Steven E Wallis, PhD - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Books by Steven E Wallis, PhD
Practical Mapping for Applied Research and Program Evaluation, 2019
Pre-release book flyer
From Preface: While there will always be unanticipated consequences (particularly over the long ... more From Preface:
While there will always be unanticipated consequences (particularly over the long term), a deeper understanding of policy may lead to interesting insights into how we might take more consequences into account as we develop more effective policy. Policy success means we have an understanding of the world such that our plans are successful and we reach our goals. While there are many successful actions, there are few quantifiable policy successes. In contrast, there are many examples of policy failures. Ecologically, economically, militarily, and politically, we don’t seem to be able to create effective policy.
Recent advances in critical metapolicy suggest new approaches for analysis based on insights from complexity theory. Specifically, that we can quantify the complexity and the co-causal relationship between the propositions within a policy. And, critically, that there is a correlation between the quantifiable structure of a policy and the effectiveness of that policy in practical application. It has been suggested in the literature that we can use methods such as propositional analysis (PA) to determine the effectiveness of a policy prior to implementation based on the policy text. Such an approach would enable scholars to develop more effective policy and provides a new tool for practitioners to choose between competing policies.
In this book, I test that assertion by applying PA to six policies in three comparative case studies. Cases include military policy, economic policy, and international policy. Because of the great difficulty associated with finding policies that were effective (let alone comparable cases), these studies may be seen as somewhat obscure. I certainly invite all readers to join in an effort to find additional cases for more comparisons.
In each case comparison, the quantified structure of the policy is compared with the historical consequences of implementing the policy. Generally, the results of the study support the assertion. I found that policies with higher levels of structure (higher internal integrity and greater complexity) tend to be more effective in practical application. And, conversely, policies of lower complexity and less internal integrity tend to be less effective. Additional insights are also discussed along with implications for future research and application. Some important next steps for this line of research would be to conduct additional case comparative studies as well as larger scale, statistical analyses. The usefulness of this methodology across a range of policy fields suggests that it is generalizable across most, perhaps all, areas of policy interest.
As the editor of this book, I worked with a global group of high-level thinkers who are bringing ... more As the editor of this book, I worked with a global group of high-level thinkers who are bringing some fresh new ideas into the study of management - and the way we think about management theory.
Table of Contents
Section I: Applications in Practice and Theory
Chapter I: Emerging The Evolutionary Corporation in a Sustainable World – Toward a Theory Guided Field of Practice
Alexander Laszlo, Syntony Quest, USA
Kathia C. Laszlo, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico
Chapter II: Leaders, Decisions, and the Neuro-Knowledge System
Alex Bennet, Mountain Quest Institute, USA
David Bennet, Mountain Quest Institute, USA
Chapter III: Exploring The Implications of Complexity Thinking for the Management of Complex Organizations
Kurt A Richardson, ISCE Research, USA
Chapter IV: Decision Integrity and Second Order Cybernetics
Anthony Hodgson, Decision Integrity Limited, UK
Chapter V: A New Approach to a Theory of Management: Manage the Real Complex System, Not Its Model
Donald C. Mikulecky, Virginia Commonwealth University
Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, USA
Section II: Research, Theory, and Metatheory
Chapter VI: Consortial Benchmarking: Applying an Innovative Industry-Academic Collaborative Case Study Approach in Systemic Management Research
Holger Schiele, Jacobs University Bremen, Germany
Stefan Krummaker, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany
Chapter VII: Systemic Paradoxes of Organizational Change: Implementing Advanced Manufacturing Technology
Marianne W. Lewis, University of Cincinnati, USA
Chapter VIII: Metatheorising Transformational Management: a Relational Approach
Mark G. Edwards, University of Western Australia, Australia
Chapter IX: The Structure of Theory and The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: What Constitutes an Advance in Theory?
Steven E. Wallis, Foundation for the Advancement of Social
Theory and Fielding Graduate University, USA
Section III: Cybernetics and Organizational Evaluation
Chapter X: The Dynamic Usage of Models (DYSAM) as a Theoretically-Based Phenomenological Tool for Managing Complexity and as a Research Framework
Gianfranco Minati, Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy
Chapter XI: Knowledge Cybernetics, a Metaphor for Post-Normal Science
Maurice I. Yolles, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
Section IV: Multiple Levels and New Perspectives
Chapter XII: The Arrival of the Fittest: Evolution of Novelty from a Cybernetic Perspective
Alexander Riegler, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Vrije
Universiteit, Belgium
Chapter XIII: Co-Construction of Learning Objects: Management and Structure
Thomas Hansson, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden
Section V: Metamodeling and Mathematics
Chapter XIV: A System Approach to Describing, Analysing and Control of the Behaviour of Agents in MAS
Frantisek Capkovic, Institute of Informatics, Slovak Republic
Chapter XV: Identification and Response Prediction of Switching Uncertain Dynamic Systems using Interval Analysis
Kyarash Shariari, Laval University, Canada
Chapter XVI: Selection of the Best Subset of Variables in Regression and Time Series Models
Nicholas A. Nechval, University of Latvia, Latvia
Konstantin N. Nechval, Transport and Telecommunication Institute, Latvia
Maris Purgailis, University of Latvia, Latvia
Uldis Rozevskis, University of Latvia, Latvia
Papers by Steven E Wallis, PhD
Research to Action: The Global Guide to Research Impact, 2020
The basics of research are seemingly clear. Read a lot of articles, see what’s missing, and condu... more The basics of research are seemingly clear. Read a lot of articles, see what’s missing, and conduct research to fill the gap in the literature. Wait a minute. What is that? “See what’s missing?” How can we see something that is not there?
