2.3 Career Episode 3 2.3.1 Introduction. In this career episode, I describe an industrial engineering task which I undertook as part of my educational program in Ph.D. degree in School of Engineering-University of South Australia, Australia (2012-2016). In this task, I proposed systems thinking conceptual framework for studying and observing an industrial system phenomena. I implemented this framework to a real industrial system in a case study and recommended the operational system improvements for optimising the system performance. 2.3.2 Background. Industrial Engineering is concerned with the design, improvement and installation of integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment and energy. It draws upon specialised …show more content…
Therefore, in this task, I reviewed and investigated what systems thinking is, validated its proposed definition and applied it in a case study of the real integrated industrial supply chain system and recommended improvements in the efficiency of this system operations. 2.3.3 Personal Engineering Activity 2.3.3.1 Systems Thinking Definition. I clarified the ambiguities in systems thinking definitions. I reviewed the historical and philosophical perspectives underlying systems thinking and the categorisation of the systems thinking literature which has led to a proposed systems thinking conceptual framework. I established how systems thinking is influenced by: six influential theoretical approaches (tektology, general systems thinking, cybernetics, systems complexity hierarchy, hard and soft systems and critical systems thinking); three methodological approaches (functionalist, interpretive and emancipatory); and two practical perspectives of systems thinking (methodologies and conceptual application) (see Figure 5). Systems thinking has been applied, with useful results, to a wide variety of practical situations of interest. I concluded that the most important role of the systems thinking literature is as a conceptual understanding. To clarify the ambiguities of systems thinking definitions, I proposed that systems thinking can be defined as a conceptual understanding or mental
A system is “A set of interrelated and interdependent parts arranged in a manner that produces a unified whole” (robbins 2006), and Systems theory is the
Peter Checkland and Brian Wilson are both systems thinkers who contributed to the development of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). Although both systems thinkers began developing concepts of SSM around the same time, Checkland is considered the pioneer of SSM. Checkland’s SSM was designed for solving general social problems, while Wilson adopted the methodology for business management by developing enterprise model building. The underlying principle for Checkland’s SSM and Wilson’s SSM is that it allows users to structure their thoughts and align them to the real world and thus, help in situations where there are different assumptions, multiple stakeholder, and multiple goals (Ragsdell, West & Wilby 2012). A comparative analysis of Checkland’s SSM and Wilson’s SSM divulges emphasis of specific modeling devices for instance Checkland focuses on three concepts namely rich pictures, root definitions and conceptual model, while Wilson focuses consensus primary task model (CPTM) and maltrese cross analysis, which are suitable for information systems required in new enterprises. Still, Wilson’s SSM borrows heavily from Checkland’s SSM especially on ideas of conceptual model and root definitions. Since, Wilson’s SSM was developed much later after apparent problem with Checkland’s SSM, it is considered the most pertinent in today’s systems applications. The objective of this paper is to compare and contrast both Checkland an Wilson’s models of SSM.
The open systems model can be used to diagnose these problems, identify their causes, find the best solutions, and provide recommendations (Harrison, 2004).
A concept we learned about in Business Leadership that relates to the main point in this book is control systems. We looked at the importance of control in management and learned about various different systems. In this book, systems are shown to greatly help customer service. Systems are predetermined ways to get a specific result and still ensure consistency. Andrew, the plant manager said “Systems give you a floor, not a ceiling”. Thus, a system is the sort of thing you build on, a starting point. An external control measure, for example, involves
With today’s fast moving pace there are many challenges we face that demands more non-linear system thinking instead of cause and effect linear thinking. In The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge stated, “system thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes,” rather than reacting to a specific part or event. System thinking involves shifting from the linear to non-linear thinking and/or the rational to the intuitive or thin-slicing type decisions. System thinking is
In society, there are groups that interact with each other. They may be families, churches, government agencies, or anything in between. Those groups can be defined as systems, and in the systems perspective that is what they are referred to (Hutchison, 2017). In the 1960s, Ludwig von Bertalanffy developed the general systems theory in relation to biology, but it was widely publicized and used for various subjects (Hutchison, 2017). Hutchison (2017) summarized Bertalanffy’s theory by saying, “any element is best understood by considering its interactions with its constituent parts as well as its interactions with larger systems of which it is a part.” (p.
