Nagib C Callaos | Universidad Simón Bolívar (original) (raw)
Papers by Nagib C Callaos
Memorias de la Primera Reunión de la Asociación Ibero Americana Para la Comunicación Trans Disciplinaria (AI TDC)
Artículos cortos de la Primera Reunión de la Asociación Ibero-Americana Para la Comunicación Tran... more Artículos cortos de la Primera Reunión de la Asociación Ibero-Americana Para la Comunicación Trans-Disciplinaria (AI-TDC), seleccionados después de dos presentaciones virtuales de cada uno de los mismos. La primera presentación virtual fue en base a un resumen y la segunda fue en base a los artículos cortos que está incluidos en estas memorias. Asimismo se hico una tercera presentación para los efectos de escribir una versión completa de los artículos cortos publicados en estas memorias.
The objective of this very short article is to present some of the most important conclusions we ... more The objective of this very short article is to present some of the most important conclusions we presented in several more detailed articles. In these articles, we reasoned and presented a systemic notion of “information” and systemic methodologies for developing information systems, and we showed the theoretical and the pragmatic importance of this these systemic notion and methodologies.
In this article we will focus on the conclusions related to the necessity of including courses and training processes in an updated contemporaneous Trivium in the Information Systems Engineering Curricula emerged as one of the most important, useful and urgent to implement in the respective higher education processes. In its both senses, the semantic and the etymological, the Trivium is important, even necessary, in the development and deployment of effective information systems by means of effective projects. We will basically be referring to 1) tailored software-based information systems and 2) effectiveness as the percentage of lines of codes that actually are used as related to the total lines of codes programmed and delivered.
The purpose of this short article is to differentiate between the notions of Education and Instru... more The purpose of this short article is to differentiate between the notions of Education and Instruction, especially in the context of Higher Education, and to identify the kind of relationships that would make more effective the implementation of both of them.
To confuse the meanings of these terms or what concepts and uses are involved in their respective notions might be the source of intellectual muddle, unintentional misleading, and, hence, of pragmatic ineffectiveness, especially with regards to educational processes. Our hope is to continue reflecting and researching on this issue and, potentially, generate reflections and research from teachers and professors specifically regarding what is (and/or what should be) the meaning of Higher Education, and its differences with what we might call Higher Instruction. An increasing number of scholars (consciously or unconsciously) perceive or conceive some universities as institutions of, what might call, Higher Instruction rather than Higher Education.
In our opinion, there is an increasing confusion among meaning of the terms of “education” and “instruction” and, sometimes, they are used almost as synonyms. Both terms are much related, but they do not mean the same ideas or concepts. Using the metaphor of “color” and “surface” we know that both are completely different concepts though very related to each other. There is no color that is not seen on a surface and no empirical surface with any color on it, but to confuse the notions of “color” and “surface” might take us to non-sense jumble between “Optics” and “Geometry”. “Color” and “surface” should be differentiated as concepts or notions in order to understand the reality in which both of them co-exist together.
To achieve our stated objective, we will not try to conceptually define “education” and “instruction.” This is not the place to do it, nor is it our intention. Furthermore, from a systemic perspective, as well as from a post-modernist stand, definition of education should be done in the context of a culture and/or value system. Consequently, the definition should be done by the users of specific educational systems and processes. This is why we worked out in another article a meta-definition of “Education,” i.e. we defined a way of producing a definition of education by means of the corresponding users (students, parents, teachers, etc). Our purpose in this article is to describe important denotations and connotations of the notions of “Education” and “Instruction” with the objective to differentiate them with the purpose of effectively relating them. We will then briefly refer to the mentioned previous article in order to provide a context for what will follow.
