Abstract
Strategic decision-making, to be effective, must take account of the prevailing issues in the subject organization. Without an assessment of those internal factors that contribute to the success or otherwise of any new or existing venture, the chances of a chosen strategy succeeding are considerably reduced. This article examines the use of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) for drawing out issues that set the agenda for debate about internal improvements, and those that condition the views of the analyst when advising on strategies for change.
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David Patching
DAVID PATCHING, Assistant Group Management Services Officer at Essex County Council, has a wide range of experience of systems practice, having spent many years on air engineering duties with the Royal Navy, including the development of major computer systems in support of aircraft maintenance. More recently, he has carried out extensive research into the use of Soft Systems Methodology for addressing organizational problems in local government. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Management Services, and has a particular interest in bridging the gap that sometimes exists between problem-solving practitioners and those who develop problem-solving approaches at a more academic level. This theme is explored in depth in his recent book, Practical Soft Systems Analysis, published by Pitman Publishing in October 1990.