomputers? This is an intriguing question, especially
when we refer to the annually published “World Competitiveness
Report”, by World Economic Forum and International Institute
for Management Development (IMD). Based on surveys of international
business entrepreneurs, the report ranks competitiveness by nations.
However, as seen in the cases of Taiwan’s PC and auto industries,
competitiveness is a meaningless word when applied to national
economies. In the modern capitalist society, it is firms, not
nations, that compete in international markets. It is important,
therefore, to make sense of competitiveness based on how firms
interact. Given that firms’ interaction at the industry level
is the main locale on which different modes of competition are
constructed, the ideal unit for understanding competition and
hence competitiveness is the industry.
The industry itself can be understood as a technology, prevailing
the value chain. The proposition that technology drives capitalism,
that industry development is specified by competence-destroying,
architectural technological change is a common one in the organizational
and economics literatures. This stress on technological contingencies
has been recently amplified by institutionalists with their discussion
on social pressure for conformity. With the rise of nation states,
appreciation of social institutional is increasingly important
to explaining industry activities - hence a concern with “national
systems of innovation” (Nelson, 1993). Drawing on this NSI
approach, this paper will specify how national institutional structures
can encourage or discourage innovation.
In order for empirical testing, we will choose to study Taiwan’s
PC industry. It seems that Taiwan’s industry displays a plurality
of performances, diverging on activities from innovation to marketing
and service. The industry gains a considerably competitive advantage
on the segment of assembly and moderately on product design, component
manufacturing. Its competition on marketing and sales are rather
ordinary. The industry has failed to prosper on the segments of
software development, distribution, and service. Though considered
one of the most successful industries of Taiwan’s economy,
PCs is indeed internally diverse. This diversity may add a fresh
angle into the study of competitive advantage of nations, however.
By taking the detailed value chain of the industry within the
context of both local and international systems, this paper will
reveal a diversity that is hidden in the higher level accounts
of national competitiveness literature, with their stress on national
systems on innovation.
Organisational change is an endemic feature of modern organisational
life. Organisational change is beset with social, economic, environmental,
legal, technological, political, and intra- and inter-organisational
problems. Practising managers need to make decisions which reflect
these components to enact effective and acceptable outcomes.
Systems based intervention methodologies have been developed over
the last forty years, which claim to provide a means of finding
solutions for such complex problems. These methodologies have
predominantly been developed within the academic community, and
offered to practising managers as effective tools to cope with
the complexities associated with sustainable change in their organisations.
These developments include hard, soft, and more recently, critical
systems thinking as the supporting intellectual framework.
In the main, these systems based intervention methodologies have
failed to gain general acceptance among practising managers. Many
reasons have been given for this non-acceptance (Ellis, 1995;
Hutchinson, 1996; Warren, Adman, and Ellis, 1997). As problems
associated with organisational change become ever more complex,
comprehending their nature is getting much more difficult, let
alone finding suitable solutions.
However, there has no shortage of management fads offered as panaceas.
They include techniques such as Business Process Re-engineering
(BPR) and Total Quality Management (TQM). These have a valuable
contribution to make, but have not matched expectations. This
is evidenced by the very high failure rates being experienced
by change initiatives associated with them. Nevertheless, these
techniques can easily be sold to the management community because
they are seen as supportive of the pragmatic mindset.
On the other hand, systems based intervention methodologies are
criticised by the managerial community as being too theoretical,
too time consuming, too esoteric, and too concerned with academia
(not the real world). They seem to associate these systems methods
with academics who use them to fulfil their own requirements,
not those in the organisational world.
Academics, who have spent many years developing systems based
approaches, may reject these criticisms. They regard practice
not grounded in theory as a non-intellectual; a piece-meal approach,
based on the immediate requirements of the situation. However,
it appears that the fads approach has captured the market in terms
of managerial acceptance.
This paper will examine this phenomenon. It accepts that systems
intervention should be grounded in sound theory. This is a requirement
if effective organisational learning is to occur. Hence, it is
a vital for robust and sustainable organisational change.
On the other hand, the paper also recognises the need for managers
to get things done. It is this aspect that is the main subject
of this paper. It will be argued that it is extremely important
that systems intervention methodologies address the need for pragmatism,
if they are to gain a wider acceptance among the management community.
It will be contended that this is not a philosophical debate (upon
which much of the systems movement’s effort seems to have
been expended), but rather on the very survival of the systems
discipline. This paper will put these arguments in the centre
of the public domain, where it must be. The systems discipline
has lot to offer decision makers, but if it does not offer them
tools which are useful, it will be consigned to history and cease
to a be vibrant and living approach to thinking and problem solving.
This paper is concerned with developing a simulator for operational
organization design. Using the simulator, organization designer
can make operational organization model easily and virtually examines
alternative coordination structures for cooperation among agents
in an organization with the model.
To describe cooperation among agents in an organization and the
agents' decision-making for the cooperation, we develop the simulator
based on mechanism of alternative creation, selection, and execution.
The mechanism is a basic process of agent's decision making.
To illustrate the simulator's range of applicability to operational
organization design, we explain the process of modeling and simulating
cooperation among cooks in the kitchen of a family restaurant
as an operational organization model.
Sustainable technology: Meeting of the spirit, mind and matter
György Járos
Department of Anaesthesia, The University of Sydney
Sydney, Australia
Technology is the way we do things. It is the quality of our actions
and not simply the visible artefacts, such as machines, techniques
and procedures. While the driving force behind the establishment
of technology is the human spirit that yearns for a better and
easier life, it is the result of our mental processes, which are
involved in its conception, realisation and application. Through
technology, we connect our intentions to the lifeless things and
infuse them with life (Levinson, 1995). Because technology has
to do with human beings in action, it has a profound impact on
our lives, not only the way we think, but also the way we feel
about and act in the world around us. It also influences the way
the world is evolving around us (Laszlo, 1987).
During its conception, each technology has to be evaluated with
respect to the processes of life which it is supposed to improve
as well as in the total context of the complex web of life. For
such an evaluation we propose teleonics as a framework (Jaros
& Cloete, 1987; Jaros & Cloete, 1990)..Conceptualisation
begins with the clarification of Ethos, with questions such as:
"Why are we actually doing this? and What is driving us?
being asked. This is followed by teleonic conceptualisation, which
consists of the formulation of the goals to be achieved. Functional
conceptualisation defines the optimum chosen from different action
patterns as way of achieving the goals . Finally structural conceptualisation
defines the combination of matter energy and information needed
to execute the actions. During the realisation phase the actual
technology gets constructed in terms of matter, energy an information.
The last phase and the acid test of technology development is
application during which the final evaluation and acceptance or
rejection takes place.
A sustainable technology has to conform to the Ethos guiding the
process it is meant to improve within the larger context of life
to which all processes belong.
References
Jaros, G. G., & Cloete, A. (1987). Biomatrix : the web of
life. World Futures ,, 23, 215-236.
Jaros, G. G., & Cloete, A. (1990). The Biomatrix : The web
of purposeful processes or teleons. In T. Koizumi & G. E.
Lasker (Eds.), Advances in Education and Human Development. Part
II : Social Systems and Processes, (pp. 124-133). Windsor, Ontario,
Canada: International Institute for Advanced Studies in Systems
Research and Cybernetics
Laszlo, E. (1987). Evolution: The Grand Synthesis. Boston: Shambhala.
Levinson, P. (1995). Learning Cyberspace. San Francisco: Anamnesis
Press.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of the
monumental systems treatise, entitled Living Systems by James
Grier Miller (Miller 1978) . The aim of the present paper is to
discuss how our own work on teleonics relates to LST. We would
like to consider teleonics to be an extension of the Living Systems
Theory, complementing the latter by providing an alternative and
extended perspective with the aid of which the living reality
can be studied. The combination of the two perspectives could
create a richer picture on a higher dimension.
Teleonics developed gradually from the narrower area of biological
systems to a process-based approach which is applicable to a great
variety of living systems. First, it was simply systematic framework
for mathematical modelling, which grew into a systemic methodology
known as the Biomatrix approach (Jaros and Cloete 1987) and finally
given the name teleonics (Jaros and Cloete 1993). The basic systems
in teleonics are the teleons which are composed of subteleons,
joined together to form process chains or action patterns which
have a single common teleos. Teleons are autonomous self-regulating,
goal related process systems. Teleons are built up of subteleons,
which are processes which can indeed be the 20 subsystems described
by Miller.
An important difference between our approach and that of Miller,
is that we made no attempt to tie the subteleons to concrete systems.
In teleonics, subteleons are regarded as pure process units. This
way they have a freedom of applicability and can be joined together
in a variety of ways in order to serve the teleos of the particular
teleon most efficiently. In a system which is not as fixed in
its ways as the human body is, such as any of the systems based
on grouping of human beings, eg family, community, society and
supranational systems, highlighting the flexibility of subsystems
resulting from the independence from bondage to concrete entities
can be of great advantage. When teleons interact, they form larger
process systems called doublets. Concrete entities can be considered
to be the physical cores of doublets. While entities have definite
boundaries, doublets do not.
When it comes to using teleonics to detect malfunction and pathology
in a complex system we have a slight variance from Millers’
views In our view, the self-regulated unit of complex systems
is the teleon, not the subsystems. The adjustments to counteract
any disturbance must by necessity also occur at this level and
not on the subsystem level.
References
Jaros, G.G. and A. Cloete 1987. Biomatrix : the web of life. World
Futures , 23: 215-236.
Jaros, G.G. and A. Cloete 1993. Teleonics : The Science of Purposeful
Processes. The ethical management of science as a system. R. Peckham.
Louisville, Kentucky, USA, The International Society for the Systems
Sciences.
Miller, J. G. 1978. Living Systems. New York, NY, USA, McGraw-Hill
Book Company.
This paper will explore systemic methods of measuring the loyalty
of customers to organisations, which operate in dynamic markets.
It will aim to develop case findings from action research undertaken
among businesses that have both a transient customer base and
have a ‘high spend’ on attracting and maintaining relationships
with their customers. The findings will contribute towards the
development of a systemic model of the drivers of loyalty that
is conceptually valid as well as being pragmatic in its application
within the business environment. The paper will aim to illustrate
that managers can make informed strategic decisions on how to
manage the behaviour of customers towards organisations in awarding
loyalty.
The paper will also examine the usefulness of systemic measurement
in a dynamic business environment and discuss how the concept
can be operationalised to create a useful real world research
application.
The paper will conclude by utilising systems thinking to provide
an opportunity to deal with the issue of complexity that has been
identified in case study and general research. The usefulness
of systemic measurement of loyalty to business will be illustrated
by the application of results from case organisations in their
understanding towards maintaining and increasing the loyalty exhibited
by desired customer groupings in real world situations.
Keywords: Customer Loyalty, Measurement, Real World, Business, Fidelitas
LOYALTY
Christopher D. Jeffery and Dr. Sionade A. Robinson
Department of Management Systems and Information
City University Business School
Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB
In the first part of this paper, the usefulness of metaphors
in developing conceptual frameworks will be reviewed. Drawing
on literature from the fields of systems approaches, processes
which develop metaphors for the analysis of complex business issues
will be discussed. The discussion will then examine the benefits
and limitations of the use of metaphors for practitioners.
In developing the discussion of pragmatic use of metaphor, the
paper will put forward two metaphors examining organizations’
strategic approaches to customer loyalty within dynamic markets.
Through the analysis of real world case studies, the relevance
of the metaphors in developing practitioners understanding of
customers loyalty issues will be explored.
The paper will close with an evaluation of the metaphors in use
in the case study organization and make recommendations for their
ongoing development.
This history of humanity is marked with revolutions in which massive social, political and economic changes take place over relatively short periods of time. These revolutions require large amounts of energy for communication and conflict and they consequently impart strong symbolic meaning to the cultures that undertake them. In this presentation revolution is modeled as a kind of mind virus which builds up over time by spreading spatially thought the individuals of a population and by increasing in intensity within individuals. At a critical point in time, the virus exceeds a threshold and violent change occurs. The emergy of a revolution can be measured by the energy required to build the mind virus up to the threshold. We use this modeling approach to describe several important historical revolutions (American, Mexican, French and Cuban). For example, by using various assumptions about the colonial system and mind virus duration (15 years) and virulence (12 percent of the population infected), we estimate the emergy of the American Revolution to be approximately 7 x 10E20 joules. This is then a measure of the energy needed for large scale social change. The historical examples and energy models are discussed in relation to the possibility of creating revolutions for specific purposes such as achieving sustainable development.
The increasingly knowledge intensive modern economy has created
an environment of great ambiguity, uncertainty and risk, and calls
for organizations to be effective information processors and knowledge
creators. Based on the complex view of markets and organizations,
and the associated processes for emergent knowledge creation,
we present the case for and stress the significance of managerial
heuristics to creating knowledge in organizations. Having identified
boundary management, identification of institutional influences,
sensing environmental change, building and maintaining relationships
as the principle managerial heuristics suggested by the literature,
we provide a framework for overcoming the ambiguity inherent in
the application of such heuristics in the increasingly knowledge
intensive modern economic environment. It is a practical evolutionary
heuristic which clarifies the processes of institutional identification,
boundary management, environmental change and the building and
maintaining relationships between economic actors, essential in
preserving the zone of creativity in organizations. Our heuristic
is founded on indirect measurement indicators, or indices which
reflect social or institutional identification and define “dynamic
identity”.
Our framework is dynamic and evolutionary, and seeks to uncover
the rules, processes or principles for strategic organizing on
which quasi-stability of future outcomes may be attributed, and
thus contribute towards new knowledge creation and the survivability
of firms in complex competitive environments. It recursively accounts
for structures and change in structures outside organizational
boundaries. Dynamic identity directly reflects on relationships
between organizational entities and change in these relationships
- it is not static, it varies as relationships in the economic
and social structure of the environment evolve with time. Social
identification facilitates the process of building new relationships
and nurturing them as they evolve - the essense of knowledge creation.
A new and radically different global socioeconomic reality,
a product of the information and financial revolutions, is firmly
entrenched as the world moves toward the 21st century. This reality,
although economic and financial by design, and characterized by
an incredible level of dubious ethical practices, has within it
the seeds for a new millennium of spirituality. These spiritual
kernels are (1) new insights into the nature of space-time, (2)
greater propensity to accept change, (3) increasing understanding
of Cyberspace, (4) acceptance of alternate forms of intelligence,
(5) recognition of creativity and faith as reality defining factors,
and (6) expanded perception of what is real and has value. Major
elements of the new reality are virtual; they are creations of
the mind.
Computer bits moving around the world at near the speed of light
are the prime resource of the new socioeconomic reality. These
0s and 1s, although invisible and intangible, are accepted as
"real." They are the money, stocks and bonds, knowledge
and information of the current reality. These greatly treasured
"bits" are the new wealth of nations and individuals.
As the 20th century winds down, there is an increasing awareness
of the virtual nature of reality and a growing understanding that
fulfillment can come from the incorporeal.
This changing perception represents a significant step in the
development of human consciousness, a move away from materiality
to spirituality. Perhaps the increasing belief in the invisible
and intangible will trigger a grand quest for truth, the "more"
which Hamlet (Shakespeare) said than is dreamt of in our philosophy.
If so, the new millennium will be a time of spirituality in which
perennial values are lived and people treat each other and their
environment with kindness and respect.
In the study of Somatic Psychology and Jungian Studies, I have
produced a research product, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
As a Path To Individuation Through The Hero’s Journey: A
Phenomenological Study. This explores mindfulness meditation,
an ancient body / mind practice, used as a medical intervention
with ten graduates of an eight week mindfulness-based stress reduction
program that is modeled from The Stress Reduction Clinic, University
of Massachusetts Medical Center. I inquire in this study if a
parallel relationship occurs between the processes of mindfulness
meditation and the Jungian process of Massachusetts Medical Center.
I inquire in this study a parallel relationship occurs between
the processes of mindfulness meditation and the Jungian process
of individuation. The view of individuation that this study takes
is through the process of the different stages that Jungians refer
to as the Hero’s journey. Arnold van Gennep’s Les Rites
de Passage describes rites of passage as ceremonies that accompany
the crisis which individuals encounter in their life, and identifies
them to include three stages: separation, transition, and incorporation.
Joseph Campbell refers to these three stages as The Hero’s
Journey and names them: separation, initiation and return. According
to Jung, individuation or the search of a human being for their
true and authentic self, is also our search for God.
The questions this study addresses are: Is there stress in the
process of individuation? If yes, where is it? Is it a necessary
function of the process? Is the process of individuation beneficial?
How does stress fit into our personal and collective mythology?
Explored through Jung’s psychological types called functions,
is the stress that is present in the process of developing the
interior function, our most undeveloped aspect of personality
and known for its dark and shadowy side. Through its development,
we are provided with the material for our growth and wholeness
as a human being, thereby the growth and wholeness as a culture
in relationship with others on this planet.
We come to know a great amount of stress as we deal with holding
the tension of opposites, conflicts, and archetypal energies that
we encounter on the Hero’s Journey. The practice of mindfulness
provides us with the arena to hold that tension, to develop the
interior function, to provide the place for the unconscious to
enter the conscious level, and experience the spiritual connection
the Self, God enter the conscious level, and experience the spiritual
connection to the Self, God and the Divine.
In the study interviews, all the co-researchers described their
experiences of stress and the impact that mindfulness had in their
lives. The question each was asked is: How has the practice of
mindfulness affected your experience of stress? The interviews
and analysis of this study were conducted using the phenomenological
research methodology based in the philosophy of Edmund Husserl,
and developed by all ten co-researchers and therefore are invariant
constituents. Upon examination it is evident that the constituents
fall into three main areas of experience. The three areas are:
alienation, deepening the experience, and reconciliation. The
descriptions in the first stage of alienation, always begin with
a reference to pain and suffering through loss or separation of
a loved one or a job and career. Some co-researchers describe
the call to seek a change in life, and others the experience of
chronic illness. In the second stage of deepening the experience,
their descriptions shift from something happening to them coming
from an external source, toward looking at their reactions to
the events in their life as part of their own makeup. This is
a sorting and identification stage which with meditation they
are able to look deeply into and begin to distinguish parts of
themselves that they had not been conscious of before. The third
stage descriptions of reconciliation reveal the co-researchers’
ability to integrate a new self discovery into everyday life and
the disappearance of old values and distinctions they once based
their life on. By all indications, the personal myth, of all participants
is based their life on. By all indications, the personal myth,
of all participants is based on the stressful events in their
life, like the moment Barbara decided to leave her political career
for nursing, or the day Bob was able to move through his fear
to administer his own insulin shot.