The objective of this article is to present a short informal essay oriented to elicit information... more The objective of this article is to present a short informal essay oriented to elicit information and practice-based opinions and reflections as input for future more detailed and more formalized versions. These new versions might be worked out by interested individuals or groups via collaborative processes. Parts of the potentially generated articles might also produce spin off of individual or collaborative (informal or more formal) articles. Another objective of this article is to explore the desirability and feasibility of founding and organizing an International Association for an Integral, Integrated, and Integrative Academy (IIIA)
Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics, and Informatics, JSCI, http://www.iiisci.org/journal/sci, Nov 1, 2013
Abstract Communication is fundamental in scientific practice and an integral part of academic ... more Abstract
Communication is fundamental in scientific practice and an integral part of academic work. The practice of communication cannot be neglected by those who are trying to advance scientific research. Effective means should continuously be identified in order to open channels of communication within and among disciplines, among scientists and between scientists and the general public. The increasing importance of interdisciplinary communication has been pointed out by an increasing number of researchers and scholars, as well as in conferences and roundtables on the subject. Some authors even estimate that “interdisciplinary study represents the future of the university.” Since interdisciplinary study is “the most underthought critical, pedagogical and institutional concept in modern academy” it is important to think and reflect, and even do some research, on this concept or notion. Research and practice based reflections with regards to this issue are important especially because the increasing complexity and proliferation of scientific research is generating countless specialties, sub-specialties and sub-sub-specialties, with their respective special languages; which were “created for discrete local areas of research based upon the disconnected branches of science.” On the other hand, scientific, technical and societal problems are requiring multi- or inter-disciplinary consideration. Consequently, interdisciplinary communication channels are being needed with urgency, and scientific research should be integrated, not just in the context of its discipline, but also in the context of related disciplines. Much more reflection and research should be done on this issue. Research on adequate research integration and communication is urgently required, i.e. meta-research efforts should be done in order to relate research results in an adequate and more useful way. This meta-research effort might be done in the context of each particular research, and/or in the more general context of research methodology or philosophy. The purpose of this initial draft is 1) to foster informal conversations and possibly formal research, and 2) to give a very modest first step in this general context, making some reflections on the subject, reviewing some related literature and providing a very initial framework for the generation of more reflections and research on this important subject. We will try to achieve this purpose by means of presenting the most important characteristics of inter-disciplinary communication and contrasting them with intra-disciplinary communication. This essay is a short version of a larger one which will be completed in the future. Consequently, we will present a scheme summarizing the characteristics and the contrasts identified in this version of the essay and those which details are being worked out for an expanded version of this essay to be released in the near future. Our purpose in this first short version is to give a modest step in the direction of exploring the importance and the ways of inter-disciplinary communication, in order to foster more similar steps by other researchers, scholars or practitioners. This is an evolving working essay, where the process of writing it is as much a part of the object as the object, itself.
There are surprising differences among the prices that university libraries must pay as subscript... more There are surprising differences among the prices that university libraries must pay as subscriptions to academic journals, as well as among the fees that authors, or their institutions, should pay as Article Processing Charge (APC) in the author-pay model being increasingly used by the Full Open Access journals. In both “reader-pay” and “author-pay” publishing models, the differences in the subscription prices and in the authors’ fees are startling. We will try, in this article, to briefly describe these differences, by reviewing some of the most widely known studies on this issue, and to try to identify the real costs in scholarly publishing. Our purpose is to provide new publishers and editors, especially those planning to publish an Open Access Journal, with some general guidelines and basic references with regards to the processing costs, so they can take an adequate decision in regards to the Article Processing Charge (APC) of their planned journal. We will also try to present the different business models related to Open Access journal publishing.
1995 International Conference on systems, Man and Cybernetics, Oct 25, 1995
The general objective of this paper is to describe the way the authors have been relating general... more The general objective of this paper is to describe the way the authors have been relating general system theory (GST) to practice. The authors applied GST to design a methodology for software development, first. Then, by means of the experience/knowledge learned from applying the methodology to specific systems, a continuous redesigning process started, which simultaneously generalized the methodologies and increased its complexity adding new modules for an increasing diversity of diverse-tasks needed for different systems/situations. The methodological kernel increased it generality and the sub-methodological modules increased its details. This paved the way for a general systems methodology which, when including cognitive/thinking method would return to the theoretical realm, i.e. to a methodological theory which, in turn, would pave the way to theoretical methodology
The purpose of this paper is to describe a conceptual design and a basic architecture of a Genera... more The purpose of this paper is to describe a conceptual design and a basic architecture of a Generalized Group Decision Support System (GDSS), aimed to sustain processes of Group Problem Solving. This will be done by means of integrating: 1) problem definition and typification, 2) synectic methods macro-phases, 3) GDSS types, 4) Collective Decision Theory with its related mathematical solution to the Voter (or Condorcet) Paradox and 5) the Operations Research Approach. The Generalized GDSS described here has been applied to several specific cases as, for example, Strategic Planning, Re-engineering, Management Control, Participatory Management, Participatory Democracy, etc.
Our objective in this paper is to apply our “Conceptual Development of a Sociopolitical Informati... more Our objective in this paper is to apply our “Conceptual Development of a Sociopolitical Information System”: SPIS (Callaos, 1976b) by means of the Mathematical Solution to the Voter Paradox and an Internet-based Group Decision Support System, to order to make a conceptual design of a system oriented to support the process of a National Constitution creation. SPIS conceptual feasibility was proven in 1976, (Callaos, 1976b); technological feasibility was provided by information technologies (Personal Computers, client/server architectures and hypermedia); and economic and logistic feasibility becomes a reality with the generalized use of Internet, specially its web technology. We will retake in this paper a research we have done a long time ago, because due to the accelerating widespread of Internet use, the emergence of new information technologies it becomes feasible to construct a system based on such a research. Likewise, the National Constitution Creation Process in Venezuela provides an unusual opportunity for such a system. In this paper we will center in the issue of Collective Decision Making, because it is at the heart of any National Constitution creation.
