Proceedings of the 58th Annual Meeting of the ISSS - 2014 United States

Immersive and Interactive eLearning in Universities

Elvira Avalos-Villarreal — 2014-12-06

Educational systems in universities have changed very fast, e-learning is the most important change to improve the whole system in the last years and there are many specific technologies
to be included in new solutions,

In this paper, we propose how to select and integrate these technologies in a specific solution, combining Technology and Knowledge Management.

The first task is to study and develop several TIC´s applications to improve the learning process. After that the main effort is to review the university infrastructure and its knowledge system.

Besides , it is important design and organize an educational system applying proper pedagogical principles, using many available contents of knowledge and combining all them in classrooms with many tools to create a dynamic interaction, immersive visualization , collaborative work and permanent evaluation .

Knowledge Managements help teachers achieve this objective of knowledge development. In universities, it is a combination of experience, values, specialized information and expert insight for creating and improving individual competencies. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the educational system in universities in order to define and use proper tools for integrating a new modernized system of e- Learning. If the available resources are low, the system is simple but if the technological resources are high we would have an immersive and interactive system.

EXPLORING THE VARIETY OF SYSTEMS SCIENCE IN THE CLASSROOMS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Isaias José Badillo — 2015-01-25

System thinking provides a different and better way of looking at how the reality nest the life. It differ from the traditional way of looking of academic disciplines, mainly avoiding the reductionist approach to complex problems. One reason to study Systems Science is that most of the systems are human activity systems, where humans play fundamental rolls; therefore, understanding how system work it will make possible to anticipate the behaviour in the systems and co-evolve with them instead of being controlled by them.

We present a brief description on a lecturing-learning process of Systems Sciences using the proposed structural approach published in the Journals ISSS of the 55th Conference.

The proposed structure, follows the domain of Science Model developed by Warfield, which helps the art of learning integrating the four main components of the Systems Sciences body of knowledge, of as follows:

The domain of Systems Science

The conceptual space and language of Systems Science

The theoretical relations within Systems Science

The methods of Systems Science

At the end of the paper we present an application of the didactic tool.

A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF SYSTEMS THINKING LEADERSHIP IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Anne Powel Davis — 2014-12-06

The pluralistic and often competing goals of myriad constituents, the changing demographics of students, the uncertainty of funding, and the growing demands for accountability from stakeholders have increased the complexity of systems which community college leaders must manage. Emerging from the recent literature on community colleges is a call for new models of leadership in the context of leading in an increasingly uncertain and complex environment. Systems thinking offers a means to help leaders respond to these growing organizational complexities and move leadership from a traditional bureaucratic model to a more adaptive model better suited for today's dynamic community colleges. Despite a robust body of literature on systems thinking in myriad fields, there is comparatively scant evidence of systems thinking's application to organizational management or leadership per se in higher education and even less in community colleges. Hence, a systematic review of literature on systems thinking and complexity theory and their application in higher education was bolstered with evidence from healthcare. Findings reveal three reoccurring ways in which leaders apply systems thinking processes for improving organizational performance. A conceptual model for systems thinking leadership is proposed in which the three processes, characterized as discovery, framing, and action, can be enacted either individually or sequentially for enhancing organizational performance. The model draws upon boundary critique, critical systems thinking, systemic intervention, total systems intervention, systems dynamics, soft systems methodology, complexity theory and complex adaptive systems, yet uses language more readily identifiable and accessible to community college practitioners to encourage the use of these systemic practices. Systems Thinking Leadership, as proposed in this paper, provides a framework for community college leaders-presidents, chief academic officers, deans, department chairs, and faculty-to view their organization through a systems lens, and to enact and engage the adaptive and participatory practices of discovery, framing, and action for improving organizational performance.

An evolutionary framework for global sustainability education: An integral, posthuman perspective.

Brett R. Joseph — 2015-01-25

This article offers a perspective for disciplined inquiry into the proposition that a sustainable 21^st century global community is attainable, but urgently requires intervention by civil society to transform our major educational systems via consciously-guided evolutionary learning. As an affirmative framework for global citizenship, evolutionary learning invites expanded visions of humanity and enables healthy societal development through the emergence of human-ecological syntony. The envisioned framework for educational change would lead to engaged learning that develops the human capacities for values-based inquiry across the full spectrum of socially organized and technologically-mediated human activities, while supporting the emergence of human culture that embodies the stability, generativity and resilience of healthy natural systems.

Keywords: educational systems design, evolutionary learning, evolutionary consciousness, posthuman, integral theory, global citizenship.

Systemic Parameter Estimation for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip in Children

Benjamín Araujo — 2015-01-25

The human being is a complex entity as such has a set of features that makes it different compared to other living beings. The bio -psycho- social conception of the human being is part of systems thinking: a totality organized by a number of interrelated and interdependent entities.

From its origins science has tried to explain reality and seek control of those natural and transcendental phenomena that take place in it: the life, illness and death.

Disease and / or medical conditions affecting the health of people for settlement have developed models, techniques and tools to use the response time decreases. These have evolved into a transition aimed not only significantly prolong the years of life and survival of a patient, but also the well-being or quality of life related to health, which refers to the consequences of disease or treatment on physical , emotional and social wellbeing of a person. The change in the health model allows reviewing the definition of health and health care.

Practically, this model argues that health systems should consider this continuum of biological, psychological and social factors at diagnosis and establishment of treatment which will help to effectively manage the process of health and illness in a person, covering the evolution, the course of illness and recovery and/or rehabilitation of the individual.

As medicine has evolved, have been discovered diseases that affect the health of people and produce both partial and total in these conditions, preventing the development of skills and attitudes within society.

Within the range of diseases and/or conditions are those that damage the lower or hind limb of the human body (hip).

One of these conditions is Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) in children, which is presented as a condition of uncertain origin, evolution insidious and discouraging treatment if your diagnosis is not made early. The surgical procedure is often very invasive for the patient, since the bone composition is not fully formed and can cause secondary conditions that diminish their ability to lead a normal adult life.

From a mono-disciplinary approach may provide a solution to this problem, but not entirely. With the implementation of Systemic Methodologies and Tools we address this problem holistically, because with this implementation, we can obtain the factors affecting our study and thus provide a solution to diminish entirely side effects.

It is for this that comes a Systemic Methodology which consists of Soft and Hard Methodologies as an option for the study of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) in children in order to estimate parameters to identify the factors affecting the development of this condition at the time of diagnosis and treatment, in order to make improvements in applied surgical procedures and develop options to decision- making by the specialist to reduce risks that may arise and provide quality of life for patients in their family and social environment.

Hybrid methodology for the diagnosis of a knee tumor prosthesis

Aideé Huerta — 2015-01-25

In medical practice, it is common to find complex biological and engineering systems; which have multiple interactions with the environment and within themselves.

Systems engineering deals with the study and understanding of reality. In order to implement or optimize complex systems it takes a transdisciplinary approach in which it integrates several disciplines in a synergic way.

The concepts and methodologies of General Systems Theory may help medicine, to integrate social, psychological, economic, historical and anatomic factors causing a medical condition. If all factors are considered, it is possible to provide a complete treatment. Prosthetic systems used for the treatment of bone tumors are one example of complex systems. The systemic view helps identify the factors that cause unexpected behavior of the prosthesis, its subsystems changes and patient interaction with the prosthesis in daily life.

Bone tumors adversely affect the health and physical integrity of patients who suffer them and, in severe cases, threaten the life of the patient. The anatomical region most often affected is the knee (over 50% of cases). One of the treatments listed in this condition is surgical removal of the tumor followed by reconstruction site affected by arthrodesis.

Patients with arthrodesis can perform some demanding activities from the physical point of view (walking in uneven or slippery surfaces, up and down slopes, picking things up standing). However, they have limitations as to the function of the affected limb. Arthrodesis has the advantage of involving a lower cost and that it preserves the patient's anatomy, which is a better option from the emotional point of view.

The National Rehabilitation Institute (INR, for its Spanish acronym) is one of the National Institutes of Health of the Mexican Federal Government. The INR has its own design of spacer and intramedullary nail for knee arthrodesis. The implant consists of a solid intramedullary nail of Ti-6Al-4V medical grade alloy, which is inserted through the medullary canal of the femur and tibia, two pin blockers for the femur and two pins for the tibia, and a cylindrical spacer standing on the site of the knee.

Although the implant has been successful many times, the life of the implant is limited by pins loosening, which causes intense pain to the patients, negatively affecting their quality of life. This is because the loads on the pins are very high, so they sink into the bone beneath them. The use of Finite Element Analysis has shown that the location of the pins over the resection site plays an important role in the way the loads are distributed throughout the implant and the size of the resection influences the loads occurring on the pins.

To achieve a comprehensive diagnosis of the prosthetic system various departments of the INR should work together: Bone Tumor Service, Biomechanics Laboratory and Quality of Life Department.

To integrate the worldview of these areas a hybrid methodology (soft and hard systems) is implemented by developing an experimental design that involves a larger number of variables than the analysis described above. The methodology of Checkland and the Cybernetics Model are applied in order to evaluate the performance of the prosthesis and how it impacts the quality of life of patients.

GENERAL SYSTEMS THEORY THROUGH LINGUISTIC MODELLING

Janos Korn — 2015-01-25

A brief historical background suggests that although the 'systemic or structural' description of parts of the world appears to be universal, an acceptable general systems theory has not been put forward. A scheme for empirical research is described which can be used to evaluate to what extent constituents of 'human intellectual endeavour' including a GST, fits into such a scheme. Past suggestions for GST are compared with that currently under consideration. Basic notions of the proposed GST are outlined leading to a set of concepts for this GST which can then be used for operational descriptions of either quantitative or qualitative aspects of things. These aspects are embodied in mathematical or linguistic models having a common origin in 'processed natural language', the primary model. The generalised model of purposive system is considered as the basis of production and consumption of 'product' by living things. Connection between 'conventional' and 'systems' sciences is demonstrated pointing to their application in problem solving and design. Thus, an integrated scheme of analysis and synthesis together referred to as GST dealing with scenarios labelled 'natural', 'technical', 'living' and 'social' systems has emerged.

Scientific Research For The Mexican Satellite System

Cirilo Gabino León Vega — 2014-12-06

A technology Management Model for the Mexican Satellite System, based on concepts from different writers is proposed such as: management and technology management. This latter concept involves creation, dissemination, use and transfer of technology. At the next step a Systemic Planning Model for the Mexican Satellite System, is proposed, in order to contribute to technological development.

The Stages of Systemic Planning Model for the Mexican Satellite System are: 1 International analysis, 2 Satellite system .analysis, 3. Diagnosis of, national satellite system using the SWOT, 4.. Formulation and answer research questions 5. Proposed solution 6.Mission, vision, values and strategic objectives of the proposal, 7.Strategies, using SWOT: SO, ST, WO and WT combinations, 8. Action plan 9. Technological feasibility, 10.Technological development. From the analysis and diagnosis, it was found that one of the great strengths in our country is scientific research, including space developed since the 1940s, but it is isolated. It is proposed to found humanist satellite companies, to promote and preserve ecology consisting of self-financing, public, mixed or private initiative, that systemically integrates basic and applied scientific research, among other companies which are engaged in the design, construction and launch of satellites with the purpose of contributing to the technological development to provide an efficient, fast, safe and cheap service to meet the demands of domestic and international users.

