The Use of Soft Systems Methodology for Change Management

2021 ◽  
pp. 55-73
Keyword(s):  
Change Management ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Management Communication ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
Big Picture ◽  
The Impact

Due to the gap in our knowledge of soft systems methodology (SMS) and organizational change management, this chapter seeks to develop new knowledge that explains the use of SMS as an intervention measure in optimizing change. Using SSM, leaders are able to see the big picture, consequences of their measures in a larger environment, and provide effective, long-term, and sustainable solutions. Here are some case studies on subjects related to issues of stakeholder selection and management, communication assumptions in SSM, the facilitator's ambiguous role, and the impact of highly politicized problem environments on the methodology effectiveness in the change process.

Improving the Role of Organisational Culture in Change Management through a Systems Approach

2015 ◽  
pp. 230-271
Author(s):  
N. Gökhan Torlak
Keyword(s):  
Change Management ◽  
Corporate Culture ◽  
Culture Change ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Organisational Culture ◽  
Organisational Performance ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems

The chapter assumes organisational culture, which is most valuable resource of organisation, cannot often be treated coherently by managers in change management that ultimately leads to ineffectiveness and failure. In order to make organisational culture a powerful managerial instrument in change management resulting in high organisational performance the chapter proceeds through the following sequence. At first, it elaborates chief characteristics of organisational culture in order to underline its value; secondly, portrays significance of interpreting and managing organisational milieu; thirdly, emphasises necessity and difficulty of organisational culture change; and then offers a systems approach called two strands model of soft systems methodology to improve the effect of corporate culture on organisational performance. The last part describes the methodology in depth and shows how it is applied to a private hospital that generates its improved version dealing with the major issue of open, full and equal participation in organisational culture change management.

NEW PERSPECTIVES OF SIMULATION MODELING IN THE OPERATIONAL ART OF MILITARY ACTION PLANNING THROUGH SOFT SYSTEMS METHODOLOGY

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 303-310
Author(s):  
Daniel ROMAN
Keyword(s):  
Design Thinking ◽  
Action Planning ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Operational Environment ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Military Action ◽  
The Status ◽  
Operational Art ◽  
The Impact

Abstract: The contemporary operational environment is mainly determined by the dynamics of the phenomena occurring within the connections of the societal fields. Decoding the reality and designing military actions have shifted to new coordinates of the operational art, in terms of the way the factors of influence that change the status of each societal field are jointly approached. The term societal has acquired new meanings in the context of the overconnectivity of the fundamental domains of the society which are the following: political/diplomatic, military, economic, social, medical – pandemic, infrastructural, informational, environmental and geo-strategic. The operational art of military action planning is based on decoding the operational environment and includes analyses with different level of detail depending on the approached societal field. The analyses result in different models of action of the opponent that involve organizing and reorganizing the friendly formations that will be planned to take part in operations. Deciding for or against certain options for resolving a (military) crisis situation takes place following repeated simulations until favorable results are obtained. In this article, we aimed to bring to the attention of the specialists in the field of military action planning the integrative methodology of "design thinking" the main aspects related to the impact of the dynamics of the societal domains network in the perspective of the simulated modeling in military action planning.

scholarly journals A Soft Systems Methodology for Business Creation: The Lost World at Tyseley, Birmingham

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Cavada ◽  
Chris Bouch ◽  
Chris Rogers ◽  
Michael Grace ◽  
Alexander Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Wicked Problem ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems

Much has been written about the benefits of green infrastructure, but securing the resources necessary for its development and long-term maintenance is often difficult. This article’s premise is that, in general, people and organisations will take action to provide those resources when they can see value accruing to them; therefore narratives of value generation and capture (our definition of business models) are required to motivate and support that action. This article explores the application of soft systems methodology to the wicked problem of business model development in the context of a social enterprise, using a case study based on a piece of green infrastructure in the city of Birmingham, UK, called The Lost World. The research involved a workshop with several of The Lost World’s key stakeholders and aimed at identifying: The Lost World’s scope as a business; its potential value streams; and how they might be realised in a social enterprise. Analysis of the findings shows that while stakeholders can identify opportunities for their organisations, bringing those opportunities to fruition is difficult. The research demonstrates a compelling need for social entrepreneurs to act as catalysts and long-term enablers of the formulation and maintenance of businesses and business models—vital missing actors in the ambition to transform cityscapes.

