A Guide to Systems Research ― Philosophy, Processes and Practice

This book is written to guide both emerging and experienced researchers as they undertake systems research to address complex and interrelated problems in a systemic manner.

The book provides a synthesis of the research into systems science approaches by setting forth an overarching, consistent framework in which specific existing methods and practices can be carried out coherently to deliver research outcomes.

Mary C. Edson is President of Equipoise Enterprises, a coaching and consulting firm focused on building leadership competencies and adaptive capacity in individuals, groups, teams, and organizations. She is interested in advancing inquiry at the intersection of organizational behavior, project management, and the systems sciences. She is particularly interested in organizational resilience and project team leadership.

Pamela Henning is Associate Professor of Management at the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business at Adelphi University in New York, where she teaches organizational behavior, leadership, teamwork and group dynamics. Her scholarly and clinical work is oriented around the perspective that human psychology is a complex system embedded in densely interconnected biological, interpersonal, institutional, and environmental systems. She collaborates with international researchers investigating the cognitive and emotional processes involved in systems thinking, and the worldviews and values systems of systems thinkers.

Shankar Sankaran is Professor of Organizational Project Management at the University of Technology Sydney, where he teaches systems thinking and research methods courses. He has worked in industry as well as academia, and has interests lie primarily in systems thinking and action research. He is the current vice president, research and publishing, at the International society for the Systems Sciences and the chair of the action research special interest group at the society.