The problem is that, in Mexico as in most developing nations, scientific research is not a systemically integrated industry. For this reason, it is impossible for space technology to develop.

Reducing Acquisition Cost by Minimizing the Requirements Solution Space

Bradford A. Logan — 2015-01-25

The purpose of this paper is to explore the need to develop a methodology for reducing acquisition costs by minimizing the requirements’ solution space. The requirements solution space is the result of two or more solutions, resulting from the interpretation of system’s requirement. This can be problematic if solution spaces created by the requirements do not: 1) fall within the systems’ prescribed solution space, 2) or if the solution spaces from other neighbouring system requirements oppose one another. If either of these situations is realized, there will likely be negative consequences relating to costs, schedule and quality.

The author briefly explores critical requirements and the relations to their respective constraints. In doing so, the concept of assigning a degree of freedom (DoF) nomenclature to these critical requirements is introduced, which helps relates the DoF to complexity. This nomenclature will prove instrumental in providing the initial assessment to the number of potential solutions existing per system requirement. The paper will also establish a relation between the requirements DoF, complexity and cost.

Analysis of Hurst exponent and the fractal dimension of seismic activity occurred in the Cocos Plate, Mexico

Julian Patiño-Ortiz — 2015-01-25

Earthquakes are a natural phenomenon of great interest, know and understand the processes and mechanisms that the generated is subject of research worldwide, and it is essential to develop models that allow in the future understanding their behavior and therefore predict their occurrence.

The objective of this research is to analyze the dynamics of seismic activity occurred in the Cocos Plate - Mexico, through the evolution of the Hurst exponent and fractal dimension in 3D, in time series of seismic activity, taking the magnitude (M) as the main parameter.

In the analysis is used the methodology for the development of earthquake prediction models developed under the systems approach designed by the authors. To define the time series of seismic activity, are considered first annual intervals to find the Hurst exponent of each year since 1988 (the year in which the database is consistent) until 2012, and then it accumulates the years to find again the Hurst exponent to see the cumulative evolution of it.

In research, is analyzed the seismic activity occurred in the Cocos Plate in Mexico, in the period from January 1, 1988 to December 31, 2012. Analyses were performed following the methods proposed in this research, mainly considering that the Hurst exponent analysis provides the ability to find that the space-temporal behavior of the seismicity obey and/or can be described by parameters such as the dimension fractal and complex systems.

Systemic Design of a Sliding Mode based model for analyzing the performance of an Acoustic Sensor

Miguel Patiño-Ortiz — 2015-01-25

Currently it is common to use sensors in all aspects of daily life. So, in geophysical processes electronic sensors are required to measure and automate different tasks such as characterization of deep wells, basins, lakes and caves among others. Acoustic sensors are famous because its foundation is mechanical detection, or a sound wave. The acoustic signals are able to be reflected in places which other signals cannot operate either drawbacks or where the liquid moves.

This research aims to develop a systemic mathematical model, representative of the acoustic waves used in acoustic sensors, for analyzing the response to deterministic and non-deterministic variables, also, that assists in the analysis of the damages that have with environmental disturbances, problems which is currently being studied in the worldwide, in order to expand the potential of using acoustic sensors in the global scope.

To achieve the objectives of this research, a systemic and systematic approach methodology is followed, using techniques based on sliders modes to design state feedback control, allowing robustness in the system. Likewise, application results are discussed in the model for optimization. The application of theories and methods, with a systemic and systematic approach enables other form of analysis, interpretation and solve systems problems.

Syntropy and Sustainability

Ulisse Di Corpo — 2014-12-05

In the 1920s the backward-in-time solutions of the fundamental equations of the universe were rejected as non-physical, since retrocausality was considered to be impossible. Then, in 1941, the mathematician Luigi Fantappiè noticed that the properties of these solutions are: energy concentration, the increase in differentiation and complexity, the reduction of entropy, the increase in cohesion and unity, the formation of structures and the increase in order. Listing these properties he remarked that they coincide with the properties of life, which the classical (time forward) approach is unable to explain. In 1942 Fantappiè published a small book titled: “The Unitary Theory of the Physical and Biological World” in which he suggests that the physical/mechanical world is governed by the forward-in-time solution and by the law of entropy, whereas life is governed by the backward-in-time solution and by a law symmetric to entropy which Fantappiè named syntropy (from the Greek words syn = converging and tropos = tendency).

The entropy/syntropy theory deals with energy and states that two transformations can effect energy: a forward-in-time transformation governed by the law of entropy and a backward-in-time transformation governed by the law of syntropy. Since energy is a fixed quantity which cannot be created or destroyed, but only transformed, the total amount of energy can be represented as the sum of energy in the syntropic state (concentrated) and energy in the entropic state (dispersed):

Total Energy = Syntropic Energy + Entropic Energy

Furthermore, because Energy is a constant value it can be replaced with the number 1 and the equation changes into:

1 = Syntropy + Entropy

which shows that entropy and syntropy are complementary polarities of the same unity:

Syntropy = 1 – Entropy Entropy = 1 – Syntropy

Entropic energy is governed by causality (causes that precede their effects) and it is for us visible, whereas syntropic energy is governed by retrocausality (effects that precede their causes) and it is for us invisible. The existence of two complementary forces, one diverging and one converging, one visible and one invisible, would be constantly at play in living systems and in its numerous forms of organization.

Since entropy is the tendency towards death, whereas syntropy is the tendency towards life, living systems in order to sustain themselves need to minimize entropy and to maximize syntropy. When entropy is high crises are experienced. When entropy is low crises diminish and wellbeing is experienced. According to this view, sustainability follows the syntropic rules which govern the invisible plane of reality and which Jung and Pauli named synchronicities.

A Relational Framework for Sustainability Science

John Kineman — 2015-01-25

Since publication of a synthesis of Robert Rosen's relational theory in 2011, called R-thoery, considerable progress has been made in defining a general system framework that is both causally based and subject to analysis using category theory. This framework is based on hypothesized natural closure of Aristotle's four causes and implicit fifth level unity or organization of causal relations. The framework is based on holon relations described in the earlier work. In this paper I outline various representations of that framework showing that it is general to many known and practiced systems frameworks for understanding or managing complexity. These examples range from modern applications to anchient history. Based on these comparisons I propose that the causal structure of the R-theory holon does indeed represent a "General System Theory" as initially sought by Ludvig von Bertalanffy and implicitly in the work of Robert Rosen. I also suggest that it may be usefully applied in the emerging discipline of "Sustainability Science" which is seeking such a framework for integrating models of human and natural systems.

Roots of Sustainability in Ancient India

John J Kineman — 2015-01-25

Archaeology of the ancient civilization discovered in the Indus Valley region (now including the re-discovered course of the river Saraswati) suggests similarities with Vedic philosophy pre-dating the classical Vedic period. Linking proto-Vedic origins with Harrapan and pre-Harrapan culture makes sense as the "Aryan Invasion Theory" is increasingly discredited from lack of evidence, and as evidence of a relatively undisturbed proto-Vedic cultural succession in the Indus-Saraswati region builds. A tentative link should thus be made between Vedic philosophy, for which no exogenous cultural origin as been found, with the Indus-Saraswati civilizations, which reveal clear evidence lending to Vedic interpretation. Textual, Geophysical, archaeological, philosophical, and genetic evidence are consistent with origin and sustainable practice of prototypical Vedic holism in the Indus/Saraswati region from at least 3000BC until decline and/or dispersion of the culture from 1900BC to 600BC, probably due to climate and hydrological changes. The new timeline suggests an early practice of Vedic holism that appears to have been sustainable for a surprising length of time. We examine the possible basis of that holistic belief in terms of similarities between Vedic literature, images found on archaeological artefacts, and a recent systems theory of cyclical causation that also corresponds with Vedic thought. The collapse of this highly productive, influential, and yet peaceful civilization, which was apparently a centre of holistic belief, corresponds with a dramatic rise of dualistic thinking that spread widely along with the development of Abrahamic religions, both having strong influences on Greek philosophy and the development of modern science. Our present situation of proliferating technology in the absence of systemic comprehension of its impact on society and nature may thus be attributed to this dramatic pre-historical shift from holistic to dualistic thought. We conclude with recommending an international education and research agenda, applying modern system thinking to better understand the ancient concepts of holism. We also recommend much greater international attention to archaeology and other studies of the Indus/Saraswati region.

A Systems Approach to Business Process Evolution

Kevin G Doyle — 2015-01-25

The "First World" has become an information society, increasing the complexity of management in a business environment which is characterised by complexity, simultaneity, asynchronicity and de-centralisation. In this world, information systems are no longer simply an adjunct to business, but are at its heart; automating, informating, virtualizing and transforming organisations and work, social groups and human interaction. In this environment one might expect that business managers would readily see the value of, and hence adopt, the use of systems methods. However, managers have largely ignored the systems sciences, preferring instead to adopt a series of seemingly endless management "fads," including Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) and Total Quality Management (TQM). These "fads" are more attractive to practising managers than systems methodologies because they are more easily "sold" as supportive of the pragmatic mind-set. Management take-up of "fads" stems largely from the fact that; "What men really want is not knowledge but certainty".

However, human activity systems are complex, self-regulating and adaptive, and so too must be the systems by which change is planned and managed. Self-generated and self-organised evolutionary change processes can enable systems to adapt, evolve and improve as circumstances, perceptions and requirements change. For successful business process evolution (BPE), the consideration of change and its effects must frequently be analysed and interpreted at more than a single level and in more than a single dimension, often in many (interleaved) cycles of exploration, understanding and change.

Developing a shared appreciation among a coalition of organisational stakeholders of "the best way forward" generally fosters and enables improvement in complex organisational systems. Such a shared appreciation can benefit from a framework that promotes and supports teamwork, synergy, mutual understanding and conflict resolution, in order to support a fusion of horizons.

Organisational effectiveness is difficult to define, often unknown and generally a moving target. BPE, therefore, must be underpinned by the recognition that there may be many different, and equally valid, views of what might constitute "organisational improvement" and how such "improvement" might be sought. In order to achieve an agreement over desirable, feasible and beneficial change, BPE must somehow address this complex set of pluralist positions. It must also seek incremental improvement through learning, negotiation and compromise while recognising the importance of IT, IS and IM as integral parts of the broader business system. In the Information Economy, BPE must also support a variety of technologies, tools, techniques and approaches from the domains of Business Analysis and Information Systems, to support exploration, understanding and change, using principles of method from both the hard and the soft paradigms.

This paper sets out an evolutionary approach to organisational change; especially change involving information systems.

The approach described is founded upon the collaboration of people involved in the area of concern; a process of critical enquiry; a focus on social practice; and a deliberate process of reflective learning. The approach is systemic in nature, systematic in its coverage and pragmatic in its application, allowing a balance to be struck between creativity and control. Focusing on enabling systems, rather than on methodical phases, it views organisational change as systems based, rather than project based and recognises that change must necessarily be planned for and managed, but should be systemic rather than formulaic.

