Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Meeting of the ISSS - 2008, Madison, Wisconsin

E-teaching - Eroding the Stronghold of Teachers

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Internet and the World Wide Web have probably caused the most dramatic paradigm changes in learning and teaching, even more than the printed book. The basic objective of teaching is to transform tacit (’internal’) knowledge of an creator into tacit knowledge of another person, in academia usually by a third person - a Teacher. Therefore communication is of key importance in teaching, both synchronous communication between the Teacher and the Student, and - nowadays equally important - accessing and using stored information (libraries and repositories). Especially in the case of stored information their availability, access, and retrieval are heavily dependent on the available communication technology. In this paper we consider the evolution of communication technology (section 1) from speech, to handwritten and typeset books, to photocopying and fax, to e-mail, to books produced from camera-ready anuscripts, to the World Wide Web with powerful search engines, to ubiquitous computing, and finally to social computing. We discuss how the essential processes of Dissemination, and Teaching (section 2) and the existing Teaching Types (section 3). In section 4 we discuss basic factors of the teaching process together with their dependence on technological progress. this evolution impacts the knowledge acquisition and dissemination by the Teacher especially in relation to the means of the Student for independent access and acquisition of knowledge. Concentrating on academic institutions we identify three groups of factors of the educational process: Time factors, verification/ validation factors and impact factors. The new technologies tend to weaken the position of the teachers versus the students with respect to these factors.. We continue by discussing some emerging effects of the introduction of the new technologies (section 5). foremost questions of verification, validation, lead-time of the teacher and surpsing the teacher. We close with a discussion of consequences for the academic institutions.

Using systems thinking and social network theory to improve children’s mathematical problem solving skills

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

The education of young people with mastery of appropriate mathematical skills is crucial to the future prosperity of every country. The gap between rich and poor countries will get wider if young people in underdeveloped countries continue to get a poor mathematical education. This paper presents the initial stages of a systemic effort to improve the mathematical education of young people in a developing nation. Kids, teachers, parents and researchers from quite different socio-economic backgrounds form part of a collaborative learning effort that integrates them using information technology in order to work together to improve their mathematical problem solving skills. Systems methodologies, social network theory, mathematical tests, and qualitative analysis are used to explore how to improve the students’ beliefs and attitudes towards mathematical problem solving, their collaborative work, and their mathematical skills. In this project we are making a difference in the lives of young people by taking advantage of their different socio-economic backgrounds, the different contexts in which they live, and their different languages.

UNDERSTANDING UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT USING SYSTEM DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS, A REVIEW BASED ON RESEARCH EXPERIENCES

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

University management implies a great variety of decisions that need to be made in order to maintain financially affordable programs that successfully meet the educational demand and thus achieving a generally understood goal which is that the University works as a self-sustainable system. The Systems Thinking research group (GPS) has developed a variety of projects which main purpose was to use System Dynamics modeling to support University management at Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga. A detailed revision of these projects is presented to distinguish common objectives, methods and strategies, organizational learning experiences and along with them, a variety of uses of System dynamics tools that are to be discussed leading towards an extensive reflection about organizational complexities beyond management strategies.

The Hard Facts of Soft Social Systems: A General Systems Explanatory Model for Schools and Workplaces

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In this paper, a new model for social systems is introduced, one that aims to inform all decision makers in schools and workplaces. The need for such a model is great, given the failure of modern well-intentioned reform efforts and wide variety of decision-makers. The new model is gleaned out of Boulding’s nine-level typology of system complexity, and named TPO for the three key domains that are clarified: technical, personal and organizational, for specialists; and things, people, and outcomes, for non-specialist decision-makers. These three key parts of a social system have very different properties. First, things (technical) are of three kinds--level 1: frameworks (e.g., buildings, books and equipment); level 2: clockworks (e.g., school routines, schedules and calendars); and level 3: thermostat-like systems (e.g., school goals which people--students and educators--self-regulate to attain.) Things are predictable and designable. Second, people (personal) in a social system are not designable. While things like thermostats self-regulate to externally prescribed criteria, living systems self-regulate to internally prescribed criteria (level 4: open; e.g., a living cell). Living systems (levels 4-7) act to meet their own basic needs first, then, in people, higher needs—generally predictable by Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs: survival, safety, belonging, achievement, self-actualization and transcendence. People’s behavior decreases in predictability due to inherent individual differences (level 5: blueprint; e.g., plant); differing immediate perceptions from among competing stimuli (level 6: image-aware; e.g., animal), and their own long term reflections, prior knowledge, choices, and abilities (level 7: symbol processing; e.g., human). The third part of a social system is labeled outcomes (organizational). Outcomes depend on people’s behavior. If people easily meet their basic needs, they will act to meet the organization’s needs. This principle is not a question of ethics, but a question of physics. It is natural, biological, and scientific law that people will behave to meet their individual and personal needs (level 7: human) before their social system or organization’s needs (levels 8 and 9). Level 8 systems (social) are optional. Level 7 functioning is mandatory. A person can transfer schools (level 8), but cannot transfer bodies (level 7). The TPO model of a social system clarifies that effective designers put all their attention to things, the designable components of a social system: frameworks; clockworks; and thermostat-like systems (e.g., school and classroom goals and ratios and flows of resources). Effective designers fashion these designable components as attractors, to allow system members to meet individual/ personal goals as first priority, and organization goals as second priority. Goals of the TPO approach are termed here systemic renewal, or systemic change efforts designed to increase opportunities for each social system member to meet his/her own self-perceived goals at his/her own pace. The ISSS Morning RoundTable corresponds to the goals of systemic renewal and the TPO model.

A Business Model Architecture: Observation Problems And Solutions In Modelling Businesses And Their Networks

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Complexity, global climate change and soil carbon cycling: Factors controlling the temperature response of microbial decomposition

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

A proliferation of data being gathered to predict a critically important, urgent and social-policy related question leads only to confusion, debate and paralysis. This classic feature of complex systems is currently being evidenced in answering the question of a positive feedback response of soil respiration with increased temperatures due to global climate change. As with many current environmental challenges, a web of confounding factors acting at different scales complicate the integration of the results into a clear narrative. This is a strikingly complex system, and debate rages regarding even seemingly basic questions. However, agreeing that this is a problem has not led to a solution. In particular, a comprehensive explanation of what factors are problematic is lacking. This research applies soft systems modeling (SSM) to the question: Why can’t we satisfactorily answer the question? My first conclusion from a review of the literature is that varied perspectives on the system’s dynamics and its web of controlling factors have led to seemingly conflicting results. At different levels of analysis, different constraints apply. Models must compress information and select driving factors of interest, but they must also account for the integrated effects of factors that are not explicitly included. The microbial community functions as a holon, and has been compressed to its outputs in most temperature response research. New technologies, however, are effectively providing insight into micro-scale dynamics. Experimental design, model development, and their integration can benefit from a holistic, systems approach to the diverse perspectives and associated factors of interest. The intent is not to theoretically assert that there are different points of view but rather to explicitly identify them and their associated system boundaries. This culminates at the end of step two in a first conceptual model of the potential universe of factors under discussion across perspectives. This model is organized in a hierarchy of levels and categories. Step three involves looking in general at the factors, and illustrates definitions based in distinct system abstractions. I present a simplified hierarchy (a “holarchy”) implemented as a relational database, including relationships between factors such as subset elements (nesting and feedbacks. I conclude that although this model is limited to pairwise interactions, it provides a useful tool to assess potential interactions and factors of interest

Integrated System Dynamics: Analysis of Policy Options for Tobacco Control in New Zealand

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

This paper provides an overview of the system dynamics model that has been developed to assist the Ministry of Health to evaluate the dynamic consequences of tobacco control policies in New Zealand. The model consists of 4 sectors: population; smoking prevalences; second hand smoke; and tobacco attributable deaths. The model is simulated for 20-30 years into the future. The simulation package used is 'iThink', and a user interface is presented for policy analysis. A range of illustrative scenarios are provided, including: business as usual; fiscal strategies involving less affordable cigarettes; harm minimisation strategies involving either less addictive cigarettes or less toxic cigarettes; and combinations of the above policies. The main output variables (performance measures) include current smoking prevalence, tobacco consumption, and tobacco attributable mortality. Finally areas for future model enhancement are identified.

greenhouse: An Integrated Knowledge System for Teachers

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

This paper outlines the development in Western Australia of an environment for sharing knowledge about teaching students experiencing difficulties with learning. Systems design was employed to build an online environment integrating tiers of knowledge of increasing complexity, and to provide learning opportunities for teachers in peer learning environments that support the rapid spread of good practice built on evidence-based knowledge. Since 2004 the project has utilised a Federal grant to address the professional development needs of both public and parochial teachers in a state of Australia the geographic size of most countries. This environment for professional learning and innovation is called greenhouse and has created a climate for communities of practice and currently has over one thousand five hundred members.

Integrating Education and Mental Health Systems

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

This paper outlines the development in Western Australia of integrated education and mental health services. A Process Model of Social Systems Design was employed to design new services to respond to the rising numbers of students with mental health problems. The significant changes that have taken place in Western Australia since 2004 to redesign systems, to bring together fragmented services and overcome interagency debates, are examined.