There is and element of spirituality that emerges and prevails
throughout the descriptions of the co-researchers. Although this
program is based in the Buddhist teaching of mindfulness, it is
stripped of religious connotations in its presentation. Yet each
co-researcher expresses their own unique understanding of spirituality.
Bob talks of it as “close to prayer,” Maria calls it
a “mystery,” whereas Bill says he has found meditation
to be his “spiritual Path.”
Measuring Sustainable Development (SD) be it on the individual
or group level, be it on the local or global level, requires the
consideration of two major aspect: An environmental and ecological
aspect and a socio-economic aspect. Indicators of the latter measure
both the social and economic dimensions of human development while
environmental or ecological indicators depend on an analysis of
the current situation and a target definition. The Human Development
Index (HDI) of the United Nations provides important criteria
for such indicators.
The development of SD indicators raises substantial problems.
Theoretically, indicators of sustainability combine social, environmental,
and economic aspects. In order to supply the most complete and
applicable information, indicators must be taken under conditions
that allow comparisons between the ecosystems to be evaluated.
Sustainability indicators measure a human ecosystem with its many
unique characteristics are mostly useful when the generalization
that lies in 'top down' approaches is avoided, i.e. when they
are applied on the local level.
Using local-to-global concepts, this paper shall present sustainability
indicators from a local community perspective. By comparing natural
ecosystems with complex human social systems I will evaluate the
relationship between existing indicators and local conditions,
thus showing the linkages that provide measurable characteristics
of the human ecosystem and the relationship between them. Indicators
and linkages together form a pattern of the sustainability of
an ecosystem.
Keywords: Indicator concepts and context - methods of measurement - systems comparison
This study focuses on the role of time and space as constituting elements in the evolution of social systems in an individual, social, and cross-cultural context. Social systems exist as correlative concepts in time and space. Man and his extensions into his environment constitute interrelated dynamic systems. Time and space serve as medium of social interaction and constituents of history. Space constitutes hierarchically ordered arenas of social practice, where different social forms shape time and space into socially conditioned configurations. Living systems express their interaction with the environment by way of movement and communication within spatial parameters that influence fundamentally an individual’s integration into his environment. In this paper, the differentiation between space with its enabling or constraining properties as the dynamic constituent of social processes and place as a given individual configuration will be elaborated.
Keywords: Territoriality, spatial structures, social static and dynamic, individual integration
An enormous development is being done in the last years in
the area of environmental impact assessment of companies all over
the world. Several models were developed at the end of the last
decade and in the nineties other models have appeared to orient
environmental management actions on the companies. Some of this
models like the one developed by the International Chamber of
Commerce, or the Environmental Management System (EMAS) of the
European Union, Responsible Care of Canada, CERES and finally
ISO 14000,1have been improving the analysis of the relationship
of the firm with the environment, but don’t offer a method
to elaborate this assessment that takes into consideration the
connections of the firm with the whole of the production process
in space and time
This model was developed by the author in 1994 in Cali, while
he was designing an environmental plan for the concrete industries
that operate in this city of 2.000.000 inhabitants. Although the
model is very simple and easy to use this is also its most important
characteristic. It is useful in order to analyze the relationship
with the biophysical and socioeconomic environment of the firm
and through the whole life of the product or service. It can both
be used to evaluate the existing impact conditions of the firm
on the environment and also to identify the actions, possibly
in connection with the Environmental Management System, proposed
by ISO 14001.
It is oriented by the same intention as the Life Cycle Assessment
Method, without its complexity, and though it can easily be used
by firms consultants and public authorities in order to study
the relationship of the firm with the environment.
In 1993 in Colombia a new law was passed in Congress that gave
the country the general orientations of the policy on environmental
management at the national, regional and local level. As a consequence
the cities of over 1.000.000 in population had to create an environmental
authority. The author made part of the group that was assigned
the task to design the structure, operation and conceptualization
of this environmental authority in Cali.
The work which was done with a very important participatory methodology
used the systems approach in order to design this authority and
most of all, to create an Environmental Management System for
the city.
The authority was created after the discussion of the project
in the City Council and has been working since January 1995 (the
last administration). The author made a recent evaluation of its
functioning and of the Environmental Management System and its
implementation in its day to day actions and although this evaluation
is not as good as could be expected, it is still on of the most
important goals of the administration which has only recently
been appointed (January 1998). The lack of “systems”
conception in the whole administration, in the personnel and in
the policy makers is one of the most important enemies of a holistic
environmental management .
This article explains the procedure followed to design this system
and its conceptualization, its structure and its proposed functioning,
and proposes a general systems model for environmental management
that could operate in any city.
The Primer Project has been a very important site on the web
as far as systems thinking is concerned. The author of this paper
found this site in October 1997 and with the help of the Primer
Group orientation decided to use it for teaching in its course
of Scientific Research and Systems Thinking in undergraduate students
of Industrial Engineering in the Universidad del Valle in Cali,
Colombia.
The work was done in two interrelated parts. On one side the students
had to enter the Primer Project,and then chose, study and comment
an article. A work-shop was held in which the fifty students,
divided in two groups, had to elaborate an idea of the importance
of the systems science and of the holistic approach, and finally
build up a “story” relating the ideas of all the individual
groups. On the other side the students had to study one industry
in the area and analyze its relationship with the environment
using the holistic approach, and specially the balance method.
In this way the objective of the course was twofold : systems
science and industrial environmental management
Finally a work shop was organized by the students in January 1998,
in which some conclusions were brought up on the holistic approach
to environmental management at the industrial level.
This article describes in detail this experience and proposes
some ideas in order to increase the use of the primer project
as a means for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
Communitarin Ethics and System Thinking to Build
The sustainable Ecological Community
Abstract
The aim of this article is to make clear the relation between
ecosystem and community and then look for how the law of ecosystem
operates to maintain the sustainable community. I'll try to explain
why communitarian ethics is required in building the sustainable
community. The link between ecology and community is the essential
issue of our time. The breakdown of ecological community resulted
from the degradation of the natural environment(ecosystem). Evolution
ecosystems have developed the most intricate and the subtlest
ways of self-organization in order to maximize the sustainability
of various local communities
But if we disregard the laws of the sustainable ecological community,
we won't maintain such a sustainable community any more. The laws
of sustainable community are just the laws of ecosystem. The laws
of ecosystem are interdependence and self-organization. In order
to build the sustainable ecological community, cooperation and
reciprocity are needed among the members of a community. Modern
people are required a series of ethical codes to maintain the
sustainable ecological community and to be adapted to these situations.
Keywords : Communitarianism, Complex System, Self-Organizing,
Synergetics, Ecosystem, Ecological Community
The behavior of the stock market participants is investigated from the system point of view. The approach employs methods of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), namely, the associative memory type of models. The underlying principles of modeling approach are investigated and a basic mathematical model of dynamics of trading patterns is proposed. The discussion of the included results of computer experiments with the illustrative example reveals the strongholds of the approach as well as weak points to be developed further.
Keywords: dynamics, stock market, associative memory, neural networks.
The Canadian International Development Agency originally commissioned
the author to develop a methodology to determine appropriate levels
of military spending in countries in receipt of official developmental
assistance (ODA) in Africa and the Middle East. Central to this
research was the question as to whether the receipt of international
ODA might have the perverse effect of allowing aid receiving countries
to divert their own resources to excessive military spending (MacDonald
1997a).
In the course of this research the Praetorian Index (PI) was developed
to measure the extent to which military forces might take advantage
of their monopoly on the use of deadly force to exact economic
rents. Three variants were proposed. The simplest, PI1, was calculated
as personnel spending per soldier as a multiple of gross domestic
product per capita. Because of the use of GDP in the denominator
the measure is independent of inflation, economic growth, and
exchange rate effects, and can be used for within country time
series analysis, or in cross-country comparisons. Cross-country
analysis has been particularly difficult in Africa because of
frequent large year over year changes in exchange rates, and within
country longitudinal analysis has been difficult because of frequent
bouts of high inflation. Two alternative measures were developed.
The second, PI2, added operations and maintenance spending, and
the third, PI3, added capital spending. Because of the decision
to work from data sources published by the United States Arms
Control and Disarmament Agency, the PI2 measure was used in that
research.
The Praetorian Index also proved useful in within country time
series analysis, and led to the finding that sharp upward spikes
in the Praetorian Index were reliable leading indicators of the
outbreak of civil war. Analysis presented for the World Order
Conference (MacDonald, 1997b) added changes in the Spartan Index,
a measure developed for the original study, which in its simplest
form, SI1, was calculated as soldiers/1,000 population. This led
to the postulation of a Praetorian cycle of civil war in the African
context, whose stages could be followed by an interactive analysis
of changes in the PI and SI measures.
A question was posed, at the Toronto conference, as to whether
PI/SI analysis could be applied to other public policy issues
besides those of military spending. A possible application cited
was with respect to arguments advanced regularly in favour of
increased spending on policing services, on the presumption that
such increases would have a positive effect on reducing crime
incidence. An alternative view of such calls for increased policing
spending might be that they were based on a tendency towards Police
Praetorianism-an attempt to artificially inflate the occupational
value of police personnel relative to other occupational groups
in society.
This paper extends the use of the Praetorian Index measure to
the exploratory analysis of policing functions in Canada as an
initial test of the hypothesis that the Praetorian Index represents
a special case of a general construct useful in the measurement
of socially constructed occupational value.
No photographer would expect to capture a breathtaking panorama
with random shots from a zoom lens. Nor should we expect to form
a global systems view with the fragments from our current conceptual
framework. Analytical thinking generated a great deal of detail,
but analysis is of little use when trying to grasp systemic connections.
An alternative is needed if we are to heed Einstein’s words:
“The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the
same level of thinking we were at when we created them.”
A global systems view requires thinking at the next level - the
systems’ level.
Up to this point, we have not had much guidance in perceiving
a system through its tangled web of relationships. Next level
Thinking contributes the wide angle lens necessary to perceive
a system’s structure and determine why it behaves the way
it does. Living Systems Theory tells us the characteristics of
a system do not come from its components, but from their organization
(Capra 1996).
This paper applies the emerging field of systems science to the
way we think. Thinking at the systems level involves perceiving
systemic connections and recognizing their pattern of organization.
Systems are organized by configurations of relationships and sustained
by networks of interactions. The author charts new territory in
defining systemic relationships and describing interactions in
the complex weave of connections.
This paper is an exposition of the meta-process “thinking
about thinking”, which aims to make the reader aware of the
systematic nature of the thinking process. Once you are aware
of some aspect of your mental process you can change it. This
leads directly to the second intent: helping thinkers improve
their thinking skills. The systems paradigm has proven very powerful,
and appears to be the way that all living systems are structures
at the biological level. It follows that using a systems approach
at the level of thought will bring us into alignment with ourselves
and our environments.
From a structural perspective, this paper incorporates the following
high-level topics:
• Define our common terms (e.g., “thinking”)
• Capturing a thought
• Transforming the thought with a mental tool
• Mapping a set of mental tools
• Locate your thinking process map
• Increasing your range of thinking tools
• Applying the tools to a situation (e.g., sustainable design)
Now sustainable development is recognized as the possible leading principle for the next millenium. The main condition for sustainable technology is deeper understanding of reality. Modern World is very complex object with many interconnected elements. This courses the necessity of application of system analysis and modeling. Recent sciences: sociology, ecology, physics, biology and so on consider separate parts of reality. Thus interdisciplinary approach needs. The base for interdisciplinary and modeling is system analysis (theoretical and applied). There are many successes in abstract system analysis and general systems theory (Bertalanfi, Clir, Metharovich et al.). But it is more difficult to apply system analysis to living elements or systems. It demands special approach. There are two basic concepts in modern system analysis - removal from equilibrium, dynamical nature of systems in synergetic and accounting the human factor. New theories were developed recently - Living System Theory (J.Muller), Social Entropy Theory (K.Bailey), and Soft System Methodology (P.Checkland).
Such approaches are the base in modern sociology but there are still many unresolved problems see for example definition of elements, their dynamics, the connections between change and conservation, the measures of structure complexity and so on. Present report is devoted to solution of some problems above on the base on new approaches from recent self- organization theory and neuronet type models. The neuronet approach permits to modeling the general properties described in system analysis in systems with many elements with bonds.
In our approach we consider society as large complex object constructed from many elements (individuals) with interconnections. The individuals are described by mental and material parameters (for example as in K.Bailey approach). We pick out the dynamical laws in models from special class. Proposed dynamical laws permit to imitate the historical processes in society. The crucial step in approach is to take into account the notion of global culture of society as the collection of all material tools plus moral, ethic, religion, justice and so on. The global culture is very stable construct and constitutes the base of civilization (A.Toinby, I.Wallerstine). The model has the properties of associative memory. That is it can learns the bonds between elements from historical process and tend to stable states.
Such approach allows considering many features of LST, SET, G.Homans and J.Habermas theories: hierarchical structures, invariants, micro and macro parameters, evolution or revolution in systems and so on. The applications of proposed approach are also considered in sustainable development, economics, geopolitics, epidemiology, conflict theory, ecology, and stock market.
The applicability to global problems also considered. It is known that in general models of J.Forrester and J.Meadows there are three blocks - biospherical, climate and anthropological. The less developed was anthropological block. Proposed approach is well adjusted to modeling such block (and to another two also). Neuronet approach also allows to consider the nature of interdisciplinary methodology discussed on Vienna Forum' 97 (F.Parra- Luna, J.Elohim, G.Swanson,I.Krattli). Neuronet approach also poses firm base for modeling the self- referencing systems by H.Luchman and to individual model of World in J.Habermas or P.Checklend theories (see Weltanschauung notion).
References
Makarenko A. (1994) About the models of Global Socio- Economical
Processes. Proceed of Ukraine Acad. of Sci. no. 12. p. 85- 87.
Levkov S., Makarenko A. (1995) Geopolitical relations in post
USSR Europe as a subject of mathematical modeling and control.
Proceed 7 IFAC/IFORS/IMACS Symposium: Large Scale Systems, London,
Vol.2, p. 983- 987.
Makarenko A. (1997) Global Social Conflicts and their Models.
Conflictological Expertise: Theory and Applications. Vol.1. Kiev.
Conflictological Society. p. 83- 90.
Bela Banathy proposed twenty years ago that an ideal metaphor
for the systemic perspective is that of a lens. A camera lens,
for example, can bring us close or take us far away. What systemics
brings in as new is a multi-perspective that has properties not
found in any one of the individual perspectives. We are proposing
a new model of Bela's metaphor, a meta-perspectualism, in effect,
"THE ZOOM LENS."
We adopt differing viewpoints not only because of a difference
in our knowledge, but also because we have adopted a certain way
of perceiving. And that "certain way of perceiving"
predetermines our perceptions to a much greater degree than our
knowledge of the details.
Our perspectual "lens" creates, in effect, our "world
view" which determines, in turn what sort of knowledge we
will pay attention to. In this paper, we will show that opinions
are based on certain selected perceptions, and further that the
diversity of these selected perceptions cannot be denied. Nevertheless,
diversity is complemented by an uniformity, witness our traffic
systems, just as subjective reality is to be complemented with
an objective reality. With that in mind, we will illustrate ways
to incorporate diversity into a single scheme, a perspectual zoom
lens.
We show how an elementary numerical analysis of basic systems
reveals an evolutionary scheme eventually requiring all the various
perspectives of a "minimal system," in effect creating
a view from which all views are necessarily valid (within the
limitations and capabilities those views are structured around).
A review of several other "meta-perspectives" such as
Wilber's Four Quadrants, Von Bertalanffy's Domains, Hal Linstone'sTOP
multi-perspectives and Z. Zhu's similar WuLiShiLiRenLi. All of
these are compared to a Geometrical Table of systemic elements.
We conclude that Systemics then, is a multi-perspective tool that
may allow us to end-run the notion of right and wrong. We suggest
that the implications of this perspectualistic view are profound.
Keywords: Systemics, Perspective, Multi-perspective, General System
The benefits of large scale environmental projects upon system
functioning are difficult to quantify, making the justification
for such projects arduous. One such project is the series of river
diversions in the Mississippi Delta. The diversions deliver riverine
water with associated sediments and nutrients to interior marshes
that were previously isolated from riverine inputs by elevated
levees. When isolated, the marshes subside and deteriorate to
open water resulting in ecological and economic consequences,
such as declines in net productivity, and fishery harvest. River
diversions aim to reverse this trend by restoring controlled flows
of river water through modified levees. But are the large initial
and annual investments of revenue and resources for construction
and operation justified by the amount of newly-built, or preserved
marsh? Furthermore, does the entire ecological-economic system
benefit if the total investment of natural and industrial capital
is considered?
EMergy Analysis, which evaluates all system components on a common
basis to arrive at quantitative conclusions about system functioning,
is an ideal tool to determine the net value of environmental projects,
such as river diversions. Benefits derived from diversions, such
as increased marsh production, and inputs necessary for diversions,
such as construction and operation costs, were evaluated on a
common basis; namely the solar energy required for their production.
The analysis demonstrated that the system productivity increased
due to higher availability of the chemical potential energy for
evapotranspiration. The area of created or stabilized marsh was
a critical factor in determining the net benefit of river diversions.
Net system benefits increased with increasing size of the project
area and decreasing intensity of economic investment. The holostic
methodology accounts for system attributes neglected with other
approaches, such as the embodied energy of sediments, and is recommended
to quantitatively evaluate the ecological-economic benefits of
environmental projects.
In recent years, as Chairman of the Board of the University
of the World, I have become interested in making education available
worldwide, especially to people who might otherwise have no access
to it. Recent advances in technology and satellite networks have
made this a possibility. I have been preparing sets of video tapes
which are systems oriented. These include at present two sets,
on the that includes twenty conversations with world leaders of
systems science, the other is lectures on my book, Living Systems.
These are currently completed and available.
Sets of video tapes are also available from Dr. Denzil Edge, President
of the University of the World and from many other academic sources.
Some academic institutions grant degrees wholly on the basis of
such distance education.
We have developed a list of the ministers of Education or their
equivalent in approximately 200 and intend to contact them and
invite them to such distance education courses in their countries.
We have made a special case of the world’s second most populous
country, India, and have been promised financial support for making
such education available there.