In this post, we will show you how to “see the invisible;” How to identify the missing pieces in any study, literature review, or program analysis. With these straight-forward techniques, you will be able to better target your research in a more cost-effective way to fill those knowledge gaps to develop more effective theories, plans, and evaluations.
Integration and Implementation Insights , 2020
How can practical mapping help develop interdisciplinary knowledge for tackling real-world proble... more How can practical mapping help develop interdisciplinary knowledge for tackling real-world problems-such as poverty, justice and health-that have many causes? How can it help take into account political, economic, technological and other factors that can worsen or improve the issues?
FAST White Paper, 2020
People around the world are protesting against racism and police brutality. One solution that has... more People around the world are protesting against racism and police brutality. One solution that has been suggested is to defund police departments. It is unclear, however, whether defunding is the best approach for all cities.
Candid, 2020
Institutional capacity is your organization’s ability to get work done—to reach its goals. The pr... more Institutional capacity is your organization’s ability to get work done—to reach its goals. The process of improving that capacity is often thought of in terms resources: finding more funding and increasing staff. Unfortunately, this direct approach is hard to accomplish.
Fortunately, it is also possible to improve capacity by building management and communication skills. Organizations often rely on training and team building to strengthen these areas. Regretfully, these tactics usually don’t have as much impact as we hope. So instead, in this article, we’re going to look at a new way: a Practical Mapping approach.
Systems Research and Beahvioral Science, 2020
Terms like “levels” and “nested” are used to describe relationships between components of concept... more Terms like “levels” and “nested” are used to describe relationships between components of conceptual systems (theories, models, etc.). However, they have not been fully explored. This paper investigates levels to better understand how theories are structured; and so, how we may develop more useful theories and models to better support more effective practice. We find a horizontal dimension (represented by causal connections between concepts at one ontological level) and a vertical dimension (represented by connections of emergence between concepts of differing ontological levels). This view of emergence offers a new way to structurally distinguish between conceptual components of a theory, thus supporting a new approach to building theories that better reflects our systemic world. A third, perspectival, approach may be applied to aid in the understanding of both dimensions. A typology is proposed as are conventions for diagramming theories, and new criteria for improving the structure of theories.
AEA365 BLog, 2020
Ever want to teach a course? Here are a few good tips to get you started (especially if you want ... more Ever want to teach a course? Here are a few good tips to get you started (especially if you want to help people learn how to evaluate and improve their organizations, programs, and communities).
American Evaluation Association 365 Blog, 2020
This first of three articles on teaching discusses a range of options for where practitioners mig... more This first of three articles on teaching discusses a range of options for where practitioners might want to teach. While focused on teaching courses on evaluation, it is also generally applicable to other topics.
SSRC Blog: The Social Science Research Centre, 2020
The social sciences today are more necessary than ever. Yet, more than ever, we are recognizing s... more The social sciences today are more necessary than ever. Yet, more than ever, we are recognizing some limits of those sciences. In this article, we’ll briefly review some opportunities and constraints of our collective ability to advance those sciences; and, suggest an innovative approach to accelerating our sciences.
RealKM.com, 2020
With two simple tools, and a few handy tips, you can accelerate the evolution of knowledge in you... more With two simple tools, and a few handy tips, you can accelerate the evolution of knowledge in your operational environment.
https://www.methodspace.com, 2020
This brief "plain language" introduction will help you to understand what theory is all about, ho... more This brief "plain language" introduction will help you to understand what theory is all about, how you can create more useful theories (and why you should not be afraid of theory).
This "conversation paper" examines the intersection of non-profit leadership, strategic planning,... more This "conversation paper" examines the intersection of non-profit leadership, strategic planning, and high performing teams (Scrum/Agile) in the face of the COVID19/Coronavirus pandemic with an eye towards improving our ability to prepare for the next "big one."
Administratio Publica, 2019
Since the emergence of the Social/ Behavioral Sciences, it has been assumed that researchers work... more Since the emergence of the Social/ Behavioral Sciences, it has been assumed that researchers working in separate disciplines who generate more/ better data would generate improved theory. Despite the rapid increase in available data and scholarly publications, theory (and practice) has advanced at a slow pace. Instead, most disciplines complain that this research approach has led to fragmentation and confusion – as evidenced by the many theories, sub-disciplines and differing curriculums of several evaluation across Africa and the world. To address this problem, this article uses an emerging process related to an perspective to rigorously synthesise 19 evaluation theories. From that new perspective, strengths and weaknesses are identified along with general and specific research opportunities to accelerate the development of theory and practice. Additionally, a path is presented for developing a community of scholars to fast-track the benefits of evaluation to boost true sustainable development in Africa.
Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 2020
Within Interdisciplinary Studies (IS), the effectiveness of Integrative Studies has been hampered... more Within Interdisciplinary Studies (IS), the effectiveness of Integrative Studies has been hampered by the difficulty of effectively integrating/synthesizing theories between multiple disciplines. Without effective integration, we cannot generate theories that will enable highly effective action. This paper presents Integrative Propositional Analysis (IPA) – a tool based on an emerging stream of research on the structure of theories. Using a few simple rules, IPA provides a concrete visual-mapping approach to integrating theories. And, of equal or greater importance, IPA provides an effective method for measuring ‘how integrated’ or ‘how coherent’ theories are as a new way to predict how useful the theory will be for representing our understanding of complex situations and improving the ability of individuals, organizations, and coalitions to take effective action based on those theories. This is expected to be particularly useful for students and interdisciplinary teams for integrating theoretical perspectives in an initial assessment of problems and situations.
In a recent publication, Gerhard Fink (2017) describes and discusses power systems in societal or... more In a recent publication, Gerhard Fink (2017) describes and discusses power systems in societal organizations - including totalitarian, bureaucratic, command and control, as well as Deming’s views on cooperative management. Intriguingly, Fink identified differences and similarities between those systems as a potential pathway to understand them. Along the way, he also presented a challenge – that Integrative Propositional Analysis (IPA) might prove helpful for evaluating, integrating, and improving theories of social power structures in organizations. With the improved understanding of the dynamics within those systems, we would be able to engage in more effective strategic planning thus supporting improved decision making and advancing the sustainability of organizations. The present paper accepts that challenge by introducing IPA to support Operational Research (OR) and serve as a science accelerator by objectively and rigorously analyzing the theory of each social power system, integrating those theories, and identifying directions for improving theories for advancing computer modeling.
The prefix meta is popular in psychology as well as in other sciences oriented on the investigati... more The prefix meta is popular in psychology as well as in other sciences oriented on the investigation of psychology. In the first case the usage is quite simple: every term is “the sum” of meta and usual psychological concept. In the second case, the situation is much more complicated. Sometimes, it is related to transition on a higher level of abstraction, from first-order to second-order investigations. Why is such a transition necessary and is it useful for scientific progress? The comparative analysis of the meta-approach to different sciences shows both specific peculiarities (reasons for application of the prefix, methods of manipulation and investigation, main objects of analysis, goals raised, and status of metaresearcher) and common features and regularities that may be discovered only in an interdisciplinary context. In this special section, we suggest a new way of application of meta-approach to psychology—in terms of metathinking. Our main idea is as follows: The wide circulation of meta-approach to psychology with necessity leads to serious changes in thinking of both researchers in the field of psychology and in sciences oriented on investigation of psychology
One paradox of modern society is the widespread use of highly complex mechanisms of economic and ... more One paradox of modern society is the widespread use of highly complex mechanisms of economic and social self-regulation which produce a large number of unintended and often undesirable side-effects. Human conceptual systems (theories, policies, and mental models which support our thinking) are good enough to keep the self-regulatory mechanisms in operation; yet they are not good enough to prevent and control the undesirable contingencies. Systems thinking, and complexity science are growing in their usefulness for understanding our social systems as well as our conceptual systems. The present paper examines and explains this paradox by combining the ideas from the burgeoning science of conceptual systems and Niklas Luhmann’s social systems theory. Drawing on Luhmann’s argument that social systems build up their internal complexity by disregarding the complexity of the environment, we propose to differentiate between those conceptual systems that reflect the intra-systemic complexity of simpler systems and those that reflect the intra-systemic complexity of sub-systems in combination with systems of systems to include the environmental complexity. Thus it comes about that the former conceptual systems, exemplified by physics, are much more effective and successful than the latter ones, often corresponding to social sciences. The chasm between the qualities of these systems can be overcome by using the tools of Integrative Propositional Analysis.
Practical Mapping for Applied Research and Program Evaluation, 2019
Pre-release book flyer
From Preface: While there will always be unanticipated consequences (particularly over the long ... more From Preface:
While there will always be unanticipated consequences (particularly over the long term), a deeper understanding of policy may lead to interesting insights into how we might take more consequences into account as we develop more effective policy. Policy success means we have an understanding of the world such that our plans are successful and we reach our goals. While there are many successful actions, there are few quantifiable policy successes. In contrast, there are many examples of policy failures. Ecologically, economically, militarily, and politically, we don’t seem to be able to create effective policy.
Recent advances in critical metapolicy suggest new approaches for analysis based on insights from complexity theory. Specifically, that we can quantify the complexity and the co-causal relationship between the propositions within a policy. And, critically, that there is a correlation between the quantifiable structure of a policy and the effectiveness of that policy in practical application. It has been suggested in the literature that we can use methods such as propositional analysis (PA) to determine the effectiveness of a policy prior to implementation based on the policy text. Such an approach would enable scholars to develop more effective policy and provides a new tool for practitioners to choose between competing policies.
