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article

The Appreciative Inquiry Method: From knowledge elicitation to organisational inquiry

Frank Stowell

Systems Research and Behavioral Science > 39 > 4 > 765 - 775

The purpose of this paper is to provide an account of the development of the Appreciative Inquiry Method (AIM) from its origins as a method for knowledge elicitation to its use as a method of organisational inquiry. In the paper, I describe the contributions that research and practice have made as it evolved into a soft method of inquiry. Although it is clear that Vickers notions of appreciative systems...

article

Human Agency in Disaster Planning: A Systems Approach

John Hamer Powell, Michael Hammond, Albert Chen, Navonil Mustafee

Risk Analysis > 38 > 7 > 1422 - 1443

Current approaches to risk management place insufficient emphasis on the system knowledge available to the assessor, particularly in respect of the dynamic behavior of the system under threat, the role of human agents (HAs), and the knowledge available to those agents. In this article, we address the second of these issues. We are concerned with a class of systems containing HAs playing a variety...

article

Potentials of collaborative decision support methodologies to enhance reconciliation of competing forest uses—An action research on Regional Forest Programme in Finland

Jukka Tikkanen, Teppo Hujala, Mikko Kurttila

Land Use Policy > 2016 > 55 > C > 61-72

Compiling forest policy at national and sub-national levels is a participatory activity that aims to achieve balance between multiple forest-use alternatives. In Finland the effectiveness and acceptability of regional forest programmes has been doubted. The quest for collaboration among stakeholders towards consensus and commitment may be improved via the use of various group learning and multi-criteria...

chapter

Virtual teams and conflicts: The role of Action Research

Frank Stowell, Shavindrie Cooray

2016 9th International Conference on Human System Interactions (HSI) > 164 - 171

2016 9th International Conference on Human System Interactions (HSI)

Recent research shows that although virtual teams have risen in popularity especially in the area of IS development they are typically more conflictual than face-to-face teams. This is because team members are more unlikely to change their initial personal points of view through discussion when interacting with others virtually. If virtual teams are to succeed the issue of increased conflicts should...

chapter

A ‘Soft’ Approach to TLM Requirements Capture to Support Through-Life Management

Huseyin Dogan, Michael Henshaw, Esmond Urwin

Lecture Notes in Computer Science > Knowledge Science, Engineering and Management > 458-469

Loughborough University and BAE Systems are sponsoring a research programme to develop an enterprise Knowledge Management system for Through Life Management (TLM) in support of Through Life Capability Management (TLCM). This paper summarises the finding of a requirements analysis case study which captured, analysed and synthesised the key stakeholder requirements for this Knowledge Management research...

chapter

Analysis of political and trade decisions in international gas markets: A model-based systems engineering framework

Tom McDermott, Molly Nadolski, Adam Stulberg, Rahul C. Basole

2016 Annual IEEE Systems Conference (SysCon) > 1 - 8

2016 Annual IEEE Systems Conference (SysCon)

By taking a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach, a framework can be developed for long-term exploration of a complex adaptive system in multiple contexts. The framework uses MBSE tools to define the complex system architecture and modern internet state transfer and structured data format standards to integrate natural language descriptions, datasets, and models. These can constitute a...

chapter

Soft systems methodology as a tool to aid a pilot study in robot-assisted therapy

Lundy Lewis, Nancy Charron, Christina Clamp, Michael Craig

2016 11th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) > 467 - 468

2016 11th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI)

Guided by soft systems methodology, in an 8-month study of a 9-year old ASD subject a therapist is using a teleoperated NAO to evolve games aimed at improving prosocial and joint attention behaviors. Findings thus far include evidence of improvements in behavior and efficacy of the methodology.