Conceptual frameworks for the representation of growth , development
and sustainable development
Gianfranco Minati
Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sui Sistemi (AIRS), division
of The International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS),
USA
10 , viale Jenner, 20159 Milano, Italy
Reference is made to the concepts of growth and development as in economics. Among the possible ones, the logistical curve for the representantion of the quantitative processes of increase is considered. This representation is used in a conceptual framework in which a link of growth processes is assumed as a possible description of development processes. The development process is then considered as based on harmony of growth processes inside to the examined system; harmony is intended as referred to a plan, consistent with a development project. A conceptual framework to represent the sustainable development is also introduced, still based on harmony of growth processes as above, not only considering the inside ones but also valuing the produced outputs as constraints for the systems to be designed by future generations.
This paper develops a design method for social systems that do not fit the conventional industrial pattern and that consequently are not apt for regulation through mechanical means. The design method builds upon Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), one of the most widely used and well regarded of design methodologies. Yet, the systems science literature has identified ,some weaknesses in this methodology. It is found that SSM tends to be relativistic in normative issues, that its modelling is at times reductionistic and that there are philosophical inconsistencies between its different phases of design. The task has been to preserve the methodological strengths of SSM while at the same time attempt to correct its weakness by combining it with another systems science approach: Multi-modal Systems Thinking. This approach incorporates a multi-dimensional framework of life and a management model to attain viability in social systems. The combination of SSM with this new framework results in a Multi-modal Soft Systems Methodology (Arvidsjaur Method for short) that has been tested empirically in a project for unemployed youth in Arvidsjaur, a small municipality in the north of Sweden. The Arvidsjaur Method is an effective tool in four ways. Firstly, it incorporates normative standards that overcome the criticisms regarding SSM's relativistic stance. Secondly, it enhances philosophical consistency in the complete design process. Thirdly, it provides a managerial design structure and fourthly, it offers a potential for designing systems that support a holistic, complete and dignified human life. Such an approach is also likely to assist us in appreciating different perspectives of our post-modern society and in making appropriate choices.
Key words: systems design, normative aspects, Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), Multi-modal Systems Thinking, (MST), cybernetics, viable systems model, youth work, unemployment.
Since the 1960's, the delivery of services for persons with
developmental disabilities has changed immensely. For example,
there has been a move from custodial care to an emphasis on habilitation-rehabilitation
training (Bradley & Knoll, 1990). This paradigm shift, from
deinstitutionalization and isolation to normalization and integration,
has increased the amount of persons with developmentally disabilities
living in less-restrictive community settings, such as residential
group homes. Residential group homes provide a supervised, family
living environment to meet the social, physical and emotional
needs for persons who, for various reasons, are unable to live
independently or with their family (Developmental Disabilities
Prevention and Community Services Act, 1997). One questions, however,
if persons with disabilities are receiving the training necessary
to become integrated into their community.
The job performance of direct-care staff working in residential
group homes has acquired much attention. Specifically, their implementation
of behavioral procedures. Interventions derived from applied behavior
analysis appear to be the treatment that is most effective in
working with persons with developmental disabilities (Baer, Wolfe,
& Risely, 1968). Procedures deriving from applied behavioral
analysis have been shown to decrease maladaptive behaviors such
as aggression and stereotypical behavior (Intagliatia, Rinck &
Calkins, 1986). In addition, studies have proven the effectiveness
of behavioral interventions in improving vocational skills, social
skills, and daily living skills. Consistent and correct use of
behavioral procedures by direct- care staff, therefore, can assist
persons with developmental disabilities become more integrated
into their communities.
Unfortunately, we know little about specific ways in which staff
interacts with clients. However, there is good reason to suspect
that the direct-care staff are not adequately prepared or trained
in effective behavioral procedures (Intagliata, et al.,1986).
To date, most of the research has focused on studying the managers
and direct-care staff to identify variables which effect how behavioral
procedures are being implemented. This simple linear cause-and-effect
relationship clearly does notidentify the complex interactions
which influence how behavioral programs are implemented.
The purpose of this paper is to utilize a systems perspective
to analyze the implementation of behavioral procedures for the
developmentally disabled living in residential group homes. A
systems approach is defined as "an approach that predicates
solving the larger system problems with solutions that satisfy
not only the subsystem's objectives, but also the global systems
survival" (van Gigch, 1991, p. 428). By studying the residential
service program, the system in which the group homes are embedded,
new insight on how applied behavioral procedures are being implemented
can be gained. First, the relationship between the residential
service program, the organization, and the environment will be
analyzed using system concepts identified by Sauber (1983), Morasky
(1982), and Miringoff (1980). Second, the critical functions of
the conversion process, or how the applied behavior analysis procedures
are implemented, will be explained. Miller's (1978) living system's
theory will be utilized to identify important structural components,
such as the decider subsystem. Forth, since it is suspect that
there are lags and delays in feedback loops, written and verbal
interactions with the environment and within the system will be
analyzed using the concepts of process, environmental and output
feedback as described by Morasky (1980) and van Gigch (1991).
Lastly, based on the above analysis, three suggestions to improve
system functioning are offered.
This author concludes that a systems approach is a useful tool
in identifyingfactors which influence how behavioral procedures
are implemented in residential service programs. By not focusing
solely on the direct-care staff, environmental and structural
constraints are identified as having an impact on program implementation.
By removing these constraints, this author proposes that behavioral
procedures can be consistently and correctly implemented by direct-care
staff. In turn, the shift from segregation to integration and
normalization would be realized.
References
Bradley, V. J. & Knoll, J. (1990). Shifting paradigms in services
to people with developmental disabilities. Cambridge, MA: Human
Service Research Institute. Developmental Disabilities Prevention
and Community Services Act, FL. Stat. 393.063 (1997).
Intagliata, J., Rinck, C., & Calkins, C. (1986). Staff response
to maladaptive behavior in public and community residential facilities
in the United States. Mental Retardation, 32, 34-42.
Miller, J. G. (1978). Living systems. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Miringoff, M. L. (1980). Management in human service programs.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Morasky, R. L. (1982). Behavioral systems. New York: Praeger Publishers.
Sauber, S. R. (1983). The human service delivery system. New York:
Columbia University.
van Gigch, J. P. (1991). System Design, modeling, and metamodeling.
New York: Plenum Press.
Insight on the organization of the earth and the universe are sought by evaluating Transformities of atmosphere, ocean, continental earth and astronomical units. Transformity (=Emergy/energy) marks position of anything in the energy hierarchy of the universe. Transformities are also practical shortcuts for evaluating real wealth value (in emjoules and emdollars). On earth values increase from low values in sunlight to very high values in high mountains, critical minerals, genetic information, and stars.
A Cyber Commons in a Virtual Society
Toshizumi Ohta
Professor of Social Information Systems
The Graduate School of Information Systems
The University of Electro-Communications
2-12-1 Choufugaoka, Choufushi
Tokyo 182-8585 Japan
Kazunari Ishida
Research Associate of Social Information Systems
The Graduate School of Information Systems
The University of Electro-Communications
e-mail: ishida@ohta.is.uec.ac.jp
A cyber commons must be an emerging form of organizing. Reviewing several results of simulations concerning the cyber commons, implications for a viable cyber commons will be discussed. An auto-genetic property of the commons attaches an importance of observation with respect to interactions due to local rules held by the participants. Of the implications, a virtual identity of the participants in a network should be explored in an operational organization model including several properties.
This paper aims to show how the competitive performance of
managers can be achieved through the awakening and developing
of their inquiring capabilities, via actual case studies.
Learning has become a continuous process for globally competitive
managers. Indeed, the dynamics of the world's economy poses new
and increasingly diverse challenges to all individuals, especially
to those in leadership positions. So much so, that new approaches,
methodologies, philosophies and techniques need to be devised
and implemented.
As it can be appreciated, these new tools can only emerge and
evolve, suitably, when the people responsible for it become aware
of their need and can influence their development and application.
This is only feasible when the managers seek the new knowledge
actively. In actual practice, the authors are promoting this involvement
with a set of guidelines edited as a working book.
It is realized that a managerial system encompasses all aspects
of an organization, including ecological, technological, social
and financial matters, to name a few. Because of this, the identification
of the case studies by the postgraduate students begins with general
aspects of the organizations and proceeds afterwards with increasingly
specific endeavors.
The aforementioned guidelines have now been used for several years
and some practical results are already available, namely: this
methodology works satisfactorily if applied with flexibility.
Dogmatic approaches are not congruent with the method and meet
resistance from the students. The method can be successful with
undergraduates if combined with industrial visits or stays. The
teacher's experience can be significantly enhanced when acting
as a coordinator and guide. Each case study report represents
a contribution to the knowledge of the entire class. The learning
process acquires an iterative nature, a properly posed question
leads to new knowledge, and this in turn promotes new questions.
Theoretical and practical knowledge tend to grow simultaneously,
with an emphasis dictated by the circumstances.
Application of a living systems perspective on human experience: an educational Model for Life Planning and Change
The purpose of the educational model described below is to provide a metaframework, based on systems principles, for individuals to use in getting 'the big picture' of how they are living their everyday lives. This is the first step in becoming aware of the patterned relationships between their cognition, emotion and actions. It is a necessary precursor for life planning and personal change.
The educational model builds on a traditional living systems model of input-throughput-output and the interdependent relationships between information and material-energy flows. Information exchange and interaction via material-energy flows, between each person and his or her personally-experienced (or subjective ) world, is viewed as a micro-system, a subsystem of a larger person-environment system. Each micro-system is unique, in terms of individual capabilities - - aptitudes, abilities and experience to date, as well as how they are interpreted and represented mentally.
Focus is on helping individuals develop their unique metacognitive skills. It involves becoming actively aware of the role of information feedback (about what has happened) and information feedforward (about what one wants to happen) in determining the decisions we each make and the behavior (thinking, feeling, acting) that follows. Learning more about how, as a species, we "work" sets the stage for understanding more about our own dynamics, about how we, as a unique, human being, "work." Increasing our awareness of our self-talk (or information feedbforward activities) is an important first-step in this process.
A number of metaphors help readers translate abstract systems ideas and principles into everyday language. They include Life as a Game, the importance of developing a Personal Game Plan, the role played by our individual Personal Meaning System. Also identified are the rules, personal and social, which determine how we play our 'game' in the three theaters (or subsystems) of human activity - the physical world, the social world and our unique, individual psychological world.
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Described is a conceptual model, based on living systems principles, for viewing the dynamics of human experience, on both an individual, and a social group level. It presents a new way of thinking systematically about human experience as a function of person-environment interaction , over time and at various life stages. Focus is on the key role that information plays in deciding how we channel our life energy flows - mental, emotional and physical.
It reflects the traditional input-throughput-output system model, with information and matter-energy exchanges and their role in system operations in general, and in living systems in particular (Miller, 1978). Emphasis is on the importance of information feedback (from the environment) and feedforward processes (in the individual) and their effects on individual thought, emotion and action. Assumed is that both the what and the how of information feedback and feedforward processes (and the resulting experience) of both individuals and groups are influenced by the social-cultural context in which humans live their lives. Banathy, 1996; Checkland, 1981; Cole, 1996; D’Andrade, 1995; D. Ford, 1987; D. Ford and Lerner, 1992, M. Ford, 1987, 1992.
The components (or subsystems) of this model are each individual person in continuous interaction with his/her personally-experiences (or subjective) world. This unique, subjective world system, in turn, is a subsystem of the larger physical and social environment in which each individual is embedded.
Focus in on the pattern in how each person interprets the meaning of information feedback (about what has happened in the immediate and long-term past). This is reflected in information feedforward activity -- the individual’s expectations, anticipations, and plans. They determine the decision-making and the resulting behaviors (metal, emotional and physical).
The model accommodates individual differences in each person - in abilities, aptitudes, and prior experience and how they are interpreted and represented mentally. It can account for group differences - in the kinds of information used, how it is interpreted and the patterns of behavior which result. The framework is a useful model for research into both the idiographic and nonmothetic aspects of human experience.
With regard to the management system of medical insurance in Korea, there have been on-going policy debates between the protagonists of the unified system and those of the co-operative system. The advocates of the unified system have tended to argue that a number of the existing co-operative systems run on a regional and occupational basis should be incorporated into a one all-encompassing public organization. By contrast, the defenders of the co-operative system have counter-argued that one big public organization would be likely to generate weaknesses rather than merits of the Korean medical insurance program. This paper intends to actively participate in these debates by appealing to modern systems thinking, giving due attention to complex rather than simple systems, a pluralistic rather than single reality, flexibility rather than rigidity, chaos or uncertainty rather than certainty, and a decentralized rather than centralized organization. While admitting the fact that the unified system more closely corresponds to the ideal type of the social insurance system characteristic of the welfare state, this paper emphasizes that the Korean medical insurance program should maintain the co-operative system in its modus operandi. The main justifications for this position are explored by taking advantage of new insights developed in modern systems analysis pioneered by, for example, Prigogine and Jantz.
Keywords: unified system; co-operative system; systems thinking; flexible management system; medical insurance
The change of knowledge base system was greatly influenced by the change of cognition derived from the systematic understanding of nonlinear dynamic mechanism in natural systems. It can be said that the present knowledge base system has formed by what the people have learned their environmental change is complex world. Based on this perspective I am going to examine the ethical code about complex world.
In this paper we share with you our thoughts on the relationship between the way biological organisms evolve and the way engineering systems could be developed. Some observations: 1) Performance and products varies within each industry and this variation arises through deliberate or unintended innovation, which suggest a relationship to variations in populations. 2) Engineering systems develop through a sequence of changes where a system’s state at time (t+2) partly depends on the state at (t+1) and so on, which suggest a relationship to path dependence characterizing gradual evolutionary changes. 3) From the vast number of possible directions for change the actual direction taken is to a significant degree a matter of chance, which suggest a relationship to probability in natural selection. To better understand this relationship we suggest a way of transferring the evolutionary concept from the realm of biology to the realm of engineering design, by mapping some key evolutionary terms and principles into equivalent engineering design terms and principles. Based on this mapping, we suggest some ramifications on engineering design and some research questions this gives rise to. Especially, we look at how evolutionary concepts can be used to develop common platforms for product families.
Keywords: Evolution, engineering systems, product development, product families, product platforms.
“Technological sustainability” is an ambiguous concept.
This paper provides an empirical depiction of associated research,
in lies of an imposing definition. Research relating to technological
sustainability, recycling/reuse, remanufacturing/rebuilding, recoverable
manufacturing, and waste minimization is collected from Engineering
Index. The resulting abstracts are profiled to identify activity
patterns, related topics, and emerging trends, with the aid of
Georgia Tech’ Technology Opportunities Analysis (TOATM) software.
the United States dominates this research. Of particular interest
are advances in design and manufacturing processes oriented toward
life cycle objectives and economics. These point to promising
applications in various areas, such as chemical operations, plastics
processing, and pulp and paper. Technology maps are derived to
show recent research emphasis and linkages. Lastly, the paper
forecasts likely R&D directions for the next 3-10 years for
these emerging technologies.
Methodologies for qualitative analysis often claim being particularly
useful because of their inclusivity. However, inclusivity is not
warranted in all cases. The criterion for including respondents
should be the purpose of the inquiry, rather than inclusivity
per se. The authors demonstrate the value of using the purpose
of the inquiry as criterion, by contrasting results obtained from
different groups responding to the same open-ended questions.
Ethical issues arise and are discussed, e.g. who decides which
people know what and whether their knowledge is useful or not?
The textual data resulting from the open-ended questions were
analysed by employing the GABEK methodology (©Josef Zelger,
University of Innsbruck).
By "The Perennial Philosophy" we shall here understand a philosophy of experienced spirituality saying that there is something similar or a common core to all experiences of spirituality and mysticism - across cultures and across the ages. In our time this idea was revived by Aldous Huxley (1945), and has received support from a number of authors. There has also been opposition, however, emphasizing the importance of the cultural differences (Katz, 1978,1983).
Personally I tend to agree with the "perennialists", though I understand that for example a Jewish mystic, who sees the "being joined" to God (devekuth) as the essence of his spirituality, may find spiritual experiences not including God essentially different from his own. On the other hand, the Jewish tradition, as many other traditions, has a general view of man ( Adam and Eve, Messiah) which could be an opening for the perennial philosophy.
Spiritual experiences are often said to be ineffable, transverbal and this of course makes it difficult to discuss the idea of the perennial philosophy in words. So I must admit that my positive attitude to this philosophy depends on intuition more than on reason.
Since religion and spirituality are important aspects of the life in our "Global Village", I think it is important, also for practical reasons, that we exchange views on these matters. Mutual understanding of both similarities and differences will be important for the development of a peace culture, which will be important or even necessary for a sustainable way of life on this planet.
Key words: experienced spirituality; cultures; similarities;
differences; sustainable way of life.
In the so called organism approach to general system theory,
exploration of analogies plays a central role. In particular,
many systems with living components are regarded as generalizations
of organisms. This point of view provides a basis for interdisciplinary
research. The conception of war as an institution instead of a
recurring event puts the problem of creating a warless world in
a new perspective. In particular, the persistence of war in spite
of increasing awareness of its threat to the very survival of
humanity, perhaps within a few generations, suggests that this
quasi-organism has been successfully adapting itself to a changing
social environment. The problem of establishing a lasting global
peace becomes a problem of creating a social environment to which
the institution of war can no longer adapt.
Reverse production processes are the part of the product life-cycle associated with collecting, sorting, and recycling of the materials in the product. This paper examines the benefits of using information about the anticipated value of recycling in the future to influence the decisions being made today. It is assumed that the product’s manufacturer is faced with a competitive market, such that prices cannot be altered, and that sales within this market are a function of the recycled content of the product - the higher the content the greater the percentage of market share that the manufacturer can capture.
The manufacturer decides within each period what collection strategy to adopt in each period, and hence how much recycled material she can include in the product in the following period. The recycled content in turn determines the sales that can be achieved and total profits. The amount of recycled material that can be collected is also upper bounded by the sales of the product in this and the previous period. This assumption reflects collection of the manufacturer’s products sold in the previous period. The decision-making is subject to uncertainty in the outcomes of the collection actions, reflecting the uncertainty in the amount of material actually collected. The model form is a Markov Decision Process (MDP), the state of the system represents the amount of post-consumer material available to the recycler expressed as a fraction of the total market for new and recycled material in each period.
