Trying
to apply mathematics to soft sciences, researchers are susceptible
to trends of fashion. The system approach has shown their readiness
to accept a new methodology. It seems to me that not only does
an examination of this methodology cast light on the challenges
currently facing the human systems, but it also a case study
of a topic that has come of age.
There
can be little argument that the expertise of System Theory is
potentially relevant to soft sciences. But the way in which
this potential can be fruitfully realized is less obvious. This
book contends that the first step in the process of a applying
System Theory to human systems must be the development of paradigm.
The basic assumption is that synthesis means conflict resolution.
Structural stability questions motivate the introduction of
new mathematical tools, and fuzzy systems theory shows in a
very precise way how modern algebra can be used in the understanding
of decision processes.
The
book consists of series of essays. It is consistently characterized
by the experience of the author as head of research stuff at
the Institute of Management in Bucharest, and owes much of its
present form to the comments and contributions of the participants
in seminars, in which the first concern was to formulate the
questions before obtaining the answers.
This
book owes its existence in large measure to the Editor, Dr.
J. Rose, who convinced me that whatever work has been done by
us in this field should be published in the form of an unified
and readable presentation.
