摘要:

AbstractThis paper chronicles an effort to distill and order (for purposes of discussion and elaboration) frequently mentioned and significant ideas encountered in the literature of General Systems theory (GST). The product is a set of eleven theses, representing the author's selection and collation of seminal and recurrent GST themes. The author argues that attention to theory could aid the effort to develop practical applications of systems thinking. (Remember that a thesis is a statement or assertion, offered originally without proof, as the basis for an argument, discussion, or empirical test.)

ISSN:0731-7239    

DOI:10.1002/sres.3850090402

出版商:John Wiley&Sons, Ltd.    

年代:1992

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractFor income distributions, city‐size distributions and word frequencies we observe skewed or long‐tailed distributions of the PARETO‐ZIPF type. In general ‐for properties of units belonging to the same astrophysical, biological, ecological, urban, social, political, economic or mechanical machinery system ‐ we observe similar regularities referred to as Pareto law, Zipfs law or rank‐size law. We give a short historical overview over the discovery of these empirical regularities. Then we review a variety of theoretical tentatives, none of which can “explain” that similar regularities are observed in such an incredible wide range of scientific research areas.Finally, departing from a very specific model ‐ describing tribo‐vibro‐acoustic processes in machines ‐ we propose a generalized theoretical framework in terms of energy transformation with limited internal energy dissipation capacity, which is applicable to all fields.The proposed model “unifies” a large variety of concepts and applies a coherent terminology to fields, which have at first sight nothing in common. For the observed life symptoms, theoretical predictions can be compared with past and future empirical observations.What is most important is the model's inference power: from the observations of a set of units at a given moment of life‐time (a snapshot of the system), one can predict the average behaviour of a single u

ISSN:0731-7239    

DOI:10.1002/sres.3850090403

出版商:John Wiley&Sons, Ltd.    

年代:1992

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractManagerial decisions involving complex tradeoffs were examined using a scenariobased survey instrument, developed from the Kinston's work on ethical choice. Respondents indicated the extent to which each of seven ethical considerations would effect their decisions. Four considerations were end‐oriented (teleo‐logical): rationalist, experientialist, systemicist, transcendentalist, and three means‐oriented (deontological): conventionalist, individualist, and legitimist The data suggest that three strong bi‐polar factors with opposing teleological with deontological considerations underlie ethical decision styles. Extensions from the research are also di

ISSN:0731-7239    

DOI:10.1002/sres.3850090404

出版商:John Wiley&Sons, Ltd.    

年代:1992

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractThis paper argues that Relevance, Formality, and Process are themes that form an intellectual structure for making sense of the application of systems methodologies to real‐world problem situations and hence provide a starting point for a theory of soft systems practice. These themes are developed from a consideration of the development and use of Soft Systems Methodology. The core concepts and structure of Soft Systems Methodology are described and then a view of Soft Systems Methodology as a tool for managing inquiry‐based intervention into action‐oriented communities is developed and illustrated. The case studies are then used to explore the themes of relevance, formality, and process and to analyse areas of strength and weakness in Soft Systems Method

ISSN:0731-7239    

DOI:10.1002/sres.3850090405

出版商:John Wiley&Sons, Ltd.    

年代:1992

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractThe concept of coherence has gained a considerable extension from its primary domain of quantum optics over the last quarter of a century. In particular, it offers the possibility of a new conceptual tool for understanding the living state and of biological systems. Considered as a systems isomorphism, it may represent a significant epistemological contribution.

ISSN:0731-7239    

DOI:10.1002/sres.3850090406

出版商:John Wiley&Sons, Ltd.    

年代:1992

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0731-7239    

DOI:10.1002/sres.3850090407

出版商:John Wiley&Sons, Ltd.    

年代:1992

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0731-7239    

DOI:10.1002/sres.3850090408

出版商:John Wiley&Sons, Ltd.    

年代:1992

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0731-7239    

DOI:10.1002/sres.3850090409

出版商:John Wiley&Sons, Ltd.    

年代:1992

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0731-7239    

DOI:10.1002/sres.3850090410

出版商:John Wiley&Sons, Ltd.    

年代:1992

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0731-7239    

DOI:10.1002/sres.3850090411

出版商:John Wiley&Sons, Ltd.    

年代:1992

数据来源: WILEY