Memorias de la Primera Reunión de la Asociación Ibero Americana Para la Comunicación Trans Disciplinaria (AI TDC)
Artículos cortos de la Primera Reunión de la Asociación Ibero-Americana Para la Comunicación Tran... more Artículos cortos de la Primera Reunión de la Asociación Ibero-Americana Para la Comunicación Trans-Disciplinaria (AI-TDC), seleccionados después de dos presentaciones virtuales de cada uno de los mismos. La primera presentación virtual fue en base a un resumen y la segunda fue en base a los artículos cortos que está incluidos en estas memorias. Asimismo se hico una tercera presentación para los efectos de escribir una versión completa de los artículos cortos publicados en estas memorias.
The objective of this very short article is to present some of the most important conclusions we ... more The objective of this very short article is to present some of the most important conclusions we presented in several more detailed articles. In these articles, we reasoned and presented a systemic notion of “information” and systemic methodologies for developing information systems, and we showed the theoretical and the pragmatic importance of this these systemic notion and methodologies.
In this article we will focus on the conclusions related to the necessity of including courses and training processes in an updated contemporaneous Trivium in the Information Systems Engineering Curricula emerged as one of the most important, useful and urgent to implement in the respective higher education processes. In its both senses, the semantic and the etymological, the Trivium is important, even necessary, in the development and deployment of effective information systems by means of effective projects. We will basically be referring to 1) tailored software-based information systems and 2) effectiveness as the percentage of lines of codes that actually are used as related to the total lines of codes programmed and delivered.
The purpose of this short article is to differentiate between the notions of Education and Instru... more The purpose of this short article is to differentiate between the notions of Education and Instruction, especially in the context of Higher Education, and to identify the kind of relationships that would make more effective the implementation of both of them.
To confuse the meanings of these terms or what concepts and uses are involved in their respective notions might be the source of intellectual muddle, unintentional misleading, and, hence, of pragmatic ineffectiveness, especially with regards to educational processes. Our hope is to continue reflecting and researching on this issue and, potentially, generate reflections and research from teachers and professors specifically regarding what is (and/or what should be) the meaning of Higher Education, and its differences with what we might call Higher Instruction. An increasing number of scholars (consciously or unconsciously) perceive or conceive some universities as institutions of, what might call, Higher Instruction rather than Higher Education.
In our opinion, there is an increasing confusion among meaning of the terms of “education” and “instruction” and, sometimes, they are used almost as synonyms. Both terms are much related, but they do not mean the same ideas or concepts. Using the metaphor of “color” and “surface” we know that both are completely different concepts though very related to each other. There is no color that is not seen on a surface and no empirical surface with any color on it, but to confuse the notions of “color” and “surface” might take us to non-sense jumble between “Optics” and “Geometry”. “Color” and “surface” should be differentiated as concepts or notions in order to understand the reality in which both of them co-exist together.
To achieve our stated objective, we will not try to conceptually define “education” and “instruction.” This is not the place to do it, nor is it our intention. Furthermore, from a systemic perspective, as well as from a post-modernist stand, definition of education should be done in the context of a culture and/or value system. Consequently, the definition should be done by the users of specific educational systems and processes. This is why we worked out in another article a meta-definition of “Education,” i.e. we defined a way of producing a definition of education by means of the corresponding users (students, parents, teachers, etc). Our purpose in this article is to describe important denotations and connotations of the notions of “Education” and “Instruction” with the objective to differentiate them with the purpose of effectively relating them. We will then briefly refer to the mentioned previous article in order to provide a context for what will follow.
The objective of this article is to present a short informal essay oriented to elicit information... more The objective of this article is to present a short informal essay oriented to elicit information and practice-based opinions and reflections as input for future more detailed and more formalized versions. These new versions might be worked out by interested individuals or groups via collaborative processes. Parts of the potentially generated articles might also produce spin off of individual or collaborative (informal or more formal) articles. Another objective of this article is to explore the desirability and feasibility of founding and organizing an International Association for an Integral, Integrated, and Integrative Academy (IIIA)
Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics, and Informatics, JSCI, http://www.iiisci.org/journal/sci, Nov 1, 2013
Abstract Communication is fundamental in scientific practice and an integral part of academic ... more Abstract
Communication is fundamental in scientific practice and an integral part of academic work. The practice of communication cannot be neglected by those who are trying to advance scientific research. Effective means should continuously be identified in order to open channels of communication within and among disciplines, among scientists and between scientists and the general public. The increasing importance of interdisciplinary communication has been pointed out by an increasing number of researchers and scholars, as well as in conferences and roundtables on the subject. Some authors even estimate that “interdisciplinary study represents the future of the university.” Since interdisciplinary study is “the most underthought critical, pedagogical and institutional concept in modern academy” it is important to think and reflect, and even do some research, on this concept or notion. Research and practice based reflections with regards to this issue are important especially because the increasing complexity and proliferation of scientific research is generating countless specialties, sub-specialties and sub-sub-specialties, with their respective special languages; which were “created for discrete local areas of research based upon the disconnected branches of science.” On the other hand, scientific, technical and societal problems are requiring multi- or inter-disciplinary consideration. Consequently, interdisciplinary communication channels are being needed with urgency, and scientific research should be integrated, not just in the context of its discipline, but also in the context of related disciplines. Much more reflection and research should be done on this issue. Research on adequate research integration and communication is urgently required, i.e. meta-research efforts should be done in order to relate research results in an adequate and more useful way. This meta-research effort might be done in the context of each particular research, and/or in the more general context of research methodology or philosophy. The purpose of this initial draft is 1) to foster informal conversations and possibly formal research, and 2) to give a very modest first step in this general context, making some reflections on the subject, reviewing some related literature and providing a very initial framework for the generation of more reflections and research on this important subject. We will try to achieve this purpose by means of presenting the most important characteristics of inter-disciplinary communication and contrasting them with intra-disciplinary communication. This essay is a short version of a larger one which will be completed in the future. Consequently, we will present a scheme summarizing the characteristics and the contrasts identified in this version of the essay and those which details are being worked out for an expanded version of this essay to be released in the near future. Our purpose in this first short version is to give a modest step in the direction of exploring the importance and the ways of inter-disciplinary communication, in order to foster more similar steps by other researchers, scholars or practitioners. This is an evolving working essay, where the process of writing it is as much a part of the object as the object, itself.