An Approach for Software Architecture by understanding Value requirements, developing Value proposition, and subsequently realizing Value

Anand Kumar — 2015-01-25

Adverse Selection Behavior and Counteracting Mechanisms in E-Commerce Market: Case Study from Taobao.com（China）

Yong Pan — 2015-01-25

Adverse selection refers to a market process in which undesired results occur when buyers and sellers have asymmetric information; the bad products or services are more likely to be selected by consumers. Compared to the traditional market, the e-commerce transaction still could not get rid of the adverse selection problems，which seriously affect network online consumer buying behavior and reduce the efficiency of the online transaction. Now in China some trading platforms such as Taobao.com（China）are seeking some counteracting mechanisms to reduce adverse selection problems. Widely used mechanisms are credit scoring mechanism and guarantee mechanism. This paper takes transaction data from U disk market in Taobao.com as samples and analyzes the role of credit scoring mechanism and guarantee mechanism in Chinese e-commerce market. The results showed that the credit scoring mechanism and guarantee mechanism can effectively offset the negative impact from the adverse selection problems. Although the credit scoring mechanism has a significant impact on transaction volume; guarantee mechanism has greater impact on the trading volume than the credit scoring mechanisms. In addition, relationship between the guarantee mechanism and credit scoring mechanism are not substitutes but complement for each other. In the case of the existence of the guarantee mechanism, online consumers’ purchase for online goods options is still subject to the impact of the credit scoring mechanism. The paper proposes strategy recommendations to improve credit scoring mechanism and guarantee mechanisms to promote the efficiency of online transactions.

Study on IT Service Management at a Polytechnic College

Hatsue Wada — 2015-01-25

Information systems of higher educational institutes are indispensable to the education and business operations of institutes. Their maintenance activities should keep the systems available even when their circumstances have been changed in education and business operations. Maintenance activities are not usually recognized as IT service; consequently there are few activities intended to improve IT services because the focal point of the improvement of maintenance activities has been cost and budget reduction.

The purpose of the current case study is to clarify the characteristics of the maintenance activities of a polytechnic college from the view point of IT service management. The focal point of the investigation is value-providing IT service for users of the information systems. The ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), a compiled set of best practices for IT service management, plays an important role for our purpose.

In this study, the tasks of the actual maintenance activities for the information systems at the polytechnic college were classified to know their characteristics as IT service by being compared with the processes described in the ITIL Service Operation, ITIL Service Design, and ITIL Service Transition which are three of the five stages of the ITIL service life cycle. From this classification we identified needs of users, level of performance of information systems required by users, conformity with business strategy, and other factors to provide better IT services for users. We also identified lack of operations in the actual maintenance activities. Based on the identified factors, we finally discussed IT service management of the polytechnic college.

A Systems View of Community Engagement: Exploration for Simple Rules of Interaction to Explain Community Resistance in Landfill Siting Situations

Phil Cook — 2015-01-25

Success within today’s corporate environment is increasingly dependent upon the corporation’s successful interaction with its community. Communities are increasingly aware of their rights and demand responsible treatment from Corporations. This paper looks specifically at the Community Engagement dynamics involved in Landfill Siting situations.

In the same manner that the flocking of birds or the structure of termite mounds emerge from what are relatively “simple” noncomplex activities, interactions and interdependencies; can we identify these noncomplex activities in situations of successful and unsuccessful landfill sitings? This paper begins the process of exploration and identification of noncomplex activities which occur in these situations. The purpose of this exploration is to add to the body of Community Engagement Theory in a meaningful and practical way through the use of Systems Concepts involving Complex Human Systems.

These concepts are those low level interactions which produce higher level processes - community resistance / acceptance - in multi-layered complex systems. Also, the exploration will take note of the higher level system processes - quality of engagement i.e. Transformational, Transactional, Transitional - that constrain or induce the lower level system processes. Note will be taken of the coevolution of these system levels toward either a successful or unsuccessful siting situation.

The paper explores extant literature concerning Community and Community Engagement research in an effort to identify predominant and not so predominant thinking in the domain. Exploration in this domain of literature reveals many similar themes of interaction, interdependency and actions. The paper begins with a look at what is commonly or not so commonly defined as “Community”. Several definitions of varying perspective prevail including; Community as stakeholder, Community as groups, Communities of practice, Communities geographically defined, and Communities of individuals. A practical whilst perhaps not definitive definition of Community is proposed for the purposes of the exploration. Not surprisingly this definition is a synthesis of the theory to date interpreted through the lens of Systems theories.

Given a practical definition of Community, then, the paper turns to the literature to explore the differing actions, interactions and interdependencies peculiar to Community Engagement. Using the same method the author identifies a definition of Engagement from the literature and then turns the exploration toward the actions, interactions and interdependencies produced during Community Engagement. An emergent theme in the literature regarding Community Engagement is that of the “quality” of engagement. Although, this is found stated in several different manners, the author identifies key similarities and defines three qualities of engagement: Transactional, Transitional and Transformational. These types disaggregate into differing categories or qualities of engagement including; one way communication, two way communication, empowerment, inclusion, consensus building, multiparty dialogues, collaboration and “Guerrilla” public relations, etc.

Exploration beyond the quality of Engagement encompasses additional themes in the literature including; NIMBY, NIABY, Community acceptance, Community Resistance, Stakeholder Theory, Bonding and Bridging Social Capital, Reflexive Modernization (Equity, trust, Participation), Risk to the Community and the corporation, etc. While the literature in the domain is vast there are several low systems level noncomplex interactivities and interdependencies that can be identified.

A Systems perspective of the low level system interdependencies and interactions leads one to the conclusion that pre-knowledge of the quality of engagement and its potential consequences in producing high level system processes can provide valuable strategic information to those involved in situations of landfill siting.

The paper concludes with a summation of this synthesis and a suggestion of field study to be carried out to further test the Community Engagement theory derived through this secondary research. The end result of field study will contribute greatly to the justification and use of engagement quality as an important corporate strategic tool.

A Complementarist Approach to Lean Systems Management

Javier Calvo-Amodio — 2015-01-25

Effective systems management is a desirable, but often lacking, individual and organizational behaviour. An effective management system informs decision making for human, information, technology and machine processes, thus requiring a systemic approach. The consequences for a lack of systems competency are considerable in costs, delays, failures, etc. In this paper, the authors present a complementarist lean systems management approach. As a knowledge engineering approach, it combines the CX tool, Transition-Phase Management model (TPM) and Cascading Failure Model (CFM) methodologies into a meta-methodology to manage lean systems. The CX tool is a system model of both current and desired future states in an organization that aspires to be lean. Based on the Plan-Do-Check-Adjust organizational learning loop, the CX tool provides a means to analyse any current or new system, process or project. The “C” stands for congruence or “equal state” and “X” for all the possible combinations in which the congruence can be developed or improved. TPM provides a mean to manage process change processes; while CFM allows identifying robust process networks. Together they quantify specific gaps to inform continuous improvement. The meta-methodology proposed is a pluralistic approach that integrates all phases of process improvement: diagnosis, solution design, implementation and control while combining social sciences, engineering management and systems engineering disciplines.

Adaptive Leadership and Social Movements, Applying The Complex Theory of Leadership

Claudio Marcelo Gamero Henríquez — 2015-01-25

This paper reviews the configuration today's highly complex social context and how, this vertigo pressed change paradigmatic shifts, which are still undergoing transformations. Visualize and understand the phenomenon of leadership from the perspective of complexity warrants the use of CAS (Complex Adaptive Systems) support by development of complex Leadership Theory (CLT). With this framework it is possible to describe and account for the phenomenon of adaptive leadership that has great similarity with the CAS and how this type of leadership reflects dynamics that characterize emerging social movements.

TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT THROUGH SPACE AGENCIES

Cirilo Gabino León Vega — 2015-01-25

Technology management is the process of directing all activities geared to a public or private institution to make the most efficient use of technology.

Technology is created through joint expertise, scientifically arranged, to design and create goods and/or services that facilitate daily life. These skills are acquired in educational institutions and finally applied in technological development industry by acquisition or through research. Within space technology, this can be done through space agencies.

In this paper the major space agencies are: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS), China National Space Administration (CNSA) and European Space Agency (ESA), which systemically work with industry and academia integrating basic and applied scientific research in each country.

The Mexican Space Agency (AEM) is the youngest space agency. Unlike its predecessors, it has failed to integrate basic and applied scientific research to the productive sector as demonstrated throughout this document.

Leverage Points in Systemic Change, an Empirical Evaluation of Meadows Taxonomy

E John Vodonick — 2014-12-06

A system intervention is usually done with the view of changing some aspect of the system. That aspect might be the boundary of the system, the desired results of the system, the ability to apply a given set of metrics to the system or some other aspect. The nature of the intervention is always a matter of delicate selection.

Systems practitioners eventually learn that certain leverage points exist in all systems that can be used to initiate change in the system and thus avoid the frustrating effort of attempting to 'muscle" the system into a state of change. Of course the understanding of the existence of leverage points is really just the surface of the problem; the crux of the thing is the identification of the various leverage points in the system and the attempt to have some understanding of the possible unintended consequences of an intervention of that system through the adjustment of the identified leverage points.

Meadows developed taxonomy of systemic intervention points in 1999. Those intervention points are arranged from the one with the smallest overall effect such as changing constants, parameters and numbers (such as subsidies, taxes, standards)to that having the most dramatic effect upon the system; changing the ability to transcend paradigms. As of 2012 this taxonomy had not been subject to empirical validation. During a two year period three different cohousing communities were studied for the purpose of exploring the dynamic of the ethical change. The data collected was analyzed and various themes were developed. Pivotal ethical moments were identified and the leverage point in each change was distinguished and inspected for the effects of its application. This paper discusses systemic leverage points from the perspective of a larger study of ethical change within three cohousing communities that were studied over a two year period. Its purpose is to discover if Meadows taxonomy can be empirically validated as a useful tool to design a process of system intervention to achieve the greatest possible effect, or alternatively the least possible effect upon the system.

The communities that were studied were all located in the Northern California area of the United States and were selected through the process of snowball sampling as were the participants in the study. Data was collected though semi structured interviews and the personal observations of the researcher as well as an analysis of the public presentation of the various communities through their websites. The data that was collected was coded using Atlas.ti and themes developed from that data, in part focusing upon Meadows model.

This paper is divided into an exposition of the various research sites and major pivotal moments within the sites. Those pivotal moments are then examined from the viewpoint of Meadows' twelve leverage points to determine if the data supports that model. Conclusions from the examination are drawn and suggestions for further research are made.

GS2:THE UNIVERSE AND ALL ITS PARTS ARE 10Di SUPERORGANISMS

Luis Sancho — 2015-01-25

The Universe and all its parts, made to the image and likeness of the whole, are ten dimension Superorganisms.

The substances of those Superorganisms are lineal space=energy and cyclical time=information, 2 dual concepts that express the fundamental duality of the Universe between lineal distances/motions and cyclical clocks/forms.

The mind perceives in stillness the moving energy of the vacuum as lines of space=distance – the shortest geometry between two points - and the in-form-ation of the Universe carried in the temporal, cyclical clocks and frequencies, traced by vortices of charges and masses, as spherical particles – the geometry, which stores more information in lesser space.

Yet the substances of reality are quantum, lineal forces of energy and cyclical vortices of time, which combine to create the ∞ complementary superorganisms of the Universe, all of them made with spherical particle/heads of information sum of multiple time cycles, fields/limbs of energy that move them & waves/bodies that reproduce the system.

As a result of this duality all systems perform only 2x2 type of dimensional actions: Individually they absorb Energy for its body/limbs (feeding/motion) and Information for its mind; socially they use their surplus of energy to reproduce its form, (ExI) and they gather in herds around networks of energy and information that distribute efficiently those 2 elements, creating bigger whole superorganisms, fitter to survive than the individual ‘cell’.