A methodology for the Integration of Ancient and Modern System Theories: The Portal for the 2000years old Taichi Yin-Yang System Theory

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

System and control theories actually started thousands of years ago in many traditional cultures. In the Chinese culture, these theories appeared in many wellknown classics including the I Ching book of changes, Tao De Ching of Lao-Tsu's Toaism, the Ten Wings of Confucius's annotation on I Ching, Taichi classic of Taichi exercise, the Noble Eightfold Path meditation technique of Buddha, the Yellow Emperor's Medicine Classic of Traditional Chinese Medicine and more. These classics guided the development of culture until the end of the Qing dynasty where many wars were fought and people were confused with the sudden influence of western culture. Even the practitioners of Toaism, Confucius, Taichi exercise, meditation, and Traditional Chinese Medicine question the truthfulness of these ancient theories. And they tried to adopt modern scientific theories to replace the ancient ones. In the last few decades, some of the believers of the classics tried to illustrate these theories in terms of modern system and control theories. However, it is believed that the key essence of the link between the ancient and the modern theories are not clearly defined and illustrated. Without such a link, it is impossible for modern scientist to get the benefit of these ancient practical theories. A gateway or platform for the integration between these ancient theories and the integration with modern theories is urgently required. The integration of all theories in all areas, the search for "The Theory of Everything" is the hope of many leading scientists in different areas of research. It is believed that the essence of these ancient theories would be able to provide insights and new inspirations for the search of Unity of the universe. Our research has been concentrated on the search of this missing link. In these papers, we present the result of our research in developing an integrated presentation of these ancient theories in terms of modern system and control theories. The Good & Evil Yin-Yang chart has been developed for representing the state of the Taichi Yin Yang system. The generalization of these theories has been researched and a methodology has been developed for the integration of these ancient theories with modern scientific theories. This methodology enables the practical application of these ancient system and control theories in modern areas of interest, including areas in physical, social and biological sciences. We hope that modern professional engineers and scientists can be the witness of the scientific and logical foundation of these ancient system and control theories. They are hard science instead of just "interesting" abstract philosophies.

Holistic Method for Developing Risk Maps in Rural Zones

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Negotiating Social Complexity

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Backstage of the Global Climate Change: a system that everybody seems to think that it relates to someone else

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

The city of Ushuaia, located at the southern end of the world, is already one of the many regions affected by the severe consequences caused by the Global Climate Change (GCC). The physical evidence of GCC is shown by the gradual disappearance of the mountain glaciers that surround the city of Ushuaia, and also by others factors such as the increase of mean annual temperature in the area and a substantial decrease in winter rainfall, among others. These factors appear not to bring alert to society about the significant consequences that have derived from this situation in the short and long terms. Our research group is trying to analyze the socio-economic consequences generated by the disappearance of glaciers around the city of Ushuaia, because they are the main source of drinking water, by using a systems approach. Thus, we conceptualize the problem by identifying its elements, the description of the relationships between themselves and the distinction of the most relevant subsystems. We were able to establish the conceptual boundaries that distinguish our system from its environment, and the multiple relationships that operate between them. In the other hand, we have found through these studies a series of emergent properties, which are the result of the analytical perspective we have undertaken; those emergent properties are as important as those ones that were revealed at the beginning of the investigation, including the contamination problem of the glacier water tributaries and their diminishing flow. We will present in three stages the results that have been found so far: the first stage shows the background related to the effects of the GCC over the Patagonian glaciers, Argentina, and especially those ones that surround the city of Ushuaia, highlighting the projection about their volume; then, we will show the system behavior under analysis and its relationships with the environment, indicate the existing subsystems and describe the idea of horizon of potabilization, which will allow us to lay the foundations for further developement of a mathematic model, aiming to predict the moment when the population of Ushuaia will run out of water, at least during the summer months, by considering the current state of variables and relationships. At the end of these presentations, we will arrive at the conclusions achieved at this phase of the investigation.

A Difficult Balance: Decisions in Health Care

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

As humans, we have a number of basic needs: air, water, food, shelter. While these needs have not changed, our ways of meeting them have evolved with our societal arrangements. These changes in the ways our needs are met require infrastructure. Secondary to the emerging infrastructure that has come with increasing urbanization have been additional capabilities. Many people have come to see the provision of these capabilities as needs or rights. Among them is healthcare. While this author is in complete agreement with the ideal of making access to healthcare universal, the concept of what that means bears closer examination. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Such a broad definition may encompass any number of what will be referred to here as emerging needs, including the healthcare referenced above, as well as education, security and certain personal, political or religious freedoms, among many others. This state of physical, mental, and social well-being is also not likely to be defined in the same way for each individual, group, or culture. The balance in this system becomes difficult because there are multiple perspectives on what would constitute an ideal healthcare system, and perspectives may naturally change with circumstances. The needs range across a very broad spectrum. We are entering a time of incredible divergence in our medical capabilities. On one hand we are moving toward an era of personalized medicine, in which we hope to provide medications for a specific genetic make-up. On the other hand, we are battling new or more resilient outbreaks of old foes such as cholera, dengue fever, and malaria. For participants in the healthcare system, including healthcare providers, public health practitioners, non-governmental organizations, and pharmaceutical companies, these questions and needs must be addressed on a global scale. As suggested by the WHO, we are a single planet whose populations have become interconnected enough to require the participation of all players in preventing disease and promoting health. The movement toward public-private partnerships, with implementation through grassroots organizations is likely to bring us the farthest in hearing the voices of the many, and understanding how to define, prioritize, and meet those needs. It is also important to consider the broader context within which that healthcare system works on a global scale. This paper will suggest ways in which systems thinking can “make a difference,” to echo the conference theme, by helping the various efforts in public health and individual health see the impact of multiple efforts together, so that they can be more complementary, or at the very least not work at cross-purposes.

Measuring the Inequity of a health system: A Systems’ Perspective - Systematic Analytical Mapping Approach

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

SYSTEMS OF THINGS THAT FLOW

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Diagrammatical descriptions are used extensively in understanding systems. Typically, systems are expressed in terms of heterogeneous symbols that represent basic characteristics of the system, including elements, connections, flows, communication, etc. This paper introduces a new model to describe flow-based systems. It models “things that flow,” such as information, materials, actions, and money. They are distinguished by flowing in five states: received, processed, created, released, and communicated. The new model is applied to typical systems to contrast them with classical descriptions. Keywords: flow model, system modeling, conceptual modeling

The "Cosmo-Planetary and Terrestrial Meta-Dynamics Systemicity"

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Ever since 1996, J.-J. Blanc, as the author, made an extensive research on "Systems science", which induced to his developing a new systemic paradigm in terms of a transdisciplinary approach to "Living systems" that he named “The Bioethism” (see note 1). It is meant to support the acquisition of a large understanding of living systems' origin, of the meaning of their natural structure and their adaptive behaviors, their bonds and evolution trends while permanently interacting with environmental events for survival. These actions-reactions from ago-antagonistic signals and stimuli within their body milieu, their ecosystemic and sociosystemic environments are closely linked with and affected by - a) their specific individual and social status and the diversity of species behavioral evolutionary trends - b) cosmo-planetary and terrestrial meta-dynamic forces. The survey of the different scientific disciplines development concerned with the actual "Science of Systems", shows that the living systems' knowledge of reality is, for too many scientists, in developing their works in the strict philosophy of human "reason" (logic and metaphysics). Excepted, of course, are those disciplines where individual and societal emotion is a paramount understanding of pragmatic survival rules. An adequate learning for a sustainable development of societies, respecting the required survival diversity needs is here based on new general theories the author called “The general meta-dynamics systemicity" and "Life intra-dynamics systemicity” and "The general systemicity". Because they rely on the entire body of forces and dynamics that made and makes physicochemical moves to exist and sustain, by essence the biological ones, and behavioural processes adapting to the permanency of change. At the Life's level of survival intra-dynamics systemicity, the "cosmic meta-dynamics" of universal forces and moves participate in the physicochemical dynamics of the biological world of which systemicity is based on retroactivity building up a temporal sustainability. Consequently, an overview upon the entire body of universal interdependent bio-physicochemical mechanisms, moves, processes and streams interwoven within "3D networks", shows that survival abilities and performances are epigenetically provided from both the convergence of cosmo-planetary forces (magnetic, gravitational…) and terrestrial conditions (geologic, geochemical, geophysical, geo-climatic…), which, retroactively, sustain the Earth and by extension the biological world of individuals and societal systems to exist and survive within a dynamic equilibrium inevitably interdependent of chaotic effects of the thermodynamic entropy. My work, requiring several communications, it was decided to divide its development into different "scientific principles" chapters that support the complexity of cosmo-planetary and terrestrial meta-dynamics systemicity. Their effects are combining interactive physicochemical forces and moves, as emergent results generally referred to their synergistic, their dynamical coordination supporting the meta-drivers systemicity. A few paragraphs of will prepare another communication about "The Life's intra-bio-dynamics systemicity" and the provisional conclusion assumes the future description of the "Theory of a General Systemicity".