In this book, I test that assertion by applying PA to six policies in three comparative case studies. Cases include military policy, economic policy, and international policy. Because of the great difficulty associated with finding policies that were effective (let alone comparable cases), these studies may be seen as somewhat obscure. I certainly invite all readers to join in an effort to find additional cases for more comparisons.
In each case comparison, the quantified structure of the policy is compared with the historical consequences of implementing the policy. Generally, the results of the study support the assertion. I found that policies with higher levels of structure (higher internal integrity and greater complexity) tend to be more effective in practical application. And, conversely, policies of lower complexity and less internal integrity tend to be less effective. Additional insights are also discussed along with implications for future research and application. Some important next steps for this line of research would be to conduct additional case comparative studies as well as larger scale, statistical analyses. The usefulness of this methodology across a range of policy fields suggests that it is generalizable across most, perhaps all, areas of policy interest.
As the editor of this book, I worked with a global group of high-level thinkers who are bringing ... more As the editor of this book, I worked with a global group of high-level thinkers who are bringing some fresh new ideas into the study of management - and the way we think about management theory.
Table of Contents
Section I: Applications in Practice and Theory
Chapter I: Emerging The Evolutionary Corporation in a Sustainable World – Toward a Theory Guided Field of Practice
Alexander Laszlo, Syntony Quest, USA
Kathia C. Laszlo, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico
Chapter II: Leaders, Decisions, and the Neuro-Knowledge System
Alex Bennet, Mountain Quest Institute, USA
David Bennet, Mountain Quest Institute, USA
Chapter III: Exploring The Implications of Complexity Thinking for the Management of Complex Organizations
Kurt A Richardson, ISCE Research, USA
Chapter IV: Decision Integrity and Second Order Cybernetics
Anthony Hodgson, Decision Integrity Limited, UK
Chapter V: A New Approach to a Theory of Management: Manage the Real Complex System, Not Its Model
Donald C. Mikulecky, Virginia Commonwealth University
Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, USA
Section II: Research, Theory, and Metatheory
Chapter VI: Consortial Benchmarking: Applying an Innovative Industry-Academic Collaborative Case Study Approach in Systemic Management Research
Holger Schiele, Jacobs University Bremen, Germany
Stefan Krummaker, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany
Chapter VII: Systemic Paradoxes of Organizational Change: Implementing Advanced Manufacturing Technology
Marianne W. Lewis, University of Cincinnati, USA
Chapter VIII: Metatheorising Transformational Management: a Relational Approach
Mark G. Edwards, University of Western Australia, Australia
Chapter IX: The Structure of Theory and The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: What Constitutes an Advance in Theory?
Steven E. Wallis, Foundation for the Advancement of Social
Theory and Fielding Graduate University, USA
Section III: Cybernetics and Organizational Evaluation
Chapter X: The Dynamic Usage of Models (DYSAM) as a Theoretically-Based Phenomenological Tool for Managing Complexity and as a Research Framework
Gianfranco Minati, Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy
Chapter XI: Knowledge Cybernetics, a Metaphor for Post-Normal Science
Maurice I. Yolles, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
Section IV: Multiple Levels and New Perspectives
Chapter XII: The Arrival of the Fittest: Evolution of Novelty from a Cybernetic Perspective
Alexander Riegler, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Vrije
Universiteit, Belgium
Chapter XIII: Co-Construction of Learning Objects: Management and Structure
Thomas Hansson, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden
Section V: Metamodeling and Mathematics
Chapter XIV: A System Approach to Describing, Analysing and Control of the Behaviour of Agents in MAS
Frantisek Capkovic, Institute of Informatics, Slovak Republic
Chapter XV: Identification and Response Prediction of Switching Uncertain Dynamic Systems using Interval Analysis
Kyarash Shariari, Laval University, Canada
Chapter XVI: Selection of the Best Subset of Variables in Regression and Time Series Models
Nicholas A. Nechval, University of Latvia, Latvia
Konstantin N. Nechval, Transport and Telecommunication Institute, Latvia
Maris Purgailis, University of Latvia, Latvia
Uldis Rozevskis, University of Latvia, Latvia
Research to Action: The Global Guide to Research Impact, 2020
The basics of research are seemingly clear. Read a lot of articles, see what’s missing, and condu... more The basics of research are seemingly clear. Read a lot of articles, see what’s missing, and conduct research to fill the gap in the literature. Wait a minute. What is that? “See what’s missing?” How can we see something that is not there?
In this post, we will show you how to “see the invisible;” How to identify the missing pieces in any study, literature review, or program analysis. With these straight-forward techniques, you will be able to better target your research in a more cost-effective way to fill those knowledge gaps to develop more effective theories, plans, and evaluations.
Integration and Implementation Insights , 2020
How can practical mapping help develop interdisciplinary knowledge for tackling real-world proble... more How can practical mapping help develop interdisciplinary knowledge for tackling real-world problems-such as poverty, justice and health-that have many causes? How can it help take into account political, economic, technological and other factors that can worsen or improve the issues?
FAST White Paper, 2020
People around the world are protesting against racism and police brutality. One solution that has... more People around the world are protesting against racism and police brutality. One solution that has been suggested is to defund police departments. It is unclear, however, whether defunding is the best approach for all cities.