There are surprising differences among the prices that university libraries must pay as subscript... more There are surprising differences among the prices that university libraries must pay as subscriptions to academic journals, as well as among the fees that authors, or their institutions, should pay as Article Processing Charge (APC) in the author-pay model being increasingly used by the Full Open Access journals. In both “reader-pay” and “author-pay” publishing models, the differences in the subscription prices and in the authors’ fees are startling. We will try, in this article, to briefly describe these differences, by reviewing some of the most widely known studies on this issue, and to try to identify the real costs in scholarly publishing. Our purpose is to provide new publishers and editors, especially those planning to publish an Open Access Journal, with some general guidelines and basic references with regards to the processing costs, so they can take an adequate decision in regards to the Article Processing Charge (APC) of their planned journal. We will also try to present the different business models related to Open Access journal publishing.
1995 International Conference on systems, Man and Cybernetics, Oct 25, 1995
The general objective of this paper is to describe the way the authors have been relating general... more The general objective of this paper is to describe the way the authors have been relating general system theory (GST) to practice. The authors applied GST to design a methodology for software development, first. Then, by means of the experience/knowledge learned from applying the methodology to specific systems, a continuous redesigning process started, which simultaneously generalized the methodologies and increased its complexity adding new modules for an increasing diversity of diverse-tasks needed for different systems/situations. The methodological kernel increased it generality and the sub-methodological modules increased its details. This paved the way for a general systems methodology which, when including cognitive/thinking method would return to the theoretical realm, i.e. to a methodological theory which, in turn, would pave the way to theoretical methodology
The purpose of this paper is to describe a conceptual design and a basic architecture of a Genera... more The purpose of this paper is to describe a conceptual design and a basic architecture of a Generalized Group Decision Support System (GDSS), aimed to sustain processes of Group Problem Solving. This will be done by means of integrating: 1) problem definition and typification, 2) synectic methods macro-phases, 3) GDSS types, 4) Collective Decision Theory with its related mathematical solution to the Voter (or Condorcet) Paradox and 5) the Operations Research Approach. The Generalized GDSS described here has been applied to several specific cases as, for example, Strategic Planning, Re-engineering, Management Control, Participatory Management, Participatory Democracy, etc.
Our objective in this paper is to apply our “Conceptual Development of a Sociopolitical Informati... more Our objective in this paper is to apply our “Conceptual Development of a Sociopolitical Information System”: SPIS (Callaos, 1976b) by means of the Mathematical Solution to the Voter Paradox and an Internet-based Group Decision Support System, to order to make a conceptual design of a system oriented to support the process of a National Constitution creation. SPIS conceptual feasibility was proven in 1976, (Callaos, 1976b); technological feasibility was provided by information technologies (Personal Computers, client/server architectures and hypermedia); and economic and logistic feasibility becomes a reality with the generalized use of Internet, specially its web technology. We will retake in this paper a research we have done a long time ago, because due to the accelerating widespread of Internet use, the emergence of new information technologies it becomes feasible to construct a system based on such a research. Likewise, the National Constitution Creation Process in Venezuela provides an unusual opportunity for such a system. In this paper we will center in the issue of Collective Decision Making, because it is at the heart of any National Constitution creation.