MAKING A DIFFERENCE THROUGH E-GOVERNANCE FROM BELOW: AN EVALUATION AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

2013-04-22T00:17:30-07:00

This paper discusses a process evaluation of a project funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage Project with the South Australian Department of Health, Flinders University, University of South Australia and Neporendi Forum Inc, an Aboriginal NGO. The co-researchers comprising academics across a range of disciplines, service users and providers address wellbeing in terms of their lived experiences of what works, why and how. The outcome is the development of prototype software that is co-owned by the partners and has been tested out by the participants. The process has taken knowledge management beyond storage and retrieval of information to include the perceptions and meanings of the stakeholders. It has potential to enable costing the pathways in social justice terms, in order to make a case for participation both as ‘a means and an end’ to support wellbeing within particular contexts. The software can be updated as it is used and it has the wider potential to be applied in a range of governance contexts. The use of meaningful metaphors designed by the participants could a) tailor the software to different user and provider groups by b) enabling the participants to collect data on their areas of concern. User-centric design is based on telling narratives and exploring perceived ontologies or meanings. The next step is to analyze the discourses for patterns (Christakis and Bausch 2006 and Van Gigch 1991, 2003 on meta modelling). Making sense of perceptions is through identification of patterns and making meaning/sense of the patterns based on weighting the choices. The number of times particular themes were raised or particular service choices made equals a weighting. We used a pluralist approach and avoided a ‘one size fits all’ approach by using a) participatory action research and questioning, b) soft systems mapping, c) critique informed by Critical Systems Thinking and a Design of Inquiry System and d) social cybernetics applied to ‘if then’ scenarios. The approach demonstrates the ability of people to design the content of the software and thus to engage in participatory design, e-governance and e-democracy which could be used to extend democracy to the marginalized and socially excluded. In the Australian context these include Aboriginal Australians, refugees and young people without the vote who will have to live with the decisions in the future. The current research is only with Aboriginal stakeholders aged 18 and above and it needs to be extended in the next phase to include younger Australians. I will use most of the presentation time to give a practical demonstration of the software and to discuss its potential application.

CANNIBALIZING CHILDHOOD'S FUTURE AS RISING TO FALLING ROPE

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

ABSTRACT With the relaxing of restraints on advertising to American children during the Reagan Administration, marketers have pulled out all the stops in targeting the young. This paper examines the commercial exploitation of childhood and consequences as a case-in-point of the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics at work. Drawing on physical chemist Peter W. Atkins’ 2nd Law metaphor as heavier weight falling linked to lighter weight rising, we contend that revenue streams driven by sophisticated marketing to children is, in large measure, at the expense of childhood, families, and the nation’s future. By systematically bracketing off all but the bottom line, we’ve become “a society that is eating its own children in the name of profit.” But, if indeed, the rising corporate order satisfies the 2nd Law by using the lives of children and families as convenient sinks for dissipative effluents, what is the modus operandi? What is the rope linking the rising and falling weights in Atkins’ metaphor? The proposed answer lies in evolving techniques capitalizing on an instinct that’s so natural, it knee-jerk bypasses most, if not all, critical judgment. Formally it’s called “the Principle of Least Effort,” the urge to preserve what was once precious food energy by seeking out and indulging in shortcuts. The techniques are especially effective with children. Keywords: 2nd Law metaphor, food webs, marketing, “Principle of Least Effort,” shortcut.

FUNDAMENTALS OF RELATIONAL COMPLEXITY THEORY

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

“Relational Complexity” is emerging as a new science that can explain the origin of both the living and non-living world. Its basic tenants are quite simple, but controversial due to prior limits on scientific thinking, particularly the mechanistic world view. In this new view, both living systems and mechanisms emerge as special cases of the general, relational complexity. The basic relationship is between existent and potential aspects of nature, which is an information relation crossing the subject-object boundary. The theory is compatible with both Western and Eastern thought and offers a means to integrate these quintessentially opposite world views. It can also provide a solid theoretical foundation for structure-function epistemology in ecology that is not predicated on, or thus limited by, mechanistic assumptions.

A Service Science Perspective

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

A shift from production orientation to a service perspective has been occurring in business disciplines over more than a century. During the last decade, that shift has provoked the emergence of significant and fundamental changes in the traditional means of adding economic value. Those changes are pressuring academia to provide commensurate professional education. This paper examines important aspects of these advances and their implications for curriculum development.

Are Ecosystems Alive?

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Digital Democracy and Citizenship as the Democratic Political Systems for the Information Age

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Representative democracies throughout the world are undergoing major transformations with strong challenges from well-armored citizenry with ICTs. Voter turnout rates have been steady decline since 1960s in the world, while other forms of political participation of citizens, e.g., popular initiatives and recalls, powerful NGOs, and so on, have been increasing. Into what form will our democratic political systems evolve in the information age. There might be many possibilities to redesign the democratic political systems. ‘Digital democracy’ could be one of the strong alternatives for the new political systems. It is composed of two processes: democratic decision making processes and effective administrating processes. It not only resolves some problems of representative democracy, e.g., the failure of representation, but also takes advantage of some traits, e.g. the emphasis on interaction, process and change, etc., that direct democracy and deliberative democracy are believed to have. Technological feasibility, unfortunately, does not necessarily entail political possibility. If we intend to realize the potentialities of digital democracy, we have to solve some problems anticipated in the information age such as political fragmentation and atomization, overloaded information, tyranny of the majority, etc. In order to overcome these problems and, thus, to make full use of the potential of digital democracy, we have to become citizens with self-guiding capacity. In other words, liberalistic perspectives, which stress civic autonomy, seem more appropriate than communitarian perspectives, which stress civic virtues, for democratic citizenship in the information age.

ONTOLOGY-DRIVEN DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AUDIT

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Many types of management system audit are widely spread in the companies, e.g., quality management system audit, etc. The management system audit can be regarded as management decision-making. But there are very few decision support systems for the management system audit, since management system audits are different from usual management decision-making. For management system audit management standard is developed, and auditors must verify that an individual management system of a company consistent to the requirements of management system standards. Ontology is information structure, which helps to acquire knowledge, share it, and check consistency within the knowledge. One of our main aims of this paper is to present a methodology of ontology-driven decision support systems for management system audit. Firstly, we characterize the management system audit as a new decision-making. Next, we introduce a concept of ontology formally, and develop generic management system ontology, and company quality management system ontology. Finally we present a methodology of ontology-driven decision support system for management system audit, and show the characteristics of the decision support system

A Basic Principle for the Architecture of Computer-based information processing

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

A Basic Principle for the Architecture of Computer-based information processing Roberto R. Kampfner Computer and Information Science Department College of Engineering and Computer Science The University of Michigan-Dearborn Dearborn, Michigan 48128 Abstract In this paper we discuss the effect of computer-based information processing on the adaptability of the systems. Because of the close relationship that exists between subsystem independence and adaptability, the effect that the structure of computer-based information processing has on the degree of independence between the subsystems of the system that makes use of computer-based information processing (referred to here also as the host system) is central to our discussion. We are focusing here on complex systems that are controlled and operated by humans with the help of computer-based information systems and that face an uncertain environment. This type of systems includes organizations, complex projects, and complex processes and devices controlled by humans with the help of computers. The view of information processing as an aspect of the dynamics of systems (Kampfner, 1998) is also central to our discussion. An important advantage of this view is that it allows us to study the relationship of information processing with other aspects of the dynamics in which it occurs. This in turn gives us the potential to understand the role that information processing plays in practically any particular kind of natural and artificial systems. Three closely related, but distinct types of interdependence between the subsystems of a system can be distinguished. The first one is the interdependence between the computer-based information system, itself a subsystem of the system it supports (referred to here as the main system) and the other subsystems of the main system. The second type of interdependence is the one that exists among the other subsystems of the main system. The third type of interdependence is between the components of the computer-based information system. These three types of interdependence between the subsystems of a system are clearly closely interrelated. Each of these types of interdependence has characteristics that distinguish it from the other types. The first type of interdependence is characterized by the combination and the interaction of human and computer-based information processing.

APPLICATION OF A MODEL OF PLANNING FOR THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

The communications systems are used to send information from a place to another one through different means like the space, the optical fiber and metallic wiring. The most common systems among others, are the television, radio, infrared, satellite, the telephone ones, voice on IP that consist of sending the voice on an IP. The objective is continuously to improve the form to make get at the addressee the information generated by the source, of fast, safe way truthful and low cost. This model consists of five stages: first is the Projection of Reference in which one detects problematic of the system using the techniques of Kawakita Jiro (TKJ), analytical hierarchal structuring and the principle of Pareto; in the normative planning the mission of the system considers that includes its goals and objectives; the strategic planning raises how to give solution to the detected problems; the organizational planning proposes the resources with which the problematic one will be solved; the fifth stage is the evaluation that allows to know what is feasible to do.

After-Sales Service Parts Supply Chain System in OEM Telecommunication Firms

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

After-sales service is an important source of revenue and profit for OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Telecom firms. A good performance of the after-sale service provides a competitive advantage for the OEM firm against their competitors in case of customer acquisition or even retention. However the design and management of the after-sales service is a challenge for many reasons, e.g. obviously the OEM can’t produce services in advance of demand, the only thing they can do is just make predictions about product failure. In the other hand, the supply process is also a source of variability. The match demand and supply process is another challenge. In order to tackle and mitigate this kind of problems this paper shows how to build the system of the after-sales service supply chain going from strategic business plan, master production plan for spare parts and labor, safety levels of inventory in consignation to customer, etc. Also we emphasize the information technology and coordination that need to exist within the different echelons into the supply chain, so this can be viewed as a system which included the repair process, the delivery process and the collect process.

