ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1985.140

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1985

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractIn any subject concerned with rational intervention in human affairs, theory must lead to practice; but practice is the source of theory: neither theory nor practice is prime. We can examine this‘groundless’relation by asking what intellectual frameworkFis applied in what methodologyMto what area of applicationA? If we do this for O.R., systems analysis, systems engineering etc., we see thatFandMhave changed dramatically between the 1950s and the 1980s, yielding the‘hard’and‘soft’traditions of systems thinking. The‘hard’tradition, based on goal seeking, is examined in the work of Simon and contrasted with the‘soft’tradition, based on learning, as exemplified in the work of Vickers and the development of soft systems methodology. The two are complementary, but the relation between them is that the‘hard’is a special case of‘soft’systems thinking. This analysis makes sense of the recent history of management science and helps to prepare us for the 1990s.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1985.141

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1985

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractThis paper discusses a risk analysis study which considered the best way to cross a river with a large diameter gas pipeline, one possibility being a bridge carrying a large diameter oil line. About 30‘riskateers’were involved, over a 3-month period, most of whom were engineers or economists with no risk analysis, O.R. or systems experience. A large number of interested parties were involved, with different perspectives. The paper stresses methodology design as an organizational vehicle, and the implications of designing problem-solving methodology in the midst of a problem-solving process.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1985.142

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1985

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractThe operational research/management science journals contain an extensive literature that addresses the corporate cash management problem; yet few, if any, companies make use of any of this published work in their daily cash-management decision making. A review of the literature suggests that the reason for this lack of applications may well be poor problem formulation—the problems that are solved in the literature as‘cash management’problems evolve from a‘hard systems’view of real-world cash management. However, the problem as perceived by cash managers involves both dynamic and loosely structured components which are difficult to model using classical (i.e.‘hard systems’) approaches.We therefore decided to approach the cash management problem as an experiment in the use of a novel visual interactive problem solving (VIPS) methodology. The aim of the experiment was to develop an implementable, visual interactive model to support daily cash management decision making. Working closely with a corporate cash manager, we first developed a visual model of his daily decision problem and then agreed on the feasible options and the interactive requirements. At this stage, the problem was sufficiently well defined for a mathematical model to be built and the visual model made‘smart’.This paper discusses the results of this experiment and suggests that VIPS may have distinct advantages as a problem-solving technique in loosely structured,‘messy’problem situations.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1985.143

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1985

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractIt is now technically feasible to equip a company boardroom for projection of computer images onto large wallscreens. This paper outlines the history of the development of such systems, describes the technology involved and covers some of the detailed issues affecting successful implementation. Finally, it puts forward the case for O.R. practitioners to become more actively involved in similar projects.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1985.144

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1985

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractA major difference in age between the head of an organization and his acknowledged heir and successor can contribute to a better awareness by all that there is merit in both the old and the new. On the other hand, it can be the cause of friction between the two, as one is loath to release the reins and the other strives to take them on. Further, one may believe that only he can run the company, whilst the other knows that he can do it better. In such circumstances, the decision was taken that the younger man should investigate the needs for management information in the organization, and he set about creating an information system for the future, primarily his own. As he did so, he uncovered many aspects of the operation of the company which could benefit from new procedures, and in particular identified an area of major conflict which he was able to resolve. The purpose of the study changed considerably over time, and what began as a review of information processing became a detailed analysis of the fundamental principles of the nature of the organization to provide understanding for the future development of the company.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1985.145

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1985

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractThe first involvement arose because sales were in serious decline. From a position of considerable strength 8 years before, with half the market and twice the sales of the nearest competitor, the company was now performing only marginally better than its rivals. Of course, the total market had declined as well, but within that market the proportion of the company's sales had suffered too. The contact with the company arose because there had been yet another change of management and many remedies had been tried before. It was time to review those ideas again, to challenge assumptions and prejudices and to initiate and investigate other avenues. As work progressed, there were some major changes in thinking and objectives. Some well established practices were seen to be no longer necessary or useful and were abandoned, whilst others remained until it became possible to supersede them. But perhaps the greatest gain from the study came from the new and fresh attitudes that management were taking, coupled with their willingness to consider a broader range of possibilities than had been considered before. They were able to lay some worn out ideas to rest, whilst developing others which brought forth worthwhile potential dividends.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1985.146

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1985

数据来源: Taylor

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1985.147

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1985

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractRational intervention in human affairs, if it is to constitute not onlyactionbut alsoresearch, so that future interventions may be made more effective, needs a well-defined methodological framework. Soft systems methodology (S.S.M.) provides one such framework. S.S.M. is doubly systemic: it is itself a learning system, and within that system it uses systems models, models of human activity systems. It accepts that such models are not models of parts of the real world, only models of ways of perceiving the real world, that is to say, models relevant to debate about‘reality’(one man's‘terrorism’is another's‘freedom fighting’).S.S.M. is here illustrated by means of an account of a systems study of change in the information function of a sophisticated science-based company. The study is described from the point of view of a professional analyst who was helping a team of three managers carry out the study. The course of the study is described, and a separate commentary relates its activity to the seven stages of S.S.M. The study involved three cycles round stages 2–3–4–5 of S.S.M., the stages in which models of relevant human activity systems are built and compared with the real world in order to construct a rich debate about changes whose introduction in the problem situation world be both (systemically) desirable and (culturally) feasible.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1985.148

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1985

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractAn information society is one in which informational (or interactional) as opposed to material entities represent the dominant form of social and economic transaction. This paper argues that in such an information-rich environment, the conventional view of the systems approach may no longer be relevant, and may in fact be a serious barrier to the development and implementation of creative management technologies. We present an alternative perspective on the systems approach that emphasizes the primacy of informational concepts as opposed to the primacy of matter/energy concepts. This alternative focuses on interactions, on the logic of change, on circular causality, and on multiple concepts of time. There are important implications for organizational design, managerial control and information systems.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1985.149

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1985

数据来源: Taylor