bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Matching Observed with Empirical Reality – What you see is what you get?
Authors: Kurbalija Vladimir , Ivanović Mirjana , von Bernstorff Charlotte , Nachtwei Jens , Burkhard Hans-Dieter
Published: December 2019

This paper outlines the primary steps to investigate if artificial agents can be considered as true substitutes of humans. Based on a Socially augmented microworld (SAM) human tracking behavior was analyzed using time series. SAM involves a team of navigators jointly steering a driving object along different virtual tracks containing obstacles and forks. Speed and deviances from track are logged, producing high-resolution time series of individual (training) and cooperative tracking behavior. In the current study 52 time series of individual tracking behavior on training tracks were clustered according to different similarity measures. Resulting clusters were used to predict cooperative tracking behavior in fork situations. Results showed that prediction was well for tracking behavior shown at the first and, moderately well at the third fork of the cooperative track: navigators switched from their trained to a different tracking style and then back to their trained behavior. This matches with earlier identified navigator types, which were identified on visual examination. Our findings on navigator types will serve as a basis for the development of artificial agents, which can be compared later to behavior of human navigators.
On the π-calculus and Co-intuitionistic Logic. Notes on Logic for Concurrency and λP Systems
Authors: Bellin Gianluigi , Menti Alessandro
Published: December 2019

We reconsider work by Bellin and Scott in the 1990s on R. Milner and S. Abramsky's encoding of linear logic in the π-calculus and give an account of efforts to establish a tight connection between the structure of proofs and of the cut elimination process in multiplicative linear logic, on one hand, and the input-output behaviour of the processes that represent them, on the other, resulting in a proof-theoretic account of (a variant of) Chu's construction. But Milner's encoding of the linear lambda calculus suggests consideration of multiplicative co-intuitionistic linear logic: we provide a term assignment for it, a calculus of coroutines which presents features of concurrent and distributed computing. Finally, as a test case of its adequacy as a logic for distributed computation, we represent our term assignment as a λP system. We argue that translations of typed functional languages in concurrent and distributed systems (such as π-calculi or λP systems) are best typed with co-intuitionistic logic, where some features of computations match the logical properties in a natural way.
Substructural Meta-Theory of a Type-Safe Language for Web Programming
Authors: Cervesato Iliano , Sans Thierry
Published: December 2019

This paper introduces an abstract web programming language, QWeSST, and a methodology for proving properties of formalisms, such are QWeSST, that are parallel, distributed and concurrent. At its core, QWeSST is a small functional programming language extended with primitives for mobile code and remote procedure calls, two distinguishing features of web programming. It supports a localized view of typechecking and of evaluation, which reflects the way we program web applications and web services. We have developed a prototype implementation for QWeSST and used it to elegantly write simple web applications that are however not easily expressed using current web technology. We give two semantics for QWeSST, one is standard and models a naive form of single-threaded evaluation, the other is maximally parallel and exploits a presentation of its typing and execution behaviors based on an extended form of substructural operational semantics. It augments standard inference rules with a construction that realizes parametric multiset comprehension, which makes it convenient to capture ensemble-level behaviors. We prove that both semantics are type safe, the former using traditional methods, the latter by developing a proof methodology that parallels the multiset-oriented presentation of the semantics.
A Survey of Decidability Results for Elementary Object Systems
Authors: Köhler-Bußmeier Michael
Published: December 2019

This contribution presents recent results on Elementary Object Systems (EOS). Object nets are Petri nets which have Petri nets as tokens – an approach known as the nets-within-nets paradigm. In this work we study the relationship of EOS to existing Petri net formalisms. It turns out that EOS are equivalent to counter programs. But even for the restricted subclass of conservative EOS reachability and liveness are undecidable problems. On the other hand for other properties like boundedness are still decidable for conservative EOS. We also study the sub-class of generalised state machines, which is worth mentioning since it combines decidability of many theoretically interesting properties with a quite rich practical modelling expressiveness.
On the Computational Interpretation of CKn for Contextual Information Processing
Authors: Mendler Michael , Scheele Stephan
Published: December 2019