Candid, 2020
Institutional capacity is your organization’s ability to get work done—to reach its goals. The pr... more Institutional capacity is your organization’s ability to get work done—to reach its goals. The process of improving that capacity is often thought of in terms resources: finding more funding and increasing staff. Unfortunately, this direct approach is hard to accomplish.
Fortunately, it is also possible to improve capacity by building management and communication skills. Organizations often rely on training and team building to strengthen these areas. Regretfully, these tactics usually don’t have as much impact as we hope. So instead, in this article, we’re going to look at a new way: a Practical Mapping approach.
Systems Research and Beahvioral Science, 2020
Terms like “levels” and “nested” are used to describe relationships between components of concept... more Terms like “levels” and “nested” are used to describe relationships between components of conceptual systems (theories, models, etc.). However, they have not been fully explored. This paper investigates levels to better understand how theories are structured; and so, how we may develop more useful theories and models to better support more effective practice. We find a horizontal dimension (represented by causal connections between concepts at one ontological level) and a vertical dimension (represented by connections of emergence between concepts of differing ontological levels). This view of emergence offers a new way to structurally distinguish between conceptual components of a theory, thus supporting a new approach to building theories that better reflects our systemic world. A third, perspectival, approach may be applied to aid in the understanding of both dimensions. A typology is proposed as are conventions for diagramming theories, and new criteria for improving the structure of theories.
AEA365 BLog, 2020
Ever want to teach a course? Here are a few good tips to get you started (especially if you want ... more Ever want to teach a course? Here are a few good tips to get you started (especially if you want to help people learn how to evaluate and improve their organizations, programs, and communities).
American Evaluation Association 365 Blog, 2020
This first of three articles on teaching discusses a range of options for where practitioners mig... more This first of three articles on teaching discusses a range of options for where practitioners might want to teach. While focused on teaching courses on evaluation, it is also generally applicable to other topics.
SSRC Blog: The Social Science Research Centre, 2020
The social sciences today are more necessary than ever. Yet, more than ever, we are recognizing s... more The social sciences today are more necessary than ever. Yet, more than ever, we are recognizing some limits of those sciences. In this article, we’ll briefly review some opportunities and constraints of our collective ability to advance those sciences; and, suggest an innovative approach to accelerating our sciences.
RealKM.com, 2020
With two simple tools, and a few handy tips, you can accelerate the evolution of knowledge in you... more With two simple tools, and a few handy tips, you can accelerate the evolution of knowledge in your operational environment.
https://www.methodspace.com, 2020
This brief "plain language" introduction will help you to understand what theory is all about, ho... more This brief "plain language" introduction will help you to understand what theory is all about, how you can create more useful theories (and why you should not be afraid of theory).
This "conversation paper" examines the intersection of non-profit leadership, strategic planning,... more This "conversation paper" examines the intersection of non-profit leadership, strategic planning, and high performing teams (Scrum/Agile) in the face of the COVID19/Coronavirus pandemic with an eye towards improving our ability to prepare for the next "big one."
Administratio Publica, 2019
Since the emergence of the Social/ Behavioral Sciences, it has been assumed that researchers work... more Since the emergence of the Social/ Behavioral Sciences, it has been assumed that researchers working in separate disciplines who generate more/ better data would generate improved theory. Despite the rapid increase in available data and scholarly publications, theory (and practice) has advanced at a slow pace. Instead, most disciplines complain that this research approach has led to fragmentation and confusion – as evidenced by the many theories, sub-disciplines and differing curriculums of several evaluation across Africa and the world. To address this problem, this article uses an emerging process related to an perspective to rigorously synthesise 19 evaluation theories. From that new perspective, strengths and weaknesses are identified along with general and specific research opportunities to accelerate the development of theory and practice. Additionally, a path is presented for developing a community of scholars to fast-track the benefits of evaluation to boost true sustainable development in Africa.
Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 2020
Within Interdisciplinary Studies (IS), the effectiveness of Integrative Studies has been hampered... more Within Interdisciplinary Studies (IS), the effectiveness of Integrative Studies has been hampered by the difficulty of effectively integrating/synthesizing theories between multiple disciplines. Without effective integration, we cannot generate theories that will enable highly effective action. This paper presents Integrative Propositional Analysis (IPA) – a tool based on an emerging stream of research on the structure of theories. Using a few simple rules, IPA provides a concrete visual-mapping approach to integrating theories. And, of equal or greater importance, IPA provides an effective method for measuring ‘how integrated’ or ‘how coherent’ theories are as a new way to predict how useful the theory will be for representing our understanding of complex situations and improving the ability of individuals, organizations, and coalitions to take effective action based on those theories. This is expected to be particularly useful for students and interdisciplinary teams for integrating theoretical perspectives in an initial assessment of problems and situations.
