Systems Theory and Practice in the Knowledge Age

by Ragsdell, Gillian; West, Daune; Wilby, Jennifer

• ISBN13: 9780306472473
• ISBN10: 0306472473
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-04-01
• Publisher: Plenum Pub Corp

Summary

The concept of systems embodies the notion of a collection of elements connected together to form a whole. Systems thinking uses these notions to help understand the world. Central to this approach are the ideas of emergence and hierarchy, and communication and control. Systems practice employs systems ideas to design and manage complex processes and artefacts for the benefit of individuals, organisations, and society. Systems Theory and Practice in the Knowledge Age comprises a collection of papers written prior to the UKSS conference, that have been contributed by systems thinkers from around the world, with the aim of encouraging debate and promoting development of pertinent issues in systems theory and practice. In current times where the focus has moved from 'information' to 'knowledge' and where 'knowledge management', 'knowledge assets' and so on have become part of everyday speak, it seemed fitting to publish a book with the title of Systems Theory and Practice in the Knowledge Age.

Table of Contents

Section 1: Systems Theory	1	(44)
Emergent or Just Unexpected?	3	(8)
Joyce Fortune
Diana White
Sarvu Bona: Systems Theory in Design	11	(8)
Johann van der Merwe
Mapping the Stages of the Development of Management Sciences Methodologies in the UK: From Single Solving Methods to Multimethodology	19	(10)
Alberto Paucar-Caceres
Relevance and Rigour, Theory and Practice in Systems	29	(8)
Stephen K. Probert
Vickers' Concept of Relationship-Maintaining and the Nature of Regulation	37	(8)
Daune West
Section 2: Systems Practice	45	(68)
Connecting Soft Systems Thinking with Project Management Practice: An Organizational Change Case Study	47	(8)
Kerry Costello
Lynn Crawford
Lesley Bentley
Julien Pollack
Cybernetics/Systems Approach to Transformation of the Towel Production Firms in Osaka Area, Japan	55	(8)
Takayuki Koga
Towards a Contingency Framework for Intervention in the Context of a Systems-Based Approach	63	(8)
Eugene H. Melan
SSM-Guided Research to Improve the Linkages between a Science Provider and their End-Users	71	(8)
Janet Reid
Terry Kelly
Ian valentine
A Multi-Methodological Approach to Emergency Call Handling in the Metropolitan Police Service	79	(8)
Raymond Rowe
Using SSM to Improve Supply Chain Effectiveness	87	(10)
Ross Smith
David Mackay
Graeme Altmann
Gulender Gencoglu
Improving Systems Intervention in SMEs: Reflections on Systems Boundaries in Practice	97	(8)
Lorraine Warren
Gillian Ragsdell
Soft Systems Methodology based on Organizational Knowledge-Creation Theory	105	(8)
Taketoshi Yoshida
Section 3: Knowledge Management	113	(88)
Inquiring into Learning as System	115	(8)
Susan Byrne
David Todd
Barbara Simpson
Christine Woods
Rainer Seidel
Creating Corporate Value through Knowledge Management Systems	123	(8)
Larry Churchman
Chris Royce
Information, Knowledge and Teams	131	(8)
Malcolm Crowe
A Human Value System Based Methodology for an Organisational Development Consultancy	139	(8)
Misha Hebel
Bjørn Mathiesen
Systemic Learning with a Searchlight Approach	147	(8)
Stig C. Holmberg
The Knowledge Worker and the Knowledge Age	155	(8)
James G. Howell
Design of a Knowledge Management System for Quality Improvement in a Public Education System in Mexico	163	(10)
Cuauhtemoc Olmedo
Knowledge in Self-Organization Process: Hope (Finite) of System Thinking	173	(12)
Antonin Rosicky
The Value of Knowledge Workers - What Affects It and Who Decides?	185	(8)
Aidan Ward
Steve Armstrong
Introduction to Knowledge Profiling	193	(8)
Maurice Yolles
Section 4: Environmental Management	201	(28)