The complex sum of all those time cycles and lineal energy motions give birth to the fundamental ‘species’ of the Universe, a 10D superorganism, composed of 3 elements - heads/particles of information that guide limbs/fields of energy, and combine in waves/bodies that reproduce the system - which extend through:

-3 local, organic, finite dimensions of spatial energy: length, the direction of limbs/fields in motion; height the location of informative particles/heads; and its re-product-ive product, width.

Those superorganisms grow through their 3 diffeomorphic dimensions, which enact its 3 organic functions in time, with a temporal order given by the dominance and increase of its information from birth to extinction, in a life-death cycle of 3±i ages:

+i: Birth in a lower ‘fractal scale of space-time’

- Max. E: Past =youth or ‘energy age’ of maximal lineal motion.

- E=I: Present=steady state maturity, or age of balance between energy and information when the system iterates its form, creating its clonic offspring that makes the Universe both dynamic and immortal=seemingly unchanged.

- Max.I: Future, 3^rd age of information, as energy warps into form (forces into masses & charges) till becoming exhausted.

-i: Death: The system dissolves into its parts, in a big-bang of energy that returns its form back to its cellular scale.

Thus, Universal systems extend through 3 ±i scales of complexity, its i-1 cellular, seminal scale, from where they emerge as individuals to become Relative Fractal, cellular units/points/parts of their bigger i+1 social scale or whole 3x3+i=10 Dⁱ superorganism, till death dissolves it back.

While from a continuous pov, all those fractal i-scales form a 5^th ‘classic’ Dimension.

Thus all life-death cycles are a journey through 3x3±i relative scales of the 5^th dimension; defined by a metric equation, Se x Ti=K, such as smaller scales have more information as its time clocks run faster, but their product remains co-invariant, reason why superorganisms of different scales have the same power and lifespan.

I.e. insects perceive 10 times faster than humans but live a maximal of 7 years, which insects will perceive as 7 x 10=70 life years of experience, the humans age.

Thus all superorganisms show 5 isomorphisms:

1) Duality of Energy and Information;

2) Ternary, topological, organic dimensions of space;

3) 3±i ages and life-death cycle;

4) 4 actions: Max. E, Max. I, Exi, ∑Ex∏I

5) 3 scales of existence. GST is the science that studies them.

Science & Spirituality

Fabiana Crespo — 2015-01-25

How to consolidate all my experiences, and how can I explain it to make it yours?

Since I was a child I went through several unique experiences that I could only start to understand a few years back:

-The experience of being dead for a short while.

-The experience of being one with nature.

-The experience of meditation in many ways: Tao, Vipassana, Raja Yoga, Tracendental, Tantra,…

-The experience of seeing a person in front of you that you feel is another you, you can see yourself on him/her.

-The experience when you lose yourself in running.

-The experience of Self-help group energy that gives answers.

-The experience of this feeling deep inside my gut, that happened at the same moment a loved one died.

-The experience of communicating with loved ones at the same time in different parts of the world.

-The experience listening binaural and isochronic bits with a certain rhythm.

-The experience of feeling pure and fluent “LOVE”.

And many more experiences, that have been a lot. And the more I have the more I realize that everything goes to the same end: “ONENESS”, WE ARE ALL ONE.

This project is about connecting Science and Spirituality. Although we still can’t explain everything about spirituality in a scientific way. Year after year we have more and more scientific answers for the spiritual phenomena. And not having still all of the answers, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist.

We already know that “everything has to do with everything”, and everything is a subsystem of another bigger subsystem, and so on. All of them with the same properties, in the microcosm and the macrocosms.

The Principle of Mentalism: "the all is mind; The Universe is Mental", the first of the seven principals of the truth in the sacred text of The Kybalion. This hermetic Principle embodies the truth that "All is Mind". It explains that THE ALL (which is the Substantial Reality underlying all the outward manifestations and appearances which we know under the terms of "The Material Universe"; the "Phenomena of Life; Matter; Energy; and, in short, all that is apparent to our material senses) is SPIRIT which in itself is UNKNOWABLE and UNDEFINABLE, but which may be considered and thought of as AN UNIVERSAL, INFINITE, LIVING MIND. It also explains that all the phenomenal world or universe is simply a Mental Creation of THE ALL, subject to the Laws of Created Things, and that the universe, as a whole, and in its parts or units, has its existence in the Mind of THE ALL, in which Mind we "live and move and have our being." One of the old Hermetic Masters wrote, long ages ago: "He who grasps the truth of the Mental Nature of the Universe is well advanced on The Path to Mastery".

As Ervin Laszlo describes the advent of the Akasha paradigm, he says: "we recognize the non-local interconnection of all things in space and time". There is san inclusive way of understanding that reaffirms the age old instinctive comprehension of deep connections among people , societies and nature, and integrates and transcends classical religious and scientific paradigms.

Dr. Rafael López Guerrero says that the universe is composed of 4% or normal atomic matter, 23% dark matter, 73% dark energy previously thought was empty space, called Akasha. It's like an invisible nervous system that runs through the universe connecting all things. Is Akasha, primary substance, is what forms the space itself and it extends over everything.

Nowadays we know that everything is energy, vibrating in different frequencies. We are vibrational beings living in a vibrational universe, always moving into more. It is just that we are not prepared to perceive this energy. We can't see or feel radio waves, microwaves, gamma rays, x rays, and we even don't know what else we can't feel.

We develop the five minor senses that perceive as matter: sight, taste, touch, hearing and smell, at least the range we are capable to, but… what about other senses that we even don’t notice that they exist. We know at least one hundred and five higher internal senses. Like proprioception (sense of the relative position of neighboring parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement); or vestibular (sense of spatial orientation). Nobody learns how to breath, even how to cry. They work without our awareness, fortunately. But this means that we don’t develop them. And how many senses like these we don’t realize they coexist, just because we don’t use them, we are not developing them. What if we close our eyes and we begin being conscious of what we eat, as an example. Can we feel how does the tongue, throat, esophagus, small intestine, etc…work? Try!

Human history is full of testimonials of those who could develop their insight seances and see farther, much farther. Remember Platon, with his "Cavern's Theory", where we, human beings, only can see as reality the shadows reflected in the cavern's walls thanks because of a light ray that comes from outside. Or Shakespeare in "Midsummernight's Dream", where everybody lives a dream, an illusion as reality. Or in Hamlet where he says: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than all you can dream of in your philosophy".

Ancient mystics and yogis from many traditions knew about our vibrational nature, the “Theory of Impermanence” of Heraclitus. Just as water can shift from one state to another, freezing into ice or evaporating into steam, everything in our universe/s is in a state of transformation. Our physical body is forever changing, and so does everything. Our thoughts and emotions are always evolving.

Quantic Physics, quantum mechanics and string theory, let us know that space is not empty, it is like a matrix. And in this Matrix we are all connected, and not only human beings but also with all of nature and substances. Also science reveals the existence of parallel universes, multiple scenarios that coexist at the same time. And we are available to choose or even create the one we want to live in in accordance with our freewill. That our brain is like a radio that receive and emits electromagnetic waves, as bioelectrical pulse frequency hertz. An EEG -electroencephalogram- can show these. We are like a WIFI system, we can perform wireless transmissions.

Energy is what changes the shape of matter. This can be demonstrated through the radio frequency. The frequencies are the ones responsible that modify the subject.

We are aware that “the observer changes what observes”, and, with the “Unfolding Times Theory” (Pierre Garnier Malet, 2004), we understand how human beings create the particles in accordance with the logic that we use with our thoughts and will. Is the observer who choose and decides where and how to put his attention and intention (consciousness). And the attention and intention -the motor-, have the power -energies- to create a reality, “particles” that can be materialized. And in this process the freewill and the capacity of feeling are the key variables. As a matter of fact: “WE ARE WHAT WE THINK”.

But is not that easy…consciousness itself creates the illusion. Thinking creates illusion and duality.

We have contributions of several fields in this holistic approach of interdisciplinary nature of the group.

To show some aspects of this, I would like to introduce you six people and myself. We all come from different backgrounds and different disciplines:

1- Viviana Ruth Koldorff presents "Decoding of Cellular Memmory".

2- Ernesto Van Peborgh presents "New Paradigm of he IT Networks".

3- Christian Plebst presents "Wired Love".

4- Peter Straubinger presents “In the beginning there was light“, Breatharianism and the look across the boundaries of science.

5- Ervin Laszlo presents "The Akasha Paradigm in Science and Human Consciousness".

6- Fabiana Crespo presents "Pure Love Experience".

7- Masaru Emoto "Emoto's Water Peace Project".

Decoding of Cellular Memory (as a therapeutic resource)

Viviana Koldorff

-Arch. Viviana Ruth Koldorff, specialist of Cellular Memmory, is going to explain how this science works in human beings, and how this can interfere in the Decision Making Process.

Architect Viviana Koldorff had obtained her degree at Buenos Aires University in 1993. Psychologic Consultant with Systemic orientation. Master in Neurolinguistic Programming, from the PLN Argentinian Association in 2003. Facilitator of Celular Memory Decoding Technique. Coordinator of seminars and workshops Applied to Creativity: Creator of graphic Systems features and expressive techniques: Art and Literature psychotherapy. Prevention of Addictions Technique, specialized in boarding from art therapy. Addictions: Anorexia, Bulimia, family violence, Couples. "When there is lack of word" and work with the "Shadow." Coordinator of Creativity Workshops, activation of the right hemisphere; stimulation techniques for the right hemisphere. Expressive techniques, among others unlocking emotional breakouts techniques.

Knowledge sharing and professional online communities acceptance: An integrated model

Mohammed Montash — 2015-01-25

This study extends the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to study acceptance and use of professional online communities. Drawing upon rigorous theoretical foundation, empirical support and contextually relevant research, an integrated model was developed and applied to investigate the use of professional online communities for knowledge acquisition and for knowledge provision. This model was tested through a survey administrated to the members of eight professional unions in Egypt. The findings of this study adds to knowledge by demonstrating that content quality, system quality and members’ beliefs in their abilities to use the community system facilitate the transformation of professional online communities’ resources to performance and personal benefits and, consequently, encourage members to use the community for sharing their knowledge. Additionally, the findings revealed that members who perceived high content and system quality were more likely to show higher degree of relational capital (trust). Several important implications are presented and discussed in more detail.

Cultivation of Perception and Creativity by Repeating Soft Systems Approach

Taketoshi Yoshida — 2015-01-25

Employees learn not only expertise on a given problem but also how to solve problems collectively and collaboratively together with others leading to innovation. When they perform innovative activities, they demonstrate collective creativity and perception on the basis of communication. This paper proposes a soft systems approach to cultivate such collective creativity and perception of employees. This approach assumes the use of the soft systems methodology or the design thinking methodology; both consist of the inquiry and learning cycle equipped with the function of double loop learning. An innovation process is viewed as a nexus of self-referential communications by the selectivity of information. It can be said that the selection is performed unconsciously, based on one's norm which is the basis of creativity and perception and is born of experiences. It is shown that management of motivation, intellectual curiosity, and spirit of inquiry is required to strengthen one's long-term memory and hence creativity and perception according to results in brain science. In cooperation with such management, rich experiences of innovative activities are required to strengthen creativity and perception, and for the requirement the soft systems approach proposed in this paper plays the role to share rich experiences among employees.

