Niklas Luhmann's anti-totalitarian observation of systems

Kybernetes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gorm Harste ◽  
Klaus Brønd Laursen
Keyword(s):  
System Theory ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Potential ◽  
Conceptual Discussion

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the philosophical roots of Luhmann's theory in relation to its anti-totalitarian elements.Design/methodology/approachThe paper offers a conceptual discussion of the critical and anti-totalitarian angle in Niklas Luhmann's system theory.FindingsThis paper finds that systems theory has a critical potential.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge the anti-totalitarian element of Niklas Luhmann's system theory has not be discussed before the present contribution.

Learning from intelligent conversation

IMP Journal ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 512-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luitzen De Boer ◽  
Poul Houman Andersen
Keyword(s):  
System Theory ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Narrative Literature ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Conceptual Research

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to contribute to further advancing of IMP as a research field by setting up and starting a theoretical conversation between system theory and the IMP. Design/methodology/approach The approach is based on a narrative literature study and conceptual research. Findings The authors find that system theory and cybernetics can be regarded as important sources of inspiration for early IMP research. The authors identify three specific theoretical “puzzles” in system theory that may serve as useful topics for discussion between system theorists and IMP researchers. Originality/value Only a handful of papers have touched upon the relationship between system theory and IMP before. This paper combines a narrative, historical analysis of this relationship with developing specific suggestions for using system theory as a vehicle for further advancement of IMP research.

scholarly journals Can an ecological-transactional systems model in occupational therapy contribute to a social prescribing programme?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Johansson ◽  
Emil Rapo ◽  
Ingeborg Nilsson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
System Theory ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Complex Interventions ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Occupational Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Prescribing ◽  
Systems Model

Purpose The spread and level of loneliness is today considered a public health issue. Attempts to promote or reduce the level of loneliness have been made, one of which is social prescribing (SP), developed and extensively used. Complex interventions such as SP are advised to be connected to theory. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, the Person-Environment-Occupation-Participation model (PEOP) will be reviewed and used as an example, both as a way of organize occupational knowledge and as a model for practice. Findings Occupational therapy underpinned by transactional system theory such as the PEOP model seems to give comprehensive and relevant support in the SP process. Particularly, this model can guide practitioners through crucial phases when assessing needs, matching interests and goals with relevant occupations, as well as understanding of important components embedded in the program. Originality/value This opinion piece offers insights in why and how specific components connected to SP needs to be understood by theory and applied by personnel to facilitate a meaningful and sustainable occupational performance for the individuals.

Application of the GDM model in the diagnosis of crises in family businesses

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewa Wiecek-Janka ◽  
Marcin Nowak ◽  
Arkadiusz Borowiec
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Science ◽  
Family Businesses ◽  
Remedial Action ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Results ◽  
Grey Systems Theory ◽  
Decision Making Criteria

PurposeThis paper is a part of the application trend of the development of the grey systems theory. The purpose of this paper is to present the use of the GDM model in the diagnosis of the occurrence of crises in family businesses. The issue of the occurrence of conflicts and crises in family businesses is one of the most important and common in management science in Poland.Design/methodology/approachIn the paper using the GDM model (in which the weights of the criteria were determined using the modified Thurstone method), the authors presented a way to diagnose the occurrence of crises in family businesses for a sample of Polish family businesses using, among others, a questionnaire-based survey.FindingsAs a result of the conducted research, it turned out that in eight surveyed businesses no symptoms of conflicts were diagnosed. In three businesses, the symptoms of conflicts were diagnosed, but they did not threaten their existence. In the case of four businesses, the symptoms of crisis that threaten their existence were diagnosed and immediate remedial action was recommended to them.Originality/valueThe authors are of the opinion that the presented research results may be a reason for the validity of using the GDM model in the diagnosis of crises in family businesses. At the same time, it is recommended to undertake further research on,inter alia, conflict fields in family businesses, or on the use of the modified Thurstone method as a part of determining the validity of decision-making criteria in GDM models.

Explanation of terms of grey numbers and its operations

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 436-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sifeng Liu ◽  
Handan Rui ◽  
Zhigeng Fang ◽  
Yingjie Yang ◽  
Jeffrey Forrest
Keyword(s):  
System Theory ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Grey System Theory ◽  
Grey System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Universal Principles ◽  
Key Terms ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the terms of grey numbers and its operations. Design/methodology/approach The definitions of elementary terms about grey numbers and its operations are presented one by one. Findings The reader could know the basic explanation about the important terms about grey numbers and its operations from this paper. Practical implications Many of the colleagues thought that unified definitions of key terms would be beneficial for both the readers and the authors. Originality/value It is a fundamental work to standardise all the definitions of terms for a new discipline. It is also propitious to spread the universal principles of grey system theory.

Study on the second grey relational grade and its properties

Kybernetes ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
pp. 1330-1335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Ma
Keyword(s):  
System Theory ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Grey System Theory ◽  
Forecasting Model ◽  
Grey System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Grey Forecasting ◽  
Grey Relational Grade ◽  
Grey Relational ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a second relational grade based on the general grey relational grade and analyze several of its properties.Design/methodology/approachGrey system theory. The paper proposes and studies second grey relational grade, establishes second grey relational formula, and studies several characteristics of second grey relational formula.FindingsProposing a second relational grade proved it could solve the problem of the parallelism partly and weaken relativity of space position.Research limitations/implicationsUntil now, the problem of the consistency could not be solved, nor could the problem of the effect which keeps the sequence the same.Practical implicationsThe precision of the grey forecasting model could be strengthened if used in the forecasting model.Originality/valueThe general relational grade only thinks over the relation between two sequences but does not involve the relation in one sequence. The second relational grade considers these two, so if the forecasting model is established with it, the model should be more exact.

