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Tables of Contents for Systems Approaches to Management
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Introduction
1
10
Why Systems Thinking?
1
1
The Systems Tradition
2
2
The Aim of the Book
4
1
Why Read This Book?
4
7
PART I: OVERVIEWS
Orientation and Structure
11
10
Introduction
11
1
Methodology, Methods, and Meta-Methodology
11
1
Methodology, Theory, and Practice
12
1
Types of Research
12
2
Action Research
14
1
Social Science and Systems Thinking
15
1
The Structure of Part I
16
1
System, Systems Thinking and the Structure of Parts II and III
17
3
Conclusion and the Structure of the Argument
20
1
Relevant Social Theory
21
22
Introduction
21
1
Sociological Paradigms
22
4
Metaphors of Organization
26
4
Critical Theory and Habermas
30
4
Modernism Versus Postmodernism
34
7
Conclusion
41
2
Origins in the Disciplines
43
48
Introduction
43
1
Philosophy
44
2
Biology
46
4
General System Theory
50
4
Sociology
54
8
Management and Organization Theory
62
5
Control Engineering and Cybernetics
67
8
The Black Box Technique
69
1
Negative Feedback
70
2
Variety Engineering
72
3
The Physical Sciences and Toward Synthesis
75
6
Chaos and Complexity Theory
81
7
Conclusion
88
3
Applied Systems Thinking
91
16
Introduction
91
1
The Systems Movement
91
3
The Development of Applied Systems Thinking
94
5
Systems Thinking as a Transdiscipline
99
2
The Status of Applied Systems Thinking
101
6
PART II: SYSTEMS APPROACHES
The Functionalist Systems Approach
107
104
Introduction
107
1
Organizations as Systems
108
19
Barnard's Systems Thinking
108
1
Contingency Theory
109
8
Socio-technical Systems Theory
117
8
Strengths and Weaknesses of `Organizations-as-Systems'
125
2
Hard Systems Thinking
127
11
Operational Research
128
2
Systems Analysis
130
4
Systems Engineering
134
1
Strengths and Weaknesses of Hard Systems Thinking
135
3
System Dynamics
138
17
System Dynamics Models
139
3
System Dynamics Methodology
142
3
Case Study - An Accident and Emergency Department
145
2
Senge's Fifth Discipline
147
6
Strengths and Weaknesses of System Dynamics
153
2
Organizational Cybernetics
155
22
Beer's Viable System Model
157
6
Using the Viable System Model for Diagnosis and Design
163
3
Case Study - Humberside Window Systems Ltd
166
3
Organizational Cybernetics - Another `Fifth Discipline'?
169
3
Strengths and Weaknesses of Organizational Cybernetics
172
5
Living Systems Theory
177
7
The General Theory
178
2
The Living Organization
180
1
Methodology and Living Systems Theory
181
1
Case Studies of the Application of Living Systems Theory to Organizations
182
1
Strengths and Weaknesses of Living Systems Theory
183
1
Autopoieses
184
5
Methodology and Application
185
2
Strengths and Weaknesses of Autopoiesis
187
2
Complexity Theory
189
13
Complexity Theory and Management
190
6
Methodology and Case Study - Humberside Training and Enterprise Council
196
3
Strengths and Weaknesses of Complexity Theory
199
3
A Generic Functionalist Systems Methodology
202
2
Critique of the Functionalist Systems Approach
204
7
The Interpretive Systems Approach
211
80
Introduction
211
1
Warfield's Interactive Management
212
10
The Science of Generic Design
213
1
The Interactive Management Methodology and Consensus Methods
214
5
Case Study - Community Council of Humberside
219
2
Strengths and Weaknesses of Interactive Management
221
1
Churchman's Social Systems Design
222
4
Philosophy and Methodology of Social Systems Design
222
2
Strengths and Weaknesses of Social Systems Design
224
2
Mason and Mitroff's Strategic Assumption Surfacing and Testing (SAST)
226
6
Philosophy and Principles of SAST
226
1
SAST Methodology
227
2
Case Study - Thornton Printing Company
229
2
Strengths and Weaknesses of SAST
231
1
Ackoff's Social Systems Sciences (S3)
232
14
The Changing Nature of the World and the Need for Interactive Planning
233
2
Principles and Methodology of Interactive Planning
235
3
Models Used in Interactive Planning
238
3
Case Study - A Black Ghetto's Research on a University
241
2
Strengths and Weaknesses of Interactive Planning
243
3
Checkland's Soft Systems Methodology (SSM)
246
24
Soft Systems Philosophy and Theory
247
4
Soft Systems Methodology