Technology Acceptance in libraries: a systemic approach

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Preservation of Misperceptions – Stability Analysis of Hypergames

2013-03-11T08:12:16-07:00

The present paper tries to model how some kinds of misperceptions of agents are preserved in a decision making situation where multiple agents are involved. We use hypergame model which is a theoretical framework to deal with agents who may misperceive situations (Bennett et al., 1979). After each play of hypergame, agents may update their perceptions based on the result, that is, the structure of the hypergame may change. However, in some case, they may not, and the hypergame is ‘stable’, that is, their misperceptions are preserved. To discuss stability of hypergames, we newly define a solution concept what we call stable hyper Nash equilibrium. Using these ideas, we analyze the stability. To demonstrate change in perceptions of agents, we consider agent-based intrinsic motivation. Although we provide general foundation for discussion, we analyze a game called battle of sexes as an example case.

Business Models and Evolving Economic Paradigms: A Systems Science Approach

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

For professionals at the beginning of the 21st century, much of the conventional wisdom on business management and engineering is founded in the 20th century industrial / manufacturing paradigm. In developed economies, however, the service sector now dominates the manufacturing sector, just as manufacturing prevailed over the agricultural sector after the industrial revolution. Simultaneously, as end products have transitioned from material outputs to information in digital form, traditional business models are under siege. The economic sociology in this new world challenges the integrity of models, methods and interventions successful in an earlier paradigm. Since 2005, IBM has encouraged universities to develop a new field of Services Science, Management and Engineering (SSME). Researchers are responding with development of a new science of service systems, but mature foundations will require years of collaboration. In the absence of a well-established science from which educational curricula can be deduced, teachers can develop educational programs for joint learning, guided inductively by relevance and pragmatism. A new seminar on business models – ways in which business organizations operate and evolve – is proposed. Complementing traditional management and/or engineering curricula, this course challenges students to reconsider contexts, surface assumptions and explore alternative approaches to business. With a domain that includes both human and technological parts, systems science serves as a skeleton on which content can be structured.

Dialogue and Ecological Engineering in Social Systems Design

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

A number of systems theorists and practitioners have described ways in which human systems of thought and interaction might be consciously designed. Banathy (1996) specifically proposed approaches to the design of human social systems through conversation and dialogue. More recently, Allen, et al., (2003) have proposed distinctions between environmental engineering and ecological engineering, which offer valuable insights into some of the difficulties inherent in the design of human systems. This paper will explore ways in which engineering, as applied to ecological systems, may help us better understand design as applied to social systems.

Searching for ourselves: A methodological exploration of a Soft System Dynamics Method as a social learning tool for watershed implementation planning

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Theories of environmental planning acknowledge that social-interactional dynamics contribute significantly to the complexity of environmental problems. Especially, the collaborative capacity to coordinate activities among diverse interests is crucial for successful plan implementation. However, environmental planning typically takes successful implementation as a given rather than as a problematic outcome. Consequently, we understand very little about how to measure the institutional capacities of communities to carry out plans. On a more practical level, if successful implementation depends on the coordination of multiple stakeholders, then we need an effective tool for learning how to join different institutional purposes. And if, as this proposal contends, common purpose is embedded in (rather than separate from) collective action, the implementation-planning tool will conform to a participatory action research methodology. Drawing on Rodriguez-Ulluoa and Paucar-Caceres’ (2005) Soft System Dynamics Methodology, and informed by the cognitive model of institutions, I am proposing a Soft System Dynamics Method (SSDM) that combines the richness of Soft Systems Methodology storytelling and the rigor of System Dynamics (SD) modeling into a social learning tool for action planning. A central premise of SSDM is that socio-cultural values underlie patterns of social interaction. In watershed planning and management, the “environment” represents social goods but also contexts of social interaction where often tacit norms about roles and responsibilities are enacted and negotiated. In this sense, watershed communities are sociotechnical systems, or “communities of practice.” My dissertation research is a methodological exploration of SSDM as a social learning tool for watershed implementation planning. Three contemporary cases of watershed implementation planning processes will be selected to receive the SSDM intervention. The primary objective of the study is to explore whether and how SSDM promotes group learning about the institutional context and associated leverage points of watershed plan implementation. The study will also demonstrate SSDM both as a tool for developing middle-range theories of collaborative capacity and as an implementation planning tool for problem structuring and institutional design. This paper outlines the proposed SSDM and study design, arguing that a design view of systems can and should contribute to a participatory action research methodology for measuring and realizing group learning. Ultimately, it is hoped that SSDM represents a step closer to realizing C.W. Churchman‘s vision of the “Singerian Inquiring System” where social learning is characterized by the synergistic integration of theory and practice, facts and values.

ARE ORGANISATIONAL SIZE AND EFFICIENCY ENGAGED?

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Firm size is relevant in discussions on competition policy, integration, market structure and size. And undeveloped countries differ from developed countries in being relatively more dependent on technology imports and foreign competition, hence results from large countries may not hold. In the other hand, small firms, say the others, advantages are more related to entrepreneurial dynamism, internal flexibility, responsiveness to changing circumstances and specialized expertise , which contribute to higher innovation efficiency in skill-intensive sectors enjoying rapid technological development. And Audretsch (1995, p.178) saw small enterprises be the engine of innovative activity in certain industries, despite an obvious lack of formal R&D activities. Geoffrey West (2007) showed evidence from the US, those small firms to be less likely to patent than large firms. In contrast, in related areas, such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, etc., so called serial innovators, with an accumulated portfolio of technologically important and scientifically linked patents, were more likely to be small than large firms (CHI Research, 2003). Organization and efficiency, together, remind us, frequently, a factory surrounded by a high brick wall and manned by a force of people working in eight hours shifts. And, of course, in this wisdom we are afraid that in an effort to increase the efficiency, the freedom of working out the innovation in its own way, and at its own convenience will be curtailed. Red tape is not confined exclusively to the business of the government, but may be found entangling the work and impeding progress in any large organization. It is safe to say that the greatest difficulties which the average innovator has to overcome are not involved in his task itself, but are those thrown in his way by man-made organizations. Usually these obstacles are constructed in the name of efficiency and by those who are employed to assist, not to obstruct. The danger in any organization of innovation & change lies in the tendency to submerge the individuality of the worker. In such organization it is not dealing with machines, or with pieces workers. In innovation & change the unit of the organization is a developed human mind. The product which this organization turns out is the result of the thought of the workers, and just so far as the organization inhibits or distracts these minds from their true course is inefficient. On the other hand, the organization promotes efficiency so far as it tends to permit and to stimulate originality and freedom of thought in any worker, and at the same time to coordinate and concentrate the activities of the several workers on the problem on hand. Many processes which work well in small scale develop defects when tried on a large scale, and vice versa. Many methods of real value have never gotten beyond his scale, because there was no one with sufficient interest, or technical knowledge to adapt the process to the new scale. Thus there is a great economic loss which can be overcome by proper organization. We believe there is not sufficient support to the thesis about the advantage of larger than small firms. And we remembered the words of Illya Prigogine (1997): “The little groups can give changes to society as a hole. Minorities had show remarkable power in the past. Thinking the change only succeed by majorities is wrong. It’s wrong to think that conscious is determined by economic and social structures, and they are here now and ever. What will be tomorrow could be totally different from today”.

INFORMING THE CONSUMER IS STRENGTHENING THE ECONOMY

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Adam Smith’s assumption that consumers are rational and knowledgeable in their buying decisions is examined in this paper, along with the views of other prominent economists. It is concluded that this assumption is incorrect, though consumers are clearly somewhat rational and knowledgeable. The detrimental effects of the lack of consumer product knowledge are thus recognized in a few scenarios as examples. Although, this would be a very valid conclusion for this paper, the paper follows this topic of Smith’s faulty assumption for the purpose of making improvements of our economic system. The conclusion that organizing to enlighten consumers can correct for Smith’s faulty assumption is proposed as a solution to many of the inequalities of our present free market system. Some details on the effective way to organize for consumers are mentioned.

Evolving to Sustainability

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Humanity needs a conscious transformation, called a paradigm shift, to a system based on sustainable principles. Previous shifts of the magnitude of the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions allow us some insight into the process. The U.S. dollar has become weak due to debt. In the U.S. and Europe, financial crises in the private sector are raising havoc in the public sector. Growing environmental problems are forcing institutions to be more responsive to limits. China seems to be racing as fast as it can to make the same mistakes as the U.S. and Western Europe. This time there does not appear to be a bottom to the economic downturn; the stages are: slowdown, recession, meltdown, depression, collapse, free fall, transition, transformation. Human nature necessitates freedom within enabling constraints. Women should be respected as equal to men. Ideas for sustainable agricultural practices and viable urban communities lead to an ecotopian economic model of plenitude, prosperity, and social stability within a healthy, nurturing environment planetwide.

