On Purposeful Systems

Author : Fred Emery
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1351501968
Total Pages : 303 pages
Book Rating : 4.65/5 ( download)

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Download or read book On Purposeful Systems written by Fred Emery and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-07-12 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an innovative foundation for looking at human and social behavior u as a system of purposeful (teleological) events. It uses a systems theoretical approach for the study of these phenomena, and illustrates and extends general systems theory. Part One develops the concepts of traditional mechanism from which, successively, the concepts of "function," "choice," "goal-seeking," and "purposefulness" are derived, leading to a quantitative formulation of "personality". Part Two provides an analysis of aspects of purposeful behavior and personality, and Part Three explores the interaction of purposeful systems. Part Four is concerned with the study of social groups and ideal-seeking behavior. Finally, structural concepts underpinning the theoretical system are redefined in technological terms, thus demonstrating the non-vicious circularity and interdependence of all scientific concepts.

Author : Russell L. Ackoff
Publisher : Transaction Publishers
ISBN 13 : 9780202307985
Total Pages : 288 pages
Book Rating : 4.80/5 ( download)

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Download or read book On Purposeful Systems written by Russell L. Ackoff and published by Transaction Publishers. This book was released on 2005-10-30 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an innovative foundation for looking at human and social behavior as a system of purposeful (teleological) events. It uses a systems theoretical approach for the study of these phenomena, and illustrates and extends general systems theory. Part One develops the concepts of traditional mechanism from which, successively, the concepts of "function," "choice," "goal-seeking," and "purposefulness" are derived, leading to a quantitative formulation of "personality". Part Two provides an analysis of aspects of purposeful behavior and personality, and Part Three explores the interaction of purposeful systems. Part Four is concerned with the study of social groups and ideal-seeking behavior. Finally, structural concepts underpinning the theoretical system are redefined in technological terms, thus demonstrating the non-vicious circularity and interdependence of all scientific concepts. "What makes this book magical' is that Ackoff provides operational definitions' for many ill-defined words and concepts--from defining knowledge' and understanding' to providing definitions of feelings/emotions.... In terms of Kuhn's idea of paradigm shifts'--this book represents a shift that has yet to be appreciated, thirty years later." --W. Curtiss Priest, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Russell L. Ackoff is chairman of the board of the Institute for Interactive Management. Since 1986 he has been the Anheuser-Busch Professor Emeritus of Management Science, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He is also the Anheuser-Busch Visiting Professor of Marketing, Olin School of Business, Washington University, St. Louis. He was former chairman of the Social Systems Science Department and the Busch Center, which specializes in systems planning, research, and design. Dr. Ackoff is the author and co-author of nineteen books. Fred E. Emery was Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University, Canberra. Previously he was chairman of the Human Resources Centre at the Tavistock Institute, and a fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences, Palo Alto. Brent D. Ruben is professor of communication and executive director, Center for Organizational Development and Leadership at Rutgers University.

Author : Russell Lincoln Ackoff
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.79/5 ( download)

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Download or read book On Purposeful Systems written by Russell Lincoln Ackoff and published by . This book was released on 1972 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Author : Fred Emery
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
ISBN 13 : 1351501976
Total Pages : 307 pages
Book Rating : 4.72/5 ( download)

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Download or read book On Purposeful Systems written by Fred Emery and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2017-07-12 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an innovative foundation for looking at human and social behavior u as a system of purposeful (teleological) events. It uses a systems theoretical approach for the study of these phenomena, and illustrates and extends general systems theory. Part One develops the concepts of traditional mechanism from which, successively, the concepts of "function," "choice," "goal-seeking," and "purposefulness" are derived, leading to a quantitative formulation of "personality". Part Two provides an analysis of aspects of purposeful behavior and personality, and Part Three explores the interaction of purposeful systems. Part Four is concerned with the study of social groups and ideal-seeking behavior. Finally, structural concepts underpinning the theoretical system are redefined in technological terms, thus demonstrating the non-vicious circularity and interdependence of all scientific concepts.

