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What is Soft Systems Methodology? How can it help make sense of complex business scenarios, providing solutions to challenging problems?

Soft Systems Thinking, Methodology and the Management of Change identifies the challenges encountered by practitioners of SSM and provides the means of overcoming them.

Featuring a unique prologue tracing the history of Systems Engineering back to its beginning in Lancaster in 1966, this authoritative text reflects on the evolutionary process of arguably the most significant research programme on the use of systems ideas in problem solving. It explores how this branch of systems-based thinking is applied and brings SSM firmly into the modern day.

Key benefits:
- Written by one of the major developers of SSM
- Demonstrates the use of Conceptual Model Building
- Includes a range of in-depth case studies and gives real-world guidance on the use of SSM

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PART I: SSM FUNDAMENTALS 1. Introduction.- 2. Organisational Analysis.- 3. An Overview of Soft Systems Methodology.- 4. Features of Soft Systems Methodology.- PART II: Advanced Concepts 5. A Publishing System.- 6. A Policing System.- 7. A Healthcare System.- 8. An Employment Agency.- 9. Defence Systems.- 10. A Centre of Excellence.- 11. A Government System.- 12. Other Government Depertments.- 13. A Charity.- 14. Generic Reference Models.- 15. Information Assurance.- 16. Summary.- PART III: CASE STUDIES 17. General Considerations.- 18. Aiding Good Practice.- 19. Systems Thinking and Macro Issues.- 20. The Judiciary.- 21. Healthcare.- 22. Policing.- 23. Defence.- 24. Conclusions.

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Brian Wilson was a founding member of the Systems Department at Lancaster University in 1966, where he participated with Professor Peter Checkland in the ´Action Research´ of the Department, which led to the emergence of Soft Systems Methodology. The Action Research programme involved working with over 300 organisations in which teams of staff and students effectively acted as consultants to those organisations. Thus for this period and later, when running his own consultancy company, Brian has been involved in the application and development of SSM-related ideas within the real world.

Kees van Haperen is a consultant specialising in the effective implementation within organisations of Soft Systems Methodology. He is currently a visiting lecturer at Loughborough University, UK. He has published a number of papers and book contributions in the fields of crisis management, risk management, organisational learning, requirements management and systems thinking.

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