We aim to establish the multi-modal logic CKn as a baseline for a constructive correspondence theory of constructive modal logics. Just like many classical multi-modal logics may be studied as theories of the basic system K obtained by model-theoretic specialisation, we envisage constructive modal logics to be derived as proof-theoretic enrichments of CKn. The system CKn would then act as a core system for constructive contextual reasoning with controlled information flow. In this paper, as a first step towards this goal, we study CKn as a type theory and introduce its computational λ-calculus, λCKn. Extending previous work on CKn, we present a cut-free contextual sequent system in the spirit of Masini's two-dimensional generalisation of natural deduction and Brünnler's nested sequents and give a computational interpretation for CKn following the Curry-Howard Correspondence. The associated modal type theory λCKn permits an interpretation for both the modalities □ and ◊ of CKn as type operators with simple and independent constructors and destructors, which has been missing in the literature. It is shown that the calculus satisfies subject reduction, strong normalisation and confluence. Since normal forms can be characterised by way of a Gentzen-style typing system with sub-formula property, λCKn is suitable for proof search in CKn. At the same time, λCKn enjoys natural deduction style typing which is important for programming applications. In contrast to most existing modal type theories, which are obtained as theories of the constructive modal logic S4, CKn is not bound to a particular contextual interpretation. Thus, λCKn constitutes the core of a functional language which provides static type checking of information processing to support safe contextual navigation in relational structures like those treated by description logics. We review some existing work on modal type theories and discuss their relation to λCKn.
An Efficient Framework for Extracting Parallel Sentences from Non-Parallel Corpora
Authors: Hoang Cuong , Le Anh-Cuong , Nguyen Phuong-Thai , Pham Son Bao , Ho Tu Bao
Published: December 2019

Automatically building a large bilingual corpus that contains millions of words is always a challenging task. In particular in case of low-resource languages, it is difficult to find an existing parallel corpus which is large enough for building a real statistical machine translation. However, comparable non-parallel corpora are richly available in the Internet environment, such as in Wikipedia, and from which we can extract valuable parallel texts. This work presents a framework for effectively extracting parallel sentences from that resource, which results in significantly improving the performance of statistical machine translation systems. Our framework is a bootstrapping-based method that is strengthened by using a new measurement for estimating the similarity between two bilingual sentences. We conduct experiment for the language pair of English and Vietnamese and obtain promising results on both constructing parallel corpora and improving the accuracy of machine translation from English to Vietnamese.
Extraction of Discriminative Patterns from Skeleton Sequences for Accurate Action Recognition
Authors: Thanh Tran Thang , Chen Fan , Kotani Kazunori , Le Bac
Published: December 2019

Emergence of novel techniques devices e.g., MS Kinect, enables reliable extraction of human skeletons from action videos. Taking skeleton data as inputs, we propose an approach to extract the discriminative patterns for efficient human action recognition. Each action is considered to consist of a sequence of unit actions, each of which is represented by a pattern. Given a skeleton sequence, we first automatically extract the key-frames, and then categorize them into different patterns. We further use a statistical metric to evaluate the discriminative capability of patterns, and define them as local features for action recognition. Experimental results show that the extracted local descriptors could provide very high accuracy in the action recognition, which demonstrate the efficiency of our method in extracting discriminative unit actions.
Global challenges demand global education of systems thinking
Authors: Gehlert Kurt M. , Ressler Thomas , Baylon Donoxti
Published: December 2019

This article is an appeal to incorporate systems thinking into topics and courses in business education and the social sciences. After reviewing the lack of systems thinking and systems theory in American education, its negative impact on decision making and risk analysis, the authors demonstrate how to weave systems thinking and systems theory into the existing curricula, and how to assess the effectiveness of such pedagogy on the decision making and risk analysis process.
Seeing through the fog of ambiguity: Entrepreneurial judgments under decision settings of complexity
Authors: Ng Desmond
Published: December 2019

A most elemental concern of entrepreneurship pertains to how they make judgments under uncertainty. Empirical evidence has found that most new ventures result in failure, yet entrepreneurs tend to form judgments about their venture's success in highly optimistic terms. As entrepreneurs operate in a context of ambiguity, the concepts of “ambiguity” and “ambiguity aversion” from the decision sciences are drawn upon to develop a theoretical model of entrepreneurial overconfidence. In this proposed theoretical model, the entrepreneur operates under uncertain settings characterized by complexity. Complexity is argued to yield a distinct overconfidence bias in an entrepreneur's judgments of future events. This study concludes with its contributions and implications to entrepreneurial research.
Adapting as complex problem solving: Shifting to new solutions in light of complex problems
Authors: Houghton Luke , Metcalfe Mike
Published: December 2019