In a recent publication, Gerhard Fink (2017) describes and discusses power systems in societal or... more In a recent publication, Gerhard Fink (2017) describes and discusses power systems in societal organizations - including totalitarian, bureaucratic, command and control, as well as Deming’s views on cooperative management. Intriguingly, Fink identified differences and similarities between those systems as a potential pathway to understand them. Along the way, he also presented a challenge – that Integrative Propositional Analysis (IPA) might prove helpful for evaluating, integrating, and improving theories of social power structures in organizations. With the improved understanding of the dynamics within those systems, we would be able to engage in more effective strategic planning thus supporting improved decision making and advancing the sustainability of organizations. The present paper accepts that challenge by introducing IPA to support Operational Research (OR) and serve as a science accelerator by objectively and rigorously analyzing the theory of each social power system, integrating those theories, and identifying directions for improving theories for advancing computer modeling.
The prefix meta is popular in psychology as well as in other sciences oriented on the investigati... more The prefix meta is popular in psychology as well as in other sciences oriented on the investigation of psychology. In the first case the usage is quite simple: every term is “the sum” of meta and usual psychological concept. In the second case, the situation is much more complicated. Sometimes, it is related to transition on a higher level of abstraction, from first-order to second-order investigations. Why is such a transition necessary and is it useful for scientific progress? The comparative analysis of the meta-approach to different sciences shows both specific peculiarities (reasons for application of the prefix, methods of manipulation and investigation, main objects of analysis, goals raised, and status of metaresearcher) and common features and regularities that may be discovered only in an interdisciplinary context. In this special section, we suggest a new way of application of meta-approach to psychology—in terms of metathinking. Our main idea is as follows: The wide circulation of meta-approach to psychology with necessity leads to serious changes in thinking of both researchers in the field of psychology and in sciences oriented on investigation of psychology
One paradox of modern society is the widespread use of highly complex mechanisms of economic and ... more One paradox of modern society is the widespread use of highly complex mechanisms of economic and social self-regulation which produce a large number of unintended and often undesirable side-effects. Human conceptual systems (theories, policies, and mental models which support our thinking) are good enough to keep the self-regulatory mechanisms in operation; yet they are not good enough to prevent and control the undesirable contingencies. Systems thinking, and complexity science are growing in their usefulness for understanding our social systems as well as our conceptual systems. The present paper examines and explains this paradox by combining the ideas from the burgeoning science of conceptual systems and Niklas Luhmann’s social systems theory. Drawing on Luhmann’s argument that social systems build up their internal complexity by disregarding the complexity of the environment, we propose to differentiate between those conceptual systems that reflect the intra-systemic complexity of simpler systems and those that reflect the intra-systemic complexity of sub-systems in combination with systems of systems to include the environmental complexity. Thus it comes about that the former conceptual systems, exemplified by physics, are much more effective and successful than the latter ones, often corresponding to social sciences. The chasm between the qualities of these systems can be overcome by using the tools of Integrative Propositional Analysis.
ABSTRACT Sustainability is an important topic for understanding and developing our society (inclu... more ABSTRACT Sustainability is an important topic for understanding and developing our society (including business, government, and NGOs). For scholars who want their academic contributions to have an impact, sustainability is important for our conceptual systems (including theories, models, and policies). Because our conceptual systems share similarities with our social systems, we may investigate their characteristics to gain insight into how both may be achieved or at least understood. Theories of the humanities as well as the social/behavioral sciences are changing very rapidly. They are fragile and few seem to have any longevity. At the same time, the theoretical base does not seem to be " advancing. " They are not supporting highly effective results in the real world, so we continue to have
Purpose – The complexity of the modern world calls for the increasingly complex (i.e., containing... more Purpose – The complexity of the modern world calls for the increasingly complex (i.e., containing more concepts) and systemic (i.e., containing more causal connections between the concepts) conceptual systems, such as theories and mental models which may exist at varying levels of complexity and systemicity. Yet, these systems are often found to be impervious to data and counter-arguments. Examples of such disputes are found in arguments over global warming and in the many debates between political groups. The present paper reviews the reasons behind this imperviance and identifies ways to move forward.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper brings together the insights from the burgeoning science of conceptual systems as well as selected ideas from the moral philosophies of Niklas Luhmann and Jürgen Habermas. The science of conceptual systems is utilized to unearth the cognitive reasons for the imperviance of conceptual systems, while the work of Luhmann and Habermas is brought to bear on the moral reasons.
Findings – The most salient cognitive reasons for this imperviance are shown to be related to the questionable validity of data, the situational inappropriateness of conceptual systems, as well as their low complexity and systemicity. The effect of the moral content of conceptual systems on their imperviance is ambivalent. For Luhmann, moral communication may enhance imperviance and induce conflicts. In contrast, the Habermasian discourse ethics may counteract imperviance by stimulating the rational moral argumentation.
Originality/value – The science of conceptual systems is uniquely positioned to analyze the pervasive problem of their imperviance, especially if this problem is aggravated by moral reasons.
Key words: conceptual systems, complexity, systemicity, imperviance, integrative propositional analysis, morality
A policy model may be understood as the part of the written policy that describes “how the world ... more A policy model may be understood as the part of the written policy that describes “how the world works.” Past models have been non-systemic, leading to policies that fail to reach their goals. Recently, Integrative Propositional Analysis (IPA) has been developed and applied as an approach for objectively evaluating and improving policy models so that they are more systemic. However, those applications have been “desktop” analyses; using previously published texts as sources for analysis and investigation. The present paper extends the IPA methodology by reporting on a “workshop” approach; blending IPA with facilitation of subject matter experts to more rapidly develop policy models that may more effectively help organizations to reach policy goals.
