SYSTEMS THEORY

This research covers the breadth of systems theory. The focus of this review of the breadth of system theory is on the structuring, classification, and analysis of systems.

The "broadest possible definition of a system is that it is 'anything' that is not chaos" (Boulding, 1985, p. 9). Conversely, a system could be defined as "any structure that exhibits order and pattern" (Boulding, 1985, p. 9). The common definition of a system is that a system is "an aggregate of elements considered together with the relationships holding among them" (Angyal, 1991, p. 20). In this sense, a system any be considered "as any entity, conceptual or physical, which consists of independent parts" (Ackoff, 1991, p. 332).

A business organization, as an example, is both a conceptual system, and a physical system. It is a physical system, because it is a physical entity. It is not a physical system, however, within the context of physics or chemistry. The business organization is also a conceptual system, in that the behavior of its parts may be measured and controlled. The behavior within such a system "consists of a set of interdependent acts which constitute an operation" (Ackoff, 1991, p. 332).

Structures have parts, and "an important aspect of the systematic structure of things is that the relationship among its parts is an important elemen

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family of four persons (father, mother, son, and daughter), elemental social groups include the husbandwife subgroup, brothersister subgroup, fatherson subgroup, fatherdaughter subgroup, motherson subgroup, motherdaughter subgroup, fathermotherson subgroup, fathermotherdaughter subgroup, fathersondaughter subgroup, and mothersondaughter subgroups. The development and growth of adult groups are functions of four activities. These activities are (1) adaptation, (2) goal attainment, (3) integration, and (4) patternmaintenance and extension (Bertrand, 1992, pp. 122123). Within social groups, there are subgroups, and, within systems, there are subsystems. Within a business organization system, as an example, there are several interrelated and interdependent subsystems. There are five of these subsystemsproduction, boundary spanning, maintenance, adaptation, and management. The production subsystem provides the "primary transformation" of the inputs received by the organization from the external environment (Daft, 1992, p 11). This transformation occurs through the production of goods or services. The boundary spanning subsystem within a business organization deals directly with entities in the external enviro
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Systems Structures, System Formation, Summary Conclusion, Societal Level, Countries Islamic, Systems Dictates, Katz Kahn, Pitkin Shumer, South Africa, Smuts Holism, social system, boulding 1985, social systems, system boulding, social system development, system development, context system, system boulding 1985, university press, societal development, development societal, political development, context system complexity, model social system, katz kahn 1966,
Approximate Word count = 6916
Approximate Pages = 28 (250 words per page)

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