General Systems Theory

Bertalanffy von L., 1968. General System Theory, Braziller, New York. 

Kast, D. Rosenzweig, J. 1972. General systems theory applications for organization management. Academy of Management Journal, 15 447-465. 

General system theory is a versatile tool for investigating many research and development projects [Gall (1986), Lacy (1986), and Weinberg and Weinberg (1988)]. Although other approaches to research and development often focus on the detailed internal stmcture and organization of the system, our approach here will be to treat the system as a whole and to be concerned with its overall behavior. 

Figure 1.1 General system theory view of relationships among inputs, transforms, and outputs.

General system theory views a system as possessing three basic elements - inputs, transforms, and outputs (see Figure 1.1). An example of a simple system is the mathematical relationship... 

Figure 1.3 General system theory view of a wine-making process.

Figure 1.4 General system theory view emphasizing internal structures and relationships with a system.

The third basic element of general system theory is the transform. As we have seen, it is the link between the factors and the responses of a system, transforming levels of the system s factors into levels of the system s responses. 

Figure 2.14 General system theory view showing how the use of an autotransformer imposes artificial constraints on the factor temperature.

Figure 3.1 General system theory view showing known, unknown, controlled, and uncontrolled factors.

Suppose you have chosen the model yn = Po + "n to describe measured values from a system. What is the source of variation in the data (r,) Is it the system Is it the measurement process Is it both Draw a general system theory diagram showing the relationship between a system of interest and an auxiliary system used to measure the system of interest (see Figures 2.14 and 3.1). 

Figure 11.10 General system theory view emphasizing the effect of uncontrolled factors on the noise associated with responses.

Figure 1.2. General system theory view of the algebraic relationship y = x +2.

G.V. Reklaitis, Introduction to Material and Energy Balances, John Wiley, 1983 L. Von Bertalanffy, General Systems Theory, George Braziller, New York, 1968... 

Such as those embodied in General Systems Theory... 

---