What is a problem? Without people there would be no problems. Problems are most likely a conception of our mind. This means solutions are also determined by our conceptions that we can mould and adapt to suit our circumstances. For example, in considering reasonable solutions to world poverty, it needs to be firstly determined whether the situation is due to God's Will, Imperialism or a lack of Capitalism. Thus unstructured problem solving becomes a process of making explicit which conception of a problem is being used. This paper will re-present the argument that problems and their solutions are merely a conception of our brains and because of this we can change and adapt our thinking to match the evolving circumstances. The implications of this is found in the way we train people in problem solving, especially as we focus heavily on linearity and not complexity, as a method of explaining how people adapt their problem solving ability as part of a adaptive process. The paper concludes by arguing that this framework needs to be developed into a more formal process so that the ‘reality’ of problem solving is better understood. A small illustration of adaptive problem solving is included to help understand the concept.
Leadership capability: An autopoietic perspective
Authors: Sice Petia , Koya Kushwanth , Mansi Safwat
Published: December 2019

There is a large body of literature by the Chilean biologists Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela, referred to as Autopoietic Theory. This theory describes the dynamics of living systems; dealing with cognition as a biological phenomenon. The theory, however, has found far wider application than may be suggested from its biological roots, to generate implications for epistemology, i.e. enactive view of cognition, communication and social systems theory. This paper presents key insights and explores their implication to understanding leadership capability from the perspective of an enactive view of cognition. Autopoiesis suggests that the quality of human experience, is determined by the interplay between the internal dynamics (biological processes) and the environment (social and other) of an active situated human agent, and thus offers an alternative perspective to interpreting and developing leadership capability. What is required is to foster an environment where awareness is actively developed, fragmentation of experience is avoided and language is used to promote creativity. A mini case study of the hearing aid manufacturer, Oticon A/S, is used for illustration.
On online repurchase intentions: Antecedents and the moderating role of switching cost
Authors: Chiu Chao-Min , Fang Yu-Hui , Cheng Hsiang-Lan , Yen Chiahui
Published: December 2019

This study investigates the repeat purchase intention of experienced online buyers. In the research model, psychological contract violation is proposed as a formative second-order construct driven by distributive justice, procedural justice, interpersonal justice, and informational justice. Psychological contract violation is hypothesized to negatively affect satisfaction and trust in the online store, which in turn are hypothesized to positively affect repeat purchase intentions. Switching cost is hypothesized to negatively moderate the effects of satisfaction and trust on repeat purchase intention. Data collected from 162 of PChome's customers provide partial support for the research model. Results indicate that psychological contract violation is negatively associated with satisfaction and trust. Satisfaction is positively associated with buyers' repeat purchase intentions. A higher level of switching cost diminished satisfaction's effect on repeat purchase intention. Implications for theory and practice are discussed, and suggestions for future research are offered.
The structurational model of technology: The case of dow chemical's RFID tracking system for hazardous materials
Authors: Angeles Rebecca
Published: December 2019

In seeking the environmental sustainability in its outbound logistics operations, Dow Chemicals Company deployed an radio frequency identification (RFID) system to track shipments of its hazardous chemical products. This qualitative case study uses content analysis and the application of Orlikowski's theoretical framework called structurational model of technology based on Giddens' theory of structuration. Applying this theoretical framework results in a better understanding of how information technology (IT) interacts with organizational forces and vice versa.
The Eurozone sovereign debt crisis and the Asian economies: Facing the challenge
Authors: Das Dilip K.
Published: December 2019

The Eurozone sovereign debt crisis has created enormous uncertainties and financial stress in the global economy. The essential focus of this article is the impact of the crisis on the Asian economy through the twin channels of multilateral trade and financial flows. It examines how the Asian economies successfully withstood the crisis in a resilient manner and also why they were able to sustain a healthy GDP growth—albeit suffering a small deceleration. It infers that relatively sound fundamentals in the Asian economies moderated the negative impact of the crisis. Although not vulnerable, they suffered some impact of the Eurozone financial turmoil. They could not be regarded as totally immune to the ongoing Eurozone crisis. The global slowdown in demand began affecting the Asian economies in the third quarter of 2012. They began feeling the lagged impact of the demand slump in the advance industrial economies. At this time point grim economic data began coming out of the Asian economies.
City-systems: A new development strategy to promote a new economic paradigm
Authors: Fusco Girard Francesco
Published: December 2019

