BCSSS

International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics

2nd Edition, as published by Charles François 2004 Presented by the Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science Vienna for public access.

About

The International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics was first edited and published by the system scientist Charles François in 1997. The online version that is provided here was based on the 2nd edition in 2004. It was uploaded and gifted to the center by ASC president Michael Lissack in 2019; the BCSSS purchased the rights for the re-publication of this volume in 200?. In 2018, the original editor expressed his wish to pass on the stewardship over the maintenance and further development of the encyclopedia to the Bertalanffy Center. In the future, the BCSSS seeks to further develop the encyclopedia by open collaboration within the systems sciences. Until the center has found and been able to implement an adequate technical solution for this, the static website is made accessible for the benefit of public scholarship and education.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

LOOPS (Causal) DIAGRAM) 1)2)

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A graph representing the interconnections between causes and effects within a complex system.

Complex nets of loops can be represented by oriented graphs.

Such graphs, proposed by M. MARUYAMA include through a convenient notation system, the directions of influence, amplitudes and time delays.

MARUYAMA justify the necessity as follows: "Use of sophisticated computer simulation programs remove strategy decision makers from direct comprehension of interrelations among key variables, because it suffices for the program user to look at the input and the output without knowing what takes place in the program" (1992, p.37).

In such a situation the decision maker may easily ignore if the program really represent what is going on in the concrete system… and even in some cases, does not possess himself a clear understanding of the same.

MARUYAMA, by introducing time delays, gives a dynamic character to his diagrams. Moreover: "Adjustment of time delay in one element to increase or decrease change amplification of a loop is an example of action suggested in the preliminary causal loop diagram analysis" (p.38).

In short, these diagrams are very useful thinking devices for managers and generally for all participants in the organization.

Categories

  • 1) General information
  • 2) Methodology or model
  • 3) Epistemology, ontology and semantics
  • 4) Human sciences
  • 5) Discipline oriented

Publisher

Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science(2020).

To cite this page, please use the following information:

Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science (2020). Title of the entry. In Charles François (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics (2). Retrieved from www.systemspedia.org/[full/url]

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