For a case study in carpet recycling, the optimal collection policy is derived by solving the above MDP, using dynamic programming. This policy is compared to more short sighted policies that reflect reasonable decision making procedures. The first chooses whether to recycle or not based on the lowest unit cost of the product. The second picks a single collection strategy for all periods and hence does not account for the future discounted rewards. It is shown that the these policies deviate from the optimal one due to their lack of consideration of system effects. Last, the uncertainty in the outcomes of the collection strategies is varied to examine effects on optimal policy.
Keywords: (Production Systems, Markov Decision Processes, Recycling)
The authors have independently studied the ways in which high level decision making teams perform.. Reavill (1994) considered project teams in high-tech development, and reviewed the work of Belbin (1993), Beer (1994), Brady (1997) has researched the performance of top Government decision makers, the Cabinets of past UK governments, and assessed the quality of the decision making and the coherence of the Cabinet “teams”.
This paper reviews the outcome of these earlier studies, by the authors , by the researchers mentioned, and by others, and concludes that there is some commonality in “to team” interaction and performance, despite the wide disparity of the context of the activities concerned. However, there are some significant differences between the behaviour patterns of the examples discussed, and these are found to be attributable to the culture of the organizational environment in which the team operates, and in some instances to the difference in the objectives of these organizations.
This suggests that the activity and performance of a “top
team” has systemic characteristics, and that there is value
in further consideration of the teams as open systems. This further
analysis reinforces the previous conclusions, and identifies additional
ways in which the performance of non-commercial/industrial senior
decision making teams might learn from the behaviour of teams
at a similar hierarchical level, but in a completely different
environment. Some suggestions are advanced for further investigations
which could increase understanding of the intangible quality of
“teamness”, (the extent to which a group of coworkers
coordinate to form a team), at a high level in organizations.
Prior work on this area (Reavill, 1997), attempted to model the Higher Education (HE) system from a Total Quality Management (TQM) viewpoint, considering the HE system as a product generating the process or as a service provision process. Initial modelling attempts were not completely satisfactory, but the two early models were rationalised using a systemic approach to give a model based on consideration of the stakeholders of the HE process. This model identified twelve significant stakeholders.
This paper reports further analysis of the roles of the stakeholders, and of the contributions they make to, and the benefits they receive from, the HE system. This indicates that the earlier model can be further refined, eliminating aspects of commonality between stakeholders, and reducing the number of stakeholders to a more clearly differentiated ten. It is possible that further stakeholders might be identified, but if found, these are likely to be marginal in terms of contribution to, and benefit from, the system. Methods of establishing the significance of the stakeholders already identified, and the possibility of others are discussed, in particular the use of systems software analyzing the material and information flows in and out of the system.
A number of interesting insights emerge from the analysis,
for example the complexity of the contributions and benefits of
the student’s family and dependants; and the major involvement
of industry and commerce, both in contribution and benefit; in
the HE process. It is concluded that this work could be extended
with advantage to include quantification of the costs of the contributors,
and the value of the benefits to the beneficiaries, and that this
would significantly assist justification of expenditure on Higher
Education.
In systems theory the concepts of system and complexity are very closely related. It is useful to view political life as a system of interrelated activities. When we deal with political life as a system of interrelated activities, certain consequences follow for the way in which we can analyse the working of a system. It can be assumed that the dynamic nature of a complex political system may be conceptualized in terms of interacting negative and positive feedback cycles. From the theory of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, it can be assumed that there must be a self-organizing system in the evolutionary development of political system. Thus it can be said that political system is a complex adaptive system functioning in the macroscopic evolutionary process.
The sustainable future hinges on reducing rates of human consumption to the point where sources of replenishment and healing can once again keep up with sinks of insult and depletion. If a dynamic balancing of sources and sinks is to be sustainably achieved, it is vital that we develop tools to unearth the roots and consequences of excess human consumption. Towards this end, we propose four principles.
The first is what I've called The Principle of Anexy. Just as an orbiting infrared camera reveals the heat signature of human activity on earth, the principle illuminates what's hard to see by viewing actions and interactions in terms of the flows and counterflows of power and impotence, exergy and anergy. The filter shows us the landscape as gains and losses making it much harder to fool ourselves into thinking we're only gaining when we're also losing.
Second is the Principle of Compensation, the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. Because you cannot concentrate the power of exergy in any system without displacing the impotence of anergy someplace else, the principle says this: Whenever and wherever you see concentrations of power, look for displaced deadening. As a species, we're very good at presenting the illusion of gain without loss. The principle says there will always be loss.
Because they are the most significant drivers of consumption, the next two principles, the Principle of Least Effort, and the Principle of Addiction are two huge hurdles that must be overcome if the sustainable future is to not ring hollow.
Lower global energy throughput will place more demands on exergy conserving human effort than one where consumption stands in for effort. Because we naturally flow in the direction of minimizing effort, if you offer a product that relieves people of effort, they'll take it. In an ocean of exergy consuming products that sell themselves on the prospect of relieving effort, it will take some serious motivating to convince people, worldwide, to deny themselves the illusions of gain through consumption.
Compounding the problem is that the promise of ease produces dependency. We become addicted to the ease and speed of cars, to our remote controls, to our air conditioners, to our fast food, to our malls, and yes, to our computers. More than this, our addictions are being driven by a vast global engine of production that is itself addicted to promulgating ever wider, ever deeper, dependencies. The principles I'm proposing I've found useful in seeing those dependencies, revealing their consequences.
The current digitalization of our society encompasses an increasing loss of credibility of hierarchical systems, once considered to be well established. Previously seemingly intact authoritarian organized companies, traditional military organizations, secret services, and all forms of governments experience profound changes in function. Vanishing hierarchical structures are marking family traditions as well, not only in Western societies. In general, a new way of “tolerance” can be observed in most cultures, with the result of evolving countermovements, such as fundamentalism, neo-nazism, new forms of racism or alienation, and uncontrolled actions in cyberspace.
Under the assumption that hierarchy inherent formal regulations create a prerequisite for the establishment of systems and sub-systems, I will examine the role of hierarchies in the establishment of living systems. I will question whether the obvious and socially accepted hierarchical systems, now in question, are in principle of greater influence on social performance than those hierarchical implications which cannot be subjected to observation and quantification. I will analyze how hierarchy is gradually organized on different stratification levels. Consequently, various forms of hierarchies will be discussed, with reference to ideologies, territoriality, race, gender, generations, social classes, institutional positions, competence, and multiple intelligence.
Based on case studies, I will examine how and when changes in hierarchy can be controlled, or vice versa: how hierarchy can be used as an instrument for controlling systems and structures.
Keywords: hierarchical structures, competence and multiple
intelligence, stratification levels
Compatibility, coherence and consistency shine through all diversity, complexity and variety of existential forms and systems - whether physics, chemistry, biology, conglomerate organization (familial, social, economic, political, spiritual, etc) or cosmos. Existential companionship relies on them and cannot endure without them. To date, no clear single overview exists which can accommodate those characteristics and all the diverse mechanisms and behaviors of integrated plural-level systems. Advances have been made in many areas such as fractal Complexity, the Austrian school of economics, and even AI/Consciousness studies, but even they are not umbrella frameworks.
The Integrity Paradigm is presented as a possible philosophy (or metaphilosophy) -- a general systems percept -- that can embrace this broad diversity, and cope with interlevel behaviors regardless of specific mechanisms. The Integrity Paradigm proposes a template -- open to a variety of translations -- through which we may understand the general dynamics of systems "behavior space” in the universe, and by which we may endure, advance and evolve.
Keywords: Integrity Paradigm, entropy, complexity, philosophy,
metaview
"Advancing globalization puts an homogenizing and reductive pressure on cultures, economies, life styles and themas. During pre-Information Age eras "time" was an insulating factor which afforded thoughtful personal and social reaction-space during which to encounter, accomodate, adjust and respond.
That has been diminished with the communcation revolution around us. This means that there are increasing impacting pressures on persons, societies, organizations and governments. The integrity of each is affected by the process needs of the others. In preface to any formalizing doctrines or rules of access and conduct between and among these diverse yet integrated systems is a "style", which might go towards mutual enhancement rather than those competitions which tend to erode productivity.
The utility and integrated purpose of distinct systems need to be evaluated in regard to all companion systems. Only then can choiceful deliberations be made and mechanisms set in place to monitor, control or encourage the free run of just how much access or intrusion such systems (andtheir membership) have on one another."
ref: <http://www.ceptualinstitute.com> and associated
site pages
"This paper presents a concise review of the Integrity Paradigm (Rose 1972,1992), a thesis which uses a systems approach to supercede the factal complexity version of emergence and the interactions between companion and especially heirarchical organization structures. In an attempt to be as broad as possible, it faces head-on the challenge of interpreting trends and tendencies of systems, translating local terminologies and definition assignments into the process understandings that are now available. Once these clarifications are made, systems can be evaluated, guided or amended by re-application of the original terminologies, but now with benefit of systems dynamics thinking --embodying 'intrinsic' as well as 'value-added' considerations."
ref: <http://www.ceptualinstitute.com> and associated
site pages
"The primary factors in the stasis, sustenance and growth of organizations-which-process <energy, information, skills, commodities, etc> are 'input availability' and 'load capacity'. Back pressure and competition mechanisms play roles but only when resources and processing abilities are in place first, which enable and drive the dynamics.
It is important to distinguish between generating-rules and result-patterns - which can be mimicked by simple mathematical functions and thus 'seem' like generating rules. Power Laws analogue some patterns and seem like predictive rules, but should be utilized with caution. (eg, phototropism, which in the surface looks like a direct correlation between light and subsequent plant growth, but in fact is a result of metabolic actions reliant on durations of darkness andshade instead.)
Complex systems are essentially "nested" organizations (Rose 1973, 1992) and assemblies-of-assemblies (Hebb 1949; Scott 1995). Certain rules govern production of next-level assemblies, while other rules pertain to energy/information distribution within assembly layers -- which intra-layer rules (Power Laws etc) can be applied equally in any assembly layer, and thus be considered pandemic and universal even though distinct assembly levels employ mechanisms unique to their frames of reference."
ref: <http://www.ceptualinstitute.com> {and site pages}
Using notions discerned in the Integrity Paradigm (Rose 1973, 1992), global economics is treated as an integration of coordinated biological systems. Firms, local economies, trans-nationals et al are evaluated as requiring open optionspaces in which to thrive, mature, sustain and adapt. This means regarding each person or organization for their contribution to the whole and honoring their respective survival needs. It means literal re-application of the word "resources". Ie, money, people, skills, knowledge, materials, time, are re-'sources' ... crucial well-springs of energy/information/creativity which may be and need to be used over and over again in order to sustain the "whole". It means re-considering the nature of 'leadership' . . . at all levels . . . where responsibility to the broader welfare of peoples, organizations, the biota, supersede the raw quest for power and control - which can only suffocate "survival" in the broadest sense.
Keywords: commerce, exchange, resources, Integrity
This article presents a comprehensive approach to depressive illness, and illustrates it with ongoing research and clinical data.
American psychiatry has adopted the system's bio-psycho-social model of illness proposed by Engel. Within this context, process theory provides the concept of biological priority and psychological supremacy [Sabelli and Carlson-Sabelli, American Journal of Psychiatry, 1989], which guides our clinical approach to depression in its unipolar (Sabelli and Carlson-Sabelli, Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs, 1991 ] and its bipolar [Sabelli et al, Psychiatry, 1990] forms. Since then we investigated the model empirically, connecting biochemical findings with psychodynamic theory [Sabelli and Javaid, Journal of Neuropsychiatry, 1995], psychological testing [Carlson-Sabelli et al, Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama and Sociometry, 1992], and electrophysiological research (Sabelli et al, Journal of Mind and Behavior, 1997].
Illustrating the priority of the simple, metabolic dysfunctions have priority in the genesis of depression, and their correction is necessary, but not always sufficient, for recovery. Phenylethylamine (PEA) is a neurohormone that promotes energy and elevates mood. Data will be presented indicating that 60% of depressed patients (Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, depressed phase, N = 80) have a reduction in PEA metabolism. Likewise PEA replacement (2 to 60 mg/ day) is effective in relieving depression in 60% of depressed patients (Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar Disorder, depressed phase) (N= 34) in a matter of hours or days, without toxic effects, tolerance or abuse [Sabelli et al, Journal of Neuropsychiatry, 1994, 1995, 1996]. PEA replacement is a natural, physiological treatment of depression (as contrasted to treatment with synthetic or botanical drugs).
Illustrating the supremacy of the complex, PEA metabolism is markedly altered by strong emotions. Likewise emotions and other patterned processes organized by the central nervous system largely determine heart rate variation, as it will be illustrated here by its reduction in depressed persons. In contrast, depressed persons show a greater variation of mood patterns. Both low heart rate variation [Wolf et al, 1978] and increased mood variation [Vaillant et al, 1997] increase mortality, indicating that health is neither equilibrium nor disequilibrium, but a co-creation of coexisting opposites.
To apply these concepts to comprehensive patient care, we employ
the three postulates of process theory: the universality of action
(energy x time), opposition (interactions and information), and
co-creation (novelty-generating interactions) that surmount dichotomic
oppositions. (1) Action: PEA is a non-specific modulator of psychological
energy, and hence of attention, sexuality, love and self-love.
Depression is a reduction in energy, and a slowing of psychophysiological
time, due to a deficit in the production or release of the hormones
(thyroid, and neurohormones (PEA, serotonin) that support psychophysiological
energy. (2) Opposition: Love and self-love are complementary opposites;
depression often is a marital and/or familial illness. Conflict
induces a triad of complementary emotions (anger, fear and anguish)
and alternative behaviors (fight, flight or depression). Conflict
and defeat can inhibit action and neurohormone metabolism, inducing
depression, and a deficit of neurohormones may inhibit harmonious
behavior and generate interpersonal conflicts. Thus the treatment
of depression often requires both neuroamine replenishment and
the resolution of familial and/or job-related conflicts. (3) Co-creation:
Insofar as depression originates or is exacerbated and maintained
by familial, social and intrapsychic conflicts, therapy hinges
on promoting co-creative interactions, and creative thinking that
generating third alternatives to the dichotomous dilemmas by depressive
black-and-white thinking.
Closed system thermodynamics defined entropy as a state variable, and postulated a universal tendency to equilibrium which was interpreted as disorder by Boltzmann's statistical mechanics. Schrödinger explained the development and maintenance of life as the result of a local reduction in entropy. Prigogine has shown that in fact far-from-equilibrium processes generate complexity, without abandoning the concepts of equilibrium, entropy as disorder, and life as anti-entropic. In contrast Shannon defined entropy as information, and Lotka attributed biological evolution to the increase in entropy. Here we propose that entropy is generated by both system formation and system destruction (e.g. energy is liberated by both atomic fusion and atomic fission, biological metabolism includes both anabolism and catabolism). Empirical data and a mathematical model support the view that the temporal increase in entropy represents a process of diversification, including both evolution and destruction, rather than a tendency to disorder, decay or uniformity.
(1) The equation H = - k S Pi log2 (Pi) used in statistics, statistical mechanics and information theory as a definition of entropy measures the diversity and symmetry of a numerical series, not its order or disorder. The entropy equation measures the amount of information, but it does not demarcate its defining feature, to establish one direction or its opposite in the flow of action.
(2) The statistical entropy of a process differs conceptually from the thermodynamic entropy of a state: (a) it quantifies change, not a state; (d) it is measurable, whereas the entropy of a state is not; (d) it must be separately measured for the simple and complex components of the process. We thus measure the entropy of the time series, of the differences between consecutive members of the time series (up to the 10th difference), and of recurrences at 1, 2, 3 ... N embeddings. These methods are applied to natural processes and to mathematical models.
(3) To study natural processes, we measure time series of physiological variables such as cardiac beat intervals, and the time course of currencies, prices, and economic indexes. Natural patterns of organization characteristically show high rather than low entropy, higher than random recurrence entropy, asymmetric distribution, and complex pattern of variation in the entropy of differences; they differ from periodic order in having lower recurrence rate than random series, indicating the continuous creation of novelty, rather than the high recurrence rate that defines periodic order. Organization is neither periodic order, nor disorder.
Organization is also evident in the simple systems studied
by thermodynamics. As the actual realization of an open system,
the earth atmosphere demonstrates that gases do not spontaneously
tend to equilibrium and uniformity as in a closed system, nor
continuously expand as in an idealized open system, but create
a complex pattern: spheroidal volume, uninterrupted molecular
flux (temperature), circulatory patterns (asymmetric cycling which
exemplifies how opposites differ and imply each other), a tridimensional
organization (night-day variation in the East West direction,
North-South bipolarity, and a vertical hierarchy of pressure),
seasonal periodicities, chaotic processes, more complex organization
resulting from interactions with land and sea, and chemical heterogeneity.
Heterogeneity embodies information, the minimum of which is one
difference between two opposites. The coexistence of two different
size particles is sufficient to create evident order [Dinsmore
and Yodh, Nature, 1996].
(4) To model natural processes, we considered periodic, chaotic
and biotic patterns generated by iterative equations. Biotic patterns
generated by the process equation At+1 = At + g sin(At) are similar
to biological time series, showing high entropy, asymmetry, lower
than random recurrence rate, and low recurrence entropy. The process
equation abstracts the two basic postulates of process theory:
time asymmetry (corresponding to Pasteur's cosmic asymmetry) and
the coexistence of opposites (information). The addition of asymmetry
and opposition as universal features of processes suggests an
approach to extend the statistical mechanical interpretation of
thermodynamics.