Author : Yesenia Perez-Cruz
Publisher : A Book Apart
ISBN 13 : 1937557855
Total Pages : 133 pages
Book Rating : 4.50/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Expressive Design Systems written by Yesenia Perez-Cruz and published by A Book Apart. This book was released on 2019-11-21 with total page 133 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Good design systems can help you create digital products with efficiency and consistency. But great design systems will support and strengthen your team’s creativity at the same time. In Expressive Design Systems, Yesenia Perez-Cruz shows you how to build useful, dependable systems that not only maintain harmony across your products, but also flex to accommodate inspiration and experimentation. Learn to communicate your brand, collaborate across teams—and do so much more than standardize components.

Author : Sue C. Funnell
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0470939893
Total Pages : 576 pages
Book Rating : 4.95/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Purposeful Program Theory written by Sue C. Funnell and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-02-09 with total page 576 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Between good intentions and great results lies a program theory not just a list of tasks but a vision of what needs to happen, and how. Now widely used in government and not-for-profit organizations, program theory provides a coherent picture of how change occurs and how to improve performance. Purposeful Program Theory shows how to develop, represent, and use program theory thoughtfully and strategically to suit your particular situation, drawing on the fifty-year history of program theory and the authors' experiences over more than twenty-five years. "From needs assessment to intervention design, from implementation to outcomes evaluation, from policy formulation to policy execution and evaluation, program theory is paramount. But until now no book has examined these multiple uses of program theory in a comprehensive, understandable, and integrated way. This promises to be a breakthrough book, valuable to practitioners, program designers, evaluators, policy analysts, funders, and scholars who care about understanding why an intervention works or doesn't work." Michael Quinn Patton, author, Utilization-Focused Evaluation "Finally, the definitive guide to evaluation using program theory! Far from the narrow 'one true way' approaches to program theory, this book provides numerous practical options for applying program theory to fulfill different purposes and constraints, and guides the reader through the sound critical thinking required to select from among the options. The tour de force of the history and use of program theory is a truly global view, with examples from around the world and across the full range of content domains. A must-have for any serious evaluator." E. Jane Davidson, PhD, Real Evaluation Ltd. Companion Web site: josseybass.com/go/funnellrogers

Author : Russell Lincoln Ackoff
Publisher : Wiley-Interscience
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 280 pages
Book Rating : 4.41/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Redesigning the Future: a Systems Approach to Societal Problems written by Russell Lincoln Ackoff and published by Wiley-Interscience. This book was released on 1974 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Author : Russell L. Ackoff
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0471316342
Total Pages : 373 pages
Book Rating : 4.43/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Ackoff's Best written by Russell L. Ackoff and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 1999-02-16 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Russell Ackoff is a very special management thinker. As an architect, city planner, doctor of philosophy, behavioral scientist, trailblazer in the fields of organizational, operations, and systems theory, bestselling author, distinguished Wharton School professor, and head of his own management education and consulting firm, he qualifies, as do few others in this century, for the title of "Renaissance Man." Fortunately, he makes up for this grievous shortcoming by also being an outrageously funny observer of homo commercium. Now, Ackoff's Best offers you an opportunity to become acquainted with this irreverent genius who, over the past forty years, has done so much to shape our understanding of the modern business organization. Compiled by the author, Ackoff's Best encapsulates the author's most controversial, influential, and wittiest work to appear since the 1970s. Ackoff's groundbreaking exploration of systems theory and its effect on business provides the backbone of this collection. Also included are his most lasting and thought-provoking writings on an array of topics in business, society, and human behavior that well reflect the sweeping scope of Ackoff's intellect and expertise. From managing teams, maximizing the effectiveness of information systems, and problem solving, to creativity, crime, and the role of the corporation in a democratic society, these writings are a cornucopia of insights, observations, and powerful lessons that will help you maximize your personal development and the effectiveness of your organization. An excellent introduction for newcomers to Russell Ackoff, and a welcome compendium of Ackoff's pithiest writings for those already familiar with his ideas from such classic works as Creating the Corporate Future and The Art of Problem Solving, Ackoff's Best is required reading for every intelligent businessperson. "The range, depth, and perspectives of these essays on management illustrate, once again, Russ Ackoff's unique genius." —Warren Bennis, University Professor, University of Southern California, and Co-author, Co-Leaders "Russ Ackoff uses words that cut through the familiar and open doors in one's brain." —Arie P. de Geus, Author, The Living Company "Ackoff's Best captures the lucid and compelling explorations of one of the most profound and influential thinkers of our time." —Ray Stata, Chairman of the Board, Analog Devices "This collection reminds me that I have learned my most valuable lessons from Russ Ackoff." —Vince Barabba, General Manager, Corporate Strategy and Knowledge Development, General Motors Corporation

