Table of Contents

The Subject of Systems.

SYSTEMS THINKING-THE SYSTEMS MOVEMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF SCIENCE.

Science as a Human Activity: Its History and its Method.

Science and the Systems Movement.

Some Systems Thinking.

SYSTEMS PRACTICE-ACTION RESEARCH TO ESTABLISH THE USE OF SYSTEMS CONCEPTS IN PROBLEM-SOLVING.

`Hard' Systems Thinking-The Engineers' Contribution.

The Development of `Soft' Systems Thinking.

The Systems Methodology in Action.

Implications of Systems Practice for Systems Thinking.

Appendices.

Bibliography.

Glossary.

Indexes.

About the Author

Peter Checkland is the recipient of the 'Most Distinguished and Outstanding Contributor' Award of the British Computer Society Methodologies Group, 1994 Recipient of the Gold Medal of the UK Systems Society for 'Outstanding Contribution to Systems Thinking' and 1997 Recipient of a Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship. Now retired from full time university work, Peter Checkland continues his research and writing.

Reviews

"...a primer and hidden gem..." (Health Service Journal, 20 June 2002)