Social Responsibility – An Innovation Of Ethic Toward Requisite Holism As A Basis For Humans To Make A Difference In Affluence

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

SYSTEMIC METAMETHODOLOGY FOR METHODS DESIGN

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There is a large collection of systemic and non-systemic methods, and even a metamethodology for the adequate selection of a systemic method for each problematic situation, but at the same time there is a void of systemic tools for the design of methods. We have two main objectives in this article; the first one is to document some of our initial advances in the design of a tool for the innovation of methods, a metamethodology for systemic design of methodologies that link systemic and non-systemic methods, and its parts. The second objective is to open a constructive dialogue on this issue with other systemic researchers that are working on this theme, we are interested in their advances, and we also want to exchange information and critical points of view with an open mind to different approaches. The design of the metamethodology is under the transdisciplinary approach to systems science.

BUREAU-PATHOLOGIES IN PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS:

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BUREAU-PATHOLOGIES IN PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS: Synthesizing a botanic garden case for a General Policy System Theory Carl Slawski, Emeritus Professor of Sociology (CSULB) 555 S. Ventu Park Rd. Newbury Park, CA 91320, USA When modernization of pathways for handicapped accessibility and an outdoor meeting patio is resisted by a campaign of public agitation under the guise of historical preservationism, architectural taste, traffic and fire safety, etc., is it any wonder that eyebrows are raised about the true motivating forces behind such agitation? Based upon the author’s use of a wide variety of social psychological and sociological theories to understand how to manage “BUREAU-cratitis” (ISSS 2002) and the convergent rise of a curious case of legalistic manipulation of county bureaucracy against the clear mission and goals of a private educational and scientific research organization, namely a botanic garden in a beautiful outdoor canyon, illustrations of tentative theoretically based causes and possible solutions to the largely social and cultural, as well as environmental intermix of problems will be given. Theories to be applied will include Conflict, Cognitive Dissonance (Festinger), Labeling (particularly as techniques of neutralization, “denial of responsibility,” “denial of injury” toward one’s opponents, and “appeal to a higher loyalty,” as developed by Sykes and Matza: 1957), Role Bargaining (W.J. Goode), functionalism (in terms of the functions of ignorance as stated by Moore and Tumin: 1949), Identity Bargaining (Erikson), modes of Synergy (Coulter: 1976), and perhaps most pointedly, Game Theory. The issue around what is called the “Meadow Terrace” project came to a head in the middle of 2007 in Santa Barbara, California, when a county Planning Department approved the project, but after it was at least one-third finished (at the expense of $72,000.00), some canyon neighbors with their resident lawyer mounted a campaign that caused a new Planning agent to rescind the permission to firm up the pathways and gently sloping patio/display area with level, natural stone, and to build three supporting outdoor terrace walls of 18 inches high for easier accessibility and a more level gathering place in the meadow, surrounded as it is by tall trees, and in the general vicinity of seven previously specifically designated historical landmarks located around or between the original botanical library and a dam across a canyon creek-bed. In the process of previous historically sensitive compliance, did the Botanic Garden (BG) give up its rights to modify any aspect of the tracts of land containing those seven landmarks (without a full-scale environmental impact report), including cutting down nearby dying or dead oak trees, or firming up the pathways across the meadow for easier access by wheelchairs or persons needing medical walkers? Did the BG relinquish its rights to use any of the remaining space within those partly historical tracts to continue to accomplish its educational and scientific mission (i.e., botanical research)? Ignorance by neighbors, and by the county bureaucrats about the actual nature of the planned terraces (and about other modifications of libraries and staff offices and teaching facilities in another area of the historically designated tracts), and the complainants’ lawyer stating the neighbors’ virtual claim to jurisdiction over the entire historically pertinent area, including over the low level terrace leveling project, caused a furor characterized by public debate in meetings of the HLAC (the county’s preservationist overseers, who are not expertly trained in botany or education, if even archaeological or historical methodologies, namely, the Historic Landmarks Advisory Commission) and the county Board of Supervisors, few of whom showed a clear understanding of the botanical (scientific) mission of the Garden or of the legal limits of designation of the seven sites on the grounds, in contrast to the overblown aesthetic and historic preservation ideology. [3/28/08--- BpNpoAb.doc] Keywords: Policy System Theory/ “BUREAU-cratitis”/ botanical science/ preservationism.

Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, Perspectives: The Simple Rules of Complex Conceptual Systems: A Universal Descriptive Grammar of Cognition

2013-03-11T08:12:16-07:00

The creation, acquisition, and development of concepts is broadly relevant to the arts and sciences and is essential to thinking, learning, education, psychology, cognitive science, creativity, and interdisciplinarity. Cognitive scientists and philosophers have proposed several concept theories, each with their advantages and disadvantages. This paper proposes an alternative view of concepts as complex conceptual systems governed by a simple set of rules that are formalized by the DSRP theory of concepts (an acronym of four simple rules: Distinctions, Systems, Relations, and Perspectives). Because DSRP is speculative, justification should be sought in: (1) future research, (2) correspondence with knowledge and experience, and (3) heuristic value in comparing and synthesizing existing theories. Individually, the components of DSRP have long been the subject of theoretical and empirical studies. However, it is the dynamic behavior and fractal self-similarity of these four rules acting together which provides a novel contribution to knowledge of concepts.

Introducing the Research - Entropy Debt: A link to sustainability?

2013-03-11T08:12:16-07:00

A SOFT SYSTEMS METHODOLOGY APPROACH TO DESIGN A RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR A GREAT TOURISM HOTEL

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

This paper is about the design of a systemic model used in restaurants' management inside the hotels of Great Tourism category in Mexico City, applied to the Restaurant the Gifts of the Hotel Sheraton Centro Historico. With the purpose of establishing a Holistic vision of the work's development, the use of the Systems' Paradigm and concepts of Soft Systems Methodology by Peter Checkland was determinate, since the case of study is a social system that is not only able to choose means to reach certain goals, but also capable to select and to change them. The designed model was conceptually defined with the restructuring of the information flows, the reorganization of the restaurant's organizational structure and the view of the elements that affect the system in its intern and external environments.

Growth Strategy and Hierarchy Theory: Emergence of Super-players in the Healthcare Computed Tomography Oligopoly

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

This paper examines how firms discover effective strategic positions in a business technology-driven oligopoly context (limited players, no possible entrant and rapid technological change). In such settings, neither rational deduction nor local search is likely to lead a firm to a successful growth: firms escalate by launching new products faster, developing new services or acquiring new capabilities. Demonstrating the complexity of the business oligopoly, however, allows us to define the emergence of a new type of players, “super-player”, able to write a new set of rules and to substantially influence the industry for a given period of time. With respect to the Hierarchy Theory, we find the attributes of context changing, filtering information and simplifying multilevel business systems for this “super-player”. More surprisingly, we find a succession of “super-players” that we identify as a consequence of co-evolution for a given oligopoly-type industry, in the Healthcare Computed Tomography: the “super-player” evolves in a way that the entire industry ultimately adapts itself and co-evolves in the same way.

Symbiosis as a Metaphor for Sustainability Practice in Human Affairs

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

This concept paper is an exploration of various symbiotic relationships and their potential relevance for the organization and conduct of human affairs. Many types of symbiosis exist: between plants, between plant and animal life and between different animals. They contribute to protection and defense, cleaning, reproduction, nutrition, transportation and illumination. Some symbiots are so tightly coupled that they are not able to exist, or exist in the same form, separately. Others can exist separately but they are less viable alone than together. Still others benefit from but do not depend upon the relationship. All seem to provide complementary features and strengths that either enhance the success and well being of both or impose a bearable burden on the non-advantaged partner. We are seeking, and none too soon, new ways to make a difference in the achievement of sustainable relationships in human society and organizations and between human activity and the natural environment. A broader and deeper appreciation of symbiosis in the general public and among researchers in different disciplines may make a contribution to both innovation and a more effective application of existing knowledge and tools.

Systems Thinking for Team and Organisational learning Case of Performance Measure Conflicts in a Multinational Supply Chain

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

AUDIT SUPPORT PLUG-IN SYSTEM BY THE USE OF ONTOLOGY MODEL

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Auditing against Generic Management System requirements, like requirements of ISO 9001, is an established means for evaluating organizational capabilities. In ISO 9001, auditors check individual management system based on generic management system standards. Auditors faced with semantic problems because they must interpret the meaning of individual complex management system from the stand point of generic management system standards. To solve this semantic problem, audit support system has been developed using ontology editor. However the audit support system is not widespread, because the ontology editor is so complex. In ontology editor Protégé, too many functions for the ontology operations are provided. The main objective of this paper is to develop a new audit support plug-in system, which supports auditors who don’t know about ontology concepts will be able to solve the semantic problems. In this paper, first we analyze complexity of conventional audit support system. Next, we construct plug-in system that is customized in audit by the use of Protégé plug-in function.

