Title: Systems theory: a formal construct for understanding systems

Authors: Kevin MacG. Adams

Addresses: National Centers for System of Systems Engineering, Old Dominion University, 4111 Monarch Way Suite 406, Norfolk, Virginia 23508 USA

Abstract: In the 2011 issue of this journal, we proposed that "The application of systems theory and systems thinking to the design and management of complex systems of systems and their associated life cycles can provide a valuable lens for the emerging methods in system of systems engineering (SoSE)" (Adams, 2011). Since that time we have had the opportunity to develop an axiom set that we feel is a sufficient construct for systems theory (Adams et al., 2013). In this paper, we will explain the multi-disciplinary theoretical foundation and discipline-agnostic framework we have developed for systems theory. We believe that this construct may be posited as a general approach to understanding system behaviour.

Keywords: systems theory; axiom sets; systems propositions; system behaviour.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSE.2012.052684

International Journal of System of Systems Engineering, 2012 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.209 - 224

Received: 17 Dec 2012
Accepted: 17 Dec 2012
Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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