scholarly journals Domain-Driven Design and Soft Systems Methodology as a Framework to Avoid Software Crises

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 191-204
Author(s):  
Nikitas A. Assimakopoulos ◽  
Panagiotis Papaioannou
Keyword(s):  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Common Language ◽  
Creative Collaboration ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Complex Projects ◽  
Use Of Models

Crisis is considered to be an issue concerning complex systems like societies, organizations or even families. It can be defined as the situation in which the system functions poorly, the causes of the dysfunction are not immediately identified and immediate decisions need to be made. The type and the duration of a crisis may require different kinds of decision making. In a long-term crisis, when system changes may be required, the active participation of the affected people may be more important than the power and dynamics of the leadership. Software crises, in their their contemporary form as oganizational maffunctions, can still affect the viability of any organization. In this contribution we highlight the systemic aspects of a crisis, the complexity behind that and the role of systemic methodologies to explore its root causes and to design effective interventions. Our focus is on modeling as a means to simplify the complexity of the regarded phenomena and to build a knowledge consensus among stakeholders. Domain-Driven Design comes from software as an approach to deal with complex projects. It is based on models exploration in a creative collaboration between domain practitioners and solution providers. SSM is an established methodology for dealing with wicked situations. It incorporates the use of models and, along with Domain-Driven Design and other systemic methodologies can be employed to develop a common perception of the situation and a common language between interested parties in a crisis situation.

scholarly journals Keeping it pure – a pedagogical case study of teaching soft systems methodology in scenario and policy analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Yeoman ◽  
Una McMahon-Beattie ◽  
Carol Wheatley
Keyword(s):  
Scenario Analysis ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Problem Situation ◽  
Good Teaching ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teaching Tasks ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Soft systems methodology (SSM) is well documented in the academic and management literature. Over the last 40 years, the methodology has come to be adapted depending on the tool users’ skills and experience in order to fit the problem. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate good teaching and learning practice from a pedagogical perspective. Design/methodology/approach Dr Ian Yeoman of Victoria University of Wellington provides a personal reflection of how the methodology is used in the teaching and learning of TOUR301 Tourism Policy and Planning as a policy and scenario analysis method. Findings The paper articulates the seven stages of SSM from problem situation unstructured, through to Rich Pictures, vision and guiding principles, policy solutions, comparisons, feasibility and implementation stages. The paper uses a series of teaching tasks to breakdown the complexity of the methodology thus guiding students and teachers in how to deploy the methodology in the classroom. Originality/value The value of the paper demonstrates the reflective practice of SSM in action as an exemplar of good practice. The paper clearly articulates the stages of the methodology so students and teachers can adopt this approach in classroom environments following a scaffolding learning approach. The use of teaching tasks throughout the paper helps bring clarity and order thus enabling the teacher to effectively teach the subject and the students to learn. The most significant contribution of this paper is the articulation of good teaching practice in policy and scenario analysis which articulated through four learning lessons: facilitating a learning environment; the impact of visual thinking; political theory; the importance of incremental learning; and problem-based learning and international students.

A SOFT SYSTEMS METHODOLOGY APPROACH TO IMPROVING THE SUPPLY CHAIN OF A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN GAUTENG PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-99
Author(s):  
Lewis Tsuro ◽  
Stan Hardman
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Suitable Model ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Good Tool ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems

The Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) was developed as a set of tools for identifying and making incremental steps to improve situations with poorly defined causes or solutions. The supply chain forms a key process of any construction project; however, on any given construction site, supply chain inefficiencies could arise from many different avenues. Opinions vary, though, on which of these avenues is more important for increasing supply chain efficiencies; whether any problem even exist across the different aspects of the supply chain; as well as what steps should be taken to resolve them. It was therefore studied, here, whether SSM could be employed as a useful tool to systematically apply in the supply chains of a construction project in South Africa, for understanding and targeting the problematic situations that arise. Following thorough cyclical open-ended interviews with 17 workers, supervisors, foremen, site clerks, senior managers, and the CEO of the principal contractor at a new office park construction project in Rosebank, Johannesburg, and a thematic analysis of the data, SSM was performed to understand the existing challenges, and develop a suitable model for improvement. The study found that SSM was a good tool for understanding the ‘messy’ circumstances surrounding the chosen construction project supply chain, as well as actions that could be taken to improve the supply chain’s efficiency on site. The findings add weight to the argument that SSM could be a good tool for project managers to systematically introduce into their project planning regimens

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