USING REFLECTION AND STORYTELLING TO INFORM EVIDENCE-BASED DECISIONS

Chivonne Therese Algeo — 2015-01-25

The purpose of this paper is to examine decision-making in project management, and the considerations which project managers need to take into account in order to make informed evidence-based decisions. The specific aim of this paper is to present an understanding of how project managers use experiences, recalled through reflection and facilitated by storytelling, to make decisions.

The paper provides an insight into how project managers may utilize decision-making approaches to accommodate a balance between factual observation, other evidence, a project manager’s recollection and reconstruction of facts, and facts imbedded within experiences. The drive to embed formal, structured approaches to decision-making is discussed against a background of unstructured and informal interpretation of experiences.

The research conducted by the author used an action research methodology to gather and analyze data through four interventions conducted with experienced project managers in Australia. The examination reveals that through reflecting on experiences relating to past projects, project managers make considered decisions. This approach to decision-making may be seen as paradoxical and interpreted as biased. Perhaps this is a valuable bias which may provide an opportunity to extend the premise of an evidence-based management approach where the aim is to reduce bias.

A Scaffolding Strategy for helping Lower Secondary Science students construct scientific explanations for experimental based questions in Science

Deborah Goh — 2015-01-25

The study of Science in essence involves the explanation of phenomena by inferring the reasons for occurrences and justifying the significance of the observed event (Nagel, 1961; McNeil & Krajcik, 2008). This raises a challenge for the educator: How can we equip students with the requisite knowledge, skills, and dispositions for answering science questions? This research study responds to this challenge by doing five things. First, it adopts an action strategy with reference to Feldman’s approach to art criticism- DINE (whereby “D” is describe, “IN” is interpret, “E” is evaluate). Students adopt this action strategy to construct arguments and explanations needed for phenomena posed on them. Second, it incorporates a bite-size classroom-teaching to equip students with the pre-requisite knowledge. During teaching, an educator teaches directly on a “need-to-know” basis and with focus on context that can help students move forward in their inquiry with DINE. Third, it introduces a set of focal lessons for students to work on. Each focal lesson comprises a set of step-by-step instructions and tasks to be carried out by students. Each task takes into consideration the appropriate zone of proximal development (ZPD) whereby the level of potential development is determined through problem solving in collaboration with fellow students (Vygotsky, 1978). Fourth, it provides the justifications for our integrated use of DINE, Bite-Size Teaching, and Focal Lesson as a collective whole via the Connective Approach as described in the work of Strawson (1992), Tay (2003), and Tay et al (2010). Lastly, it demonstrates the cycles that one goes through when embarking on an action research journey.

SYSTEMIC APPROACH FOR CHANGE AGENT - A NEGOTIATED EVALUATION FRAMEWORK FOR THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHINA

Charles Tong-lit Leung — 2015-01-25

The paper aims to introduce a negotiated evaluation framework for translating social program in complex situations. Based on the national characteristics of China and the complex nature of translating social program, the author faced many challenges of translating an adolescent development program from Hong Kong to China at once. By adopting the ideas of developmental evaluation and the theory of boundary critique, the author eventually formulated the evaluation framework in handling of the challenges. Example of using the framework is illustrated, and the reflection of using the framework is also discussed.

Time and dynamic boundaries: the impact of action based learning

Susu Nousala — 2015-01-25

This work aims at opening for discussion the understanding of the "time" element that is critical for longitudinal development of robust group or action based community activity. The discussion is based on work occurring in multiple sites within a global project "The New Global".

The learning cycles or epicycle processes are relevant for action-based investigation for organizational and social structures. The question of group behavior maybe influenced by their positioning within a larger adaptive system, the type of focus or determined goals and the type of connections that have been developed.

The author has stated previously (Nousala 2014) that these types of community or group efforts be described as autopoietic systems, that are operating within larger adaptive societal web. The learning process involved in investigating these types of dynamic phenomena need to be themselves dynamic, providing methods that can explore, through longitudinal cycles expose these epicycles at work. The continuous recording of various processes through epicycles provide a means to "qualitatively measure" changes, which would normally go unseen (Hall et al. 2012; Hall et al., 2005; Nousala and Hall 2008; Wenger and Snyder 2000).

These recorded shifts in process provide a means to apply the action-based knowledge gained through project based learning for problem based solving. The success of applying action-based knowledge outcomes really relies on the quality of providing meaningful longitudinal approaches for mapping and recording changes in epicycles. This work This work aims at an exploration through current discussion, discourse and literature regarding the importance of time within the longitudinal approach, posing the question, what lengths of time are required or relevant to develop robust groups or community based actions?

A QUALITATIVE TRANSDISCIPLINARY PARTICIPATORY ACTION-RESEARCH APPROACH, TOWARD THE SYSTEMIC TRANSFORMATION OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

Ignacio E Peon-Escalante — 2015-01-25

The larger system is the real world. It is the framework, or the reference context for a viable process of open systems intervention. The educative and cultural system is a very complex system for a systemic transformation process. We can use a cybernetic Participative Action Research, PAR process, to change a particular educational process with the use of a critical, and propositive approach. The process of change can be qualitative using a small scale. The form of knowledge for a participatory process of transformation should be transdisciplinary, to include the different types of knowledge of a relevant and plural group of social actors involved in the educational process.

The systemic process of transformation is a cyberntetic PAR process (Fals Borda, 1998). Through this process of change we link the auto, or internal system, with the eco or external system as a creative process or auto-eco organization (Morin, 1999). This is a qualitative participative process for the integral transformation of an educational process with the intervention of relevant social actors. It can address in the educational system the critical social and environmental problematic situation.

In this paper we present a brief description of a recent application in an alternative educational network. This qualitative complex organization is organized by an independent network of conscious social actors involved in different levels of the educational process at many public and private educative institutions in Mexico, and in other countries. The name of the mexican network is: Consejo de Transformacion Educativa, CTE, or Education Transformation Council, ETC. It is a qualitative small scale process for the systemic transformation of the mexican educational process, it is an alternative social laboratory of change.

An Action Research Study on using Elegant Tasks for Primary One pupils to Learn Art

Fiona Poh-Lim — 2015-01-25

This action research explored the use of Elegant Tasks for thirty primary one pupils who were seven year-old from a neighbourhood Primary School in Singapore to learn Art.

This research study was conducted through a series of five Action Research Cycles with each cycle that alternates action and critical reflection.

The concept of Elegant Task originated from Sandra Kay (1998) who defined it as an open-ended problem which will elicit ‘creative thoughts’ and ‘elegant’ or ‘aesthetically meaningful’ solutions from pupils. According to Kay, an elegant task is one that is worth solving, is studio-based and contains forced choices and constraints (as cited in Sukaimi, 2013). It is envisaged that setting such elegant problems will empower the pupils to make choices and meaningful decisions in the ideation and art-making process, enhance their technical and intellectual growth, and encourage them to discover and explore the attributes and characteristics of the materials in greater depth (as cited in Sukaimi, 2013, p. 10). Apart from making the teaching of art interesting, the application of Elegant Tasks have also helped to amuse the pupils into developing an awareness of his or her own-style of thinking, its strong points and its weaknesses.

In short, teaching of Art needs to be pupil-centric and process-driven so as to develop the creativity and imagination of learners. For this research study, I had adopted the Elegant Task approach for my art lessons as it fulfills the 2009 Art Syllabus set by Ministry of Education. It encompasses the six guiding principles of “learner-centred”, “process-oriented”, “contextualized”, “interactive”, “initiative-related” and “fun”. Pupils were given opportunities to identify visual qualities they see around them during the Tuning-in Activity, arouse their curiosity through guiding questions during the exploration and the discovery stages, express their inner thoughts, feelings and imagination through the use of different medium during the art-making process.

Four Unit topics totalling eleven Elegant Task lessons were covered. These Unit topics were (a) Colour Theory, (b) Drawing from Observation, (c) Fold and Dye and (d) Printmaking. I have used the Colour Theory lesson plan as an example on how I have linked the Literature Review into my lesson plan. In addition, I have also added in three new pointers as my own initiative to value-add and to enhance my pupils’ engagement in the art lessons.

Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions. The questions for the focus group discussions were patterned after the six specific questions. They covered the three themes: pupils’ reactions to the use of Elegant Tasks to learn Art, what they had learnt in the Elegant Task Art lessons and how the use of the Elegant Task approach had helped them to improve their artworks. The three themes were used to narrate the data on the pupils’ perceptions on the use of Elegant Task to learn Art.

The findings from this study showed that pupils like the adoption of Elegant Tasks in their art lessons as they were given enough room to explore materials, make new discoveries, and work collaboratively in groups. To the pupils, the Elegant Task lessons were “exciting”, “fun” with “a lot of interesting activities to do”, and “cool and amazing”. They not only “got to play with their friends when doing art” but they also learn “new things”, “a lot of new techniques and skills”. They found learning meaningful because they understand the reasons for doing their artworks, and they could do them “creatively”. Besides, this approach has also developed a strong sense of ownership and pride in their artworks as witnessed from pupils’ presentation of their artworks at the end of each elegant task topic.

The ROMAC program: Managing Complex “Family” Crisis Projects in Developing Countries in the Asia-Pacific

Shankar Sankaran — 2014-12-06

This paper describes, discusses and comments on the Rotary Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) program and its constituent projects supported by the Rotary Organisations in Australia and New Zealand from a crisis management and recover. The crisis faced by the children cared for by ROMAC cannot be compared to disasters as we know them (natural disasters such as earthquakes or manmade disasters such as nuclear accidents or humanitarian disasters such as an epidemic). The authors would like to classify ROMAC projects as ‘family disasters’ for children and their families from developing countries who need lifesaving or dignity restoring surgery and treatment. These families cannot find facilities to for such treatment nor afford to be treated abroad. There is much that the project management field can learn from the ROMAC programs and projects in dealing with crises and disasters.

Enhancing Lean Interventions through the use of Systems Thinking in the food production industry: a case in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria

Daniel Ebakoleaneh Ufua — 2015-01-25

This paper discusses how Lean Thinking (Lean), can be enhanced through the use of Systems Thinking (ST) tools and methodologies. Lean has emerged as a process improvement philosophy aiming to enhance value through identifying and eradicating waste through, inter alia, various tools. However, Lean tends to focus narrow stakeholder input, their views and their agendas, leaving out the impact of the operational process on the other relevant stakeholders that may be affected by the system. Such a narrow view has an impact on Lean implementation and adoption, and on its success in improving processes and sustaining changes. To address this gap, we argue for the use of Systemic Lean Intervention (SLI) by combining Lean and Systems tools, using a case of a commercial livestock farm in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. We suggest that SLI can assist in a wider acceptance of Lean improvements and we highlight constraints related to SLI including the autocratic leadership style and boundary rigidities, which hinder effective team play. Finally, it is noted that this approach would require time to be adopted and used in the particular context.