Workshop Proposal Dearth Abstract Entrepreneurs want to be more effective. So do scholars, rese... more Workshop Proposal
Dearth Abstract
Entrepreneurs want to be more effective. So do scholars, researchers, and the community supporting entrepreneurship. While there are significant opportunities for increased collaboration between business practitioners and academia there are also noteworthy challenges. Despite a plethora of theories, we have little certainty about which ones are unarguably effective.
In the present workshop, we suggest combining Consortial Benchmarking (CB) and Propositional Analysis (PA) to move toward a unified theoretical-practical perspective. CB and PA support achieving maximal entrepreneurship though optimizing entrepreneurship theories and practices. This workshop presents an innovative approach to theoretical-practical integration by structured sharing of practice, limitations, and insights.
Presentation slides for Masterclass at the ASP - Association for Strategic Planning Conference – ... more Presentation slides for Masterclass at the ASP - Association for Strategic Planning Conference – San Francisco, California, March 16-18, 2016
Historically, there has not been a way to objectively evaluate laws “on paper” before they are en... more Historically, there has not been a way to objectively evaluate laws “on paper” before they are enacted to determine if they would work as expected. Instead, the history of creating and enacting laws has been based on a patchwork approach – marked by conflict between advocacy groups and the creation of a large number of laws each having little value. This problem is common across the social/behavioral sciences. Like laws, the development of models, theories, and policies has not met with great success.
The present paper briefly presents a stream of research for evaluating conceptual systems (including theories, policies, models, and laws) culminating with Integrative Propositional Analysis (IPA). IPA has been used to objectively evaluate theories, policies, and proposed laws to predict their potential for successful application. Here, IPA is used to evaluate a bill before Congress as an example for how IPA may be used to objectively evaluate and improve laws before they are implemented. This systems-based approach is a new tool for creating and evaluating laws to identify the potential for unanticipated consequences. Additional directions for research are suggested along with the suggestion that IPA be adopted as an ISO quality standard for the evaluation of laws.
This is the very short set of presentation slides from our award winning ABSEL paper.
Strategic planning typically involves conducting research and setting objectives. It is a difficu... more Strategic planning typically involves conducting research and setting objectives. It is a difficult and expensive process with no guarantee of success. Recent research shows that managers with more “structured” knowledge will be more successful. Using Integrative Propositional Analysis (IPA) we can objectively determine the potential usefulness of a Strategic Knowledge Map (SKM). Creating an effective SKM is a precursor to more easily creating a more effective strategic plan. The present game is focused on players co-creating an SKM. Their play is scored in such a way that they will receive more points for creating a more structured map. The resulting map may be easily used in the “real world” to support dialog, decision making, and the creation of specific objectives for strategic plans.
The game is unorthodox. It is not a simulation where play begins with a pre-set “world.” Similarly, the game is not educational in the traditional sense where players attempt to acquire or test knowledge using an existing database. Instead, ASK MATT is a model-building game where knowledge is co-created within the game by the players. Further, the game goes beyond finding “insights;” instead, the results of the game may be directly applied as a guide to real world situations.
In the present paper, we explore the background, difficulties, and opportunities for improving strategic planning and policy planning using strategic knowledge mapping from a systemic perspective. We explain the play of the game, its scoring, anticipated outcomes, our experiences playtesting the game with small groups, plans for playtesting with larger groups, and opportunities for developing a version of the game that may be played online.
Strategic planning typically involves conducting research and setting objectives. It is a difficu... more Strategic planning typically involves conducting research and setting objectives. It is a difficult and expensive process with no guarantee of success. Recent research shows that managers with more “structured” knowledge will be more successful. Using Integrative Propositional Analysis (IPA) we can objectively determine the potential usefulness of a Strategic Knowledge Map (SKM). Creating an effective SKM is a precursor to more easily creating a more effective strategic plan. The present game is focused on players co-creating an SKM. Their play is scored in such a way that they will receive more points for creating a more structured map. The resulting map may be easily used in the “real world” to support dialog, decision making, and the creation of specific objectives for strategic plans.
The game is unorthodox. It is not a simulation where play begins with a pre-set “world.” Similarly, the game is not educational in the traditional sense where players attempt to acquire or test knowledge using an existing database. Instead, ASK MATT is a model-building game where knowledge is co-created within the game by the players. Further, the game goes beyond finding “insights;” instead, the results of the game may be directly applied as a guide to real world situations.
In the present paper, we explore the background, difficulties, and opportunities for improving strategic planning and policy planning using strategic knowledge mapping from a systemic perspective. We explain the play of the game, its scoring, anticipated outcomes, our experiences playtesting the game with small groups, plans for playtesting with larger groups, and opportunities for developing a version of the game that may be played online.