In search for a thermodynamics of natural processes, we advance the following hypotheses and concepts: (0) Flux is universal; there is no zero temperature (Nernst's theorem) nor absolute void. The atom with its electron movements, and the universe that generates life, demonstrate perpetual motion. (1) Action (action = energy x time, the dimension of the Planck quantum) is a universal dimension. Nothing is in equilibrium, but everything is an asymmetric flow of energy; when the proverbial spoon comes into equilibrium with the hot soup, it becomes warmer than the air surrounding it, and so on, and thus equilibrium and uniformity never are reached. (2) Action is quantized in time and space, the surface to volume ratio being enormous for both finely grained substances and biological structures, necessitating the consideration of geometry rather than volume in the analysis of entropy (Fermi). (3) Action is a vector: we define information as the direction of action. (4) Processes spontaneously generate symmetry, both simple (disorder) and complex (structure), and thereby generate a hierarchical asymmetry (simple to complex). (5) Enantiodromia: As symmetry and asymmetry, all opposites coexist. Action becomes heat, but also heat generates action. There is both diversification and uniformization, net evolution and coexisting involution, rather than a unidirectional tendency to decay and uniformity. (6) Elementary enantiodromia: asymmetric physical action generates symmetric flux, but there is a small counterflow (as implied by Boltzmann's mechanics, in contradiction to absolute thermodynamic irreversibility); flux means that undirected action is larger than directed action in time and space, but it can include islands in which order has local supremacy. (7) Complex systems such as organisms are high entropy processes, that export complex products, not only waste, to their environment. (8) There is a net flow of free energy from low entropy environments to high entropy complex systems such as organisms. (9) Processes are neither deterministic nor accidental, but there is a unidirectional flow (uni-verse) in which the interaction of opposites co-creates further differentiation, i.e. diversity and complexity as quantified by statistical measures of simple and complex entropy. (10) Generalizing the idea that natural systems are heterogeneous, and the separation of opposites is never absolute, an informational interpretation of entropy must include both information and its opposite, falsification, a dialectic logic of two signs, +1 and -1, rather than a static logic of 0s and 1s.
Scientific theory models concrete systems with abstract systems. Embodying action, opposition and feedback as fundamental properties, the process equation At+1 = At + g * sinAt [Kauffman and Sabelli, Cybernetics and Systems, in press] generates "biotic" patterns that, like biological time series, are complex, diverse, responsive to initial conditions, and less recurrent than random, as well as significant numerical constants (pi, the golden ratio, Feigenbaum's universal constant). For g < 2, the equation converges to an even multiple of p (cycling of opposites). At g > 2, it generates asymmetric opposites; when the lower path approximates 1.6181.. (Fibonacci's ratio describing spiral order), the upper path approximates 4.6692... (Feigenbaum's constant characterizing bifurcation into chaos). A cascade of period-doubling bifurcations leads to chaos and periodicities (6, 3, 4, 12..). As g approaches and exceeds Feigenbaum's constant 4.66..., At expands both positively and negatively, generating 3 alternating patterns (a) aperiodic biotic patterns resembling those observed with cardiac data; (b) bioperiodic patterns highly sensitive to initial values, when g equals odd multiples of p (sign inversion); and (c) infinitations (flights toward positive or negative infinity according to minor changes in initial value) at even multiples of p (full cycling). The "butterfly effect" observed in chaotic states is augmented for all three patterns of the biotic phase.
The same sequence of patterns (from convergence to biotic) can be generated by complementary opposite equations At+1 = At - g * sinAt, and At+1 = At + g * cosAt, or when the trigonometric function is replaced by a pair of numbers s and c such that r2 = s2 + c2, s' = s + _c, and c' = c - _s, a complementary opposition that generates rotation, and recursively produces the values of the sine and the cosine. The coexistence of opposites is necessary and sufficient to generate complexity.
Rendering feedback gain an incremental or sinusoidal function of time, the process equation becomes At+1 = At + gt * sinAt. This version generates "lifeforms" that evolve through successive bifurcations from a single "egg", create biotic patterns, and terminate by converging to a transient equilibrium from which a new "lifeform" emerges, whereas the enantiomorph At+1 = At - gt * sinAt converges to 0.
The process equation abstracts two cosmic forms --asymmetry and complementary opposition. A cosmic form is a pattern whose embodiment is found at all levels in nature. From Pythagoras, Heraclitus and Aristotle to Pasteur, Cook, Jung, Gödel, and Thom, materially-embodied cosmic forms are proposed to organize both processes and abstract thinking, explaining the surprising correspondence between mathematics and reality. This oneness of physical and mental processes is the central tenet of physiology as a biological science and as natural philosophy. Science originated as physiology, an integral theory of processes that regarded living processes as a model for nature. Pythagoras discovered the first numerical law as the relation between vibrating strings and musical perception, leading to the postulation of small integers and of harmony (the cycling of complementary opposites) as cosmic forms. Pasteur discovered the asymmetric preponderance of one of the two complementarily asymmetric opposite forms (enantiomorphs) in biomolecules, postulating a cosmic asymmetry, which was confirmed in our century by the discovery of the violation of parity in beta decay.
Updating integrative physiology, the process theory of systems [Sabelli Union of Opposites, 1989] is grounded on psychophysiological research [Sabelli and Carlson-Sabelli, American J. Psychiatry, 1989; Sabelli et al, J. Mind and Behavior, 1997], and it is formulated mathematically. Lattice asymmetry, group inverse (opposition), and topological transformation (organization) are the three fundamental mathematical structures (Bourbaki), and correspond to the three fundamental cognitive structures (Piaget). These forms also correspond to the small integers (1, 2, 3), and to the fundamental physical dimensions (action = energy x time, information, and spacial structure). Process theory postulates that these three forms together constitute a "cosmic seed" present at all levels of integration, thereby generating a fractal self-similarity.
(1) Action is the universal component of nature (oneness), formed by units at all levels of organization (quanta, atoms, cells); as the linear flow of energy in time, it is a uni-directed vector (cosmic asymmetry), excluding absolute zero (e.g. Nernst theorem) and complete equilibrium (maximal entropy). (2) Cycling of opposites is a universal form (electromagnetic waves, walking, mutual implication of opposites). Opposites are complementary (orthogonal, i.e. both synergic and antagonistic) and asymmetric, thereby carrying information. (3) Organization, the co-creation of complex (N-dimensional) organization through interactions has as a minimum the generation of triadic asymmetric structures such as physical space, periodicity (that imply an infinite number of infinitations as per Sarkovskii's theorem), and color-like organization (from quantum chromodynamics to psychophysiological color); tridimensional phase space is necessary for chaotic and for biotic patterns (Poincaré-Bendixon theorem).
Illustrating the difference between creation and determinism, physiological patterns such as time series of cardiac beat intervals are characterized by the production of novelty as evidence by a pattern with low Hurst exponent, and a recurrence rate lower than random. These characteristics are present in the patterns generated by At+1 = At + gt * sinAt, but not in random, periodic or chaotic time series. The determined creation of diversity and complexity is offered as an alternative to both determinism and accident in the causation of evolution.
While Williamson [1981], following Coase (1937), advances transaction costs as the basis of analysis, chandler [1992] maintains that it is the firm (with its human and physical assets) that constitutes the unit of analysis. To Williamson, the firm is but an alternative means of governance to the market; for Chandler, the focus is on the predictable form in which economic activities will be undertaken. The two approaches reflect different aspects of economic thoughtprocesses. From the perspective in this treatise, there will always be some organized form, whether it be a firm or the collective effort of individuals bounded together as a cohesive unit, that would consitute the observational unit. A measurement can always be exacted, but: what is the observable phenomenon? The view for financial accounting advanced in this paper is that society is involved in an investment process - the most critical part of which is learning as a trial and error process.
The social investment process is a very broad process, which covers knowledge being acquired and information being disseminated to the members of society to bring about a general awareness--the promotion of social interaction for the purpose of minimizing the costs of social exchanges. Society attempts to understand the environment in order to develop means to cope with an uncertain environment. Society is an organization and not an organism. It is the highest level of organization. Many sub-levels organizations have emerged in society. Organizations are continuously undertaking investments, and knowledge (on what has taken place and is taking place) is covered by financial and managerial accounting.
Investment is the observable phenomenon in financial accounting [Salvary 1992]. The function observed is that of investment, be it by each and every sub-level of society. Productivity is the objective and there is a need to measure productivity to correspond to the nature of the operation: governmental organization, non-profit organization, or profit oriented organization. Importantly, business (the profit-oriented organization) is neither the general model nor the general case. Organizational efficiency is the general case and the organization is the general model.
Somewhere between the specific that has no meaning and the
general that has no content there must be, for each purpose and
each level of abstraction, an optimum degree of generality.
K. Boulding, one of the founders of the General Systems Theory.
Biologists, biophysicists and medical scientists, when encountering phenomena of life and consciousness that do not fit into the current mechanistic paradigm, try to find alternative heuristic approaches to resolve the unsettling situation. Thus ten biologists and physicists presented their views on the relevance of energy and information to mind-body medicine and biology in general in a recent issue of Advances (Vol.13, #4, 1997), the journal of the John Fetzer Institute, one of the few foundations capable of financing unconventional studies in biology and medicine. As K. Klivington put it in his summarizing article, “We clearly did not wind up with a new textbook on the subject (certainly it was not our aim), but we did receive some imaginative speculations on how to do a better job in thinking about the issue at hand.”
I found it interesting that there is a general consensus among
the participants that the current medical model as well as the
concepts of life and consciousness are inadequate. There is a
general feeling that the knowledge of the information flows in
organisms is essential for understanding life, health and disease
(“Disease is essentially an information disorder” P.
Bellavite), although some authors believe that only semantic information,
i.e., the meaning transferred, is relevant to life (T. Staiger,
J. Hoffmeyer). The majority of authors would agree that the DNA
of a genome cannot carry all the information necessary for embryogenesis,
but none of the participants would refer to the concept of bioinformation
or morphogenetic field that has a long history. Perhaps, it sounds
more scientific to refer to “the unmanifest structure of
the vacuum sea” reflecting “the whole ontogenetic and
phylogenetic past” of an organism (M. Conrad), or to a “macrohistorical
process” that is embedded in the “extremely complex
architecture of the cytoskeleton, which is itself copied from
its parent cells in an unfinished chain arching back to the beginning
of eukaryotic life on this planet” (J. Hoffmeyer), or to
“Quantum vitalism” — “macroscopic quantum
state” that “can solve the problems of protein shape,
differentiation, and ‘unitary oneness’ in living systems”
(S. Hameroff). Only one author (P. Bellavite) explicitly supports
the old vitalistic concept, but he rejects a cybernetic approach
and the vital importance of a general control function. “It
is difficult to say whether there is a ‘conductor’ (he
compares organism with a performing orchestra), because all parts,
including the brain, function properly, influencing one another
reciprocally.”
The following are my considerations as to how to bring biology
and medicine closer to the methodology of physics, and bring physics
closer to the comprehension of life and the mind as physical realities
of our universe in a systemic approach. This ambitious task by
necessity cuts across multiple scientific disciplines with mountains
of literature in each of them that by no means could be reviewed
by one individual. At the same time, a general concept cannot
be built from within one discipline. I see myself in a position
of an engineer, which I actually am, who set his mind to solve
a very practical problem: how to experimentally outline the control
system of an organism.
Basically, I propose the following:
1. Information plays an increasingly important role in the physical description of the complex systems’ dynamics. However, parapsychological studies revealed very peculiar properties of information transfer processes that may be relevant to the understanding of life and consciousness.
2. The meaning or the semantic information is relevant only for mind-possessing organisms. Therefore, I propose functional definitions of the mind and consciousness as adaptational mechanisms in the biological evolution.
3. The majority of visceral processes in any organism (including that of humans) are automatically controlled. Accordingly, organisms can be perceived as complex automata and described by a cybernetic model. However, organisms’ control systems include a complex bioinformation field component that may play the coordinating role for somatic control subsystems. The physical nature of this bioinformation field is as yet unknown.
4. Delineating and mapping the organism’s control system, its structure and function, is a task of a tremendous practical (for medicine) and scientific importance. The practical way to do this is by simultaneously studying responses of all control systems and subsystems to internal disruptions and ambient interventions including psi healing (which is the direct bioinformation field interaction) as well as to changes in patients' mind set.
Civilization meant more than social and technological innovations.
It required the acquisition of complex cognitive processes., in
particular, the ability to manipulate data abstractly way key
to the development of urban society. This is illustrated by the
evolution of artifacts for counting and accounting associated
with the rise of the very first civilization in Sumer, Mesopotamia,
about 3000 BC. Here, the development of a system of clay tokens
and its final trnasmutation into writing on clay tablets document
the significance of processing large amounts of information in
ever greater abstraction.
Farming is influencing the natural environment in order to
grow food. But in our days modern farming can be characterized
as wrecking our environment and nature, destroying even the future
production capacities of land and nature. And it appears that
an individual conventional farmer is often unable to escape the
vicious circle of low price levels, more investments, more technology
and efficiency, and pollution and overproduction. Agriculture
seems to be a societal system that can not be redirected towards
a more sustainable practice by farmers themselves. A survey of
values among Dutch conventional and organic farmers makes clear
that most conventional farmers do not feel responsible for their
unsustainable practice. They blaim society, or the market, or
the system. An ethical analysis of the agricultural system sheds
light on the difficult relation between individual and societal
responsibility in regard to agriculture. The traditional pursuit
of material prosperity in our modern culture has brought us modern
agriculture. The typical values of modern culture are found mostly
among conventional farmers. It is therefore the responsibility
of society as a whole to consider a new ethics for agriculture
as a system. Instead of a maximum individual prosperity, society
should pursue a minimum dignified existance for the present and
future generations, by securing the ëseven basic human needsí
of social psychology. Furthermore, nature should be preserved
unless a minimum dignified human existance makes use of nature
necessary. The agricultural system is to be set standards for
sustainable production of safe food. This way a new set of values,
expressing this new ethics, can be offered to farmers, but have
to be accompanied by viable alternatives for their present practice.
The price of a more sustainable agriculture is to be paid by society.
Then it is the responsibility of the agricultural knowledge system,
and of individual farmers, to generate a new practice. Finally,
the government has to play an important role: in articulating
the new ethics, in facilitating the changing of the system, and
most of all in defending the rights of the weak: both consumers
and producers of food, and nature.
While a few years ago, a broadly shared view considered ecological concern something personal and private, the environment has become a public issue of high priority. Recently, the postulate of the "green company" has emerged, however on pragmatic grounds. For organizations, environmental responsibility continues being a controversial subject because few theoretical efforts have been dedicated to synthesizing the corporate and the public-ecological perspectives.
This paper is about management technology. The question is discussed, how the two perspectives, corporate and public-ecological, can be merged. Systems thinking offers new possibilities to solve the conflict between these two domains of interest. The author introduces the cybernetic concept of organizational intelligence, to illustrate this potential. In principle, intelligent organizations dispose of the following faculties:
- To adapt and to learn
- To actively influence their environment
- If required, to find a new milieu or to reconfigure the environment-organization-system
altogether.
Ecologically responsible management is at the core of all three.
A framework is introduced which enables organizations to design
themselves and control their activities so as to become sustainable,
and therewith ecologically intelligent in a comprehensive sense.
The conceptual framework is underpinned by an empirical study
involving 200 + private sector firms.
This paper seeks to explore the notions of bounded instability (chaos theory) in the perception of organisational change. It is an application of systems thinking to business. When undergoing change within instability a small difference in initial conditions may or may not result in a major outcome. In this way a change agent can intend a particular action, but the outcome cannot be intended. An approach is then required within the domains of organisational change, whereby its iterative property is taken into account. It is not enough to carry out change incrementally. The notion that the results will iteratively feedback into the system must be recognised. Hence the change in initial conditions may have a large effect upon subsequent outcomes. The process and results of change can be seen as self-organising and emergent.
It is often thought that there is a need to reduce complexity when attempting to implement change. This paper puts the opposing that complexity is a necessary and inevitable agent in change.
The concept of ‘change management’ will be presented
as paradoxical. We cannot fully manage change, it is self-organising
and emergent. this may be seen as a theory of humility. It is
not possible to have full control over change. It is only possible
to intend the very immediate actions and consequences. The future
cannot be known, it must be given time to unravel. It is a theory
of humility because actions of agents may or may not have an impact,
and that impact may be large or small. Inherently we have a distinct
lack of control on long term outcomes. It is the human need for
stability and control that has lead us to attempt to apply prescriptive
methodologies to change. this paper will show that a greater understanding
of our lack of control will help us to utilise complexity rather
than denying it.
General systems analogs of short term and long term memory
are found within ecological succession, evolution, internet, and
the development of human culture. Estimates of emergy and transformity
are used to evaluate the resource basis for information and its
maintenance. These values are used to consider the limits to information
in our civilization and suggest policies consistent for global
sharing.
The behaviors of living systems are a function of their information and knowledge. Information can be observed and measured. Knowledge and information are directly related. Information (1) cannot be directly observed or measured, (2) can be observed by the behaviors it causes, (3) is defined as the ability to cause work, (4) can be measured by the work it causes, and (5) is ephemeral. Knowledge (1) cannot be directly observed or measured, (2) can be observed by the information it generates which, in turn, is observed by the work it causes, (3) is defined as the ability to generate information, and (4) is a function of a living system's structure and organization.
There is a direct relationship between knowledge, information and behavior. Each cell has structure and organization that provides it with a capability to generate both genetic and biochemical information. Genetic information causes the synthesis of protoplasm, the material of life. Biochemical information causes the cell's biochemical reactions. The synthesis of protoplasm is the basis for the reproduction of living material ¾ the reproduction criterion for life. Biochemical reactions are the basis for the metabolic criterion for life.
The organs and organisms of animals have contractile tissue behaviors in addition to reproduction and metabolic behaviors. Neural information in the form of neural impulses cause the contraction (behaviors) of this tissue.
Keywords: Living Systems, Information, Knowledge, Information and Knowledge Metrics
Virtually all major world religions focus on raising one’s individual personal self-consciousness through meditation in some form. Community values are considered essential in one’s day to day contacts, but the fate of the earth as a whole is seldom brought to the forefront of spiritual thought, except notably in the lore and mythology of the Native American Indian (Novak, 1996, and Zona, 1994) as well as a strain of Buddhism (e.g., Badiner, 1990, but in other religions for the most part only in lesser ways as outlined in World Earth magazine, Winter, 1997). Research has shown an ambiguous relation between Environmentalism and Christianity (Eckberg and Blocker, 1996). This paper will elaborate some possible social and community optima as values to be sought by all, in ways that will seek to extend the thinking of other religions of the world. Stages of faith (of Fowler, 1964, especially the conjunctive or universalizing forms) and collective mind-sets leading up the mode latter to collective “synergic” thinking (Coulter, 1976) will be related to the question of earth sustainability and more fruitful social institutions, and all this in contrast to the forms of alienation and the questions that religions try to answer (as per O’Dea, 1983), namely, contingency, powerlessness and scarcity, but in the search for human happiness. Can earthlings find happiness in the next millennium without reference to and serious collective work towards global consciousness? In what does such global community-centered consciousness consist? How might it change the lives of believers in a spiritual journey (perhaps as discussed by W. James, 1902, in his definition of holiness, in seeming contrast to the more traditional sociological definitions of religion per se, as seen for example, in O’Dea)? How does it answer the questions needed for a new utopian life on earth, in answer to Maslow’s 29 sets of value questions for a new form of community life (1969)? What might be some directions that world religions might take to give greater emphasis to the world earth as a biosphere? Do these directions imply the same aspirations as those propounded in the communitarian movement (espoused by Etzioni 1993)? To set the stage regarding the subtitle, “Syntropy” is defined as a “turning together” toward unified positive action. And wisdom as appropriate action is considered superior to simple consciousness-raising. The ideal is a global and practical one of working for the earth as a biosphere, for its living inhabitants (human and non-human), together with an appropriate balance and use of their supporting environmental resources. Referring to the primary title of the paper, the conceptual focus here refers to social ecology and physical (earth) ecology, the realization of ecological needs, and cooperative joint action, i.e., “co-realization” by intervention based heavily upon the use made of human intelligence (as spelled out in part by Foster, 1985, a philosopher of science in addressing the cosmological story and processes).
