Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The origins and nature of critical systems thinking

  • Papers
  • Published:
Systems practice Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Critical systems thinking is a relative newcomer in the systems tradition of thought. Nevertheless, it has already made a number of significant contributions to the field and is now developing more quickly than any other part of systems thinking. The paper charts the origins and nature of this evolving, critical systems, body of work. The author's own impressions of its development are first set out. This helps establish that critical systems thinking has come to rest upon five “commitments” which define its essential character. These commitments are then used to classify the published literature associated with critical systems thinking. The result is a review of the origins and nature of critical systems thinking up to 1990.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Banathy, B. H. (1984).Systems Design in the Context of Human Activity Systems, International Systems Institute, Calif.

    Google Scholar 

  • Banathy, B. H. (1987). Choosing design methods. InProceedings of the 31st Annual Meeting of the ISGSR, Budapest, pp. 54–63.

  • Banathy, B. H. (1988). Matching design methods to system type.Syst. Res. 5, 27–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burrell, G., and Morgan, G. (1979).Sociological Paradigms and Organizational Analysis, Heinemann, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Checkland, P. B. (1978). The origins and nature of “hard” systems thinking.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 5(2), 99–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Checkland, P. B. (1981).Systems Thinking, Systems Practice, Wiley, Chichester.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dando, M. R., and Bennett, P. G. (1981). A Kuhnian crisis in management science?J. Oper. Res. Soc. 32, 91–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, R. K., and Flood, R. L. (1987). Managing technological change: Systems theory or systems technology. InProceedings of the 31st Annual Meeting of the ISGSR, Budapest, pp. 270–277.

  • Flood, R. L. (1989). Six scenarios for the future of systems “problem-solving.”Syst. Pract. 2, 75–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flood, R. L. (1990a).Liberating Systems Theory, Plenum, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flood, R. L. (1990b). Liberating systems theory: Towards critical systems thinking.Hum. Relat. 43, 49–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flood, R. L. (1990c). Critical systems thinking and the systems sciences. In Banathy, B. A., and Banathy, B. H. (eds.),Toward a Just Society for Future Generations, ISSS, Portland, Ore., pp. 15–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flood, R. L., and Carson, E. R. (1988).Dealing with Complexity: An Introduction to the Theory and Application of Systems Science, Plenum, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flood, R. L., and Gregory, W. (1989). Systems: Past, present and future. In Flood, R. L., Jackson, M. C., and Keys, P. (eds.),Systems Prospects: The Next Ten Years of Systems Research, Plenum, New York, pp. 55–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flood, R. L., and Jackson, M. C., (1988). Cybernetics and organization theory: A critical review.Cybernet. Syst. 19, 13–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flood, R. L., and Jackson, M. C., (1991).Creative Problem Solving: Total Systems Intervention, Wiley, Chichester.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flood, R. L., and Robinson, S. A. (1989). Whatever happened to General Systems Theory? In Flood, R. L., Jackson, M. C., and Keys, P. (eds.).System Prospects: The Next Ten Years of Systems Research, Plenum, New York, pp. 61–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flood, R. L., and Ulrich, W. (1990). Testament to conversations on critical systems thinking between two systems practitioners.Syst. Pract. 3, 7–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuenmayor, R. L. (1985).The Ontology and Epistemology of a Systems Approach, Ph.D. thesis, Department of Systems, University of Lancaster, Lancaster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuenmayor, R. L. (1989). Interpretive systemology: Its theoretical and practical development in a university school of systems in Venezuela.Department of Management Systems and Sciences Working Paper 22, University of Hull, Hull.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hales, M. (1974). Management science and the “second industrial revolution.”Radical Sci. J. 1, 5–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1982). The nature of soft systems thinking: The work of Churchman, Ackoff and Checkland.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 9, 17–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1985a). Social systems theory and practice: The need for a critical approach.Int. J. Gen. Syst. 10, 135–151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1985b). Systems inquiring competence and organizational analysis. InProceedings of the 1985 Meeting of the SGSR, SGSR, Louisville, Ky., pp. 522–530.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1985c). The itinerary of a critical approach... review of W. Ulrich's “Critical Heuristics of Social Planning.”J. Oper. Res. Soc. 36, 878–881.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1986). The cybernetic model of the organization: An assessment. In Trappl, R. (ed.),Cybernetics and Systems '86, D. Reidel, Dordrecht, pp. 189–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1987a). New directions in management science. In Jackson, M. C., and Keys, P. (eds.),New Directions in Management Science, Gower, Aldershot.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1987b). Community operational research: Purposes, theory and practice. In Carter, P., Jackson, M. C., Jackson, N. V., and Keys, P. (eds.),Community Operational Research at Hull University, Dragon 2(2), 47–73.