The Journal on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics (JSCI) is a peer-reviewed open-access inter... more The Journal on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics (JSCI) is a peer-reviewed open-access international publication in the areas of Systems Philosophy, System Sciences and Engineering (Systemics), Communication and Control concepts, systems and technologies (Cybernetics,) and Information Systems and Technologies (Informatics), as well as on, and especially on, the relationships among these areas and their Engineering applications.
the main purpose of the Journal is to collaborate in the systemization of knowledge and experience generated in the areas of Systemics, Cybernetics (communication and control) and Informatics. This systemization process necessarily implies a progressive development and expansion of the relatedness among the associated areas, as well as among their respective disciplines. Since improvement in interdisciplinary communication would provide a very good support for the sought systemization process, the journal is a multi-disciplinary one oriented 1) to support inter-disciplinary communication, and 2) to offer a venue for publishing inter-, trans-, and cross-disciplinary research, enquiry, case studies, and reflections.
We are trying to support the process of interdisciplinary communication among, and in, the areas included in Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, by means of:
1. providing a multidisciplinary forum in the related areas,
2. fostering interdisciplinary research in them,
3. publishing papers related to transdisciplinary concepts, allowing different disciplinary perspectives on the same concept, and
4. encouraging communication a) among disciplines by means of interdisciplinary tutorials, and b) among the academic, the public and the private sectors by means of publishing information related multi- and inter-disciplinary projects which involve at least two of these sectors.
In the context of this main purpose, a basic immediate objective of the Journal is to provide a multidisciplinary vehicle for disseminating information about diverse but highly interrelated areas through a single medium. It covers a wide range of areas, sub-areas and topics related to Systems Science, Engineering and Philosophy (Systemics), Communications and Control of Mechanisms and Organisms (Cybernetics) and Computer Science and Engineering, along with Information Technologies (Informatics).
These three major areas are continuously evolving into integrative means of diverse disciplines.
• Informatics provides instrumental means for many disciplines and support processes of inter-disciplinary collaborative research.
• Cybernetics showed to be fruitful in providing conceptual means for inter-disciplinarity as well as for analogy generation and cross-fertilization between mechanisms and organisms, in order
o to improve our understanding of organic systems,
o to enhance our designs of mechanical systems, and
o to inspire the conceptualizations and the production of hybrid systems, as it is the case of cyborgs.
• Systemics has been viewed by an increasing number of authors as one of the most fundamental trans-disciplines.
Consequently, each one of these three major areas has been providing an increasing support for multidisciplinary problem solving research as well as for interdisciplinary communications and integrations among different academic disciplines and among academic, industrial and governmental organizations.
Therefore, the basic aims of this Journal are
To support multidisciplinary information dissemination related to different disciplines in the major areas of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics (SC&I).
To foster interdisciplinary communication based on the integrative potential of these three major areas. Accordingly, the journal will include not just areas from SC&I, but also from the relationships among them, among their areas and sub-areas and between them and disciplines from other areas, especially in the form of applications of SC&I disciplines in other disciplines, and vice versa. Consequently, a strong emphasis is made on relationship areas and on what has been named as hyphened sciences, engineering and technologies, in order to refer to the inter-disciplines that are emerging as a consequence of multi- and inter-disciplinary real-life-problem-centered research.
To foster and support inter-organizational R&D and enquiry among academy, industry and government; especially in the context of real life problems requiring multi- and/or interdisciplinary teams.
The Journal will initially have a multidisciplinary orientation. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary sections will gradually grow. The multidisciplinary part of the Journal will be nourished, basically, from the best papers presented in conferences in the Journal’s areas, basically from the conferences or workshops organized by The International Institute of Informatics and Systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org) which is also the sponsor of the Journal. The best 20%-25% of the papers presented at IIIS’s conferences (roughly equivalent to the 10%-15% of the articles submitted to the respective conference) will be published in the journal, after their respective authors had made the respective modifications and extensions pertinent to archiving and journals. The journal will also publish invited papers and papers submitted directly to the journal which will be reviewed by the journal reviewing methodology.
Consequently, with this approach, we are hoping to produce a very high quality journal, because its basic content will be related to the best 20-25% of the papers presented in related conferences, which is the equivalent, though not exactly the same, at a rate of 75-80% of refusal. This way of achieving a high quality Journal, will not be based on a high number of actual refusals. With this strategy we will be avoiding being the cause of the hidden psychological and economical costs caused to the authors of refused papers. The greater the refusal rate, the greater the hidden costs caused, by the editors, to potential authors of refused papers by the editors. We are hoping, with our editorial strategy to minimize the hidden costs we might be causing by means of our editorial decision, while not compromising the journal high quality.
Our methodological strategy will be an evolutionary and a systemic, not a systematic one. To organize the editorial process and to manage the publishing operational activities will be done with an open, elastic, adaptable and evolutionary methodological system. It will have the flexibility required to adapt the Journal, its editorial policy, its organizational process and its management to the dynamics of its related areas and disciplines, to changes produced by the inherent learning process involved, and to the uncertainty of the environment.