This paper as a definitional statement is a novel approach dealing with cosmological questions or creation spiritually in context of an attempt to relate earth sustainability to a general theory of how to live well, be productive and happy, all the while serving the world community in a collectively significant way. The practical conclusion will be a challenge to wise earthlings and general theorists to give meaningful thought and to engage at least in some local practical action that might contribute to sustaining the earth for a longer time that often forecasted by many scientists and for sure by the fundamentalist prophets of the millennium, while at the same time hopefully avoiding the otherwise inevitable Malthusian four horsemen of pestilence, plague, famine and war. This paper is also intended to be a challenge to general theorists to show us how to design a self-renewing system on the level of the “supra-national system” (of Miller’s LSD, 1964). The conceptual development sought for here is a specification of the author’s prior elaboration on quality of life variables, 1990, as well as the “Ecosophy T” theory of “deep ecology” (as stated by the eminent philosopher Arne Naess, e.g., 1986) which ideally should play itself out by a critical mass of wise earthlings who engage in practical, balanced action for well-motivated and co-creative, long-term global survival. This action in turn should result in a maximizing of diverse life forms while maintaining their desirable complexity and symbiotic (or positive mutual) inter-dependence.
As an enhancement and extension of the author’s prior statements about the three levels of “true theory” for the case of “Conflict” (1989, 1990, & 1994), this paper will first highlight the main points of numerous guidelines, sets of norms for action, and other Pre-Theoretical proposals. Then the hard work will begin when examples are presented of the author’s three levels of “true theory”: 1) Problem-Centered, 2) Abstract, and 3) Policy-Oriented. Since few self-contained, let alone general theories (especially of the hypothetico-deductive form) regarding the earth’s ecology have to date been published (as opposed to loosely constructed “models,” partial lists of empirical statements, and incompletely-stated policy guidelines), this is an original and challenging enterprise.
While directly addressing the conference theme, the author has taken the main components of certain Pre-Theories (level A) and begun to turn them into more formally-stated, logically and imaginatively, even graphically integrated statements. Some Pre-Theories include 1) the Megatrends (of Naisbitt, 1984), 2) principles of the “Campaign for Economic Democracy” (Hayden, 1980), 3) ten “Recommendations for the Future of the World” (B. Fuller in Earth, Inc., 1973), 4) the recommendations of the Second Report to the Club of Rome (Mesarovic and Pestel, 1974), 5) “How the Greenhouse Effect Works” (Christian Science Monitor, 1988/1992), 6) the draft statement of the “Earth Charter,” currently (as of 1997) being proposed as a parallel and follow-up to the “U.N. Declaration of Human Rights” (1947), 7) B. H. Banathy’s meta-theory called the “Evolutionary Guidance System” (EGS, 1989), and 8) Slawski’s “Developing the Learning Relationship: A Systems Theory” (1980), and 9) Slawski’s “Systems Vocabulary for Quality of Life” (1990).
For the first level of “true theory,” PROBLEM-CENTERED THEORY, the author has reproduced theoretical charts showing a) Carbon Dioxide’s Effect on the World System (Wood on Meadow’s World3 1983), and b) the main interrelationships between principles governing “The Rational Use of Natural Resources” (from Watt, 1973, in Ramade, 1981/1984), all of which are amenable to formal, axiomatic sets of statements.
For the second level of “true theory,” ABSTRACT THEORY, the author has reproduced selected diagrams of 1) one of H. Odum’s models of earth ecology (1983, Fig.18-26 on Diversity), then 2) of Scienceman (1991, juxtaposed to H. Odum’s work) comparing some central elements of “Emergy” theory to Marxist economics, and finally 3) Slawski’s Small Group Process Theory (1990, as a partial example of Banathy’s EGS). Without an accompanying social scientific theory, the insights of the physical sciences will likely go unheeded. Thus it is proposed that a joint theory of ecology and social transformation be introduced, first at an abstract level, then later at the level of rounded public policy.
For the third and highest level of “true theory,” POLICY THEORY, the author has modified 1)Etzioni’s Communitarian Agenda (1993), as well as 2) the draft document of a United Nations’ committee on the “Earth Charter”, and turned their elements into a pair of related theories that will hopefully be general enough yet open to many forms of future amplification as our knowledge of the interrelations between pertinent global variables emerges. None of the above referenced “Near-Theories” have been translated yet into the optimally most desirable form, namely, as formally-stated and fully logically rationalized sets of interrelated hypotheses and assumptions. 3) eminent philosopher and “deep ecologist” Arne Naess’s “Ecosophy T” (1986) will be presented as the culminating and most sophisticated “true theory” to date. He calls for Self Realization, implying diversity, and this for the benefit of all the planet’s life-forms.
As an enhancement and extension of the author’s prior
statements about the three levels of “true theory” for
the case of “Conflict” (1989, 1990, & 1994), this
paper will first highlight the main points of numerous guidelines,
sets of norms for action, and other Pre-Theoretical proposals.
Then the hard work will begin when examples are presented of the
author’s three levels of “true theory”: 1) Problem-Centered,
2) Abstract, and 3) Policy-Oriented. Since few self-contained,
let alone general theories (especially of the hypothetico-deductive
form) regarding the earth’s ecology have to date been published
(as opposed to loosely constructed “models,” partial
lists of empirical statements, and incompletely-stated policy
guidelines), this is an original and challenging enterprise.
While directly addressing the conference theme, the author has
taken the main components of certain Pre-Theories (level A) and
begun to turn them into more formally-stated, logically and imaginatively,
even graphically integrated statements. Some Pre-Theories include
1) the Megatrends (of Naisbitt, 1984), 2) principles of the “Campaign
for Economic Democracy” (Hayden, 1980), 3) ten “Recommendations
for the Future of the World” (B. Fuller in Earth, Inc., 1973),
4) the recommendations of the Second Report to the Club of Rome
(Mesarovic and Pestel, 1974), 5) “How the Greenhouse Effect
Works” (Christian Science Monitor, 1988/1992), 6) the draft
statement of the “Earth Charter,” currently (as of 1997)
being proposed as a parallel and follow-up to the “U.N. Declaration
of Human Rights” (1947), 7) B. H. Banathy’s meta-theory
called the “Evolutionary Guidance System” (EGS, 1989),
and 8) Slawski’s “Developing the Learning Relationship:
A Systems Theory” (1980), and 9) Slawski’s “Systems
Vocabulary for Quality of Life” (1990).
For the first level of “true theory,” PROBLEM-CENTERED
THEORY, the author has reproduced theoretical charts showing a)
Carbon Dioxide’s Effect on the World System (Wood on Meadow’s
World3 1983), and b) the main interrelationships between principles
governing “The Rational Use of Natural Resources” (from
Watt, 1973, in Ramade, 1981/1984), all of which are amenable to
formal, axiomatic sets of statements.
For the second level of “true theory,” ABSTRACT THEORY,
the author has reproduced selected diagrams of 1) one of H. Odum’s
models of earth ecology (1983, Fig.18-26 on Diversity), then 2)
of Scienceman (1991, juxtaposed to H. Odum’s work) comparing
some central elements of “Emergy” theory to Marxist
economics, and finally 3) Slawski’s Small Group Process Theory
(1990, as a partial example of Banathy’s EGS). Without an
accompanying social scientific theory, the insights of the physical
sciences will likely go unheeded. Thus it is proposed that a joint
theory of ecology and social transformation be introduced, first
at an abstract level, then later at the level of rounded public
policy.
For the third and highest level of “true theory,” POLICY
THEORY, the author has modified 1)Etzioni’s Communitarian
Agenda (1993), as well as 2) the draft document of a United Nations’
committee on the “Earth Charter”, and turned their elements
into a pair of related theories that will hopefully be general
enough yet open to many forms of future amplification as our knowledge
of the interrelations between pertinent global variables emerges.
None of the above referenced “Near-Theories” have been
translated yet into the optimally most desirable form, namely,
as formally-stated and fully logically rationalized sets of interrelated
hypotheses and assumptions. 3) eminent philosopher and “deep
ecologist” Arne Naess’s “Ecosophy T” (1986)
will be presented as the culminating and most sophisticated “true
theory” to date. He calls for Self Realization, implying
diversity, and this for the benefit of all the planet’s life-forms.
As an alternate extension and tentative synthesis of the above,
some of Slawski’s most central among 27 hypotheses in his
“General Theory of Chaos, Orderly Change and Actualization”
(1995) will be applies to a tentative though abstract integration
of the above theories. Finally, based on all of the above, there
will be a summing up in terms of a short policy oriented theoretical
statement of a “Communitarian Policy for Cosmic Realization”
(or SYNTROPY). The whole will be evaluated in terms of (the author’s,
1994, up to 33) applicable criteria for a good theory or practical
policy, especially the four main criteria (1974) of 1) Testability
or Ease of Application, 2)Information Value, 3) Predictability,
and 4) Explanatory Power. Overall, it is hoped that this paper
will become a future model for integrating theories in the social
and more qualitative physical sciences at a higher level of understanding,
with syntheses for practical policy making.
Skills required in the IS profession are usually examined from
an employer perspective. The skills stressed are technical, interpersonal,
communication and business related. The case study in the paper
looks at the skills required for career progression from an employee
perspective. The main difference from previous studies is the
emphasis given to the role of politics by IS practitioners.
The paper proposes that IS professionals should be aware of the
role of politics in IS development and in career progression.
Politics in careers manifests itself in a number of ways such
as: negotiation and persuasion, favours, developing strategic
friendships and manoeuvering for a better position.
Some individuals may see ethical standards as a matter for personal
interpretation. Most professional societies, such as the Australian
Computer Society and the British Computer Society, have a code
of ethics which cover some of the undesirable aspects of workplace
politics. The problem of relying on professional societies to
legislate against inappropriate action is that they generally
rely on other members to do the 'policing' and so it is sometimes
ineffective. Secondly, some IS professionals are not part of any
computer society. Organisations should not rely entirely on the
professional bodies but should articulate their ethical standards
and organisational values.
Practitioners aiming for internal promotion have several options
open to them when dealing with the politics within an organisation:
they can take on board the more positive aspects of politics,
get involved in all aspects of the political fight, or they can
decide to move elsewhere.
If a broad or systems perspective is taken of developing a successful
IS career within an organisation then a number of factors could
be seen as relevant. These could include:
Technical skills
Communication skills
Interpersonal skills
Political skills
Business skills and knowledge
Organisation history and knowledge
Understanding of the culture of organisation
Personal motivation and ambition
Keywords: IS careers, politics, IS skills, ethics.
Systems theory is used on an elementary social structure to
demonstrate the aptness of interpreting psycho-social functioning.
With the concept of continuous self control in pursuing a set
goal, a proverb of ethically highly rated value, Unity is Strength,
is modeled with systems-theoretical mathematical constructs.
A paralleled compound of social units, represented with linear
differential equations of first order within an overall feedback
loop for self control, serves for the analogy of this adage. A
parallel symbol for the motto was used on the flag of the Italian
Fasciti: a compound of rods, tied up to a bundle.
The model reveals that the saying .Unity is Strength~ deserves
its positive image only if all constituents have a common goal,
have about equal powers, equal speed of action and - of utmost
importance - have equal orientation with respect to that goal.
Otherwise the possibility of corruption to break out is high.
-The essay demonstrates the paradoxical dual-value, even multi-value,
of proverbs.
This universal truth, Viribus unitis, can be found in many cultured
languages. Parallel expressions are in French L'union fair la
force; in German Einigkeit macht stark; in Italian L' unione fa
la forza.
Whether the common goal is considered to be acceptable by the
environment of the system or rejected is not questioned herein.
For the system itself the goal is positive.
Fig. 1 depicts the basic structure for the model. It shows three
partners in parallel operation with the one goal u(s). The model
is mathematical in the Laplace domain. The model's partners do
not have cross information among themselves and do not have an
individual feedback signal.
As the individual constituents do not have cross-information among
each other, corruption remains hidden until a .leak" leaps
over.
Such a leak signifies a change in the structure that is not considered
in the framework of this presentation. The paper demonstrates
the paradoxical dual value, even multiple value, of proverbs.
During the investigation of the facts the structure remained constant,
which is a rather strong simplification of a social situation.
Structures can change very rapidly as new information channels
are introduced by an organization or person ' who hears .something~
and tells .something~. Although the structure remains fixed, its
parameters (power and speed of acting) change in four steps.
Fig. 1: Structure of the model.
S = summing point of all individual actions.
Some more proverbs related to the essay:
Too many cooks spoil the broth (Balthazar Gerbier, 1662)
Two is a company, three is a crowd (T. Fuller, Gnomologia)
Paddle your own canoe.
Shoemaker, stick to your last.
If you want anything done, do it yourself.
Ogni medaglia ha il suo rovescio = Each medal has its reverse.
Corruptio optimi pessima. Corruption of the best is the worst.
Qui vitat molam, vitat farinam. He who does not work shall not
eat.
THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND
R. Starkermann
CH-5443 Niederrohrdorf Switzerland
The paper is a threefold interdisciplinary attempt to amalgamate
concepts of
(1) social phenomena as formulated in daily language via
(2) mathematical language into
(2) strictly defined natural laws.
The author's philosophy is based on the following concept:
The laws of nature existed prior to the creation of all that is.
These laws are responsible for either the big bang or whatever
else might have brought our solar system into being. They determine
the behaviour of all matter. They may lie dormant in a given realm
until the conditions permit their becoming operative. For example,
prior to the existence of life on the planet earth there could
be no influence on animate beings. Nonetheless, the laws are immutable
and are played out daily in ongoing events.
A system is explored of three partners who are interacting on
the basis of their attitude with which they effect each other's
realization - or well-being. The two basic forms of attitude are
the aggressive and the conciliating one. That is to say that a
partner has either an aggressive or a conciliating inclination
in his behaviour toward the other person.
Four patterns of social interaction are derived from one and the
same social structure, Fig. 1 of three partners, P1, P2, and P3.
Well-being - or potential of survival - is formulated as a function
of the partners' will-power (G1, G2, G3) they exert for their
own realization (one can help or damage the other, but one can
only realize oneself).
Four sets of investigations are formed allegorically into sayings:
a) The enemy of my enemy is my friend (used as title);
b) Viribus unitis, or l'union fait la force (Unison is strength);
c) Qui est trop bon, est demi-fou; (The weak always goes to the
wall) and
d) Corruptio optimi pessima (Corruption of the best is worst).
All findings are depicted as graphs and discussed.
It is found that the fact a) is only conditionally true. In order
to make the enemy of the enemy a friend requires not really honest,
but some slightly tricky behaviour (tricky in terms of contemporary
ethics ) .
For b) the discovery is that aggressive behaviour is advantageous
if aggressive partners have congruent goals in mind, otherwise
d) comes through: corruption.
For c) the finding is that to be too conciliating, i.e., to accommodate
to more than one partner, is to the disadvantage of the devotee.
And d) indicates that if one partner of the three is corrupt the
damage is not only to both of the other two partners but as well
to the corrupt one. The saying comes true: He that flings dirt
at another, dirtieth himself most. Corruption is defined as the
opposite goal than that of the other two partners.
Each of the three partners is modelled as a self-reflecting circular
continuous cause-effect-cause-structure, a stimulus-response model.
Self-reflection provides self-control, and thus, consciousness.
Continuity requires that the factor time has to come into play.
Everything moves continuously as Heraklit already shall have said:
,,Panta rhei”. As it is of rather great difficulty to think
in terms of continuous functioning, it has to be done with mathematics
(unfortunately, thinking in terms of differential equations is
not easy either).
As a side remark, it is shown that beside the 3 loops of the three
partners, there are seven more circular loops through which information
passes continuously back and forth between the three individuals:
The 12 loops of the system:
1- G1 - F1 - S11 - 2 - l
3- G2 - F2 - S22 - 4 - 3 Loops of the three partners
5- G3 - F3 - S33 -6 - 5
______________________________________________
1-G1 -F1 - S21-4 -3 -G2 -F2 -S12 -2 -1
1-G1 -F1 -S31 -6 -5 -G3 -F3 -S13 -2 -1 Loops passing through two
partners
3-G2 -F2 -S32 -6 -5 -G2 -F2 -S23 -4 -3
_______________________________________________
1-G1-F1-S21-4-3-G2-F2-S32-6-5-G3-F3-S13-2-1
1-G1-F1-S31-6-5-G3-F3-S23-4-3-G2-F2-S12-2-1 Passing through all
three partners
Another hint of the complexity of social structures:
If the characteristic equation (i.e., the character) of the individual
partner is described symbolically with a formula of the length
of 26mm [see formula (])], the character of the interacting system
Fig. 1 has a length of 650mm. The ratio of increase of complexity
from one partner to three partners is by a factor of 25!
The character of the individual, say P1, depends symbolically
of his functions G1 (will-power), F1 (time for action), S11 (unconscious
behaviour), and R1 (self-reflection). Physically (mathematically)
the character is formula (1).
1 +R1G1F1S11= 0
The character of the system of the three, however, is formula
(2).
1 + R1G1F1S11 + R2G2F2S22 + R3G3F3S33 +
+ R1G1F1R2G2F2S11S22 + R1G1F1R3G3F3S11S33 +
+ R2G2F2R3G3F3S22S33 +
+ R1G1F1R2G2F2R3G3F3S11S22S33 -
- R1G1F1R2G2F2S12S21 - R1G1F1R3G3F3S13S31 -
- R2G2F2R3G3F3S23S32 -
- R1G1F1R2G2F2R3G3F3S11S23S32 -
- R1G1F1R2G2F2R3G3F3S22S13S31 -
- R1G1F1R2G2F2R3G3F3S33S12S21 +
+ R1G1F1R2G2F2R3G3F3S12S23S31 +
+ R1G1F1R2G2F2R3G3F3S21S13S32 = 0
The character of the whole is not only the sum of all three [line
1 of formula (2)], but an additional tremendous involvement of
the three characters including their attitudes Sik.