USING ACTION RESEARCH TO IMPLEMENT AN ORAL DISCOURSE APPROACH FOR TEACHING COMPOSITION WRITING

Christina Hsui Peng Wong — 2015-01-25

English Composition writing requires thinking as one writes and it demands that a pupil uses written sentences to connect ideas to present a composition story in a coherent manner. Yet, English composition writing remains a challenge for many pupils and they do not enjoy it. This research study responds to this challenge by doing four things. First, it gets to the core of what a composition writing lesson should be like, by adopting an “Oral Discourse Approach” as described by Golub (1970) and Wyans (2008), to help pupils generate ideas and supply reasons to ensure that each idea flows logically. The compilation of written ideas gathered from the entire class would then enable each pupil to construct his or her composition in a coherent manner. Second, it expands the work of Golub (1970) and Wyans (2008) by incorporating the use of a “Plot Graph” to help pupils order and organize their ideas. The application of “arrows and numbered boxes” in a Plot Graph helps pupils visualize the flow of ideas in the form of an organized arrangement of written ideas that are logical, thereby showing how a composition story is developed in a step-by-step manner from start to end. Besides, the plot graph also empowers the rhetorical thought processes of each pupil by enabling pupils to trace how a sequence of events leads to the climax and how the resolution solves the problem. Third, it uses the Dialectic Soft Systems Methodology described by Dick (2002) and Tay and Lim (2004 & 2007) to explain how the process of composition writing can be described as progressing through four dialectics. The Dialectic Soft Systems Methodology is not a new form of Checkland’s Soft Systems Methodology. It goes through the same process as the “7-stage” description, except it is presented from a different perspective. Through the Dialectic Soft Systems Methodology, the classroom-based Oral Discourse Approach can be turned into an individualised approach which a pupil can internalise and apply during examination or personal practice at home. By equipping pupils with a systemic perspective in seeing how each of the parts (which refers to the set of generated ideas, writing tips, and the notion of plot with climax can be applied to any set of picture stimulus) is needed to construct the whole (which refers to the completed piece of written composition that not only describes each picture stimulus but also describes the transition between four consecutive pictures), it can develop and empower each pupil’s rhetorical thought processes, thereby helping them improve in their composition writing. The expectation from using this structured and individualized approach is that a pupil should be able to appreciate the fact that English Composition Writing is both an opportunity and a constructive modelling process that enables him or her to gain a better insight of a domain (the given set of picture stimuli that each pupil is required to write a narrative composition about) via the process of articulating, structuring and critically evaluating his or her storylines for that domain. Fourth, it demonstrates the cycles that one goes through when embarking on an action research journey. Further, the combination of the classroom-based Oral Discourse Approach and the individualised Dialectic Soft Systems Methodology approach, offers a complete learning experience for each pupil, that is problem-focused and context-specific. Apart from improving practice (in composition writing), it also strengthens a pupil’s timeless qualities such as confidence, capacity to think systemically and realisation of his or her natural potential to learn. Finally, the concepts and approach used in this paper can also be applied to composition writing in other languages.

TOWARDS THE COMPOSITION OF THE COMMUNITY SYSTEM IN THE POLITICAL PRACTICE OF TOURISM IN THE STATE OF HIDALGO, MEXICO

Abraham Briones-Juarez — 2015-01-25

In Mexico, tourism is an activity that generates income, jobs, and the development of infrastructure. However, its importance lies in being a commercial activity prone to be planned in a production system to avoid undesirable impacts on the fields of interest for tourism, comprising the natural, social, and cultural systems. The composition of the participants in decision making is essential because it allows us to know how the resources must be combined to set up tourism activities within the principles of sustainability. In the definition of the players, the government keeps an important role in formulating public policies that affect the design, planning and operation of tourism activities and establishes a communication channel that expands or restricts the scope for action of the other players. Therefore, in this study we propose to define the community tourism system in the tourist practice of politics in the state of Hidalgo from the perspective of systemic with the intention of highlighting the aspects involved in planning this activity. The study identified three orientations and the communal system and its subsystems are presented in the tourism policy.

Systems Thinking for Strengthening National Competitiveness in South Korea

Yeon-soo(Youn-soo) Shim(Sim) — 2015-01-25

This paper is not a research study but rather a preliminary framework constructed with regard to the problem noted in the title of the paper. In order to strengthen South Korean economic competitiveness, major components of the economic system need to depend on systems thinking. In the globalized period, they need the unified identity of global citizenship. And they should obtain a comparative advantage from every interaction with their own of other nations. Their comparative advantage, in terms of co-evolution, ultimately is based on global citizenship as the evolution of universal citizenship.

A SYSTEMIC GRC MATURITY MODEL

Emir Hernando Pernet — 2015-01-25

This paper proposes a systemic model that will enable organizations to diagnose the state of maturity of its Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC), from the perspective of the alignment and integration of processes. For its development it was necessary to conduct a thorough study of the concepts of GRC, identify the common elements that lead to their integration and their measurement, and understand the conceptual framework of Systems Theory and its relationship to the processes of organizational development.

The research to validate the model is based on a constructivist paradigm using a qualitative methodology. The state of maturity of GRC is diagnosed based on the perception of the alignment and integration of processes by different observers. The instrument designed to measure this perception was a survey of a representative number of people belonging to different functional areas within the organization. To determine a single measurement of the perception of the state of maturity of GRC, a triangulation process relied on quantitative methods was performed.

As a result of this research it is presented the conceptual definition of GRC maturity as an emergent property of the organization, which arises as a result of the alignment and integration of GRC processes. This definition is operationalized by defining a function that measures systemic GRC maturity depending on the degree of alignment and integration of processes. This function is implemented on an instrument that allows measurement of GRC maturity.

Validating Models in Public Health Research

Amber Dawn Elkins — 2015-01-25

The application of systems method to the understanding of public health problems (e.g., alcohol and drug abuse, chronic disease, obesity, tobacco use, and violence) has grown considerably in the past decade. System methods are seen by many of their advocates within public health as complimenting traditional behavioral and epidemiological research methods, while others see them as a fundamentally different way of understanding and explaining public health problems. Those who see the methods as complimentary often use empirical data from studies employing traditional methods and statistical analysis to validate the output of simulation models. As in other fields of applied research in which modeling has become popular, this tendency to equate a model’s correspondence to data with the model corresponding to reality is especially pronounced when the goal of the modeling is to inform public policy. The present paper discusses the problems that arise when using data from an empirical study to assess the validity of a simulation model. It illustrates these problems through an examination of a specific example from the public health literature. The example demonstrates that, rather than empirical data being superior to the model, each is better considered as simply capturing a different aspect of a real-world system. Alternative means of assessing model usefulness are also discussed.

Bringing Foresight into Systems Thinking: A Three Horizon Approach

Anthony Hodgson — 2015-01-25

A primary goal of systemic intervention is the improvement of the ‘system in question’. The definition of the system in question is often itself a function of multiple stakeholders and is not a fixed object. Boundary critique can be helpful in clarifying the ambiguity, assumptions and the power dynamics around agreeing what the system is that is to be improved and for whose interests.

However, there is another dimension of ambiguity which is time. Improvement implies some change from a present condition A to a better future condition B which eventually becomes a new present condition B. Where the environment is about to go through a significant change of pattern (a paradigm shift), the criteria of improvement will be different, depending which paradigm is being considered. For example, energy success in an unrestricted environment can be completely different from energy success in a restricted environment dominated by climate change.

In this paper we will introduce the idea of three ways of looking at the future using a method called the three horizons. It will point out three distinct ways of looking at the future, each of which will strongly colour boundary critique and therefore affect what is considered to be a successful or ‘improved’ system. The foresight framing suggests improvement to sustain the current system, improvement which is a disruptive innovation and may reconfigure the system and improvement which is transformative and may actually result in the collapse of the systems in question.

Design Research Methods for Systemic Design: Perspectives from Design Education and Practice

Peter Jones — 2015-01-25

The recent development of systemic design as a research-based practice draws on long-held precedents in the system sciences toward representation of complex social and enterprise systems. A precedent article, published as Systemic Design Principles for Complex Social Systems (Jones, 2014) established an axiomatic and epistemological basis for complementary principles shared between design reasoning and systems theory. The current paper aims to establish a basis for identifying shared methods (techne) and action practice (phronesis). Systemic design is distinguished from user-oriented or industrial design practices in terms of its direct relationship to systems theory and explicit adoption of social system design tenets. Systemic design is concerned with higher-order socially-organized systems that encompass multiple subsystems in a complex policy, organizational or product-service context. By integrating systems thinking and its methods, systemic design brings human-centered design to complex, multi-stakeholder service systems as those found in industrial networks, transportation, medicine and healthcare. It adapts from known design competencies - form and process reasoning, social and generative research methods, and sketching and visualization practices - to describe, map, propose and reconfigure complex services and systems.

Syria, Soft Power and responses to impasse foreign affairs situations.

Dennis Finlayson — 2015-01-25

None

Developments in Critical Systems Theory: On Paradigms and Incommensurability

Todd David Bowers, PhD — 2014-12-06

This paper is an investigation of the still unresolved issue of onto-epistemologically incommensurable paradigms. It chronicles several developments in systems thinking which attempt to incorporate multimethodological approaches to systemic research, design and practice into theories which explain and justify them. With the advantage of hindsight, this research explains how each newly developed theory reflected an increased sophistication of what it means to act multimethodologically, across paradigms. Improvements result from active debates and rigourous criticism between members of the systems community laying open newly discovered shortcomings in contemporary Critical Systems theory.

A CRITICAL SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE ON RESEARCH METHODOLOGY FOR RESEARCH IN E-LEARNING IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS CLASSES

Roelien Goede — 2014-12-23

The aim of this paper is to provide a critical systems thinking perspective on e-learning research in information systems classrooms. Many higher education practitioners are under pressure from their institutions to do research and to publish their findings. Higher education institutions spend large amounts of money on freeing up lecturers’ time for research by incorporating better technology in teaching. Many also believe that the so-called generation-Y students can learn only when they are using technology. This leads to three problems: firstly, the class-room becomes a research centre; secondly, average quality research papers are written; and thirdly, technology drives teaching practices and not the other way round. Although these are often viewed as three independent problems they can be addressed as symptoms of one single problem: We struggle to find a method to reflect on and design our teaching practices in a way that truly benefits our students, the information technology industry and the scholarly community we are part of. Overall the motivation for teaching and the motivation for research about teaching become blurred and move away from most lecturers’ original motivation for entering academia.

This paper uses critical systems thinking to motivate critical social theory as an appropriate research paradigm and action research as research methodology for research projects in e-learning in information systems classrooms. It reflects on teaching of information systems and using e-learning from a critical systems perspective. Doing research in e-learning in an information systems classroom is viewed as a pluralist-complex problem with some coercive characteristics according to the Flood and Jackson categorisation. Critical social heuristics is used to better understand the different worldviews and associated objectives in the problem situation.

Action research is viewed from the perspective of critical social research therefore the guidelines for critical social research in information systems developed by Myers and Klein are applicable. Key to such an application of action research is the use of a critical theoretical framework or theory to guide intervention as illustrated by the depiction of action research of Peter Checkland. This paper explores suitable educational theories to guide intervention in information systems classrooms what will be beneficial to different groups of interest as identified in the application of critical social heuristics. It aims to address the problems stated above by providing guidelines for good research in the e-learning discipline.

Leadership issues in medium scale acephalous groups

Victor Ronald David MacGill — 2015-01-25

Top-down, dominance based organisations are prevalent in today’s world. While they may be efficient, the division of people into leaders and followers, or managers and workers, contains an inherent conflict where distrust and antagonism often lead to destructive and even violent organisational dynamics.