The General Systems Theory (GST) came about as an effort to describe the systems approach, born from the biological concept of the organism developed in the first part of the 20th century (Von Bertalanffy, 1972). In contrast to the mechanistic systems which are closed and have a direct relationship between a cause and its effect, a biological or social system is open, operating on a principle of equifinality, where regardless of the starting point, the objective can be achieved (Kast & Rosenzweig, 1972). Any system will achieve equilibrium, but an open system can reach a steady state by accessing resources from outside itself (Kast & Rosenzweig, 1972). The underlying assumptions of GST rely on the organization of a company resembling the inner workings of an organism. However, subgroups within organizations can act independently of the the whole, in
A system is a collection of elements that interact with each other over time to function as a whole. Systems thinking is a combination of the previous four practices: personal mastery, mental models, shared vision and team learning to dissect and examine the practices of the organization. I first heard learned about systems thinking five years ago when I started in the Hazelwood School District. Our district had just began our district wide professional development on systems thinking, but then we had a change in our superintendent in late August, just a few weeks after the start of school. With the change in district leadership, came a change in our district focus, and systems thinking was almost immediately abandoned. However, since revisiting it this semester, I can’t help but incorporate it into many of my daily
Systems thinking is the capacity to see the master plan and to recognize patterns as opposed to conceptualizing change as segregated events. System thinking requires the other four orders to empower a learning organization to be figured it out. Additionally system thinking demonstrates that there is no outside that the reason for your issues at a piece of a solitary system.
Systems analysis refers to a problem solving technique where a business or procedure is studied and the goals are identified in order to create information systems to help the business achieve their goal more efficiently and easier. Systems analysts obtain feedback from the system users in various ways e.g. interviews, questionnaires etc. More importantly they find out from the users what their specific requirements are regarding the proposed system and then use the information obtained to formulate requirements for the system, the system is then written ensuring that all the requirements and expectations are met.
An explanation of the distinction between systems analysis and systems design and a description of the activities involved in each
Systems ideas is referring to three different types of systems, each created in a different era; general systems theory, ecosystem perspectives and complex systems theory (Healy, 2005). Systems Ideas in social work originated with general systems theory
In order for any organization to be successful, they must find effective ways to change systems and policies that are ineffective in creating a successful environment. A system consists of four things, elements, attributes, internal relationships, and the system environment. The systems theory is transdisciplinary study of the abstract organization of phenomena, independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal scale of existence (Heylighen & Joslyn, 1992). The study investigates all the principals common to all complex bodies, and the models which can be used to describe them. Von Bertalanffy (1971) was the creator of the “system” concept, he developed this idea as an answer to the limitations of individual disciplines in addressing complex social issues (Mitchell, 2005). The underlining principal of this theory is that an organization consists of multiple, interdependent parts that collectively form more than the sum of their parts. Developed from the systems theory, are three separate theories with the basis of each being the systems theory. The activity theory considers the entire program versus just one single sector, it sees the operation as a whole instead of sub departments, it combines both micro and macro elements of the organization. The chaos theory does not mean a chaotic hectic situation, rather a situation where there appears to be little to no order, there really is a hidden underlying order. The complexity theory is
Systems thinking is a method of thinking that looks at the interconnectedness between different elements rather than a linear cause and effect approach and sees patterns of change rather than fixed “snapshots”. In essence it is a view on the “whole picture” (Anderson, R 1994).
Here I want to discuss what is System analysis and design, when and where the concepts are used and how to overcome the problems using these concepts. The methodology of using characterizing the parts, structural engineering, interfaces and information for a framework to fulfil the decided necessities is said as system design. This course is helpful in developing the designing and analysing skills. Overall, system analysis and design is said as analysing and designing the different process.