City system is usually shaped by the prevailing development model. Since current development model is un-sustainable in the long term - because of the raw materials price volatility and furthermore because of its huge impacts on the environment, – it is clear that a new development model is needed. Thus, in this paper we analyze the role of city-systems in order to promote such new development paradigm, highlighting that its real implementation depends not only on legislative framework and technological improvements, but it is mainly a matter of values, a matter of culture. Finally we identified a possible evolution path which considers “western cities” (Europe, North-America, Japan and some selected in the Middle East) as key entrance point and the most fertile location for really starting a new development paradigm implementation.
A value based strategic knowledge framework to enable effective decision making
Authors: Sunil Kumar K. , Muthuvelayutham C.
Published: December 2019

Knowledge management is now considered as a key business element for gaining sustained competitive advantage. In the age of MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) & free unlocked public sources of information like Wikipedia, the availability of information has increased multifold. However the effectiveness of decision making with such information availability has not shown similar proposition of growth. While the importance of knowledge management has been realized, it is found from the research that there is lot of gap in its implementation, leverage and in making it part of organizations process. This research paper focuses on how a value based strategic knowledge management framework is built to solve this problem. The unique strategic knowledge framework shown here is adaptive to business environment changes, embedded in business processes and enable effective decision making thereby reaping maximum benefits to gain & sustain competitive advantage.
Leading-edge-leadership
Authors: Mueller Robert K.
Published: December 2019

An underlying postulate for the future is that a leader must influence an institution more than it influences him or her. Balancing artful leadership attributes with management science capabilities calls for new organizational structures, policies, processes and styles. Freer-form organizations are needed. At least ten attributes of these are outlined for study. New leadership issues are sprouting from the leading edge of scientific, technological, political, economic, social and cultural forces already at work. These issues are: intellectual operations, phenomenon of power, abstract relationships, material world and ethical-legal-religious spheres of sentient and moral powers. A third framework of the human mind is suggested with respect to the teleological-ideological, instinctive, spiritual and charismatic (TISC) attributes of a leader. This TISC framework is in addition to the logical, rational, sequential and quantitative (LRSQ) and the perceptive, intuitive, simultaneous and qualitative (PISQ) optimal working frameworks of the human mind proposed by Zeleny [10]. The new breed of leaders may find this triple framework helpful in initiating and maintaining structure in expectation and interaction which is the true meaning of leading-edge-leadership.
Digital communications and the conduct of science. The new literacy
Authors: Lederberg Joshua
Published: December 2019

This essay is a personal perspective on the emergence of a new form of communication, optimistically called the ‘eugram’. This form is based on the convergence of economical digital communications with computer aided facilities for file management, and protocols to facilitate the interconnection of users separated both in time and space. The eugram is contrasted with the telephone, with the latter's demands on instant availability and the subjugation of the user to an almost uninterruptible stream of data. The eugram is expected to increase the thoughtfulness of communication, the return of literacy in the efficient and precise use of language, and to enhance scientific discourse in many other ways.
Is there a philosopher in the house?
Authors: Hammond Kenneth R.
Published: December 2019

Our technological choices are at the mercy of incoherent social value systems, fact and value are often confused, and our technological expertise is squandered and discredited in fruitless and bitter dispute. That is because technical competence abounds, but philosophical competence is absent from public policy formation.
Macromarketing: a mechanism for Humanomics
Authors: Reidenbach R. Eric , Oliva Terence A.
Published: December 2019

Relatively little has been written about the macro-role of marketing when compared to the volumes devoted to its micro counterpart. Yet within competitive market systems evidence exists that there is yet another role played by marketing, one much more pervasive than that of the micro role and one as equally, or perhaps more, important. The Western socioeconomic system is on the verge of a major change. The direction and rationality of this change depends to a large extent on our understanding of this system and the role marketing plays within this system. Zeleny implies much the same when he points out the mechanisms which are fueling the transition towards a self-service society [11, 12]. Finally, if Loebl's call for a theory of economics derived from viewing an economy as a human system is to be realized [6], then one of the major mechanisms for actual implementation of the theory would be Macromarketing.
Toward medical management decision support systems
Authors: Kochen Manfred
Published: December 2019

A computer conferencing system for source recording of all transactions in medical management of a patient is suggested. Its use for overcoming some weaknesses of current practice is illustrated on an actual case. We submit that for such a medical management decision support system to work, its ‘thought units’ should correspond to those of its users, possibly degrees of membership rather than probabilities.
The impact of intelligent electronics on society: adjusting to technological change
Authors: Wasserman Jerry
Published: December 2019

