The Origins and Purposes of Several Traditions in Systems Theory and Cybernetics

In their paper, "The Origins and Purposes of Several Traditions in Systems Theory and Cybernetics," Stuart Umpleby and Eric Dent discuss some of the research traditions that have influenced the systems movement. The authors present an overview of various schools of thought, including general systems theory, the systems approach, operations research, system dynamics, learning organizations, total quality management, and cybernetics, and emphasize the importance of distinguishing the different traditions and their distinct concerns. The basic idea is that the different groups were asking somewhat different questions and hence developed different conceptions of systems theory.
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