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OpenSEAT: A computer framework to jointly model qualitative evaluation and quantitative design aspects of complex sociotechnical systems

Tom McDermott, Dennis Folds, Tommer Ender, Nicholas Bollweg

2015 IEEE International Symposium on Systems Engineering (ISSE) > 430 - 437

2015 IEEE International Symposium on Systems Engineering (ISSE)

Complex sociotechnical systems and associated “wicked problems” do not have closed loop solutions. For example redevelopment projects that are undertaken to improve sustainability and resilience of urban built infrastructure do not often take into account the livelihoods of the resident population as formal design parameters unless the “mental models” of key stakeholders can relate the physical and...

chapter

Abstract social and political systems simulation The concept of the space of ideas and object-oriented simulation

Stanislaw Raczynski

2014 4th International Conference On Simulation And Modeling Methodologies, Technologies And Applications (SIMULTECH) > 537 - 544

2014 International Conference on Simulation and Modeling Methodologies, Technologies and Applications (SIMULTECH)

We present an abstract, discrete event model of interactions between organizational structures, using the agent-base modeling. The parameters of agents, like ability, corruption level, resources and lust for power are taken into account, among others. The aim of the simulation is to visualize the evolution of the organizations and the stability of the whole system. It is pointed out that the "steady...

chapter

Use of systemigrams to identify emergence in complex adaptive systems

Tom McDermott, Molly Nadolski, Lindsey Sheppard

2015 Annual IEEE Systems Conference (SysCon) Proceedings > 778 - 784

2015 9th Annual IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon)

This paper presents the application of a sociotechnical modeling framework to capture the wider global system impacts of the U.S. shale gas boom in a context of the larger global energy marketplace. The global energy markets represent a complex adaptive system. Existing models are not sufficient to reflect the complexity of changes presently occurring in the system, and fail to trace interactions...

article

On the Desirability of Integrating Research Methods into Overall Systems Approaches in the Training of Engineers: Analysis Using SSM

Michael Yearworth, Gordon Edwards

Systems Research and Behavioral Science > 31 > 1 > 47 - 66

The development of systems practitioners in engineering has revealed the need to bridge between the research methods teaching of engineering management and soft systems approaches. Although action research might be viewed implicitly as the research strategy of systems practice, we argue that engineering management research methods, in the broadest sense, require practical linking with soft systems...

article

A Meta-planing Systemic Model for Mexican Public Universities

R. Llarena del Rosario, F. Lara-Rosano

Journal of Applied Research and Technology > 2013 > 11 > 6 > 851-856

Planning has been performed in Mexican public universities, since the 1940s, as a function promoted by government policies. However, the results were not as expected. We found through an exploratory study that this lack of planning efficiency derived from the obsolete planning conceptions and methods adopted.In this paper a meta-planning model is proposed, based on the application of complexity sciences...

chapter

Impact of Customer-Supplier Relationship Change on Engineering Organizations (A Systems Approach)

Liche Constantin Adrian, Liviu Morar

2013 IEEE 15th Conference on Business Informatics > 153 - 158

2013 IEEE 15th Conference on Business Informatics (CBI)

This research paper studies the customer - supplier relationship change from an "in-house" to an "open market" relationship in the context of the customer's merger with another organization. All the researched engineering organizations operate on the Telecommunications market. This complex environment is analyzed using the Soft System Methodology and results in a system model containing...

article

Combining Hard and Soft System Thinking: The Development of a Value Improvement Model for a Complex Linear Friction Welding Repetitive Process (lfw-VIM)

Darren T. Williams, Richard Beasley, Paul M. Gibbons

Procedia Computer Science > 2013 > 16 > Complete > 1007-1016

Linear Friction Welding (LFW) is a relatively new process adopted by aircraft engine manufacturers operationalizing new technologies to produce better value components. With increasing fuel prices and economical drives to reduce CO2 emissions, LFW has been a key technology in recent years for aircraft engine manufacture in both commercial and military market sectors. For joining Blades to Discs (‘Blisks’),...

article

An integrated biophysical and socio-economic framework for analysis of climate change adaptation strategies: The case of a New Zealand dairy farming system

Electra Kalaugher, Janet F. Bornman, Anthony Clark, Pierre Beukes

Environmental Modelling and Software > 2013 > 39 > Complete > 176-187

The development of effective climate change adaptation strategies for complex, adaptive socio-ecological systems such as farming systems, requires an in-depth understanding of both the dynamic nature of the systems themselves and the changing environment in which they operate.To date, adaptation studies in the New Zealand dairy sector have been either bottom-up, qualitative social research with farmers...