Intelligent electronics, which refers to the miniature programmable chips with the memory and logic capability of a computer, will have a profound impact on business operations in the years ahead. An example of this technology is the microprocessor, the computer-on-a-chip which, in a very short time, has greatly altered several well-established markets. While many business opportunities will be created, it will become increasingly important for business to examine the larger social issues related to a technological advance of this magnitude. Steps must be taken to assure that the technology is used to produce useful products providing real benefits to society. Similarly, the impact of this technology on the workforce must be examined, with care taken to understand the possible problem of worker dislocation. There are several examples of industry/government efforts aimed at addressing these important social issues underway in Europe and Japan. The business community as a whole would be advised to develop programs and strategies required to help people adapt to technological change in an increasingly information-oriented society.
A societal network paradigm
Authors: Bartee Edwin M.
Published: December 2019

The systematic description of basic social structure and process presented in this paper supports a primary editorial thrust of Human Systems Management: “Before the world can be changed it must be understood.” The world experience described in this paper is understood to be a complexity of generic structures and functions that translate into conceptual, existential, and transactive societal networks. The paradigm draws upon knowledge across many disciplines, particularly modern knowledge of general systems, neurological functioning, and social systems structure. A logical, descriptive process of inductive reasoning, supported continuously by practical examples, is used to develop the paradigm. The result is an architectural outcome in the sense that the paradigm defines, differentiates and integrates the generic structures and functions of everyday social experience and its developmental complexity. The development of social power, the function of social dialectics, the pervasiveness of social contradiction, and the experience of social conflict are a few of the phenomenon that are systematically described and illustrated. The discussion of normative implications of the paradigm has been deliberately excluded from this work. The author is currently writing a sequel to this paper that describes the application of many of the concepts to the design of a professional association as a societal network.
Management: alternative realities
Authors: Young Stanley
Published: December 2019

Both managerial academic research and the management of the enterprise are based upon and are manifestations of underlying social paradigms. A social paradigm is a subjectively shared cognitive structure, a set of initial assumptions delineating the nature of social reality and determining how that reality is to be analyzed. Insofar as such paradigms may be in error, research anomalies and dysfunctional organization operations may result. This analysis will review the nature and significance of social paradigms and indicate how paradigmatic errors may be analyzed and corrected. Problems relating to paradigmatic transformation will also be briefly reviewed.
Bogdanov's tektology: its basic concepts and relevance to modern generalizing sciences
Authors: Gorelik George
Published: December 2019

Bogdanov's Tektology represents a unique contribution to the field of organizational theory and practice. It is a general organizational science which is concerned with universal structural regularities, general types of systems, general laws of their transformation and the basic laws of organization of any elements in nature, practice and cognition. The paper outlines the basic concepts of tektology and provides some pertinent facts about its author and his other related works. It also offers an explanation for an unusually long period of neglect of tektology by contemporary scholars and indicates the relevance of tektology to modern generalizing sciences.
Economics, ethics, and cost-benefit analysis
Authors: Daly Herman E.
Published: December 2019

The ethical presuppositions of cost-benefit analysis are discussed and related to the economic growth ‘imperative’. The tendency to substitute numerical calculation for qualitative judgment and moral responsibility, especially the functioning of randomness as a moral scapegoat, are considered. It is concluded that improvement in the understanding of objective value and right purpose should take strict priority over further increase in technical power.
Affinity groups representation + Discussion
Authors: Triffin Robert
Published: December 2019

The multiplication of street demonstrations and violence testify to an increasing dissatisfaction of the public with traditional forms of democratic representation and parliamentary opposition. Partisan candidates are often personally unknown to their thousands of electors. Inevitably, they tend to raise emotions by stressing divisive issues and making excessive promises – soon to be disappointed – rather than presenting realistic programs for constructive action. Under majority voting, nearly half of the electors may not be represented in Parliament. Under proportional representation, the effective choice of candidates is determined by the party machines. A totally novel system of ‘Affinity groups representation’ might alleviate the shortcomings of direct democracy, especially in local assemblies. Any group of 200 voters, knowing each other and sharing common interest, would elect a representative to their town council. The system could be extended nation-wide through a two-tier voting: group spokesmen being elected nation-wide – irrespective of location – and designating their own representatives in Parliament. All interested voters would thus be represented by people of their own choice and able to maintain effective contacts with them.
The significance of assumptions in policy preferences
Authors: Schroeder Hal J.
Published: December 2019

This study illustrates the extent to which assumptions can influence policy preferences. Two respondent groups provided a relative ranking of ten socio-economic goals and estimated the impact of various policy dimensions on each goal. The groups display different values orientations and strongly disagree on the consequences of four policy dimensions. Conflicting assumptions are a major cause of the divergent policy preferences. Conflicts in assumptions, in turn, are due to differences in values and perspectives. The results underline the importance of a broad perspective and an awareness of values in policy formulation.
The system thinking: a problem epistemology
Authors: Motulsky Bernard
Published: December 2019