Author : Ranjay Gulati
Publisher : HarperCollins
ISBN 13 : 0063088932
Total Pages : 326 pages
Book Rating : 4.31/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Deep Purpose written by Ranjay Gulati and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2022-02-08 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thinkers50 Top 10 Best New Management Books for 2022 A distinguished Harvard Business School professor offers a compelling reassessment and defense of purpose as a management ethos, documenting the vast performance gains and social benefits that become possible when firms manage to get purpose right. Few business topics have aroused more skepticism in recent years than the notion of corporate purpose, and for good reason. Too many companies deploy purpose, or a reason for being, as a promotional vehicle to make themselves feel virtuous and to look good to the outside world. Some have only foggy ideas about what purpose is and conflate it with strategy and other concepts like “mission,” “vision,” and “values.” Even well-intentioned leaders don’t understand purpose’s full potential and engage half-heartedly and superficially with it. Outsiders spot this and become cynical about companies and the broader capitalist endeavor. Having conducted extensive field research, Ranjay Gulati reveals the fatal mistakes leaders unwittingly make when attempting to implement a reason for being. Moreover, he shows how companies can embed purpose much more deeply than they currently do, delivering impressive performance benefits that reward customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, and communities alike. To get purpose right, leaders must fundamentally change not only how they execute it but also how they conceive of and relate to it. They must practice what Gulati calls deep purpose, furthering each organization’s reason for being more intensely, thoughtfully, and comprehensively than ever before. In this authoritative, accessible, and inspiring guide, Gulati takes readers inside some of the world’s most purposeful companies to understand the secrets to their successes. He explores how leaders can pursue purpose more deeply by navigating the inevitable tradeoffs more deliberately and effectively to balance between short- and long-term value; building purpose more systematically into every key organizational function to mobilize stakeholders and enhance performance; updating organizations to foster more autonomy and collaboration, which in turn allow individual employees to work more purposefully; using powerful storytelling to communicate a reason for being, arousing emotions and building a community of inspired and committed stakeholders; and building cultures that don’t merely support purpose, but also allow employees to link the corporate purpose to their own personal reasons for being. As Gulati argues, a deeper engagement with purpose holds the key not merely to the well-being of individual companies but also to humanity’s future. With capitalism under siege and relatively low levels of trust in business, purpose can serve as a radically new operating system for the enterprise, enhancing performance while also delivering meaningful benefits to society. It’s the kind of inspired thinking that businesses—and the rest of us—urgently need.

Author : Donella Meadows
Publisher : Chelsea Green Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1603581480
Total Pages : 242 pages
Book Rating : 4.86/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Thinking in Systems written by Donella Meadows and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2008-12-03 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The classic book on systems thinking—with more than half a million copies sold worldwide! "This is a fabulous book... This book opened my mind and reshaped the way I think about investing."—Forbes "Thinking in Systems is required reading for anyone hoping to run a successful company, community, or country. Learning how to think in systems is now part of change-agent literacy. And this is the best book of its kind."—Hunter Lovins In the years following her role as the lead author of the international bestseller, Limits to Growth—the first book to show the consequences of unchecked growth on a finite planet—Donella Meadows remained a pioneer of environmental and social analysis until her untimely death in 2001. Thinking in Systems is a concise and crucial book offering insight for problem solving on scales ranging from the personal to the global. Edited by the Sustainability Institute’s Diana Wright, this essential primer brings systems thinking out of the realm of computers and equations and into the tangible world, showing readers how to develop the systems-thinking skills that thought leaders across the globe consider critical for 21st-century life. Some of the biggest problems facing the world—war, hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation—are essentially system failures. They cannot be solved by fixing one piece in isolation from the others, because even seemingly minor details have enormous power to undermine the best efforts of too-narrow thinking. While readers will learn the conceptual tools and methods of systems thinking, the heart of the book is grander than methodology. Donella Meadows was known as much for nurturing positive outcomes as she was for delving into the science behind global dilemmas. She reminds readers to pay attention to what is important, not just what is quantifiable, to stay humble, and to stay a learner. In a world growing ever more complicated, crowded, and interdependent, Thinking in Systems helps readers avoid confusion and helplessness, the first step toward finding proactive and effective solutions.