As a response to the iniquities inherent in top-down dominance hierarchies some groups form acephalous organisations, where there is no structured leadership. The process of leadership is still necessary, but it manifests in very different ways.

In order to investigate leadership in acephalous groups, we first explore leadership patterns in the animal kingdom with such organisational structures as dominance hierarchies and swarm . We note the links between the interplay of the structurally determined biological make up of the animal with its environment, and the social structure adopted. This forms the foundation for exploring human organisational possibilities. Next, we examine leadership theories, models and concepts that shift the focus from seeing the leader as an individual to viewing leadership as a process resulting from a complex of recursive interactions between leaders and followers in a given environment.

Moving beyond the idea of seeing leadership as an interactional process between leader and follower, in acephalous groups, the very distinction between leader and follower is dissolved. Convergence is a medium scale acephalous group in Canterbury New Zealand formed by a loose network of 300-500 alternative life-stylers and people seeking a break from their usual mainstream life, who come together for a gathering for five days each year. Preliminary research results from interviews and a survey at the most recent Convergence gathering yielded some interesting dynamics within the group’s operation and understandings of how it copes with some of the practical challenges of operating acephalously. This research could encourage other organisations to consider an acephalous structure or incorporate some acephalous principles into their operation.

Knowing Differently in Systemic Intervention

Raghav Rajagopalan — 2014-12-06

This paper makes the case for extended ways of knowing in systemic intervention. It argues that the deployment of formal (even reflective) thinking and dialogic methods are inadequate to the two critical tasks of comprehending larger wholes, and appreciating others’ viewpoints. Theory and techniques need to go further and access other forms of knowing, held in experiential, practical or symbolic ways. This could offer a better basis to incorporate marginalized people and things that are affected by the intervention but do not have a voice, such as ecosystems and future generations.

Using Boundary games to analyse actor's interactions

Luz Maria Rivas — 2015-01-25

When standard codification methods are applied to the problem of analyzing actor interactions, both the sense and direction of the conversation are lost. As a way of dealing with this problem this paper proposes the use of the boundary games method (Velez-Castiblanco, 2011, 2012a) for the analysis of interactions. This method facilitates a description of actors’ actions in terms of the effects of their communicative expressions over the boundary, encompassing the assumptions considered relevant to the discussion. This method draws upon boundary critique theory and language pragmatics. Specifically, boundary games are underpinned in the Midgley and Ulrich boundary critique, Wittgenstein’s language games and the Sperber and Wilson relevance theory. It is argued that this method allows the identification of interaction patterns, actor intervention approaches, points of view that fuel the debate and the pivotal proposals that mediate these views. All of these factors allow us to represent sequences of events or trajectories for interactions. The data analyzed comes from observations of a top management team (Sura TMT) responsible for the corporate strategy of a Colombian multi-business firm, Suramericana S.A. The main purpose of this research is to understand the ways in which managerial knowledge is deployed in the management of a multi-business firm. The data were first analyzed through the grounded theory codification process in order to describe the parts of the system under study. The data then feeds the boundary games interactions analysis.

INTENTION IN INTERVENTION: A CONCEPTUAL MODEL

Jorge Ivan Velez-Castiblanco — 2015-01-25

Intentions serve multiple roles in human action. They help in making sense of our actions and those of others, and on this basis, coordination is possible. They cause, guide and sustain our actions. Additionally, they are about the present when we do act intentionally, but also they are about the future when we intend to do something later. From the aforementioned characteristics, it can be argued that intentions have a fundamental part in organizational interventions. Based on this assumption the paper proposes a model to make use of intentions in interventions. It aims to help in describing, conducting and learning about intervention processes. The model uses the graphical language advanced by the Soft Systems Methodology. The concept of intention and the assembling of the model, draw from Philosophies of Action, Language and Explanation and by the Theories of Relevance, Boundary Critique, and Complex Adaptive Systems.

Security from a Systems Thinking Perspective - Applying Soft Systems Methodology to the Analysis of an Information Security Incident

Bilal AlSabbagh — 2015-01-25

Applying systems theory to information security enables security analysts to consider the socio-technical role of the security system instead of only focusing on the technical part. Systems theory can also equip security analysts with the skills required to have a holistic and an abstract level of understanding of the security problem in their organisations and to proactively define and evaluate existing risks. The Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) developed by Peter Checkland was created in order to deal with unstructured situations where human beings are part of the socio-technical system. In this paper, SSM is applied as a framework to diagnose a real case security incident in an organisation. The purpose of this application is to demonstrate how the methodology can be considered a beneficial tool for security analysts during security incident management and risk analysis. Literature review and experience indicate an existing lack of customisable incident response tools that facilitate communication and elaboration within organizations during incident management. In addition to the fact that these tools are mainly technical and don’t take the human factor into consideration. Using SSM as such, we define the security attack as a human activity transformation system that transforms a security event triggered by an attacker into a security breach that cause damage to the victim organisation. The attack system is then modelled to include a number of dependent activity sub-systems that interact with each other and their environment including the security control activity systems. By having such systemic perception of a security attack, security analysts, we suggest, can have a holistic perception under what conditions a security attack has succeeded and what elements of the socio-technical system and its environment should have been considered in order to mitigate and reduce the risk exposure.

SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT AND INFORMATION METRICS BASED ON TIME DISTORTION AND PROFIT.

Fabian von Scheele — 2014-12-06

Organizational management systems, for control and command, have attracted a great amount of research and debate since the very origin of management, as its underlying question is: how to manage human activity systems successfully? More recently, the so-called 'Balanced Score Card' approach has assumed dominance in managers' practice. While that approach has its merits, it also has some important limitations; among others it ignores the concept of time and its relation to information. To deal with some aspect of this limitation, this paper introduces a metric, (e.g. mathematical model) based upon information theory (entropy). The entropy in this paper measures the information content of time distortion in organizational performance and links it to the economic outcome (profit). The paper demonstrates how time-based goals can serve as a metrics of both information and economy, and that the relation between information content and economy outcome is not linear. The paper suggests a mathematical model in which the management system and its operating system are carriers of information (as measured in nats) with economic dependence. The proposed model shows, among others, that time-distortion influences economic performance dramatically, including a lever effect, while high information entropy does not necessarily imply high economic outcome. The outcomes of the paper are contra-intuitive and may suggest a new metric for assessing goal oriented information from management system to its operating system. It may also be seen as a model for assessment of management efficiency with respect to time and economy.

TECHNOLOGY AS AN OBSERVING SYSTEM: A 2ND ORDER CYBERNETICS APPROACH

Dionysios S Demetis — 2015-01-25

The role of technology in modern society is becoming fundamental to society itself as the boundary between technological utilization and technological interference narrows. Technology penetrates the core of an ever-increasing number of application domains. It exerts considerable influence over institutions, often in subtle ways that cannot be fully understood, and the effects of which, cannot be easily demarcated. Also, the ever-expanding ecosystem of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) results in an emergent complexity with unpredictable consequences. Over the past decades this has created a tension that has led to a heated debate concerning the relationship between the technical and the social. Some theorists subsume the technical into the social, others proclaim its domination, others its autonomy, while yet others suggest that it is a derivative of the social. Starting with Luhmann’s remark that technology determines what we observe and what we do not observe, this paper takes the approach that infers there are multiple benefits by looking into how Systems Theory can provide a coherent theoretical platform upon which these interactions can be further explored. It provides a theoretical treatise that examines the conditions through which the systemic nature of technology can be inspected. Also, the paper raises a series of questions that probe the nature of technological interference in other ‘function-systems’ of society (such as the economy, science, politics, etc). To achieve this goal, a 2nd order cybernetics approach is employed (mostly influenced by the works of Niklas Luhmann), in order to both investigate and delineate the impact of technology as system. Toward that end, a variety of influences of Information Systems (IS) are used as examples, opening the door to a complexity that emerges out of the interaction of technology with its socio-economic and political context. The paper describes technology as an observing system within the context of 2nd order cybernetics, and looks into what could be the different possibilities for a binary code for that system. Finally, the paper presents a framework that synthesizes relevant systems theoretical concepts in the context of the systemic character of technology.

ISS2014 Programme and Abstract Book

Jennifer Wilby

The full programme and abstracts for the ISSS 2014 conference.

Developments in applications of systemic theory and practice over 50 years of Systemic Family Therapy

Peter Stratton — 2014-12-06

Family therapy was launched from the early work of Gregory Bateson and others in the Hixon Symposia and then adopted a General System perspective. This paper charts some of the pathways taken by Systemic Family and Couples Therapy (SFCT) during the last 50 years, reviews current developments and invites consideration of developments in other areas of systemic theory and application that would benefit SFCT. In the process I will offer stages from my own erratic thread through these developments, through theories of contingency , causal attribution, schemas, and attachment to practice in reflexive learning and developing a self-report measure of family functioning.

Early models of SFT included the strategic in which the therapist determines the systemic dysfunction and creates conditions that prevent the family from continuing with it, and the more collaborative structural with its focus on communicational and other boundaries, and triangulations. Major advances in the 1980s include ‘Milan systemic’, Murray Bowen’s Systemic Family Therapy and Maturana’s structurally determined systems. In Europe at least the field became resistant to explanations involving causality and there was a move to regarding the family as the only expert on its functioning. Meanwhile the focus on families as linguistic systems opened up to external influences from such as Bakhtin, Vygotsky, Foucault and Derrida focussed attention on wider systemic influences. Current developments cluster around an integration of systemic with attachment approaches, the ‘open dialogue’ movement and ‘relational reflexivity’. Concerns have returned to wider systems and in particular Government and Health concerns with evidence-based provision, monetisation, and well-being.

Toward a System Type Structure

Thomas R Marzolf — 2017-02-16

Papernumber: 001 (Assigned by Journal editor)

Title of Paper: Toward a Systems Type Structure

Name of Author(s): Thomas R. Marzolf

Address, Email 219 S. Ithan Ave., Rosemont, PA 19010

tom@marzolf.net

Text of abstract:

A system can only be understood holistically. If our goal is to understand systems we must develop holistic descriptions. That conclusion seems inescapable.

Systems occur naturally in hierarchies and interact with a context consisting mostly of other system hierarchies. Systems reside in large, highly interoperating networks, meaning that a truly holistic view of a system has no clear outer limit. The great complexity and scope of such systems present a barrier to reaching a holistic view. Surmounting this barrier should be a goal of systems thinking.

Starting from a system of interest and working upward and outward is not the only possible approach. A system influences its parts as well as vice-versa. Complementary to a bottom-up approach from a system of interest is a top-down approach starting with a large encompassing system.

All systems are part of the universe, about which much is now known. A top-down approach could start by examining the universe as a whole in terms of the types of systems it contains and how they are related. Indeed, the universe constitutes the ultimate whole. Starting with the whole, even a distant and immense whole, seems especially appropriate when seeking wholeness.

Of course, the universe can never be described in full detail, but it could be described from a systems perspective in a way that would facilitate all other system inquiries. The universe embodies the general architecture and ground rules for the integration of all systems. Eventually top-down development and the many bottom-up inquiries would meet, enabling pieces of the puzzle to fall into place.