The Peer Review Methodology Used in the Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics, and Informatics is Based on two-tier reviews: open (or non-blind) and the traditional double-blind reviews. Final acceptance depends of the two kinds of reviews but a paper should be recommended by non-blind AND double-blind reviewing in order to be accepted for publication. A recommendation to accept made by reviewers in the non-blind method is a necessary condition, but it is not a sufficient one. A submission, to be accepted, should also have a majority of the reviewers in its double-blind method recommending its acceptance. This double necessary conditions generate a more reliable and rigorous review than those reviewing processes based on just one of the indicated methods, or just on the traditional double-blind reviewing method.
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 9, 2013
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 9, 2013
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 9, 2013
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 9, 2013
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jun 30, 2013
The International Institute of Informatics and Systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 17, 2012
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Nov 13, 2012
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org, Jul 17, 2012
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 17, 2012
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Mar 25, 2012
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Mar 25, 2012
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 19, 2011
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 19, 2011
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Nov 29, 2011
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org)
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jun 29, 2010
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jun 29, 2010
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 12, 2007
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 12, 2007
En base a nuestra experiencia, la integración de las actividades académicas tiene una importancia... more En base a nuestra experiencia, la integración de las actividades académicas tiene una importancia mayor a la que, en nuestra opinión, se le ha venido dando. Más bien el sistema de promoción académica atenta frecuentemente contra esa integración. En este trabajo trataremos de describir las razones que tenemos para hacer esta afirmación. Muchas de estas razones están basadas no solo en la experiencia que podríamos tener sino también a procesos de investigación-acción e investigación-aprendizaje que hemos vivido tanto en forma implícita y espontánea como explícita y planificada en diversos proyectos. Este artículo es una actualización y una adaptación de algunas de las conclusiones a las que llegamos en un trabajo previo mucho más detallado, argumentado ejemplificado y razonado . Empezaremos primero por lo que parece más evidente y posiblemente de sentido común en cuanto a la importancia de la docencia de la investigación en la educación superior. Seguidamente trataremos de resumir lo relativo a la importancia de la Integración de “Investigación y Consultoría” en La Educación Superior. Ambos tipos de integración son necesarias para relacionar la universidad con las organizaciones públicas y privadas y, con ello, integrarla a Sociedad. Finalizaremos describiendo las bases conceptuales de lo plateado mediante una descripción resumida del Enfoque Sistémico de la Educación
El presente trabajo es una descripción parcial del estado actual de un proyecto de vida. Se origi... more El presente trabajo es una descripción parcial del estado actual de un proyecto de vida. Se originó hace unos 18 años cuando viví la experiencia de fracasar en mi país con metodologías que usé, y vi usar, con relativo éxito en Estados Unidos. Frente a esta situación había dos posibles explicaciones: o me había dado amnesia repentina, o la eficacia comprobada de una metodología en una cultura dada no es garantía para su eficacia en otra cultura. Por razones evidentes descarté la primera posible explicación y tomé la segunda como hipótesis de trabajo. Como consecuencia de ello se intentó el diseño de una metodología que se adecúe más a nuestra realidad cultural, a la idiosincrasia de nuestras organizaciones y a la dinámica social, política y económica del contexto de las mismas.
Saltó a la vista, desde el principio, con imponente claridad y evidencia, que, al ser nuestras organizaciones, especialmente las empresariales, mucho más jóvenes que las norteamericanas, son mucho más dinámicas que éstas, con un medio ambiente mucho más cambiante, a veces espasmódicamente, y con mayor incertidumbre. En consecuencia, había que diseñar una metodología que no sólo generara productos flexibles y adaptables, sino que el proceso de esta generación también debería ser flexible, adaptable e incluso elástico.
Para diseñar una metodología con este tipo de características, la máquina y la línea de ensamblaje mecánica de la misma no eran unas buenas metáforas, mientras que el organismo y el proceso con el que evoluciona y se adapta, si lo eran. En consecuencia, nuestro primer paso fue aplicar la Teoría General de Sistemas del biólogo Ludwig Von Bertalanffy al diseño de una metodología con las características señaladas. Más adelante fuimos aplicando las teorías elaboradas por autores cuyo punto de partida fue en sistemas diferentes a los biológicos, con lo cual se fue haciendo cada día más plural la influencia que hemos tenido en el diseño de la metodología que fuimos diseñando y re-diseñando a través de un proceso evolutivo basado en una combinación de “action-research” y “action-learning”.