251
9
Case Study - Humberside Training and Enterprise Council
260
7
Strengths and Weaknesses of Soft Systems Methodology
267
3
Senge's Soft Systems Thinking
270
2
Four Other Disciplines of the Learning Organization
270
2
Strengths and Weaknesses of Senge's Soft Systems Thinking
272
1
Soft Operational Research, Soft System Dynamics, Soft Cybernetics
272
9
Soft Operational Research (OR)
273
3
Soft System Dynamics
276
1
Soft Cybernetics
277
2
Strengths and Weaknesses of Soft OR, Soft System Dynamics, Soft Cybernetics
279
2
A Generic Interpretive Systems Methodology
281
1
Critique of the Interpretive Systems Approach
282
9
The Emancipatory Systems Approach
291
42
Introduction
291
1
Emancipation as Liberation
292
17
Critical Operational Research/Management Science (OR/MS)
295
1
Habermas and the Critical Systems Approach
296
2
Interpretive Systemology
298
1
Freire's Critical Pedagogy
299
2
MacIntyre and the Moral Community
301
1
Capra's Ecological Sustainability
302
2
Emancipation as Liberation: the Case of Community OR
304
4
Strengths and Weaknesses of Emancipation as Liberation
308
1
Emancipation Through Discursive Rationality
309
16
Beer's Team Syntegrity
311
4
Ulrich's Critical Systems Heuristics
315
5
The Theory and Practice of Boundary Critique
320
4
Strengths and Weaknesses of Emancipation Through Discursive Rationality
324
1
Emancipation Through the Oblique Use of Systems Methods
325
3
A Generic Emancipatory Systems Methodology
328
2
Critique of the Emancipatory Systems Approach
330
3
The Postmodern Systems Approach
333
22
Introduction
333
2
Intervention in the Spirit of Postmodernism - Taket and White's ``Panda''
335
5
Postmodern Systems Methods
340
7
A Generic Framework for the Application of the Postmodern Systems Approach
347
1
Critique of the Postmodern Systems Approach
347
8
PART III: CRITICAL SYSTEMS THINKING
The Origins of Critical Systems Thinking
355
20
Introduction
355
1
Critical Awareness
356
1
The System of Systems Methodologies
357
5
The Engagement with Emancipation
362
2
The Argument for Pluralism
364
4
Total Systems Intervention
368
5
Philosophy and Principles of Total Systems Intervention
368
1
Creativity
369
1
Choice
369
1
Implementation
370
1
Strengths and Weaknesses of Total Systems Intervention
371
2
Conclusion
373
2
Contemporary Critical Systems Thinking and Practice
375
20
Introduction
375
1
Three Commitments of Critical Systems Thinking
375
2
Towards Coherent Pluralism in Systems Thinking
377
10
The Nature of Pluralism in Critical Systems Thinking
378
2
The History of Pluralism in Critical Systems Thinking
380
2
What do Critical Systems Thinkers want from Pluralism?
382
5
Critical Systems Practice - TSI Revisited
387
5
Constitutive Rules for Critical Systems Practice
392
1
Conclusion and What More Needs to be Done?
392
3
Critical Systems Practice: Three Illustrative Case Studies
395
28
Introduction
395
1
West Newton Council for Voluntary Service
395
11
The Organization
395
3
The Problem Situation and What Was Done
398
6
Theoretical Reflections
404
2
North Yorkshire Police
406
10
The Organization
406
1
The Problem Situation and What Was Done
407
5
Theoretical Reflections
412
4
Kingston Gas Turbines
416
7
The Organization
416
1
The Problem Situation and What Was Done
416
3
Theoretical Reflections
419
4
Conclusion
423
4
References
427
14
Index of Authors
441
4
Index
445
Riddles from the Past
7
12
Cryptic Creatures of Every Kind
19
8
From the Shadows of the Dark Continent
27
6
Strange Talents, Secret Knowledge
33
8
Eastern Esoterica
41
5
Index/Acknowledgements
46
1
Making Contact
7
7
The Entities
14
8
From Contact to Abduction
22
15
Observers and Operators
37
6
The Ultimate Question
43
3
Index/Acknowledgements
46
1
Continents, Coincidences and Curiosities
7
10
Lost Worlds, Lasting Secrets
17
6
Monstrous Mysteries
23
6
Tropical Magic
29
10
The Ancient Ways
39
7
Index/Acknowledgements
46
1
Picturing the Martians
7
6
Physical Evidence
13
6
The Star People
19
19
The Martian Stereotype
38
8
Index/Acknowledgements
46
1
Twixt Heaven and Earth, Present and Past
7
12
A Gathering of Ghosts
19
8
Rat Kings, Tatzelworms and Other Baffling Beasts
27
8
Historical Mysteries
35
11
Index/Acknowledgements
46