This paper proposes an alternative to the epistemological problem of the nature of system. Instead of seeing a system model as representing a real system object, which is often hard to identify, it is conceivable that the model represents the problem posed by the one who has to solve it by modelling. Pointing out and including in the scientific knowledge the role of the observator as proposed below is as important to the communication of models as the identification of a source to the communication of messages.
Modeling complexity: a French history and its prospects
Authors: Le Moigne Jean-Louis
Published: December 2019

The French-speaking scientific community which contributes to the contemporary development of systemics perceives itself almost simultaneously with a superiority and an inferiority complex. This is a paradoxical situation which might be interesting to discuss in order to identify in this history-lade tension a few main trends; secondarily, this article also might enrich our collective understanding of systemics, whether it be French, English, German, or any other.
Systemic inactivism: a modern form of laissez-faire thinking
Authors: Sachs Wladimir , Calhoun George
Published: December 2019

Organizational managers frequently need to find ways of legitimizing inactivity or resistance to change. Traditional anti-change ideologies (e.g., laissez-faire) no longer serve as effective legitimizers. The systems approach can be easily adapted to this purpose by distorting and reinterpreting the basic principles of systems thinking. This reinterpretation, which we refer to as systemic inactivism, is analyzed in detail in this paper.
On presenting human resources in the balance sheet
Authors: Bloom Robert
Published: December 2019

Human resources accounting is concerned with the identification and measurement of investments in human resources by the firm. Alternative valuation methods could be used, all of which have drawbacks. The question of whether human resources represent assets in the accounting sense remains unresolved. This paper considers whether human resources are accounting assets and the problems of measuring human resources.
Self-service aspects of health maintenance: assessment of current trends
Authors: Kochen Manfred , Zeleny Milan
Published: December 2019

Costs of traditional health services are increasing faster than their productivity and quality in most developed countries. This process is part of a broader trend: increasing costs of services in general, relative to growth of productivity and quality. In some service sectors, these trends are increasingly counterbalanced by perceptible shifts toward self-help, self-service, and voluntarism. Such services as health maintenance are much slower to respond in a similar way because of their ingrained ‘external service’ nature. One reason is that traditional health services only secondarily stress illness prevention and health maintenance, and concentrate on professional delivery of ‘sick-care’ rather than health care. Illness prevention remains the responsibility of each individual to be met through self-help. We argue – using simplified analytic models – that a shift toward more emphasis on self-service and self-help in maintaining health is likely and will increase the average number of disability-free years of life in a community. We discuss the implications of new self-help supporting products and technologies facilitating mutual support and aid in health maintenance.
Control systems analysis: an evaluation systems perspective
Authors: Lusk Edward J.
Published: December 2019

The author examines the relationship between an institution's control system and evaluation function in order to suggest information which management may use, in conjunction with other information, to ascertain the propriety of modifying the institution's control system. It is demonstrated that the evaluation information provides a context for considering statements regarding the perceived accuracy of the control system. Two case analyses are presented.
Autogeneration of solutions to societal problems: Indian examples
Authors: Modak S.K. , Patkar V.N.
Published: December 2019

This article attempts to demonstrate, by using Indian examples, how workable solutions to certain societal problems emerge on their own without any deliberate attempt on the part of those involved. Issues arising in the process of reaching durable but often uneasy equilibrium are discussed and their relevance to human systems management is highlighted.
Prospects elimination by risk attributes: A simple decision-aid procedure under uncertainty
Authors: Yilmaz Mustafa R.
Published: December 2019

The traditional paradigm for decision-making under risk and uncertainty is based on a concept of rationality which has often been criticized for its neglect of the human decision processes and its limited descriptive ability. The present discussion notes the need for prescriptively oriented and descriptively justifiable decision-aid methodologies, and it offers a simple elimination procedure based on a multiattribute concept of risk. This procedure aims at narrowing a set of stochastically non dominated decision alternatives first through a partial ordering induced by risk-attribute dominance, and second, by a stepwise elimination which utilizes an importance ordering of risk attributes.
Design planning to meet goals in human service organizations
Authors: Parker Barnett R. , Kaluzny Arnold D.
Published: December 2019