  • Jackson, M. C. (1987c). Present positions and future prospects in management science.Omega 15, 455–466.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1988a). Systems methods for organizational analysis and design.Syst. Res. 5, 201–210.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1988b). Some methodologies for community OR.J. Oper. Res. Soc. 39, 715–724.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1988c). An appreciation of Stafford Beer's “viable system” viewpoint on managerial practice.J. Manage. Stud. 25, 557–573.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1989). Assumptional analysis: An elicidation and appraisal for systems practitioners.Syst. Pract. 2, 11–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1990). Beyond a system of systems methodologies.J. Oper. Res. Soc. 41, 657–668.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C. (1991).Systems Methodology for the Management Sciences, Plenum, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. C., and Keys, P. (1984). Towards a system of systems methodologies.J, Oper. Res. Soc. 35, 473–483.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keys, P. (1988). A methodology for methodology choice.Syst. Res. 5, 65–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kijima, K., and Mackness, J. (1987). Analysis of soft trends in systems thinking.Syst. Res. 4, 235–241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhn, T. (1970).The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 2nd ed., University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mingers, J. (1984). Subjectivism and soft systems methodology-a critique.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 11, 85–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliga, J. C. (1986). Methodology in systems research: The need for a self-reflective commitment. In Dillon, J. A., Jr. (ed.),Mental Images, Values and Reality, SGSR, Louisville, Ky., pp. B11-B31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliga, J. C. (1988). Methodological foundations of systems methodologies.Syst. Pract. 1, 87–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliga, J. C. (1989a). Power and interests in organizations: A contingent, relational view.Paper for the 33rd Annual Meeting of the ISSS, Edinburgh, Scotland.

  • Oliga, J. C. (1989b). Ideology and systems emancipation. Paper for the 33rd Annual Meeting of the ISSS, Edinburgh, Scotland.

  • Oliga, J. C. (1990). Power-ideology matrix in social systems control.Syst. Pract. 3, 31–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenhead, J. (1982). Why does management need management science? In Troncale, L. (ed.),A General Survey of Systems Methodology, SGSR, Washington, D.C., pp. 834–839.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenhead, J. (1986). Custom and practice.J. Oper. Res. Soc. 37, 335–343.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenhead, J., and Thunhurst, C. (1982). A materialist analysis of operational research.J. Oper. Res. Soc. 33, 111–122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schecter, D. (1991). Critical systems thinking in the 1980s: A connective summary. In Flood, R. L., and Jackson, M. C. (eds.),Critical Systems Thinking: Directed Readings, Wiley, Chichester.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tinker, T., and Lowe, T. (1984). One dimensional management science: The making of a technocratic consciousness.Interfaces 14, 40–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, W. (1981). A critique of pure cybernetic reason: The Chilean experience with cybernetics.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 8, 33–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, W. (1983).Critical Heuristics of Social Planning: A New Approach to Practical Philosophy, Haupt, Bern.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, W. (1988). Systems thinking, systems practice and practical philosophy: A program of research.Syst. Pract. 1, 137–163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood, S., and Kelly, J. (1978). Towards a critical management science.J. Manage. Stud. 15, 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management Systems and Sciences, University of Hull, HU6 7RX, Hull, UK

    M. C. Jackson

Authors
  1. M. C. Jackson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jackson, M.C. The origins and nature of critical systems thinking. Systems Practice 4, 131–149 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01068246

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01068246

Key words

Search

Navigation