Contribution of sociotechnical systems theory concepts to a framework of Territorial Intelligence

1
Contribution of socio-technical systems theory
concepts to a framework of Territorial
Intelligence

• Philippe Dumas
• Laboratory I3m, Université du Sud
• Toulon, France

2
Thinking and dealing with complexity

• General Systems Theory (Gst),
• from
• Wiener (1961), Von Bertalanffy (1968), Simon
  (1960) in the sixties
• to
• LeMoigne (1990) and Morin (1977, 1980)

3
The socio-technical systems approach

• The system as a representation
• The role of the inquirer
• Consequence for the Territorial Intelligence
  framework

4
The system as a representation

• A group of units so combined as to form a whole
  and to operate in unison (Webster)
• The manner in which a given system is described
  depends upon the observer, his knowledge, and
  interest in the operation of the system, although
  for many systems there are some strata, i.e.
  features, which appear as natural or inherent
  (Mesarovic et al., 1968, p33)

5
The role of the inquirer

• Systems everywhere Bertalanffy (1968)
• Defining a system is a specific choice of someone
  we name inquirer, i.e. someone who is
  interested in doing so.
• Two characters the observer and the designer

6
Consequence for the Territorial Intelligence
framework

• A territory is a system that can only be defined
  with respect to the point of view of the
  inquirer, whether it is the observer or the
  designer.
• Importance of boundaries
• Properties of boundaries

7
A preliminary list of some relevant systems
concepts

• Systems openness and bounded rationality
• Learning and adaptability
• Emerging properties
• Hypertely
• Decision-making

8
Systems openness and bounded rationality

• Open system vs closed system
• Entropy
• Bounded rationality

9
Learning and adaptability

• An adaptive system is in the class of complex
  systems that show self-direction in an evolutive
  environment
• Example of adaptation to environmental change
• Efficiency and effectiveness
• To learn is to increase ones efficiency in the
  pursuit of a goal under unchanged conditions

10
Emerging properties

• New behaviors tend to create new functions, forms
  and significances
• Networking
• Social communities
• Role of Information Technology

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Hypertely

• Adaptation based on hypertrophied development of
  existing functions
• Borrowed from biology (Simondon, 1989)
• Negative
• Positive
• Participative democracy

12
Decision-making

• Hypotheses of rational decision-making
• 1) all possible alternatives are known,
• 2) all outcomes are known, and
• 3) preferences for every outcome can be ordered
• Organizational decision-making
• compromises,
• trade-offs between conflicting rationalities so
  as to square with the balance of power

13
Four types of organizational assessment
14
Types of decision-making processes

• I closed systems thinking relies on the
  hypothesis of efficiency maximization of
  outcomes it is the area where consensus is
  obtained because everyone thinks alike.
• II goals are shared, but the ways to attain them
  are controversial.
• III goals are not shared but the cause-effect
  relationship is fairly clear, so that negotiation
  can take place in power relationship.
• IV confused situations where all arguments are
  set forth and debated. It is also the situation
  where creativity will provide a way to return to
  cell I where consensus can be reached.

15
Conclusion

• The interest of that typology is that situations
  are shifting from one cell to another and this
  shifting game will explain the collective
  decision making process.
• Micro decisions in Territorial Intelligence for
  Sustained Development can be interpreted with
  this model.
• It is a way to improve participative democracy.

16
Thank you, Gracias, Merci

• Philippe Dumas
• dumas_at_univ-tln.fr ,  33 4 94 14 22 36