This fact demonstrates that it is absolutely impossible for one
single individual to know the outcome of any interaction with
other individuals. Concerning interdisciplinary knowledge in social
behaviour, there appears a huge question mark on the sky!
If mutual observation of each other's doing (Vik) and mutual physical
action (e.g., talking to each other or fighting, Aik) would be
added (see Fig. 2), the number of functional loops would increase
from 8 to 207. An if a psychiatrist would become involved with
the three partners, forming a system of four individuals, according
to Fig. 2, the number of loops would go up from 207 to 8992. Such
is the complexity of life. There is no way to ever know!
So, sociologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and whoever thinks
he can change the world, will never run out of work. This fact
is shown herein as a physical-mathematical proof.
It also will be shown that aggression is much more powerful and
acts much faster that conciliation. Summa summarum: The story
in human societies is a story of conflicts (aggression), not of
sharing (conciliation).
Graphs for a), b), c), and d) will be included.
Figure 2
Stickland (1995), and Stickland and Reavill (1995, 1996) have
published previously aspects of a research program which examined
the nature and dynamics of organizational change. An objective
of the research was to develop a framework which would give insight
into the nature of change of at the generic level, and provide
an analytical frame of reference with which to explore social
and organizational change.
The framework (Figure 1) is the result of the application of a
General Systems Theory (GST) approach to the phenomenon of change,
but is by no means considered complete, comprehensive, or fully
defined. In keeping with its GST origin, it is applicable in part
to systems across the physical, natural and social sciences, and
its purpose is to gain greater insight into the nature and dynamics
of organizational change.
This paper discusses the formulation of the framework, and argues
for the inclusion of its major components: sources of change and
source categories; types of change; foci of change; levels of
change; methodology for change; attributes and characteristics
of change; degree of change; embedded dynamics of change; principles
of change; resistance to change; and the outcome of change.
The paper concludes that the concepts, issues, and ideas embodied
within the framework have been found to be applicable to the target
domain of organizational change in two Case Study examples, and
may be of benefit to change theorists in other subject domains.
In the systems tradition different methodologies have been developed for managing our technological world while aiming to transform this world into a better place for humans to live in. This endeavour confronts us not only with how questions but also with why questions and normative questions concerning the structuring or restructuring our world. In this paper we will reflect on the philosophical underpinnings of systems methodology. It will be argued that a certain kind of systems ethics is implicit in each methodology, although people need not be necessarily aware of it. Three ideas are fundamental for the systems ethics promoted in this paper. First, that managing our technological world is a multi-actor process taking place at different interconnected levels of the system. Second, the idea that human acting has a multi-modal character and requires a simultaneous realization of different norms. Third, the idea that human acting shows an intrinsic qualitative diversity.
Introduction
Thermodynamics is one of the cornerstones of scientific training;
it deals with energy levels and transfers of energy between systems
and between different states of matter. The real world is characterized
by constant energy change or in a state of flux. The mathematical
model of energy relationships plays an useful [art in understanding
about the mysterious quantity, entropy. This quantity entropy
tells us the way isolated reactions will proceed and in combination
with enthalpy can tell us which way ordinary reactions will proceed.
Thermodynamics, Information Theory and Complex Systems
Process modeling which combines the thermodynamics of fluid flow
and information theory helps is to build realistic models of complex
natural phenomena. It is in fact a tribute to the creativity of
the human mind that scientists in the last century were able to
“see through” the constant flux around them and create
what is in essence a model of energy relationship in the equilibrium
world.
Aim of This Paper
In this paper, we concentrate on the NLq theory and its applications
to the control of several types of non-linear behavior, including
chaos. NLq theory is unifying in nature. Artificial neural Nets
have enormous applications in modeling and control of complex
linear systems. An appreciable property of neural network models
is that they can model a large class of nonlinear phenomena and
on the other hand remain mathematically tractable.
Different types of behavior can be mastered within NLq theory,
using neural state space models. We show how chaos can mastered
within NLq theory, using the model-based approach. We take the
model M, controller C, and reference model L given by
[For notations & symbols refer- Suykens J.A.K., Vandewalle
J. (1995) NLq theory: a unifying framework for analysis, design,
and applications of complex non-linear systems, NDES’95-International
Workshop on ‘non-linear dynamics of electronic systems’
Ireland Dublin, pp.121-130, July, 1995.]
We cite an example by applying this NLq theory model to the problem
of controlling non-linear distortion in electronic loudspeakers.
Systems scientists can play an important role in analyzing
ethnic tensions and designing innovative approaches to sustain
peaceful relationships between groups with a history of interethnic
violence. Ethnic conflict has continued its course throughout
the world, accompanied by daily news reports of racial and ethnic
prejudice and atrocities. The development and maintenance of these
phenomena can be traced to historical factors and the influence
of various systems and suprasystems on the target groups. This
paper describes a humanitarian study sponsored by the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UHNCR) to improve ethnic relations
in the island country of Cyprus. The study involved consideration
of complex social and ecological systems that required development
of an innovative approach to analyzing and integrating multiple
perspectives.
Cyprus is a country divided by war, and Nicosia is the last divided
capital in the world. The United Nations Peacekeeping Force has
been in Cyprus since 1963, longer than anywhere else. This makes
planning and development efforts complex in terms of interactions
with individuals and governmental units in both communities. For
example, considerable planning was required to simply move back
and forth between the two communities because the borders are
guarded by Greek Cypriot soldiers on one side and Turkish Cypriot
soldiers on the other.
The purpose of the study was to assess the mental health services
and resources in Cyprus and determine the feasibility of developing
a mental health unit that would serve both the Greek Cypriot and
Turkish Cypriot communities. The author was engaged as a consultant
to design and implement the mental health project to foster collaboration
between the two communities, which had a long history of interethnic
violence. The process of establishing the mental health unit was
intended to foster positive interactions between mental health
professionals and citizens in both communities by their participation
in planning and developing mental health services that would benefit
all Cypriots.
The author developed a methodology to conduct a needs assessment
of Greek and Turkish Cypriot mental health services and resources.
The methodology consisted of four components: 1) preliminary meetings
with mental health administrators and government officials of
both communities; 2) review of existing documents, statistical
data, and literature; 3) site visits to mental health facilities
in both communities to complete program survey forms; and 4) meetings
with volunteers and mental health professionals from nongovernmental
organizations.
Findings from the needs assessment identified mental health resources
and needs in both communities. The Greek Cypriot community had
a larger number and wider variety of mental health professionals,
programs, and funding resources than the Turkish Cypriot community.
Analysis of the data indicated that both communities lacked resources
for reintegrating individuals with severe and chronic mental illness
into the community through psychosocial rehabilitation, vocational
training, and other community supports.
A seminar on mental health issues was arranged that was attended
by representatives of both communities. The seminar provided a
the basis for sharing mental health knowledge and experiences,
and for laying the groundwork for future collaboration between
Greek and Turkish Cypriot mental health professionals. A followup
study was conducted the following year in which a team of Greek
and Turkish Cypriot mental health professionals were sent to the
United States to attend a one-week training seminar on psychosocial
rehabilitation. The consultant worked with the team to establish
a cooperative group that could return to Cyprus to implement the
bicommunal mental health unit. The team would provide a nucleus
for development of a bicommunal council that would expand the
involvement of citizens in both communities. The relevance of
this approach to other localities will also be discussed. This
paper describes the role of a mental health practitioner with
a systems orientation in collecting and analyzing information
from multiple sources and multiple perspectives, and in working
with individuals, groups, and organizations at different levels
in both communities. The paper provides new knowledge on the role
of systems and suprasystems in fostering and maintaining ethnic
conflict, and on ways to foster and sustain peaceful relationships
between ethnic groups in a complex ecological system.
A single global economy and financial marketplace now exists in which over $1.4 trillion daily, equivalent to over $250 for every man, woman and child on Earth, is moved by real-time computer systems into the electronic financial market place for speculation. On the other hand, only about $20 billion daily, representing 1.5 percent of speculative funds is employed for economic trade. The ratio of funds for speculation to funds for economic trade is sixty-six to one; less than three decades ago the ratio was four to one.
Speculation creates debt for nations while amassing tremendous
hordes of wealth for the few. It results in a gross misallocation
of financial and economic resources and exacerbates the inequality
between the world’s rich and poor. A speculative bubble,
estimated to be as high as $1,000 trillion, hovers over the world,
threatening socioeconomic chaos.
This bubble has been created principally by the floating exchange-rate
system, which emerged in the 1970s. The ongoing Asian monetary
crisis, intensified by floating exchange-rate currency speculation,
poses an interesting question. Is this a major adjustment of a
maturing supranational system or is it an early warning signal
of an overloaded system that is about to collapse?
The current socioeconomic-financial system erupted into being
quickly. It was not planned nor is it monitored and controlled.
It has opened a doorway for major unethical practices and for
exacerbation of world problems. The new system should be open
to study, and accountability established. To accomplish this,
rules of public disclosure must first be established. It should
be determined if the perceived imbalance between money flows for
speculation and those facilitating trade is in fact information
overload or to be expected at the supranational level. Alternatives
to a fully speculative system and measures to protect the infrastructure
should be introduced and studied.
Understanding and accounting for the total contribution of nature to the wealth of a region or state is needed so that national lands can be managed effectively, especially in face of increasingly diverse demands. The natural wealth and production of a high elevation (900m - 1550m) watershed (1130 ha) in the Nantahala National Forest of North Carolina was valued with emergy. Emergy is a system property that relates all flows and storages of energy, materials, and information to the one form of source energy required for their formation and maintenance. Emergy values were converted to emergy-dollars (EM$) so that nature's work could be easily compared with humanity's. The annual production of 1.4 m^3/m^2 of pure water and 4.2 MT/ha of wood growth was valued at 1.5 million and 320,000 EM$, respectively, for the entire watershed. In addition to the direct production of goods and services, the human economy matched the annual flow of 1.5 million EM$ with 1.3 million EM$ of resource use in the form of tourism, road construction, travel expenditures and other local economic activities. The forest contained the following stocks of wealth (in EM$/ha): groundwater -- 1400, litter -- 1600, wood -- 26,000, soil organics -- 81,000, and saprolite (soil profile) -- 76,000,000. An estimate of the value of tree species diversity, based on the species-area curve, revealed that the emergy required for supporting each additional species increased as the square of the number of species. An annual "cost of organization" was estimated as 160 EM$/species per a species added. Over an area of 6 ha, 9 tree species required 176 EM$/species/y. Over the entire 65 ha sampled 27 tree species required 676 EM$/species/y for support. Emergy accounting is a rigorously quantitative tool for valuing and comparing the work of nature with that of humans.
Living systems are vulnerable at many points and to a variety of dangers. There are many ways to kill them. Living systems attempt to protect themselves from dangers in their environment through the use of decider processes, boundary processes, and adjustment processes. Yet predators, poisons, and other adverse environmental conditions may overwhelm the defenses of a living system and render it incapable of sustaining life. This paper seeks to identify across levels and in general terms the ways in which living systems are vulnerable to attack. Methods of attack are grouped into broad classes, such as denying access to vital resources, introducing poisons into the environment or injecting them into the system, disconnecting critical subsystems or components, feeding false information to the system, and inducing uncontrolled growth. The identification of points of vulnerability will aid analysis for purposes of defense as well as attack. It will also help us to understand the processes of life as they manifest themselves across the various levels of living systems.
Keywords: living systems, death, decider, boundary, adjustment process
Ecology without Systems Thinking is blind,
Systems Thinking without Ecology is empty.
Introduction:
Contemporary anthropology is insufficient in fields of clinical
work. In parallel, especially in psychiatry the “biopsychosocial"
model is used for explaining, understanding and treating diseases
like schizophrenia, depression addiction etc. From a psychological-point
of view (predominantly in psychoanalysis of KERNBERG) the term
,,relation" (relationship etc.) is getting more and more
importance. If one also considers the approach of ecological psychology
which was founded by Kurt LEWIN, BARKER, BRONFENBRENNER etc. one
can understand the ,,ecology of e person" as the relationship
of the person with her total environment. This perspective is
elaborated in the field of human ecology,
Problem:
In the field of (clinical) psychology the term relation is differentiated
at a qualitative level of semantic resolution by the terms ,,give"
and ,,take" (comp. FOA & FOA). Thus the degree of balance
at the relationship (the household) of giving and taking can be
considered as one source of problems at psychiatric patients and
it can be considered for designing therapy.
After a short while of analysis already the complexity of relevant
relations of a person gels a great complexity. This can be seen
at approaches of family therapy. Therefore there is the need to
make the analysis of interpersonal relations more precise.
Method and Results:
When trying to establish the concept ,,relation" in a scientific
way one has to think of mathematical tools like graph theory (HEIDER,
CARTWRIGHT & HARRARY). For analysis of structures of relations
one can use systems methodology by defining the relations as a
system and by representing it by a graph. Usually at clinical
tasks this level of analytical resolution is sufficient, however
for purposes of research one can elaborate the functional structures
with the help of differential equations and by computer simulations
(BOSSEL).
In the paper it will be demonstrated that a graphical way of presenting
the problem structure of a health problem of a person can help
to understand the term ,,household of relations" in a dynamical
way. This approach is applied to a complex scientific understanding
of drug addiction.
Conclusion:
If the new approach to understand a person in is living complexity
in an ecological perspective it is unavoidable to use systems
methodology in an explicit way.
Sources:
Trotter, F. (1998): Die Okologie tier Sucht (The Ecology of Addiction).
Hogrefe, Gottingen (FRG)
What could systems science teach a new generation about “sustainability?”
Everything. This presentation will show that the fundamental knowledge
base of systems science and of “sustainability” overlap
significantly and are mutually supportive. One of the two key
knowledge bases of the systems sciences consists of isomorphies.
These are essential structures or processes that have been shown
to be similar across a great diversity of natural systems. They
are the first causes of the origin and long-term survival of many
natural systems. They are so fundamental that we may usefully
conceive of real, natural systems, ranging from the cosmos to
ecosystems, as merely specific manifestations of the same set
of isomorphies that have unfolded at different scales across time.
In this conceptualization, the isomorphies, though generally considered
abstract generalizations, are in fact more real than the “real”
systems. The isomorphies are the mechanics through which any system
maintains its “health.” So the practical understanding
of the 100 or so isomorphic processes is also essential to a practical
understanding of how ecosystems originate and survive, in a word,
“sustain” themselves. In many cases, the isomorphies
are as essential to human systems as they are to natural systems.
So they provide more than a mechanical understanding of how ecosystems
can be sustained; they provide a set of values and very specific
rules for human system design and human behavior to promote the
sustainability of ecosystems.
But where in our current K-College curriculum is systems science
taught? Virtually nowhere. This presentation will provide a critical
overview of a sweeping 30 years of attempts at systems education.
It will draw conclusions about the many attempts and failures
of ISSS-affiliated institutions to promote “sustainable”
systems education programs. This review will also touch on various
specific attempts funded by federal and state grants to integrate
the teaching of systems science with “environmental education”
and with “general science education.” The talk will
end with a list of lessons learned from this historical review.
These lessons that might help future workers more successfully
initiate new systems education programs as well as spread vital
knowledge on how ecosystems can be sustained.
PLATFORM PAPER: EDUCATION SESSIONS USING SYSTEMS PROCESSES
AS INTEGRATIVE THEMES TO TEACH SCIENCE: III. ”IDENTIFYING
FEATURES” THAT HELP STUDENT’S PERCEIVE SYSTEMS CONCEPTS
Dr. Len Troncale
Chairman, Dept. of Biological Sciences
Director, Institute for Advanced Systems Studies
California State Polytechnic University
3801 W. Temple Ave., Pomona, Calif. 91768
This paper will begin with a presentation of the current status of the Integrated Science General Education Program funded by the CSU and the National Science Foundation. The ISGE Program uses systems concepts as integrative themes to unify and synthesize the teaching of seven sciences. The paper and presentation will report on the current level of ISGE production, assessment, and dissemination, as well as a description of the importance of ISGE to the field of systems science in general, and the ISSS In particular. Our systems-based “universal” integrative themes will be distinguished from “domain” integrative themes. The more than 100 case studies of specific phenomena in the seven sciences will be described in overview. We will show how the coverage of science topics provided by the case studies fulfills the evolving national standards for each of the sciences, and matches the coverage given each science in the three best-selling texts for each. The main portion of the paper and presentation will focus on our proposal of a dozen or more “identifying features” for each systems integrative theme. General education students are poor in science, much less the more abstract systems science. It is difficult for them to perceive and understand natural objects and even more difficult for them to “see” the abstract processes common across objects. We will show how we use sets of “identifying features” to help them “recognize” systems processes in a wide variety of the “real” natural systems they encounter in daily life. In this way. the ISGE program not only teaches general education science, it teaches systems science to the general public.
This evening workshop will consist of a multimedia presentation of the current status of the Integrated Science General Education Program funded by the CSU and the National Science Foundation. The ISGE Program uses systems concepts as integrative themes to unify and synthesize the teaching of seven sciences. We will demonstrate the learning synergies obtained by using technology-based computer managed instruction balanced by face-to-face interdisciplinary lab and skill-training sessions. We will demonstrate 12 outstanding multimedia features, and 24 effective learning enhancement features of the ISGE courseware. Stunning science graphics, intriguing animations, interactive learning games, and beautiful systems-based metaphors will be shown. The results of assessment of the prototype modules will also be presented and how an innovative use of systems development software more closely couples the evaluation results and associated changes in module design and production. An ambitious, international dissemination network will be attempted and partners in the process sought.
This paper discusses how information technology can be used
to help sustain a complex social system. It describes the Ieramugadu
Cultural Information System which is being developed with the
indigenous community formed by the Ngaluma, Injibandi and Banjima
peoples in Roebourne, Western Australia. Research aspects focus
on the development and evaluation of innovative procedures for
elicitation, analysis, storage and communication of Aboriginal
cultural heritage information. It is investigating culturally
appropriate information systems design techniques, multimedia
approaches, and ways to ensure protection of secret/sacred information.