Assessment of airport performance using the grey theory method

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 426-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Ibrahim Eshtaiwi ◽  
Ibrahim A. Badi ◽  
Ali M. Abdulshahed ◽  
Turan Erman Erkan
Keyword(s):  
System Theory ◽  
Performance Evaluation ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Grey System Theory ◽  
Grey Theory ◽  
Theory Method ◽  
Grey System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Overall Performance

Purpose Performance evaluation of airports or any other organisation is paramount for improving performance. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and compare the performance of the three international airports in Libya (MJI, MRA, and LAQ airports) by considering five aspects of performance. Design/methodology/approach The considered aspects are airport service quality, airport operations, airport economy, safety and security, and environmental. The paper uses the grey system theory to assess these airports by summarizing the opinions of experts. Findings The finding of this study provides directions of the evaluated airports to take the correct actions to improve overall performance. Originality/value No literature has been found till date is to evaluate and compare the performance of the international airports in Libya.

scholarly journals Explanation of terms of grey clustering evaluation models

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sifeng Liu ◽  
Yingjie Yang
Keyword(s):  
System Theory ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Grey System Theory ◽  
Grey System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Grey Clustering ◽  
Evaluation Models ◽  
Key Terms ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the terms of grey clustering evaluation models. Design/methodology/approach The definitions of basic terms about grey clustering evaluation models are presented one by one. Findings The reader could know the basic explanation about the important terms about various grey clustering evaluation models from this paper. Practical implications Many of the authors’ colleagues thought that unified definitions of key terms would be beneficial for both the readers and the authors. Originality/value It is a fundamental work to standardise all the definitions of terms for a new discipline. It is also propitious to spread and universal of grey system theory.

scholarly journals Regenerative tourism in Aotearoa New Zealand – A new paradigm for the VUCA world

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Josie Major ◽  
Debbie Clarke
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Living Systems ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Practical Demonstration

PurposeThe paper provides a summary of the findings from GOOD Awaits – The Regenerative Tourism New Zealand (NZ) Podcast and envisions a regenerative future for tourism in Aotearoa.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on the findings from the GOOD Awaits Podcast, a series of interviews with pioneers and practitioners of regenerative tourism. The podcast was created as a platform for the collective discovery of a new way forward for tourism in the wake of COVID-19, and the series provides a detailed summary of the regenerative tourism movement in NZ.FindingsThrough these interviews, a vision for a regenerative visitor economy in Aotearoa emerged. This new model is rooted in indigenous knowledge and living systems theory. It is a paradigm shift that allows us to see tourism as a living ecosystem and requires innovative economic models, such as social entrepreneurship, systems level changes to the way tourism operates and is governed, local tourism solutions with community thriving as the primary aim and much more collaboration both within tourism and across sectors.Originality/valueRegenerative tourism is an emerging model and one that is rapidly gaining traction in NZ and globally. The GOOD Awaits podcast is a unique, thoughtful and practical demonstration of what this model could look like in Aotearoa. It demonstrates the potential and feasibility of regenerative tourism practice, and the response has shown the desire for these conversations at a national and international scale. This paper is an accessible summary of the podcast's first season and has value for anyone interested in the regenerative tourism movement in Aotearoa.

scholarly journals Affective capitalism of knowing and the society of search engine

2016 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 566-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isto Huvila
Keyword(s):  
Search Engine ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Contemporary Society ◽  
Extensive Discussion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conceptual Discussion

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the affective premises and economics of the influence of search engines on knowing and informing in the contemporary society. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual discussion of the affective premises and framings of the capitalist economics of knowing is presented. Findings The main proposition of this text is that the exploitation of affects is entwined in the competing market and emancipatory discourses and counter-discourses both as intentional interventions, and perhaps even more significantly, as unintentional influences that shape the ways of knowing in the peripheries of the regime that shape cultural constellations of their own. Affective capitalism bounds and frames our ways of knowing in ways that are difficult to anticipate and read even from the context of the regime itself. Originality/value In the relatively extensive discussion on the role of affects in the contemporary capitalism, influence of affects on knowing and their relation to search engine use has received little explicit attention so far.

scholarly journals Exploring power assumptions in the leadership and management debate

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 328-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gareth Edwards ◽  
Doris Schedlitzki ◽  
Sharon Turnbull ◽  
Roger Gill
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Personal Perspective ◽  
Leadership And Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Conceptual Discussion ◽  
New Perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to take a fresh look at the leadership and management debate through exploring underlying power assumptions in the literature. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a conceptual discussion that draws on the power-based literature to develop a framework to help conceptually understand leadership in relation to management. Findings – The paper highlights the historically clichéd nature of comments regarding conceptual similarities and differences between leadership and management. The paper draws attention to a problem within this debate – a confusion regarding assumptions of power. As a result the paper brings to the forefront perspectives of management that are of an emergent and non-work perspective which enables the development of a framework of the literature that includes managers “doing” leadership, managers “becoming” leaders, “being” leaders and managers, and leaders “doing” management. The paper goes on to explore the meaning and potential behind each part of the framework and suggests a need to develop an understanding of “doing” leadership and management and “being” managers and leaders through an exploration of “becoming” in organisations. Originality/value – This paper provides a new perspective on the leadership and management or leadership vs management question by introducing a non-work, emergent or personal perspective on management. Furthermore, this paper concludes that whether leadership and management are similar or different is dependent upon which power construct underlies each phenomenon, a consideration that has been neglected in the leadership and management debate for some time.

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