Much valuable systems knowledge is available but it is highly fragmented. Unification is the only remedy for fragmentation. A single top-down approach would provide unification in the form of a common framework and dialect into which all other knowledge can be fit and made coherent. The universe is coherent; otherwise science could never succeed. The fact that our descriptions are not coherent must be the fault of our descriptions not of reality. Hence, in principle they can be fixed and a common coherent description developed.

This paper addresses a universal holistic view through a global system type structure. The type structure is represented in the form of a Unified Modeling Language (UML) generalization-specialization hierarchy, a well-proven approach.

System thinkers have repeatedly called for a comprehensive system classification, but to my knowledge none exists. The notion of a system is extremely general and so has a great many variants. Many definitions of particular system types and partial type structures exist, but no comprehensive, coherent structure. A coherent universe must allow a coherent description given the right approach; here we consider one. A global system type structure is an incomplete and insufficient holistic description but it provides a good starting point.

This paper addresses both a preliminary system type structure and the kind of approach needed to develop and perfect it. It also calls for collaboration to go forward with the project.

Beyond Systems Philosophy Further Conceptual Trends in the History of Systems Philosophy From Systems Philosophy to a Philosophy of Schemas

Kent Duane Palmer — 2014-12-28

Systems Philosophy has played a central role in the development of Western philosophy in general and systems of philosophy have abounded and moved on beyond Systems to consider alternative schemas as has Systems Science. The history of Systems Philosophy is complex and interesting and should be taken into account by Systems Scientists. We build on an account already given from the Greeks to Hegel and offer an account that surveys more recent Continental Philosophy and attempts to identify the cutting edge of Advanced Systems Philosophy.

General System Theory: Towards the Unification of Science

Manuel Pretel Wilson — 2015-01-25

This paper questions two core assumptions pervading the field of General Systems Theory (GST) in order to preserve the ideal of the unity of science advocated by its founding fathers. The author claims that an ontology of levels based on unquestioned emergentist and materialist assumptions leads to a disunity of systems. A metaphysics is proposed to inform GST which is based not on logics but on the nature of reality in order to transcend four antinomies of thought and explain the unity of systems.

It is claimed that reality is animated by an internal force that permeates the entire universe, an endless craving for being referred as the will. The will manifests in the universe in the form of substances which have a dialectical character and a pluralist personality. Besides the metaphysical law of the unity of opposites, the author postulates a set of ontological laws that regulate the manifestation of substances in the universe: individuation, continuity, linear gradation and recursivity.

In addition, each substance constitutes a different kind of being. Together, all beings configure the ontological levels of reality that come into existence when the substance constituting a being is dominated by another substance. Furthermore, once substances come into existence in the form of beings, their craving for being is transformed into a will to immortality. However, since beings are nested unified totalities constituted by composite substances, this gives rise to an internal conflict between beings because they all have the same hunger for immortality. Fortunately, there is always a dominant substance that provides unity to the composite and a dominant being that directs the activity of the unified totality.

Therefore, beings don’t live autonomous or independent lives but interact with other beings belonging to the same unified totality constituted by other substances. This explains the interaction between the ontological levels of reality. Moreover, beings display multiple forms of interaction. There are upward, downward, sideward and outward interactions between beings of the same or of a different kind, belonging to the same or to a different unified totality.

Finally, it is claimed that the form of individuation of a being is shaped by the dominant being that directs the activity of the unified totality.

SYSTEM DUALITY: BIRATIONAL HIERARCHY

Ron Cottam — 2015-01-25

System theory, and most particularly hierarchy theory, must be consistent with philosophy. In his book “Logic in Reality”, Brenner reinforces the traditional philosophic position that an entity can only exist in relation to its non-existence. This leads to a duality in system theory which is consistent with the selective division of Nature into entity and ecosystem, where the two depend on different criteria and even different logics. A fascinating aspect of such a birational approach is that representations and properties only exist as intermediates between pairs of ideal extremes. Quantum logic, for example, no longer replaces post-Newtonian classical logic; it complements it, identifying all real entities as compromises between the two. This albeit philosophically non-traditional included middle is identical to that of the philosophical logic of Stéphane Lupasco, and to the implications of Brenner’s “Logic in Reality”. This presages a major philosophical change in the way Science can be carried out. What we wish to do is to bring all of Science under a generalized umbrella of entity and ecosystem, and then characterize different types of entity by their more or less important relationships with their relevant ecosystems. The most general way to do this is to move the ecosystemic paradigm up to the level of its encompassing logic, creating a complementary pair of conceivably different logics – one for the entity we are focusing on; one for the ecosystem within which it exists – and providing for their quasi-autonomous birational interaction. We present a representation of natural hierarchy which is itself dual in character, and counsel that monorational constructions are ineffective. As an example, we present a dual formulation of entropy. We conclude with an application of the model to large Organizations.

Adaptive Capacity in Project Teams

Mary C Edson, Ph.D. — 2014-12-06

Abstact #2265

sumitted for hierarchy theory

Advancing the Social Science Paradigm Shift: Boulding’s Typology, TPO Theory and the Triple Action RoundTable

Susan Farr Gabriele — 2015-01-25

Paradigm shifts are slow to achieve. Even a paradigm shift in the hard science of astronomy, from geocentrism to heliocentrism, took centuries and great controversy for scientists to prove, and for society to accept. The new understanding, that the earth revolves around the sun and not vice versa, turned astronomy on its head, resulting in the need for reconceptualization and recalculation at all levels of theory and practice.

Evolution in the soft sciences, management and education theory, is even slower and more complex. Centuries ago, patriarchs had unlimited power over people under their care. Bureaucracy, an improvement over patriarchy, gave workers power over their personal lives. However, bureaucracy still assumed supervisors had the knowledge that had to be installed in the supervised. New paradigms such as participatory management and cooperative learning see workers and students as active participants in their workplaces and classrooms. This paradigm shift is still uncertain. The pendulum may swing too far, or there may be erroneous traces of the old paradigm. Corresponding examples are: 1)Teachers praise all students (workers too). This can result in equal treatment of mediocre and excellent work and lowered standards. 2)Cooperative students are obedient students (workers too). Cooperative is typically taken to mean obedient, an old-paradigm virtue. The true meaning of cooperative is working together, as observed in the prefix and word root—co and operative.

The dilemma in social system theory is ancient too. Plutarch in the first century said “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” Twenty centuries later, Boulding’s typology and TPO Theory advance the paradigm shift in the soft sciences of management and education significantly. They resolve the either-or conflict, provide the new unifying question and then answer it. In other words, the old/new paradigm dilemma “Which is right, top-down directive or bottom-up participatory policy?” (cf. directive: controlling the supervised who are empty vessels to fill; or participatory: flexibility for the supervised who are fires to be kindled). The answer is “both.” The new question clarified by Boulding’s Typology is: “Which parts of a social system need to be controlled, and which parts left flexible?” Condensing Boulding’s nine system types into three, TPO Theory answers that “THINGS need to be controlled and PEOPLE need flexibility for best OUTCOMES.” Good indicators for effective social systems become adjustment capacities, hence a thermostat metaphor. We are still trudging, stumbling, and evolving toward a new systems paradigm, which incorporates both old and new paradigm traits. The new understanding, that both directive and participatory methods are needed, that things can be controlled but people behave according to interiorly prescribed criteria, results in the need for reconceptualization at all levels of theory and practice.

Science is interested in behavioral laws and causes. Whether cause relates to gravity or human agency, both paradigm shifts here are proposed as hard science--a result of extensive empirical observation, rather than speculation.

This systems paradigm underpins the “Triple Action RoundTable,” a proposed super tool for systemic school/workplace renewal. The tool’s three prongs are: 1)RoundTable—a whole group activity with equal-turn democratic communication; 2)TPO Thermostat Guide—a thermostat metaphor for leaders to view and manage three modes of their organizations: OFF (planning); ON-Manual (agenda/resource delivery), and ON-Auto (maintaining the optimal work environment--metaphorically around 68 degrees—for participant self-regulation); and 3)Triple Bottom Line (3BL). 3BL corporations have financial, social, and environmental bottom lines, thus accountable for their impact on the whole society. Similarly, 3BL educators consider the whole learner: his/her cognitive, affective and psychomotor development. Respectively, these three prongs are: 1)bottom-up; 2)top-down; and 3)in-out-in (i.e., current goals-3BL ideals/goals/intended outcomes-observed outcomes).

Toward the Structuring of Meanings of The Mexican Day of the Death Ritual, under a Complex Systems approach

Berna Leticia Valle Canales — 2015-01-25

The objective of ethnographic work has among its objectives to describe human behaviour in society and the ways in which social institutions are structured. Therefore, describing the inverse processes is a fundamental part of ethnography, i.e. the effects of social institutions on the human behaviour and the consequences of social behaviour could change or remain in social institutions. The mathematical modelling of changes and continuities in social institutions is one of the issues for the hard sciences and social sciences subjects. In this paper we present to the reader a proposal to formalize the structure of one of the Mexican social institutions phenomenon called “The Mexican Day of the Death Ritual”.

The Ritual of Deaths in Central and Southern Mexico has certain qualities that have been transmitted from generation to generation through Sign Systems under rules and patterns of communication-restricted interaction, these systems are called social institutions, they will be understood from the Systemic Science comparable to regular lattices and complex network. Such as the interaction of human groups in shared social spaces like public squares and cemeteries realize connectivity between individuals in the form of long-range connections or random long-range connections.

The combined use of two types of networks (local and random) to model Complex Systems of Human Activity is called small world networks. Essentially the topological connection from a logic of classes can be supplemented regularly where the probability (p) is p = 0, or completely random where p = 1. However, the threshold of interest for social topological space networks is intermediate between 0 and 1: 0> p> 1.

Through Ashby’s Law of requisite variety, describes the qualitative-quantitative properties that are governing the internal structure of the network, and the description of network changes. The objective to observe this critical site under the Law of Requisite Variety is to test whether the postulate of Ashby can be applied to conscious systems (human acts and vital systems), i.e., testing whether the relationship that serves as the regulator (power law) acts to limit the outcome to a particular subset of variables, or to maintain some variables within certain limits, or even to hold some variables constant.

According to the proposal of K. Wilber (2000) conscious systems are quantitative and qualitative, in such a way that the most complex system includes the simplest system (components, relationships and emergent properties). Based on this perspective, the qualitative dimension is an emergent property of systems that handle conscious interpretative contextual information, something that is not considered in Ashby’s law.

Finally, this article will help to understand how the cultural and spiritual heritage is transmitted through time.

A Systemic Approach to Language and Symbolic Representation

Berna Leticia Valle Canales — 2015-01-25

In the scientific worldview it is common that we ask our-self how to label the objects and concepts with an appropriated name that describes, defines and diagnoses the thing than we are talking about. In this everyday effort the International Council on Systems Engineering (ICSE) and the International Society for the Systems Sciences development the endeavor “Common Language for Systems Praxis Project” (IFS, 2012).

As part of this common language in the ICSE they identify, explore, and understand the patterns of complexity across next views: 1) The source of the systems thinking or Foundation of the System Science, 2) The systems science theories and 3) The Representation of the System Science (IFSS, 2012).

The present proposal is a contribution to Foundation of the System Science and has been based in the Semiotic view of complex phenomena through the graphs and networks tools of Representation of the Systems Science.

In the First part It is describes why the use of complex science tools in social field. Next it has explained how is the link between Network Theory and Semiotic. Third part presents the results of an application of the approach. Finally it is show some brief conclusions.