Participative Action Research (PAR) for Rural Community Development in South Sulawesi, Indonesia	203	(8)
Hasnawaty Habibie
N. Sriskandarajah
Roger Packham
Towards a New Agenda for Operational Research and Environmental Management	211	(8)
Gerald Midgley
Martin Reynolds
Rhythm of the Rivers: An Ecosystem Approach to Human Health on the Amazon Frontier	219	(10)
Tamsyn P. Murray
Roger Packham
Section 5: Critical Systems Thinking	229	(26)
Turnaround Systems Alignment: A Methodology for Dealing with Complex-Coercive Problems	231	(8)
Tony Groom
On an Application of Critical Systems Heuristics in a Framework for Evaluation of Software Development Productivity	239	(8)
O Petkova
D Petkov
A Trusting Constructivist View of Systems Thinking in the Knowledge Age	247	(8)
Norma Romm
Section 6: Social Systems Design	255	(46)
Autopoiesis and the Theory of Viable Systems	257	(8)
John Brocklesby
John Mingers
Reconciling Complexity Science in Organizations and Christian Spirituality	265	(10)
Eric B. Dent
Taking Account of Human Rights	275	(8)
Trevor Pearce
Joyce Fortune
The Impact of Computer Hardware Theft on ICT Introduction to South African Rural Communities: An Interpretive Assessment through Focus Groups and Morphological Analysis within a Process-Based Research Framework	283	(10)
Jackie Phahlamohlaka
Hugo Lotriet
Participation in Thames Chase Community Forest: A Muitimedia Elicitation Tool	293	(8)
M.W.J. Spaul
S.H. Evans
S.A. Unsworth
Section 7: Business	301	(28)
A Systems Approach to Marketing	303	(8)
Declan P. Bannon
Systemic Requirements for the Development of Competitive Capability: Lessons from a New Zealand Study of Competitive Advantage	311	(10)
John Davies
Rethinking Business Strategy with Complexity Theory	321	(8)
Wai Ming Mak
Section 8: Information Systems	329	(60)
Information System Risks and Countermeasures in Supply Chain Integration and Management for an Enterprise	331	(8)
Joseph Akomode
An Evaluation Framework for Information Strategies at Higher Education Institutions	339	(10)
Yongmei Nie Bentley
Steve Clarke
Systems Thinking in the Theory and Practice of Strategic Information Systems Planning	349	(8)
Irwin Brown
Practical Approaches to an Information Systems Architecture Implementation at GlaxoWellcome	357	(8)
Andreas Rassau
Martin Sykes
Misha Hebel
The Role of Surplus Vision in Knowledge Systems	365	(10)
Robert Stephens
Cross-Cultural Issues Affecting Electronic Transfer of Personal Health Information	375	(6)
Richard Whiddett
Jocelyn Handy
Comment on `How' to Conduct an Action Research Study in the Domain of Information Systems Development	381	(8)
Casey McQuinn Wilson
Section 9: Modelling	389	(50)
Complex Clusters in Local Environments: Multi-Layered Multi-Media Learning	391	(8)
P. Baker
K. Fielden
Handling Complexity in Networked Multimedia Systems: The Contribution of Semiotics	399	(8)
John H. Connolly
Iain W. Phillips
Some Considerations for a Semantic Analysis of Conceptual Data Schemata	407	(8)
Wei Hu
Junkang Feng
Product and Systems Design through Linguistic Modelling	415	(8)
Janus Korn
Modelling Roles in Business Systems using Role Objects	423	(8)
Ying Liang
Towards a Definition of the ``Information Bearing Capability'' of a Conceptual Data Schema	431	(8)
Hongwei Xu
Junkang Feng
Section 10: Student Papers	439	(34)
Enacting Platforms towards Critical Systems Practice: Reflections from an Organisation-Based Action Research	441	(8)
Alvaro Carrizosa
A Base for Simulating Information Distribution	449	(8)
G. Egonsdotter
J. Palmins
Systems Thinking and the Knowledge Age: Revisiting Kuhn	457	(8)
Hilary C. M. Kane
Chaos and Complexity Theory in Management: An Exploration from a Critical Systems Thinking Perspective	465	(8)
Maria Carolina
Ortegon-Monroy
Author Index	473	(2)
Index	475