Managing and Engineering in Complex Situations

This book explores the effects on systems of complex situations, and in turn the response of systems to complex situations, in a series of papers written by authors who work in complex situations and have dealt with the limitations of the status quo: systems.

With so many terms available to define the same thing, it would seem nearly irresponsible to introduce yet another term (complex situation) to describe a phenomenological state of such as a system. However, a complex situation infers both a broader meaning and imposes a different perspective. Complex in this context is dependent on understanding and reality rather than observer and knowledge. Situation imposes a gestalt that cannot be characterized within a singular perspective that relegates paradox to a superior/subordinate hierarchy. This also infers that complex situation has no monotonic definition or each definition is by default incomplete. Therefore the perennial derivations for systems such as complex systems, system of systems, federation of systems is no longer a sufficient descriptor for complex situation. Ergo system and its genealogy lack the constitution to define complex situations. The books' intent is to explore this pathology through a series of papers written by authors that work in complex situations and have dealt with the limitations of the status quo: systems.

Provides insights on how to address problems within complex situations Gives a broad overview of the conditions that will be encountered in complex situations Provides a nascent theoretical foundation for the study of complex situations Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Inhalt

1 Introduction and Overview; Andres Sousa-Poza; **Part I Theory on Wicked Problems and Complex Situations; 2 Narrative of [Complex] Situations and Situations Theory; Andres Sousa-Poza; 3 PRISM A Philosophical Foundation for Complex Situations; **Van Brewer; 4 Understanding and Complex Situations; Jose J. Padilla; 5 Gestalt Imperative; **Samuel F. Kovacic; Part II Description of Wicked Problems; 6 Sustainable Development as a Wicked Problem; **Jonathan Pryshlakivsky and Cory Searcy; 7 Complexity and Command at the Operational-Level of War; Vince Berardini; 8 The Wicked Problem of a Cognitive Environment in Complex Situations; Ryland C. Gaskins III; 9 Reverse Decision Making (RDM): A Process for Pragmatic Decision Making; Samuel F. Kovacic [AU1]; 10 Leadership in Complex Situations; Diane Norbutus; 11 United States Joint Forces Command: As Wicked Problem; William O. Welsh III; Part III Cases and Approaches; 12 Using Systems Design to Solve Complex Problems: Case Studies from Iraq; Nathan A. Minami; 13 Making Sense of Messy Medical Data Through Constructed Charts of Functional Distances; Lincoln Gray; 14 Effectively Living Near the Edge: An Extraordinary Management Tool for Mastering Wicked Problems; Richard N. Knowles.