A lo largo de este proceso de diseño metodológico vimos crecer nuestra efectividad de niveles frustrantemente bajos a niveles increíblemente altos. En el desarrollo de sistemas de información, por ejemplo, la medida objetiva de la efectividad de un sistema es la relación entre las líneas de código en uso y las que se entregaron al usuario. Esta efectividad la subimos, a lo largo de 18 años, de niveles inferiores al 5% a niveles cercanos al 100%. Al mismo tiempo la eficiencia del desarrollo la fuimos subiendo hasta alcanzar una productividad por lo menos 40% superior al promedio norteamericano, de acuerdo a cualquiera de las métricas internacionalmente reconocidas (líneas de código o “function points” por mes-hombre) y de las estadísticas mundialmente respetadas (Bohem, IBM, MIT, Capers Jones, etc.). Al mismo tiempo la calidad fue subiendo paulatinamente hasta alcanzar niveles superiores al promedio norteamericano y, en algunos casos, nos acercamos suficientemente a la Calidad Japonesa (de acuerdo al estudio hecho en el MIT al respecto). En los últimos 7 años estas estadísticas tuvieron una prueba determinante: la empresa Callaos y Asociados firma contratos y factura de acuerdo a tales estadísticas y con ello ha venido creciendo. De haber algún error en tales estadísticas la empresa hubiera quebrado en lugar de crecer, ya que la empresa estaría facturando en base a una efectividad y eficiencia por debajo de la que realmente tendría, lo que estaría causando constantes pérdidas. Este es el verdadero tipo de pruebas de fuego que está atravesando exitosamente la metodología que describiremos aquí parcialmente.
Uno de los aspectos que hace de la metodología algo tan práctica y tan útil es una definición suficientemente rigurosa de los conceptos más importantes en los que se apoya. Para hacer tales definiciones se requiere conocer con suficiente claridad el significado de “definición”, se requiere hacer previamente una definición de “definición”. De las diversas definiciones de “definición” (que veremos en los capítulos 2 y 3) tomaremos la más sistémica (capítulo 4), pero para ello requerimos la definición de “sistema”, lo cual a su vez requiere del conocimiento del significado de “definición”, y así sucesivamente. Pareciera que estuviéramos en un círculo vicioso, pero más bien estamos en un lazo dinámico de retroalimentación (y/o pro-alimentación) entre los significados de ambos términos, por lo cual es necesario empezar por algún lado, sin descuidar el otro. Es necesario, como veremos, que aclaremos un concepto (el temático) manteniendo el otro a la sombra (el operatorio), y luego viceversa. En consecuencia empezamos con el concepto de “sistema” (capítulo 1) para luego seguir con el de “definición” (capítulo 2 y 3), para luego llegar al de “definición sistémica” de “definición”. Ello servirá para aclarar las nociones de “concepto”, “juicio” y “pensamiento” (capítulo 4), las cuales son esenciales en la metodología que trataremos de describir.
En base a estas clarificaciones conceptuales trataremos, con suficiente detalle, la noción de “método” para terminar con una definición sistémica del término (capítulo 5, 6 y 7), el cual, a su vez, servirá de base para definir “instrumento” y “técnica” (capítulo 8).
En base a la infraestructura conceptual establecida en los 8 primeros capítulos, se tratará de describir, con un enfoque sistémico, la teoría y práctica de la investigación y desarrollo (capítulo 9). Con la misma infraestructura conceptual trataremos de mostrar la gran vigencia que tiene el pensamiento de Andrés Bello en el Enfoque de Sistemas (capítulo 10). Ello lo hacemos debido a la influencia que ha ejercido dicho autor, junto a los más importantes del Movimiento de Sistemas, en nuestra elaboración metodológica. Con ello definiremos nuestra Metodología Sistémica de Análisis y Síntesis de Sistemas: METASS, así como los macro-procesos de la misma (capítulo 11), para luego intentar una integración de su macro-estructura (capítulo 12). En los siete capítulos siguientes mostraremos la aplicación de METASS a diferentes ámbitos específicos, a saber: planificación general (capítulo 13), planificación específica de la función de informática (capítulo 14), sistemas educativos (capítulo 15), Escuela Latinoamericana de Ejecutivos Públicos (Estadistas) y Privados (capítulo 16), evaluación de proyectos (capítulo 17) y sistemas anticipatorios (capítulo 18). Las aplicaciones más importantes que hemos tenido y donde la efectividad y eficiencia de METASS ha sido más tangible, evidente y objetivamente medida, fueron en el ámbito del desarrollo de los sistemas de información. Pero, como tratar dicho caso requeriría de un trabajo de magnitud equivalente al presente, que ya de por sí es voluminoso, hemos decidido dejar el tema para otro momento.