Failure of foresight: Learning from system failures through dynamic model

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

A dynamic model for holistically examining system failures is proposed, for the purpose of preventing further occurrence of these failures. An understanding system failure correctly is crucial to preventing further occurrence of system failures. Quick fixes can even damage organizational performance to a level worse than the original state. There is well known side effect of “normalized deviance” which leads NASA’s Challenger and Columbia space shuttle disasters. And there is so called “incubation period” which leads to catastrophic system failures in the end. However this indicates there is a good chance to avoid catastrophic system failures if we can sense the incubation period correctly and respond the normalized deviance effect properly. If we don’t understand system failure correctly, we can’t solve it effectively. Therefore we first define three failure classes to treat dynamic aspects of system failures. They are Class 1 (Failure of deviance), Class 2 (Failure of interface) and Class 3 (Failure of foresight) respectively. Then we propose a dynamic model to understand system failure dynamically through turning hindsight to foresight to prevent further occurrence. An application example in IT engineering demonstrates that the proposed model proactively promotes double loop learning from previous system failures.

INCORPORATING SYSTEMS THINKING IN ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE PROJECTS USING ACTION RESEARCH BY PRACTITIONERS CONDUCTING ACADEMIC RESEARCH

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

This paper explores the use of systems thinking in action research projects. It will describe two ‘real’ action research projects, where soft systems methodology was used by managers who introduced change in their own organizations. It elaborates how applying this methodology supported the application of action research. Both managers who used action research have successfully completed their doctorates in programs conducted by an Australian university. The paper discusses the relationship between soft systems methodology and action research, examines the problems faced in using this methodology in action research and discusses how systems thinking could be effectively applied by management researchers planning to conduct academic research.

What's the North-Korean Nuclear Weapons' Future?

2013-03-11T08:12:16-07:00

Two years before, North-Korean Government sentenced they have been had Nuclear Weapons. In correctly, October 9th, 2006, North Korean Government announced they had tested the Nuclear Weapons at the northern part of their territory. Also, they insisted their testing was successful with in triumph. They sentenced their country will be stronger than any other countries. It’s means that they will have the hegemony of the Korean Peninsula. By the way, South Korea, U.S. and Japan also China didn’t want to accept the North Korean Nuclear Weapons. They worry about the break up with North-Eastern countries’ weapon balance. Also, for South Korean people didn’t want the existence of Nuclear Weapons in Korean Peninsula. They thought the Nuclear Weapons will not be a good environmental condition to unify the divided two Korea. Anyway, the effort to remove the North Korean Nuclear Weapons is most important subject for Asia-Pacific countries. Therefore, they set up Six Party Talks to solve the North Korean Nuclear Weapons. Also, they made the promise to solve the North Korean Nuclear Weapons. On Feb.13, 2007 North Korea and Six Party Talks members agreed to shut down and disable its nuclear programs and weapons in return for incentives provided by other members of Six Party Talks-United States, Russia, China, Japan and South Korea. But, up the present North Korean Government didn’t make a satisfactory response. I wonder if how the North Korean Nuclear Weapons be destined to future. I’d like to research ‘What’s the North Korean Nuclear Weapons’ Future?’ by Complex Systems Approach. Key-words: complex systems, satisfactory response, nuclear weapons, weapon balance.

Korean Politics and Complex Systems Theory

2013-03-11T08:12:16-07:00

The political system of Korea is closely linked with the lower-level systems of Korean politics since it has the dynamic system that changes consistently through the interactions of external factors and a slight change in the early conditions of one system can bring about a tremendous change in the entire system. Therefore, it is important to understand Korean politics in this sense. The modern system of Korean politics rather operates on an axis of chaos and disorder than order. A political phenomenon is one that is totally linked with each other rather than having a temporary or isolated nature and its chaotic and dramatic nature is further enhanced in the environment of Korean politics as it gets to the recent times. This phenomenon may be regarded as an expression of systematic characteristics that are derived in the macroscopic procedure that Korean society is seeking stabilization as a complex system. Therefore in order for us to understand Korean politics, we need to recognize the complex properties linked to the problem of Korean society itself and dynamics of surrounding situation. Korean politics is getting more complex as it gets to recent days. The meaning of complexity can be interpreted in two ways. One is that the ground of Korean politics is getting complex and the other would be that the behavior patterns of political figures that play on the ground have been further complicated as compared to the past. Key words: Korean politics, complex systems theory, catastrophe theory, non-linearity, complexity

2008 Abstracts and Program Book

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A BOUNDARY CRITIQUE OF GENDER IN THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT BODY OF KNOWLEDGE®

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) is a document describing appropriate reasoning styles and behaviour for project managers. As a codified “body of knowledge,” it acts as a knowledge system for the profession. This codification is tacitly gendered, privileging masculine cognition and action. We examine how this tacit value system has de-legitimized certain feminine contributions to the profession, leaving them outside its boundaries of recommended practice. This boundary critique advocates on behalf of our emancipatory interests in improving the effectiveness of individual project managers, and the success of the profession itself.

“You are adapting more to me than I am adapting to you” (but what does more mean?): Cybernetic and Foucaultian explorations of the domain of power

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

It is possible to derive a cybernetic approach to what the concept of power might mean, an approach which illuminates and critiques both that concept and the relations it is used to describe. Selected quotes from a short article Michel Foucault wrote late in his life, entitled “The Subject and Power,” are juxtaposed with a demonstration that aspects of his emerging relational view of power, as he was formulating it in this article, prefigure some elements of what might be developed into a cybernetic approach to what might be meant by power. I show that such a relational cybernetic approach can be developed from basic cybernetic and systems principles including system capacity, (structural) coupling, the relationship of an organism to a niche or environment, and the hierarchical organization of adaptive systems. A resulting concept of power, or rather, of the domain in which we talk about power, can help reanimate our theoretical discussion of what we mean by such a concept and what such a concept inevitably obscures.

How To Look Across The Room

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How To Look Across The Room John N. Ong 803 W. Tyler Ave., Fairfield, IA 52556 djong@iowatelecom.net The combined "inness" and "outness" of our sense experience, such as seeing and looking and hearing and listening, has been systematically investigated from the physical input, psychic output and combined perspectives. For completeness, both the Seer and Attention in the proposed analogies for perception. Phenomena rationalized by the combined analogies included interruption of the physical chain of events, coherence of and location of images, separate seeing of the eyes, and stability of the viewed world. Also the dual physical and psychic nature of our senses was verified by examples of distant looking and listening. We structured our knowledge of the senses by an Absolute Theory of Attention from the Vedic tradition. Connections of sense experience with the Divine were made with spiritual traditions worldwide. Including the subjective aspects of Attention and Seer in the combined analogy does not interfere with normal ways of gaining knowledge.

The Traditional Morality of Totalitarianism: Juche Ideology through Hyo

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

The hyo(filial piety) system of Juche Ideology of the North Korea that leans excessively upon the hyo of obedience gives rise to the criticism that the North Korean political system is too extremely totalitarianism. To keep the North Korean system through Juche Ideology, the regime needs to make use of friendship of hyo in Juche Ideology too. Once the North Korean people's demands are satisfied properly through friendship of hyo, Kim's regime can invigorate the North Korean people to overcome their difficulties. If Jung Il Kim harmoniously makes use of the hyo of obedience and the hyo of friendship in Juche Ideology, he will succeed in keeping his power alive and developing the North Korea regime together.

A VIABLE SYSTEMS MODEL APPROACH TO ENTERPRISE RESOURCES PLANNING SYSTEMS

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The Viable System Model (VSM) is recursive and helps explaining the general production management model of the ERP system. The recursion level explains the development starting from warehouse management to Material Requirement Planning (MRP), to Manufactory Requirement Planning (MRPII), to Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP), and to Supply Chain Management (SCM). In each recursion level, the emergent concepts helps explaining the discovery of the two categories of demand: independent demand and dependent demand, the feedback concept helps explaining the closed cycles in ERP, the local, future and total environment concept helps explaining the interactions between the market and the Production System and the Law of requisite variety helps to manage complexity.

Architecture Case Study in Transformity Factorization

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This paper studies the Giannantoni factorization of H.T. Odum’s transformity into dissipative and generative components. A dissipative component of architecture was developed in the author’s paper “ ‘Tropical’ Emergy and (Dis-) Order” at the 4th Biennial Emergy Research Conference, and is related to the number of surfaces used up in architectural construction, for example making walls out of bricks. A generative component was developed in the author’s paper “An Algorithm to Measure Symmetry and Positional Emergy of n Points,” presented at the 2007 annual meeting of the American Mathematical Society, New Orleans, LA and included the the ISSS 2007 Bulletin; the generative component is related to the number of equal distances created between different parts of a structure. There is some evidence of ordinality; for example higher-dimensional structures can have orders of magnitude more symmetry. Emergy maximization is analyzed as a constrained calculus problem which for maximization requires middle values of both dissipation and generation. For example a placement of bricks around a yard in a highly symmetric fashion may have high symmetry but if they are not connected , will not lead to a desirable architectural structure. Similarly connectling the bricks into haphazard walls may have high dissipation but without some symmetry of construction into regular structures such as rooms, will be considered a waste of materials. Some other questions such as evolution of biological and animal structure are discussed.

A SYSTEMS-THEORETICAL REPRESENTATION OF TECHNOLOGIES AND THEIR CONNECTIONS

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

This paper proposes a systems-theoretical representation of technologies. A technology is represented as an efficient input-output (I/O) system in the sense of mathematical systems theory, where the I/O system transforms the inputs provided for it through the input channels of it into the outputs, which are outputted from it through the output channels of it. This paper also provides a definition of connections of I/O systems as a way to construct a bigger I/O system from smaller I/O systems. Of course it is not always true that a connection of I/O systems is a technology. It can be verified, however, that a connection of technologies is always a technology. In this paper a mathematical verification of this fact is provided.