article

Interpreting “systems architecting”

M. R. Emes, P. A. Bryant, M. K. Wilkinson, P. King, more

Systems Engineering > 15 > 4 > 369 - 395

The UK Chapter of the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE UK) commissioned research to illustrate the variety of usage of the terms architecture and architecting in the systems engineering community. These terms, though widely used, are rarely strictly defined, and the meaning attributed to the terms is not consistent even in formal publications. Using soft systems methodology, this...

article

Lessons from the Trenches: Twenty Years of Using Systems Thinking in Natural Resource Conflict Situations

Steven E. Daniels, Gregg B. Walker

Systems Research and Behavioral Science > 29 > 2 > 104 - 115

Natural resource management is rich with systems complexity, which is amplified when interest group politics and tactics create an overlay of strategic behaviors. For the past two decades, systems thinking techniques have comprised a key part of the Collaborative Learning facilitation methodology in natural resources management and environmental policy decision making. This essay focuses specifically...

article

A Soft and Hard Systems Approach to Business Process Management

Rajenlall Siriram

Systems Research and Behavioral Science > 29 > 1 > 87 - 100

Globalization is placing pressure on firms to gain competitive advantages. As firms become agile, it is important that they become agile quicker than other firms. More sooner have firms improved processes and gained efficiencies and so have other firms. Firms are in a race to be better or are at risk of becoming less competitive. Firms have embarked on business process management (BPM) initiatives...

chapter

Reverse logistics: Implementation in the industrial sector of Ecuador

Arun Kumar, Christian Veloz, Roesfiansjah Rasjidin

2011 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management > 898 - 902

2011 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM)

This paper discusses the reverse logistics operations and a sustainable industry in Ecuador. The research uses the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and builds a model by considering the key elements to undertake the implementation of reverse logistics in Ecuador. The model creates a taskforce which works with the companies to help them adapt reverse logistics to their current logistics processes. It...

article

Soft OR comes of age—but not everywhere!

John Mingers

Omega > 2011 > 39 > 6 > 729-741

Over the last forty years, new methods and methodologies have been developed to deal with wicked problems or “messes”. They are structured and rigorous but non-mathematical. Prime examples are: soft systems methodology (SSM), cognitive mapping/SODA and the strategic choice approach (SCA). Collectively they are known as Soft OR, Soft Systems, or Problem Structuring Methods (PSMs). Soft OR has now come...

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Search results

The Appreciative Inquiry Method: From knowledge elicitation to organisational inquiry

Human Agency in Disaster Planning: A Systems Approach

Potentials of collaborative decision support methodologies to enhance reconciliation of competing forest uses—An action research on Regional Forest Programme in Finland

Virtual teams and conflicts: The role of Action Research

A ‘Soft’ Approach to TLM Requirements Capture to Support Through-Life Management

Analysis of political and trade decisions in international gas markets: A model-based systems engineering framework

Soft systems methodology as a tool to aid a pilot study in robot-assisted therapy

OpenSEAT: A computer framework to jointly model qualitative evaluation and quantitative design aspects of complex sociotechnical systems

Abstract social and political systems simulation The concept of the space of ideas and object-oriented simulation

Use of systemigrams to identify emergence in complex adaptive systems

On the Desirability of Integrating Research Methods into Overall Systems Approaches in the Training of Engineers: Analysis Using SSM

A Meta-planing Systemic Model for Mexican Public Universities

Impact of Customer-Supplier Relationship Change on Engineering Organizations (A Systems Approach)

Combining Hard and Soft System Thinking: The Development of a Value Improvement Model for a Complex Linear Friction Welding Repetitive Process (lfw-VIM)

An integrated biophysical and socio-economic framework for analysis of climate change adaptation strategies: The case of a New Zealand dairy farming system

Interpreting “systems architecting”

Lessons from the Trenches: Twenty Years of Using Systems Thinking in Natural Resource Conflict Situations

A Soft and Hard Systems Approach to Business Process Management

Reverse logistics: Implementation in the industrial sector of Ecuador

Soft OR comes of age—but not everywhere!

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