La metodología, cuyos conceptos y aplicaciones trataremos de describir a continuación, se inició con casos concretos de la vida real muy pequeños y limitados. Con la aplicación de tal metodología a tales casos, y con la consecuente investigación de lo que funciona o no, con sus respectivas causas, así como con el consecuente aprendizaje y experiencia adquirida, tal metodología se fue modificando, para luego aplicarla a casos menos simples y limitados, y posiblemente de diversa naturaleza. Al repetir el proceso de investigación-acción y de aprendizaje-acción, en el contexto de diseño-acción, la metodología se fue generalizando (con la inducción que se fue haciendo en base a las similitudes) y se fue especificando (en base a las diversidades encontradas y a las deducciones hechas en cada caso). Ello se aplicó recursivamente en el nivel meta-metodológico, lo cual condujo, en nuestra opinión, a lo que podríamos denominar como “teoría metodológica”. Si proseguimos con un segundo nivel recursivo, en un ámbito meta-meta-metodológico, ello podría conducirnos a una especie de “metodología teórica”, es decir de un conjunto relacionado o relacionable de métodos, herramientas y técnicas cuyo objetivo es la elaboración de sistemas teóricos (con el significado de “teoría” y “sistema” que veremos en los capítulos 9 y 1 respectivamente). Aunque trataremos brevemente los métodos inductivo y deductivo, y la noción de “método” (de pensamiento y/o de acción) con suficiente detalle, estaremos muy lejos de presentar una metodología teórica. Ello sería un posible trabajo futuro para aplicar METASS al desarrollo de sistemas teóricos. La orientación de este trabajo es hacia la práctica, aunque nuestro soporte haya sido teórico a veces. La práctica es, en este trabajo, nuestro fin, los elementos teóricos son parte de los medios que utilizaremos, siendo muchas veces medios indispensables. El pensamiento teórico se diferencia del práctico en el orden no en lo ordenado. Invertir la relación de medios y fines nos lleva de un pensamiento al otro. Con esto en mente trataremos de describir METASS, para lo cual empezaremos con la definición de los conceptos.
Capítulo 1 del libro "METODOLOGIA SISTEMICA DE SISTEMAS: CONCEPTOS Y APLICACIONES", Jul 15, 1995
El proceso Político es fundamentalmente una toma de decisiones socio-económicas hecha en base al ... more El proceso Político es fundamentalmente una toma de decisiones socio-económicas hecha en base al procesamiento de información. Existe un desequilibrio entre los flujos de información “de-arriba-hacia-abajo¨ y de abajo-hacia-arriba” y horizontal. Obtener un equilibrio informacional es lograr una mejor toma de decisiones socioeconómicas y políticas. En consecuencia proponemos un Sistema de Informacion Socio-política (SISP) , para incrementar el flujo de información “de abajo-hacia-arriba” y horizontal, y para mejorar la toma de decisiones mediante una optima agregación de datos
. Qué es un SISP, por qué un SISP y cómo implementarlo, son las tres preguntas que se tratarán de contestar. El “Qué’ se contestará relacionando el SISP con los más recientes modelos analítico-descriptivos del sistema político. El “Por qué” se intentará contestar en tres direcciones: 1) mediante razones pragmáticas, 2) infiriendo los efectos del SISP con una metodología empírico-matemática, y 3) analizando sus objetivos con un breve análisis filosófico-político. Analizando los efectos del SISP se demuestra que el nivel de consenso social se incrementaría con un aumento adecuado y cibernético del flujo de información social, y en consecuencia aumentaría la satisfacción social, y disminuiría la tensión social y el riesgo de una crisis socio-política.
El “córno” se contesta proponiendo un diseño conceptual e instrumental y de una metodología para enfrentar, objetivamente, los problemas normativos que surgen de la agregación de preferencias individuales en una decisión colectiva o social. Esto se puede hacer con dos tipos de escalas: ordinales y cardinales. Para el caso de las escalas ordinales surge la Paradoja Electoral. En consecuencia, resolvimos matemáticamente esa paradoja en oposición al Premio Nobel (en Economía) Kenneth Arrow, quien escribió un libro para decir que ha “demostrado” matemáticamente la imposibilidad de la solución de la Paradoja Electoral. Asimismo, mostramos las debilidades e inconsistencias lógicas del trabajo del mencionado autor.
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 9, 2013
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 9, 2013
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Nov 13, 2012
International Institute of Informatics and Systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Mar 25, 2012
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 19, 2011
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 19, 2011
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 19, 2011
International Institute of informatics and systemics (IIIS, www.iiis.org), Jul 19, 2011
Are we sure we have a non-ambiguous meaning of the notion of "knowledge"? The most general and ac... more Are we sure we have a non-ambiguous meaning of the notion of "knowledge"? The most general and accepted notion of knowledge is that it is a "justified true belief", understating that belief is true if it corresponds to reality, and is justified if there are good reasons or evidence to support it.
Intellectual Development via "Trans-disciplinary Communication"
Trans-Disciplinary Communications requires translating from disciplinary or inter-disciplinary se... more Trans-Disciplinary Communications requires translating from disciplinary or inter-disciplinary semiotic systems to a common semiotic system, as is the case of Natural Language semiotic systems. This translation needs communicational skills that are acquired and required in written or oral Trans-Disciplinary Communications. Consequently, the practice of this kind of communication develops the intellect, which quintessence is to related internal and external worlds and words. Furthermore, it diversifies the intellect making it more adaptable. This is almost a necessary condition for 1) dealing with unexpected situations and changes, as well as for 2) facing real-life problems which usually are of a multidisciplinary nature; then they require multidisciplinary teams, whose members need to communicate among themselves and with the people affected by the problem and/or its solution. Both reasons, and especially the second requires intellects developed via external trans-disciplinary communication.