Historically, it has been impossible to accurately predict the success of a policy. The scientifi... more Historically, it has been impossible to accurately predict the success of a policy. The scientific process of conducting repeatable experiments simply does not apply to social situations. And, the historical practice of amassing data has not proved a reliable way to ensure the success of policy. Recently, we have developed Integrative Propositional Analysis (IPA) to evaluate the internal "logic structure" of policy models. While this approach is orthogonal to the collection of empirical data, the two are complimentary. The new approach is also orthogonal to, yet complimentary with, collaborative approaches to developing policy. IPA provides an objective, non-partisan, approach to evaluating policy. With IPA we can identify policy weaknesses before implementation (allowing improvement of the policy), compare policies (to choose the ones most likely to succeed), create an environment of policy collaboration (to generate synergy-based success), and create a framework for tracking relevant data to rigorously evaluate the policy. This poster session will present, compare, contrast, and integrate multiple policies – showing their structural strengths and weaknesses and clarifying opportunities for improvement through empirical research, collaboration, and evaluation. By visiting this session, participants will learn a new and powerful approach to evaluating policy models that will enable them to become more effective practitioners.
AEA365Blog, 2020
Based on that textbook, and our teaching experience, this post will talk about options for how to... more Based on that textbook, and our teaching experience, this post will talk about options for how to promote a course on evaluation.
Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 2020
DRAFT - Generally, a theory is understood to be a system of concepts (variables) along with the c... more DRAFT - Generally, a theory is understood to be a system of concepts (variables) along with the connections between them. In order to create more useful theories we must attempt to choose the “best” concepts. Ideally, we strive to identify “independent” variables; however, that is problematic on two fronts. First, because we live in a world where everything is connected. Second, to obtain even nominally independent variables may require sophisticated analytical methodologies available only to well-funded researchers and practitioners. Others, in contrast, would benefit from a more pragmatic guide for developing better theories (understood as being more useful or effective in practical application for reaching desired goals). Here, we explore the notion of orthogonality as a path for re-thinking concepts in a theory to enable the more effective development of more useful theories for improved practice.
Essay on the potential for the Hillary Clinton administration to reach policy goals.
This “meta-policy brief” is an analysis of “Scoring the Trump Economic Plan: Trade, Regulatory, ... more This “meta-policy brief” is an analysis of “Scoring the Trump Economic Plan: Trade, Regulatory, & Energy Policy Impacts” by Peter Navarro & Wilbur Ross
https://assets.donaldjtrump.com/Trump_Economic_Plan.pdf
This brief is different from most as it is focused on the internal logic structure of the policy. As such, it offers a new and useful “x-ray” view of the policy that is different from, yet compatible with, other evalauations. In brief, this evaluation shows that the Trump Economic Plan has a low likelihood of success and a high chance of unanticipated consequences negatively impacting the environment and global economy.
While current systems-based methods of organization development provide some benefit to improving... more While current systems-based methods of organization development provide some benefit to improving the ability of organizations to reach their goals, we are continually seeking to improve the way we support our internal and external clients. This paper reports on an emerging systems-based analytical method, “Integrative Propositional Analysis” (IPA) and its use for improving the capacity of an academic research institution. This preliminary report suggests new approaches for improving the usefulness of strategic plans (to improve organizational effectiveness) and improving policy models so that the organization may better serve its external clients.
Research to Action: A Global Guide to Research Impact, 2020
Whether you are writing a funding proposal or an academic paper, you will most likely be required... more Whether you are writing a funding proposal or an academic paper, you will most likely be required to conduct some kind of literature review. Despite (or because of) the work involved, a literature review is a great opportunity to showcase your knowledge on a topic. In this post, we're going to take it one step further. We're going to tell you a very practical approach to conducting literature reviews that allow you to show that you are advancing scientific knowledge before your project even begins. Also, (and this is no small bonus) this approach lets you show how your literature review will lead to a more successful project.
American Evaluation Association Summer Institute, 2019
Session Description: Evaluators have long recognized that an effective evaluation centers on a go... more Session Description: Evaluators have long recognized that an effective evaluation centers on a good understanding of the realities of how the program or activity being evaluated functions (or is expected to function). The American Evaluation Association’s Guiding Principles include understanding the range of perspectives and interests of people and groups. Yet, many evaluations are based on a simple understanding, often represented as a logic model or theory of change, that may not fit how people see the program. In this session, you’ll learn and practice “collaborative mapping,” a technique to surface, share, and integrate stakeholders’ understandings of their situation. Importantly, this new approach to mapping helps you create program models that are more useful for tracking and program evaluation. Collaborative mapping also lets you design new programs with a greater chance of successful implementation. You’ll also learn how to use the resulting map as a framework for decision-making, communication, and data tracking. This presentation is based on our upcoming SAGE Publications book, scheduled for publication in June 2019.
White paper explaining options for strategic planning, the limitations and benefits of those opti... more White paper explaining options for strategic planning, the limitations and benefits of those options, and an emerging methodology that integrates the best of each and goes one step more.
online content, 2020
Review for: "Creating Life Before Death: Discover Your Amazing Self" by Bernard Phillips, Thomas ... more Review for: "Creating Life Before Death: Discover Your Amazing Self" by Bernard Phillips, Thomas J Savage, Andy Plotkin