The performance of human service organizations is strongly affected by their design. However, the selection of an appropriate design is complicated by the existence of multiple, often conflicting, performance goals. This paper proposes a systematic, management-based methodology for (1) identifying organizational designs “best” able to meet a series of performance goals; (2) assessing the performance of current organizational designs; and (3) suggesting strategies for appropriately adjusting current designs to enhance performance. Emphasis throughout the discussion is on generation and incorporation of managers' judgements of design and performance. This, it is felt, will help identify those designs most responsive to organizational goals and their priorities. The approach therefore has importance for both researchers and human service managers concerned with the productivity and goal sensitivity of their organizations.
Law: A challenge for cybernetics
Authors: Livas Javier
Published: December 2019

Law has emanated from society for many centuries through processes that can be improved. However, a new conceptual structure must be used to aid legal science to produce better laws by which to live. Cybernetics appears to be the science from which the legal profession can borrow to carry forward a much needed change. Law's basic problems are briefly commented and some of the possible contributions of cybernetics are delineated.
The planning and design professions*
Authors: Nadler Gerald
Published: December 2019

Planning and design (P&D) involves the creation or restructuring of a situation-specific solution or system to achieve a purpose or desired results. Over thirty five P&D professions can be identified, yet everyone also engages in P&D. Three objectives measure the success of P&D: maximize the effectiveness of recommended solutions, maximize the likelihood of implemented solutions, and maximize the effectiveness of P&D resources. Several predicaments in P&D professions can be identified as a result of evaluating P&D performance in terms of these objectives. Various approaches to achieving P&D purposes are reviewed to identify points at which improvements can be made. Five intertwined factors along a timeline are identified to demonstrate a different and more effective approach: pursuing a P&D strategy, specifying and presenting a solution, involving people, using information and knowledge, and arranging for continuing change.
On the nature of development
Authors: Gharajedaghi Jamshid
Published: December 2019

Development is a core concept of the systems view of the world. In contrast to the mechanistic and organismic views which are concerned with efficiency and growth, respectively, the systems view is basically concerned with development. A critical review of the major traditional views of development suggests that they are generally characterized by problems of: (1) ethnocentrism, (2) unidimensionality, and, on the whole, (3) a deterministic perspective. Misconceptions about the nature of development and the properties usually identified with it call for at least a clarification of the systems view of development and its relationship to other views. A typology of the major theoretical traditions is developed based on their underlying assumptions (explicit or implicit) with regard to the singularity or plurality attributed to function, structure and process. Finally, the telosystemic concept of development is discussed.
A strategy and desiderata for organizational design
Authors: Mackenzie Kenneth D.
Published: December 2019

This is the first of a three-part series of papers on ‘A strategy and its application for organizational design’. The problem of organizational design is introduced and a strategy is proposed for improving the theory of group structures by means of organizational design. Thirteen desiderata for judging the process and results of organizational design methodologies are presented with commentary. There is an appendix which briefly summarizes the conceptual framework for a theory of organizational structures.
A pilot study of fuzzy set modification of Delphi*
Authors: Murray Thomas J. , Pipino Leo L. , van Gigch John P.
Published: December 2019

This review describes a pilot study where the Delphi methodology was used in conjunction with fuzzy sets. Ambiguity has been a serious shortcoming of the Delphi method since its inception. The authors make this shortcoming a salient feature of their application, in order to learn how subjects handle ambiguity deliberately.
Artificial intelligence, employment, and income
Authors: Nilsson Nils J.
Published: December 2019

Artificial intelligence (AI) will have many profound societal effects. It promises potential benefits (and may also pose risks) in education, defense, business, law, and science. In this paper we explore how AI is likely to affect employment and the distribution of income. We argue that AI will indeed reduce drastically the need for human toil. We also note that some people fear the automation of work by machines and the resulting unemployment. Yet, since the majority of us would rather use our time for activities other than our present jobs, we ought to greet the work-eliminating consequences of AI enthusiastically. The paper discusses two reasons, one economic and one psychological, for this paradoxical apprehension. We conclude with a discussion of problems of moving toward the kind of economy that will be enabled by developments in AI.
Toward a new paradigm of health care: Artificial intelligence and medical management
Authors: Mulsant Benoit , Servan-Schreiber David
Published: December 2019

