Chapter 1: Introducing systems approaches

The five approaches covered in Systems Approaches to Making Change – System Dynamics (SD) Viable Systems Model (VSM), Strategic Options Development and Analysis (SODA: with cognitive mapping), Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), and Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH) – are introduced. The rationale for their inclusion is described based on their (i) common historic emergence in dealing with complex situations of change and uncertainty, (ii) shared potential and actual constructivist use of the systems idea, and (iii) pedigree of adaptability and versatility of tools in working with other approaches to making change

An ontology for strongly sustainable business models: Defining an enterprise framework compatible with natural and social science

Business is increasingly employing sustainability practices, aiming to improve environmental and social responsibility while maintaining and improving profitability. For many organizations, profit-oriented business models are a major constraint impeding progress in sustainability. A formally defined ontology, a model definition, for profit-oriented business models has been employed globally for several years. However, no equivalent ontology is available in research or practice that enables the description of strongly sustainable business models, as validated by ecological economics and derived from natural, social, and system sciences. We present a framework of strongly sustainable business model propositions and principles as findings from a transdisciplinary review of the literature. A comparative analysis was performed between the framework and the Osterwalder profit-oriented ontology for business models. We introduce an ontology that enables the description of successful strongly sustainable business models that resolves weaknesses and includes functionally necessary relationships

The evaluation of the IT service quality measurement framework in industry

The two objectives of this paper are: (a) to evaluate an IT service quality measurement framework, and (b) to refine the IT service quality measurement framework for the IT service industry. We explore the notion of IT service quality from a holistic point of view — we evaluate the IT service quality measures that could help IT service organizations to understand the quality of the IT services they offer and address the areas where provider driven IT service improvement is needed. As an example of the interconnectivity between IT service quality measures, we take a closer look at how process performance relates to other IT service quality measures and to the overall IT service quality. To attain our research objectives, we evaluate the IT service quality measurement framework that we proposed earlier. The evaluation is done through semi-structured interviews with IT service providers. This study follows the design science research paradigm that is based on constructive research. The interviewed organizations collect and analyse data about various IT service quality measures from all the dimensions of the proposed framework without understanding the interdependencies between them. We use the systems thinking approach to interpret the results and to describe the importance of a holistic view in understanding the behaviour of a service system. Finally, we contextualize the IT service quality measurement framework that supports the provider-driven IT service improvement in the simple, complicated and complex contexts