Analysis on Trust Game by Reciprocal Agents

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

In this paper, the author proposes a game-theoretical model of trust among reciprocal agents. Our model, a trust game, is a non-cooperative game in extensive form. By considering about this game, we can define clearly the concept of trust behavior in general games in extensive form. But just using ordinary equilibrium concept (e.g. subgame perfect equilibrium), we cannot explain the trust behavior in some situations. This result contradicts with some observations in real world. So, we have to adopt another solution concept, sequential reciprocity equilibrium (SRE), which is suggested by Dufwenwerg. Adopting this SRE concept, we analyze repeated trust game (RTG). As a result of analysis, I find the condition of reciprocity to trust others, and reciprocal agents can get higher payoff than non-reciprocal agents when the length of game is enough long.

Toward a Unified Field Theory of Human Behaviour (Global Cultural Evolution)

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

A model of human consciousness based on Earth's geologic history of mass-extinction & recovery (evolutionary dynamics). Five Earthly dynamics trigger within humanity's adaptive psychology an “adverse relationship” with environment – a Paradox that sparks human consciousness with intellectual and spiritual questions of unity vs. diversity (Earth/Mother vs. humanity). Humanity adaptively mirrors Earth's five evolutionary dynamics with five gender-based archetypes (bio-cultural dynamic) that unfold in a mythologizing of natural adversity as foundation for all human knowledge. The intellectual lineage used to develop this model includes: • Evolutionary biology and Earth systems science establish an overarching context for this study – answering Chalmers’ “hard question,” • Paleoanthropology defines the circumstance of humanity’s emergence from Gaia, • Psychology monitors humanity’s shift from animal-self to modern creative-self, using work of Hegel > Freud > Jung > Joseph Campbell > Arnold Mindell as a new structural psychology, • Fractal geometry then offers a holographic design for modeling consciousness, • Memetics, finally, presents a tool for measuring humanity’s conscious traits, with a variation of the Hall-Tonna values inventory. This work presents a “general hypothesizing model” of human consciousness, in attempting a science of consciousness.

BEING VALUES AND BENEFICENT OBSESSIONS: APPLYING THEORIES FROM MASLOW AND ASSAGIOLI TO EVOLUTIONARY GUIDANCE MEDIA

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Memes are units of cultural information, the symbols that shape our worldview. In seeking to create a sustainable worldview we require memes, i.e., words, images, and systems, capable of serving as evolutionary guides for societies at varying levels of development. The evolutionary guidance systems framework designed by Bela H. Banathy is one such societal meme. Its application to media resulted in evolutionary guidance media, a framework for creating media designed to promote planetary consciousness. In continuing the design of evolutionary guidance media, this paper explores the application of Maslow’s theory of “metapathologies” as a means of isolating and/or diagnosing societal ills, and examines the use of “being values” as antidotes. To expedite the healing process Assagioli’s “technique of evocative words” and the “beneficent obsession” are presented.

Evolutionary Ethics: Vision and Values for a World of Insurmountable Opportunities

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

One of the great leaders of Mexico, President Benito Juárez, once said, “El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz” — respect for other’s rights is peace. Such an understanding of peace carries with it a distinctive intentional connotation, an appreciation of which is necessary for an orderly transition from a materialistic, ego- and nation-state centered world to a global civilization where all can live and thrive in dynamic interdependent coexistence. In fact, an ethic based on concern and respect for all people in the human family, as well as for its life-supporting environment, is a precondition of respect for world peace. Societies all around the world are currently experiencing a period of rapid and extensive transformation, certain facets of which involve integration toward greater globalization while others involve dissolution toward increased factionalism. In this age of interconnectedness and interrelatedness, the environmental and demographic challenges facing humanity are of equal measure to the opportunities for meeting them. New ways of living in harmony with each other and the planet are emerging – ways that offer a path for all people in the global community to live in dignity and freedom, without destroying each other's chances of livelihood, culture, society and environment. Clearly, action steps are urgently needed to meet the contemporary challenge of change, but the type of action and the ideals that inform it will make the difference between a world of crisis and chaos and one of balance and alignment with nature. An "evolutionary ethic" is the moral and psychological foundation for an orderly transition to a global civilization, just as the structures and provisions of world peace are the relational and sociological foundation for this epochal step. This paper defines the nature of an evolutionary planetary ethic, considers its origins and the chances of its timely spread in contemporary society. Key Words: Evolution, ethics, development, sustainability, learning society

Leaders of Change: Social entrepreneurship and the creation of ecologies of solutions

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

The line of inquiry on evolutionary learning communities (ELCs) to promote evolutionary development (ED) seeks to identify the conditions by which people can self-organize to learn, design and implement actions that will improve their quality of life and their socio-ecological milieu. In the Fall of 2007, the Universal Forum of Cultures took place in the city of Monterrey, Mexico. This UNESCO sponsored world event offered an opportunity to implement an evolutionary learning community with local citizens to bridge the knowledge of the Forum with the sustainable development needs of the local community. Over two hundred citizens responded to the call to join the “Leaders of Change” initiative. The ELC was conceived as a group of potential social entrepreneurs who came together to learn, identify possibilities, and support each other in the development of projects to translate their vision into action. This article reports on the design, process, and outcomes of the 8 month action-research project as well as the outcomes, reflections from the experience and implications for future research.

Co-Creating Living Systems that Thrive on Diversity

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

As we come to know ourselves as relational beings that are shaped by the other, we can embrace diversity in a way that fosters curiosity and overcomes our fear of difference. As we reduce the fear of difference, we can dismantle the structures that reinforce oppression and co-create inclusive systems that thrive on diversity.

TOWARD THE CONCEPT OF THE CONSCIOUSNESS FIELD

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

After describing some basic concepts of this theme, such as consciousness, brain, mind and physical field, it is conjectured with some arguments: a) the existence of a consciousness field, which could be a characteristic of each human being, and b) the possibility of integrating all of the individual fields into a more complex and influential consciousness field. According to the researchers cited on the paper, all the structure of matter, energy and information in our body, from the very beginning of the life, enfolds the universe in some way. The basic conjecture is that the matter, energy and information from the universe activates the brain and nervous systems which in turn produce and overall experience in which memory, logic, sentiments, awareness, perception, cognition, and perhaps more processes, are combined in to a whole system of consciousness. In this work some ideas related with the cognitive consciousness and the necessary field associated with this attribute of the human being are exposed Finally, the potentiality of this unique field is suggested to help solving some individual and social problems to cooperate to the human evolution.

Systemics and the Mutually Binding Economy Networks: A Knowledge-based Approach for Sustainable Communities

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

The monetary concentration due to global financial-economic system finally conducts to increase the monetary inequity and unsustainable communities (Gini Index, OCDE). Mutually Binding Economy Networks pretends to close the distance between producer and consumer, generally poor communities and rich people all over the world, by supplying social mechanisms usually for products distribution; solidarity, equity commerce, responsible consumption, loyal economy, etc. In the most of cases these communities works in an empirical level of the collective intelligence. The exchange results obtained by primitive communities were competitive with Nature, even with others communities in such primitive world. In front of today global economy, the communities constructed by old empirical models are going to be dead in a few years if they do not include the knowledge in their networking ways. This article describes how in small communities, a knowledge based network improved by systemic methodologies and models, could allows best results in a short term for the community dynamics, favoring the emergence of a long term perspective in a sustainable development. In addition, some results in real cases in these communities and networks, in the northeast of Mexico are shown.

A SYSTEMS SCIENCE APPROACH TO THE DESIGN OF A MUNICIPAL INTEGRATION MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT. CASE: THE ORIENT ZONE OF MEXICO STATE

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

The new tourist modality generates a tendency toward the values and the importance of the natural environment. It is also consistent with the nature, social and community values, and allows a positive relationship between residents and tourists. This new tourism tendency is regulated through a new development model that is being proposed at a world level: the Sustainable Development Model. The paper exposes the design process of a Municipal Integration Model for Sustainable Tourist Development, where the possibilities of intervening elements' interrelations are studied to achieve a union among municipalities in order to promote and revitalize the tourist cycle of the region with the use of Systems Paradigm. The Orient Zone in the State of Mexico is proposed as the study target, due to its resources. However, it is intended that the pattern could be applied in diverse regions of the country that fulfil the necessary elements for its implementation.

The Uses of the SystemicCybernetic Approach in Human Affairs: a call for practice

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

It is surprising to see - after more than 50 years of theoretical developments and quite a number of papers dedicated by systemists to practical complex situations- that the systemic-cybernetic approach to global messes (as typified by R. Ackoff) is still widely ignored by most leaders in business, economics, syndical unions, administration and politics (at any level), and even non-governmental organizations. This is a discouraging story of missed opportunities for a better management of human affairs in general, avoiding disasters or creating new possibilities through a keener understanding of the past and a wider appreciation of future possibilities, whether negative or positive. The paper is an attempt to define a methodology for the practical use of the systemic-cybernetic global array of tools and models

The System of System Processes

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

This paper arises out of work within Professor Len Troncale's online Systems Study Group. It draws on an hypothesis attributable to Janet McIntyre and developed as a general theory of systems evolution. It is totally consistent with Beer's VSM Model by providing a model of general evolution that incorporates VSM.