The health care system in many societies is facing a profound crisis. Confronted by financial, legal and cultural pressures, the traditional practice of medicine is falling progressively behind the expectations of an information-intensive society and its skilled professions. A new health care system which is more cost-effective, reliable and humanistic is actively sought. Computer technology provides new tools to assist physicians and enhance communication with patients; it sets the stage for a revolution in values and methods in the profession. Small systems like problem-knowledge couplers will proliferate rapidly and link doctors and databases. They will permit more exhaustive diagnostic workups and presentations of all therapeutic choices. More complex software like expert systems require more development before becoming widely available, but they will provide increasingly sophisticated services responsive to specific demands. With these systems, the knowledge of the best experts can be brought to bear on each instance of a health problem. Medical management could be completely transformed with a shift of primary responsibility from the once-omnipotent doctor to the fully informed patient.
The time scale of artificial intelligence: Reflections on social effects
Authors: Solomonoff R.J.
Published: December 2019

Six future milestones in AI are discussed. These range from the development of a very general theory of problem solving to the creation of machines with capacities well beyond those of a single human. Estimates are made for when these milestones will occur, followed by some suggestions for the more effective utilization of the extremely rapid technological growth that is expected.
Artificial intelligence: Immediate promises and ultimate goals
Authors: Uhr Leonard
Published: December 2019

Today's computers come with ‘software’ programs that are typically so difficult to use and to learn that ‘artificial intelligence’ and ‘human engineering’ can play important roles in making computers more accessible. Computers are rapidly becoming so large and powerful, and so cheap, that the large AI programs needed are becoming increasingly feasible. But the ultimate promise of artificial intelligence is far greater – to throw light on and perhaps solve some of the very difficult key problems of intelligence. It would be a tragic irony if today's fad-of-the-computer and ‘AI expert systems’ for ‘smarts’ left even fewer people trying to work on these fundamental problems.
An Eight-Step Approach to strategic problem solving
Authors: Enk Gordon A. , Hart Stuart L.
Published: December 2019

Increasingly, the issues and problems faced by organizations seem to defy resolutions by the traditional decision tools and techniques developed over the past 30 years (primarily in the fields of operations research and quantitative modeling). These techniques were designed to solve well-defined problems that occur repeatedly in the management of organizations. Social and economic turbulence, however, has conspired to make the utility of such techniques questionable. There is a growing need for strategic problem solving approaches which allow decision makers to interpret complex situations, constructively tap differing perspectives, and detect emerging social and scientific concerns. This article describes one such approach to strategic problem-solving, which consists of a sequence of eight steps; initial activities are oriented toward expanding the range of information available through literature review, networking, and surveys. Emphasis in later steps is on narrowing and synthesizing the range of options and strategies through interactive workshops involving key stakeholders and experts, and focused project reports. The approach is illustrated using an actual case application.
Designing a multi-micro distributed accounting information system
Authors: Arbel A. , Seidmann A.
Published: December 2019

The problem of evaluating and selecting a distributed multi-micro or mini-based information system is presented. These systems are characterized by various hardware and software factors, and the selection process is aimed at satisfying pertinent functional requirements. This paper presents a new model based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process that provides the framework for assessing this multicriteria decision problem. The model provides methodological guidelines considering a wide range of needs such as performance levels, system expandability, data confidentiality and integrity, as well as several other nontechnical or intangible factors.
Learning structures for top management
Authors: Shrivastava Paul
Published: December 2019

The advent of new technologies and globalization of business environments places new demands on top managements of firms. However, design of organizational structures at the top levels of management is a neglected area in organizational analysis. This paper uses theories of organizational learning to explore ideas about structuring top management teams. Some commonly found top management structures are described, and suggestions are made for creating top management teams that can facilitate strategic decision making.
Justification on strategic planning for new technologies
Authors: Wildemann Horst
Published: December 2019

Strategic investment planning starts with an analysis of the impacts of new technologies on the competitive position of the enterprise. New production technologies can be applied by the enterprises as instruments of their competitive strategy in order to improve the own competitive position by increasing the integration, automation and flexibility of the production. In order to make capital allocation decisions for a new technology as CAD/CAM or FMS, its opportunities and risks and the technological position of the enterprise for the new technology have to be evaluated. From the technology portfolio strategies for the introduction of new technologies can be derived. This analysis demonstrates some significant differences in the ways of introducing different types of technology. The findings of this empirical study give a general idea about realized methods of introduction and show how standard strategies for new technologies can be developed.
The impacts of emerging management support systems
Authors: Turban Efraim , Watkins Paul R.
Published: December 2019

This editorial provides an overview of two emerging technologies that have wide implications for decision making and organizational issues. These technologies are decision support systems (DSS) and expert systems (ES). Both technologies are defined and discussed as stand-alone systems and as integrated systems. A perspective is provided to enable better integration of the papers that follow in this special issue.