The use of heritage information for education and negotiation
is being developed and evaluated. Ethical considerations are also
foregrounded.
A broader conceptual framework is needed for the specification
of heritage information to match the needs of the complex social
system and to facilitate community development. The forms of representation
used must be adequate to fully express the underlying cultural
concepts. They must be grounded in the fundamental nature of the
traditions and needs of the community. Thus, cultural heritage
information must express the integrated relationships between:
places - not just an arbitrary configuration of physical locations
but an assemblage of places connected by meanings associated with
traditional belief systems;
people - the specific group/s of people who possess the meaningful
relationship with (and are responsible for) those particular places;
procedures - the laws and customs which link the people to the
places and sustain their unique relationship to the land and each
other;
presentations - the practices and physical manifestations by which
the laws and customs and meaning relations between the people
and places are expressed (and hence maintained), such as ceremonies
and paintings.
INTERNET: A GAME WITHOUT RULES?
Jan van der Stoep
Institute for Cultural Ethics
Puntenburgerlaan 85
3812 CC Amersfoort, THE NETHERLANDS
Internet is one of the most remarkable manifestations of new
developments in information- and communication technology (ICT).
It is not simply a tool, but it also changes our social behaviour.
Development and use of internet is therefore not only a technical
but also a normative affair. In this paper I examine internet
from a system ethics approach. From this point of view I search
for criteria to distinguish information from desinformation and
communication from miscommunication. First of all internet is
a means to exchange information (World Wide Web). I will argue
that in information exchange the meaning of the message is crucial.
In order to understand the meaning of the message it is important
to know something about the context and author of the message.
I will argue that the use of hyperlinks may distract people from
the meaning of the message, but may also be used to generate a
useful framework of orientation.
Secondly, internet is a means to communicate with one another
(E-mail, newsgroups and chatboxes). Communication is a matter
of social intercourse. Due to direct electronic accessibility
the possibility to contact one another increases. At the other
hand, however, direct accessibility may also frustrate social
intercourse by blurring the dinstinctions between different lifespheres
(family, business, goverment etc.). Therefore the accessibility
of people in different lifespheres has to be regulated. Finally,
something will be said about the virtual reality of internet.
It will be argued that not the real or virtual character of the
simulation is a decisive criterion, but the way in which the simulation
refers to the real world.
The Viabiliy of System Science as a sceintific discipline
John P. van Gigch
Professor Emeritus, California State University, Sacramento
1219 La Sierra Dr. Sacramento, CA 95864
The idea of System Science(s) was formalized in 1956 with the creation of the Society for General Systems Research, the precursor of the ISSS. After almost 50 years the Society os struggling to survive. The panelists and the public will be asked to ponder what “real” progress or breakthrough was accomplished by System Science(s). Do we have any reason to be optimistic about the future? Will or should the idea of System Science(s) survive another 50 years? What are its purposes for it to remain an innovative and viable field of science?
EVALUATION OF A DRUG-SAFETY SYSTEM
Albert Vlug and J. van der Lei
Department of Medical Informatics, Erasmus University
Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GE Rotterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
Evaluation of a system results in a considered judgement whether
the system is good or not. The evaluation process contains verification
and validation. Verification of a system concerns 'building the
system right'. For example, an issue here is: are the usual methods
and norms used in the right way? Validation of a system concerns
'building the right system'. For example, an issue here is: is
the over-all performance of the system fullfulling the needs of
the context for which it was meant?
The development of systems thinking shows at least three sensible
ways for looking at systems. These ways, or paradigms, are: 1)
a technical or mechanic way, 2) a social or contextual way and
3) a critical or self-reflecting way. Each paradigm has its own
definition of 'system', its own method to develop a system, and
its own philosphical underpinning when entering the scientific
discourse.
Some aspects of the evaluation of a system belongs to (a stage
of) the method. Considerations whether the right method is used
or not, cannot be part of a method, but they are part of the science
about methods: the methodology. Since the system definition and
the system development method is threefold, the evaluation process
can be considered as part of also three corresponding methodologies:
1) the hard systems methodologies, 2) the soft systems methodologies
and 3) the critical system methodologies.
In this paper we will focus on the different ways in which the
evaluation is part of the methodology to develop systems. Each
evaluation is applied on a specific system: a national drug-safety
system in the Netherlands. The question of this paper is: what
is the relation between those evaluations and, more specific,
is it possible to define one evaluation as a last stage after
building the system. The advantage could be: a technical assessment
by external observers which could make a comparison between systems
more disputable. The result is that each evaluation requires several
tasks in some of the preceding stages. Some of these tasks may
be objectively formulated in terms of checklists or heuristics,
but others are subjectively connected to people in the problem
situation or to people affected by the system. To evaluate the
subjective norms and the way they are treated, need another kind
of norms. The integration of these norms into one evaluation seems
to be dependent on the integration of the different methodologies
on one hand and a better understanding of contradictory normative
approaches on the other.
INFORMATION: ITS DIMENSIONS AND QUALITY
Professor Sam Waters, George Bakehouse,
Christopher Davis, and Kevin Doyle
IS School, Faculty of Computer Studies and Mathematics
University of the West of England
Frenchay, Bristol BS16 1QY
United Kingdom
Complex ecological and social systems depend upon people exploiting
the key resource of information. In identifying resources, the
Industrial Revolution gave us the ‘4 M’s’ of men,
money, machines and materials, the Green Revolution gave us the
environment (the natural world that we have inherited , that we
briefly inhabit and that we must conserve for our future generations)
and the Computer Revolution gave us information; today, we would
re-phrase ‘men’ as ‘people’ and ‘machines’
as ‘technology’. Information is widely regarded as the
intangible resource (although money could be argued to be a special
case of information in that currencies, notes and coins of the
realm, are merely promises by the National Bank to pay the bearer
their designated values). Seminal works by Kent, Stamper and others
warn us of the dangers of dealing with this abstraction whist
in the practical world of commerce, industry and administration
the President of the Confederation of British Industry maintains
that ‘managing information is the greatest challenge facing
all organisations today’. This paper addresses the question
of how can we interpret this theoretical abstraction of the information
resource into the practical reality of ‘helping people to
get better with information’ (which is the mission to the
UK National Health Service information management strategy that
embraces this ISSS Conference topic of ‘Information to make
a difference’).
A helpful starting point is recent research by Earl, Boaden and
Lockett, Waters and others which distinguishes between Information
Technology (IT), Information Systems (IS) and Information Management
(IM). Probably, everybody’s information resource is largely
supplied by IS which exploits IT and is developed by the strategic,
tactical and operational processes of IM; further, IT is highly
complex technically, we have never witnessed a simple IS and IM
has been a disaster socially (as evidenced by the appalling success
rates of all our efforts, as low as 20% according to some UK empirical
research studies). Within this context of IM, Wang et al provide
a taxonomy of the dimensions of information. In this paper, their
taxonomy is compared with similar research reported by Galliers,
Reynolds, Waters and the UK Chartered Institute of Bankers in
an attempt to extend the classification and further define the
characteristics into a more complete set. In summary, our conclusion
is that the objective of IM is to deliver the right information
to the right person to support the right activities at the right
time in the right place at the right cost with the right quality
in the right presentation and with the right availability (in
the same sense of Drucker’s definition of improving organisational
effectiveness and efficiency as ‘doing the right thing right’).
In practice, if people understand and improve upon these dimensions
of information then they will ‘get better with information’;
ultimately, we all need to be empowered to DIY (do it yourself)
our own IM in order to achieve sustainable success.
Given this taxonomy and definition of information dimensions,
the quality of information in practical real-world settings can
be measured in terms of the occurrences of defects (eg: engineering’s
MTBF and MTTR). Thus, ethnographical field research methods (particularly
observation) can be applied to identify information failures and
to verify, classify and quantify their occurrences; ultimately,
this helps people to prioritise their information problems in
order to propose and implement solutions. The paper concludes
with some results from our recent empirical research which compare
leading technological organisations in four sectors of the UK
economy; these are Banking (Citicorp), Construction (Kvaerner
- Trafalgar House), Health (Frenchay NHS Healthcare Trust) and
Transportation (LEX). This comparison identifies their stages
of IS development (as originally defined by Nolan and subsequently
extended by Galliers and Sutherland), their relative timescales
and costs (measured in terms of IS investment per employee per
annum) and their information quality (indicated by the average
number of defects suffered by each employee each day). Our current
field research is extending these trials into other sectors, including
Manufacturing (ABB, British Aerospace), in an attempt to improve
information quality control by back-tracking he causes of defects
and evaluating their effects by forward-tracking, where possible.
homo’s quest for understanding VIEWED as innate human
spirituality: implications for secular leadership
Elizabeth White, MBA, Ph.D
Texas Instruments
14222 N. Dallas Parkway #2098
Dallas, Texas 75240
Exploration of a hypothesis and a conjecture: The hypothesis
is that human mind is an emergent capacity: arising concurrent
with and resulting from an emergent capacity in the “Homo”
lineage to identify a personal “self;” to see “self”
as “apart from” - separate from others and the environment;
to carry that “self” concept/experience as a “names”
virtual, conceptual “Elaborating” object; an, along
with the increasing capacity for “conscious” “Recognition”
to begin to explore this separateness, this “distance”
as “perspective,” as “relationship,” and as
“time.”
This hypothesis sees human “mind” as emerging from the
“lucky” confluence of elaborated/elaborating “Homo”
brain capacities, including the capacity to store detailed “visual”
representations or external, concrete environments an objects,
and to store--embedded in the neural architecture along with the
visual representations -- the entire physical /psychological experience
of/in/with that environment/and its objects. This experience always,
necessarily, includes the embedded experience of “self”
as a part of the whole experience.
The conjecture is that, further, if we define spirituality as
the potential ”to wonder,” i.e., “to ask why,”
as well as, “to stand in awe,” we can reasonably argue
that this potential is inherent in the above mentioned emerging/emergent
“Homo” capacity to identify and explore “self”
and concurrently “self in relation to,” as “mind”
emerged/emerges.
I will explore some possible implications of the above hypothesis
and the accompanying conjecture for leaders in these four areas
as well as for generic, secular leadership, especially as we view
human systems in an evolutionary context, i.e., as evolving complex
dynamic systems. I will particularly focus on two concepts: 1.
“emergence space” and 2. “generative versus historic”
information. Generative information I defines as the ongoing confluence
of information/energy that, at every “point” in our
universe, at every “moment,” is generating the next
“moment”, i.e., the “future.”
Finally, as we as a species consider our future, the Future we
are unwittingly spinning, a web spun of our concurrent global
interactions as a species, I will argue that the next critical
question for Homo is to ask “Where?” “Just where
are we going?”
THREE PATHS FOR EXPLORING HIERARCHY THEORY
Jennifer M. Wilby
Lincoln School of Management, University of Lincolnshire and Humberside
Brayford Pool, Lincoln, LN6 7TA UK
Hierarchy theory is one of several possible systems approaches
that has been used in the study of complexity. It has been used
in the observing of complex situations, and it has been applied
in many other systems and non-systems studies. It is also noted
that the theory is systemic in itself, dealing with the issues
central to systems science, e.g. the importance of the observer,
and the flows of matter, energy, and information throughout systems.
Hierarchy theory has been applied in such diverse fields of study
as ecology, biology, linguistics, business, philosophy, mathematics
and physics. While much knowledge has been accumulated from the
application of hierarchy theory in these disciplines, there are
three main areas for further research seen in hierarchy theory.
First, there is a need for a unified definition of the principles
and practices of the theory. Second, there is a need to define
the linkages and possible utilities of applying hierarchy theory
in concert with other practical methodologies. Third, there is
the lack of a specific methodology for the application of hierarchy
theory to demonstrate its practical utility.
This paper is part of an on-going research which aims to determine
the utility and validity of hierarchy as a systems approach for:
(1) the analysis of existing complex systems and problem situations,
(2) the planning of interventions in existing complex situations,
and (3) the design of future systems.
The paths that will be used to explore hierarchy theory in this
paper and in further research are:
the path of describing hierarchy theory as a strand of systems
thinking in itself, as exampled in Checkland’s Systems Thinking,
Systems Practice (1981), or
the path of describing hierarchy theory within a framework of
systems e.g. as a part of the Burrell and Morgan framework (1979),
or
or as a path where a methodology is created which will be evaluated
in further research as to whether such a methodology for hierarchy
theory has practical application or whether it should be viewed
as an abstraction, or a mental model, for the description of systems
and their future design.
Outcomes of the overall research will include the construction
of a set of principles for hierarchy theory, the evaluation and
design of a methodology for hierarchy theory, and the critical
evaluation of hierarchy theory in terms of which or many of the
above paths best describe the usefulness of hierarchy theory.
The Influence of a Multi-Modal thinking on a Self-Study of
Teaching Reform in a University Information Systems Course
Mark Campbell Williams, PhD
Faculty of Business, School of Management Information Systems
Edith Cowan University
From 1991 to 1993 I conducted a qualitative investigation of
the influence of open discourse on technicism in a University
Business Computing Course. I discontinued the research on realising,
through a reflective self-study, that I had acted unethically.
To address this breach of ethics, I conducted an heuristic inquiry,
from 1993 to 1996, to delve deeply, using heuristic reflection,
into the nature, and possible healing, of the causes of my research
short-comings. The change in research approach and direction was
influenced by my reading of the multi-modal philosophy of the
Amsterdam School (an approach that has been incorporated into
systems thinking in the work of Donald de Raadt).
Process oriented change within the industrial supply system -
a systemic evaluation of current practices
J.T.Wilton
Department of Management Systems and Information
City University Business School, London, UK
Large Multinational Corporations (LMCs) are increasingly operating on a global scale to deal with the pressures of change. The potential of new markets, the development of new technologies, fierce competition, as well as the increasingly demanding customer have all fuelled these changes. To remain competitive, LMCs are having to rapidly improve their quality, speed and service whilst constantly reducing their costs, at increasingly faster rates. Consequently, LMCs have had to become leaner and more flexible and have employed process oriented change programmes such as quality management and process re-engineering to achieve this. To be successful, the scope of such changes has extended beyond the traditional organisational boundary to include their suppliers in what is, the paper argues, a supply system. Yet, in operating within a system of alliances and networks that is constantly adapting and evolving, the level of complexity necessitates an approach that can deal with the issues involved. This is exacerbated by the difficulty, often faced, in achieving successful outcomes from process oriented change programmes, despite the commitment and resources often allocated to them. If multinational corporations and their suppliers are to operate within a supply system, rather than a supply chain, then a more systemic approach to their process oriented change programmes is required. The paper presents the need for a systems approach to this subject area. It proposes to use Critical Systems Theory (CST) and its ‘practical face’, Total Systems Intervention (TSI), as the basis for evaluation of both the quality and re-engineering programmes being used within and between LMCs and their suppliers. By evaluating these practices using the Critical Review Process, the paper presents possible areas where improvements can be made. To support the arguments put forward, case study examples are presented from research conducted in both the automotive and mobile telecommunications industries as a basis of comparison and further discussion. It is concluded that if LMCs and their suppliers are to be successful in operating within the supply system, then the means through which they do so must also be more systemic. By evaluating the practices of quality management and re-engineering through a systems approach using CST principles and TSI practices, it is proposed that an improved appreciation and understanding of these techniques can then be applied.
Keywords: Supply system, quality management, re-engineering, CST, process oriented change
THE N-DIMENSIONAL KNOWLEDGE PROXIMITY APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY
ASSESSMENT: THE CASE OF QUANTUM ELECTROMAGNETIC SYSTEMS
Fred B. Wood, Sr., PhD (elec.engin.), P.E.
Computer Social Impact Research Institute
2346 Lansford Ave., San Jose, CA 95125
Forecasting and assessing the development of revolutionary technologies pose a substantial challenge because the techniques such as trend extrapolation, evolutionary projections, substitution curves, cybernetic systems analyses, and the like are limited in their ability to capture "out of the box" or "wild card" possibilities. Over the last several decades, successive iterations have been developed of a multi-dimensional systems approach to assessing revolutionary technologies (Wood, 1979, 1996). This approach includes a structure for relating knowledge about classes of activity, levels of phenomena, and stages of evolution. It is called the "N-Dimensional Knowledge Proximity" systems approach, because it emphasizes an identification of almost current knowledge up to 1992 (six years old to cooperate with military institutions to protect security for six years) about a technology so as to identify and understand the linkages between different dimensions or variables, and to provide a robust basis for projecting future developments and implications. In this paper, the history and current status of the Knowledge Proximity Approach is summarized, with emphasis on refinements that have been made since the 1996 ISSS meeting in Budapest, Hungary. The objective in limiting security classification of new weapons concepts to six years is to let religious and public service organizations have a genral knowledge of the trend in weapons development from 1946 to 1992 so that they can start work on the ethical problems involved with new weapons systems without disturbing the secrecy of the latest weapons development. In World War II the United States tried to keep the Atomic bomb secret until after we had killed 66,000 people and wounded 69,000 people at Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. This did not give the people who specialized in dealing with ethical questions a chance to sort through the ethical questions until after the new weapon had been used. A more humanitarian way would be to have a United Nations Committee discussing the ethics of the new class of weapons before some conflict escalates into World War III. The National Council of Churches, the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, and other groups could discuss with military leaders whether six years is adequate or whether more time like ten years is needed by the military institutions for initial new weapons design.
Keywords: Creation, Electromagnetics, Ethics, Weapons, Medicine
A TRINITARIAN RELATION INQUIRY SYSTEM IN SYSTEMS/MANAGEMENT
APPROACHES? - MORE FINDINGS
Dr. Zhichang Zhu
Lincoln School of Management
Brayford Pool, Lincoln, LN6 7TS, UK
This article is a supplement to a 1996 ISSS paper in which three systems-based approaches were brought together for comparison and a suggestion was made that all three approaches are built upon a multi- conceptual framework which contains three broad dimensions: the technical (objective), the cognitive (subjective) and the social (intersubjective). In this article, more approaches based on a similar conceptual categorisation are reported. It will be suggested that the convergence among the reported approaches may present a common pattern that underlies human’s search for systemic inquiry and action regardless variations in cultural characteristics and national mind-sets. It is also expressed that it can be helpful for dealing with the increasing uncertainty and complexity confronting humankind if researchers world-wide become more open to mutual informing and learning.
Keywords: systems approach, differentiation, multiplicity, relations inquiry system, multimethodology, postmodernism, cultural traditions, comparative studies, mutual learning.