OPERATING PRINCIPLE OF THE UNI-VERSITY

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

Ludwig von Bertalanffy, in the very last sentence of the last chapter of his book General System Theory wrote: “Note 7. Notice the theological motive in Leibniz’s invention of the binary system. It represented Creation since any number can be produced by a combination of “something” (1) and “nothing” (0). But has this antithesis metaphysical reality, or is it but an expression of linguistic habits of the mode of action of our nervous system?” (von Bertalanffy 1969) It is posited in this paper that such a principle does in fact have a metaphysical reality. It exists not only in the conceptual schemes of humankind as a fundamental principle of that conceptual process, “an expression of linguistic habits…” but also in nature as the primary principle of structural co-operation a.k.a. synergy or the integrative system. In this paper I will discuss the complementary (a.k.a. system) as an artifact of our conceptualization process as well as provide examples of the metaphysical reality by which nature works together at all levels of existence. This principle is not to be confused with a “Theory of Everything” which is, in principle, impossible because, in short, any thing cannot be everything. However, there can be and is a principle of how everything works as exemplified in the concept of a minimal system. (Schwarz 1995) In short, there is no "General System Theory" but there is a "General System Principle". That principle stated implicitly is “working together.”

ADAPTING BANATHY’S SYSTEMS VIEW OF EDUCATION TO A SYSTEMS VIEW OF HUMAN SYSTEMS

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

While Troncale’s System of System Processes (SSP) lists over eighty processes found in complex systems throughout nature, most systems workers are familiar with and apply a fraction of that number. Although knowledge of all eighty processes is not be necessary for a systems view, familiarity with most of the processes and their interactions should be a prerequisite for claiming expertise. In A Systems View of Education, Banathy described concepts and processes of human activity systems generally, and educational systems more specifically. He then asked readers to apply the concepts and processes to their particular systems. He took readers through three models of a system: the system-environment model, the function/structure model, and the process model. A comparison of A Systems View of Education with the SSP led to six suggestions for adapting and updating the rubric to general and specific natural and human systems: (1) Rename the “process model” to the “development model” or “change model.” (2) Add and/or emphasize development, hierarchy, networks, and chaos/attractors. (3) Reframe abstract, philosophical concepts like beauty, good, plenty, and truth into systems functions and processes. (4) Add the primary drives and physiological functions of human systems.(5) Articulate consciousness, cognition, and emotion as functions and series of processes. To more fully develop this rubric, a comparison to more recent systems texts is in order. Findings from fields as diverse as neuroscience, social and evolutionary psychology, and business management can provide further insight and examples. Finally, determining what is important for developing a beginning systems view and what should be included in later courses may be best discovered by offering the course and then determining with participants what is helpful and what needs revision.

A NOVEL APPROACH TO THE CONCEPT OF SYSTEM INFORMATION

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

This paper represents a novel approach to the system information correlating General System Theory, Cybernetic and the Theory of Information. The main objective is to investigate whether “information” is a subjective concept or an objective entity in the physical reality. In this quest, system has been identified as an abstract model for observation and the perception of the world by the human mind. Based on this definition, every phenomenon that can be observed or imagined is perceived as a system. Where there is a system, there should be an observer and hence there exist information in between. Combination of system elements as a whole is explained by System Dynamics. Based on this assertion, the system is in a continuous change and transmutation; a conceptual process that is independent of time and space. In this perspective, time and space are conceived not as the background but the outcomes of the inherent dynamics of the system. It is shown how the time could be considered as sequence of events and the space as relation between system elements. System structure is modeled based on Binary graph as the fundamental topology for combinatory pattern of the system. A new System Algebra is defined, based on which the System Information Matrix (SIM) is introduced to demonstrate information imbedded in a system. This model is also used to evaluate the amount of system information based on Entropy as defined in thermodynamics and in the information theory. Complexity is another parameter of the system that is represented here based on multi-functionality of system elements. This new definition provides basis to quantify this feature of the system. Cybernetic systems categorized as life, machines and composite systems with high degree of complexity such as human societies, are all shown to be distinguishable by exchange of information. In these systems, information flows through different components the same way as it would from any system to the observer. It is concluded that information realized by the observer is a relative objective entity in a system. However, in cybernetic systems having controllers as internal observers, the information is physical and objective regardless of any external observer.

A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO STREAMLINING THE CREATION OF WEB-BASED CONTENT

2013-03-11T08:12:17-07:00

In a wired world, the information one already knows is becoming less important than how adept one is at conducting effective searches for the information one desires. In the case of publicly-available, indexed information resources such as those made possible by the World Wide Web, content that cannot be found may as well not even exist in terms of its usefulness for human consumption. The need for content to be findable on the Internet presents an important challenge for creators of content intended for consumption on the Web. Specifically, the content one creates must not only be valuable (i.e., useful and relevant within the context of a particular need) to human consumers, but it also must be properly indexed by search engine agents so that it can be made accessible to those consumers in the first place. Given the complexity of this dual requirement, content developers today lack a framework for guiding them in creating content that consistently satisfies both of these requirements. In order to assist the creators of online content to do so in a way that is both findable and valuable to human consumers, the current paper proposes a systems approach to modelling the complex relationship between Web-based content, the immediate content needs of its intended human consumers, and the technology agents that index that content for human consumption. The intended outcome will be a Content Consumer Profile which future content creators can leverage to help them create content effectively and efficiently.

Confronting Economic Profit with Hierarchy Theory: The Concept of Gain in Ecology

2013-03-11T08:12:16-07:00

Contemporary problems are often complicated by values intruding into the arena of physical systems. Economic notions of profit have values embedded in them in a way that generally does not occur in ecology and the other natural sciences. We generalize profit as gain in settings beyond strict economics in a way that encourages placing values properly in biological and historical social systems. Complications of elaborate control quickly enter the scene at this point and in this paper we invoke hierarchy theory to keep levels of analysis straight. Hierarchy theory often invokes dualities and a mix of process and structure that are fluid under changes in level of analysis. Notions of gain and profit are recursive as the system uses resources and must change strategies to deal with scarcity, which forces increases in efficiency in yet a new round of change. The transition from abundant resources used carelessly to scarce resources used efficiently changes controls in systems. Such changes over time amount to hierarchical restructuring, which in turn requires of the observer meticulous application of new levels of analysis as the system is redefined. The system bounded at a new hierarchical level encounters dualities embedded in the hierarchical concept of the holon, which offers a precision of definition of the new system as it exists as an autonomous whole while still being part of some larger system. We introduce these shifts and dualities using examples from nuclear energy, colonial insects and changes in complex societies such as Rome and the EU. In the end both ideas of profit and hierarchy theory are clarified in a two-way exchange.

LUDWIG VON BERTALANFFY’S EARLY SYSTEM APPROACH

2013-03-11T08:12:16-07:00

Most of what Bertalanffy published in the field of “organismic” biology was written in German and is thus not widely known. In order to understand the development and meaning of his “general system theory” – which might more accurately be called “general systemology” – those early works are essential. In this talk I will therefore focus on key aspects of his “system theory” of life, both on the level of scientific concepts and philosophical considerations. This will also include a note on works that influenced Bertalanffy and motivated him to later establish a new transdisciplinary field. He was influenced by several philosophers as well as by results from experimental research. As a trained philosopher, Bertalanffy was clearly aware that the notion of systems has a long history going back at least to ancient Greek thinkers. As for the influences from science, the focus here will be on Paul A. Weiss and his experiments performed at the Biologische Versuchsanstalt in Vienna. Those two roots will be used to clarify Bertalanffy’s unique contributions towards a system approach in biology and beyond, in which the aim was to free the term system from vague or even obscure metaphysical connotations and arrive at a framework that is useful for science.

Vertical and Horizontal Scaling Strategies to Avoid Destruction in the Modern Contest

2013-03-11T08:12:16-07:00

Not available.

Sociable Technologies for Enterprising Sociality

2013-03-11T08:12:16-07:00

We are witnessing a proliferation of information and communication technologies (ICT) to support the socializing function in human communities. At the same time there has never been a greater need, and a greater opportunity, for socially-based and socially-oriented enterprise. Enterprises and technologies are rapidly co-evolving, driven by the ecosystem of globally integrated enterprises and enabled by such technologies as Web 2.0 and virtual worlds. It is particularly timely at this moment in history to focus on the viewpoint that businesses and other enterprises are fundamentally human social systems. There has been recent emphasis on the importance of services and service economies as we move into an anticipated period of deepening integration of ICT into the fabric of global society. Human capabilities and inter-relationships actually constitute the primary source of value in a world of increasingly urgent problems and opportunities, yet the creation of value by human social systems is often ignored or downplayed. Several theories of human social systems are used to articulate the dimensions of enterprising sociality. A specialized ICT architecture is presented to help understand the dimensions of sociable affordances. These views of both enterprise and technology are then brought together to explore the structural coupling that needs to occur between the organizational and technological domains. Evidence from literature and experience reveals the unexpected power of socializing technologies to enhance and catalyze new ways of pursuing life and work as we move deeper into the 21st Century.