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From complexity in the natural sciences to complexity in operation management systems / Jean-Pierre Briffaut

Author
Briffaut, Jean-Pierre
Published
London : Wiley-ISTE, 2019.
Physical Description
1 online resource
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Contents
Machine generated contents note: ch. 1 Complexity and Systems Thinking -- 1.1.Introduction: complexity as a problem -- 1.2.Complexity in perspective -- 1.2.1.Etymology and semantics -- 1.2.2.Methods proposed for dealing with complexity from the Middle Ages to the 17th Century and their current outfalls -- 1.3.System-based current methods proposed for dealing with complexity -- 1.3.1.Evolution of system-based methods in the 20th Century -- 1.3.2.The emergence of a new science of mind -- 1.4.Systems thinking and structuralism -- 1.4.1.Systems thinking -- 1.4.2.Structuralism -- 1.4.3.Systems modeling -- 1.5.Biodata of two figureheads in the development of cybernetics -- 1.5.1.Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1901-1972) -- 1.5.2.Heinz von Forster (1911-2002) -- 1.6.References -- ch. 2 Agent-based Modeling of Human Organizations -- 2.1.Introduction -- 2.2.Concept of agenthood in the technical world -- 2.2.1.Some words about agents explained -- 2.2.2.Some implementations of the agenthood paradigm -- 2.3.Concept of agenthood in the social world -- 2.3.1.Cursory perspective of agenthood in the social world -- 2.3.2.Organization as a collection of agents -- 2.4.BD1 agents as models of organization agents -- 2.4.1.Description of BD1 agents -- 2.4.2.Comments on the structural components of BDI agents -- 2.5.Patterns of agent coordination -- 2.5.1.Organizational coordination -- 2.5.2.Contracting for coordination -- 2.5.3.Coordination by multi-agent planning -- 2.6.Negotiation patterns -- 2.7.Theories behind the organization theory -- 2.7.1.Structural and functional theories -- 2.7.2.Cognitive and behavioral theories -- 2.7.3.Organization theory and German culture -- 2.8.Organizations and complexity -- 2.8.1.Structural complexity -- 2.8.2.Behavioral complexity in group decision-making -- 2.8.3.Autonomous agents and complexity in organization operations: inexorable stretch to artificial organization -- 2.9.References -- ch. 3 Complexity and Chaos -- 3.1.Introduction -- 3.2.Complexity and chaos in physics and chemistry -- 3.2.1.Introductory considerations -- 3.2.2.Quadratic iterator modeling the dynamic behavior of animal and plant populations -- 3.2.3.Traces of chaotic behavior in different contexts -- 3.3.Order out of chaos -- 3.3.1.Determinism out of an apparent random algorithm -- 3.3.2.Chaos game and MRCM (Multiple Reduction Copy Machine) -- 3.3.3.Randomness and its foolery -- 3.4.Chaos in organizations - the certainty of uncertainty -- 3.4.1.Chaos and big data: what is data deluge? -- 3.4.2.Change management and adaptation of information systems -- 3.5.References.
Summary
Although complexity makes up the very fabric of our daily lives and has been more or less addressed in a wide variety of knowledge fields, the approaches developed in the Natural Sciences and the results obtained over the past century have not yet permeated Management Sciences very much. The main features of the phenomena that the Natural Sciences deal with are: non-linear behavior, self-organization and chaos. They are analyzed with the framing of what is called "systems thinking", popularized by the mindset pertaining to cybernetics. All pioneers in systems thinking either had direct or indirect connections with Biology, which is the discipline considered complex par excellence by the public. When applying these concepts to Operations Management Systems and modeling organizations by BDI (Beliefs, Desires, Intentions) agents, the lack of predictability in the conduct of change management that is prone to bifurcations (tipping points) in terms of organizational structures and in forecasting future activities, reveals them to be ingrained in the interplay of complexity and chaos.
Subject(s)
ISBN
9781119610816 (electronic bk.)
1119610818 (electronic bk.)
9781119610854 (electronic bk. : oBook)
1119610850 (electronic bk. : oBook)
9781786303684
9781119610823 (e-book)
1119610826
Note
Includes index.
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