Models of Man in Systems in Retrospect and Prospect

Abstract

A number of historical and current theoretic and working or operational models are mentioned. It is held that none of these, by virtue of limitations to only a part of human behaviour, is completely valid for systems planning and design. Integrated models of man within systems and within environments are urgently required. The need is stressed to develop general systems models capable of describing and predicting human individual and collective behaviour of varied populations in a wide variety of systems and environments. Man-machine, sociotechnical, and social systems involving military, industrial, and civil applications must be considered. Our models should be reconcilable with models involving man in organizations and with ecological and economic models. Models must reflect the changing tenor of the times with regard to evolving social thought and practice. Criteria must therefore include quality of life and limits to growth as well as economic costs and performance effectiveness. Increasingly, there must be considered in systems development the impact of the system on the environment, not just the environmental constraints on the system. Ideas of stressful environments must thus be amended to include stressful systems. Concepts of open systems theory are of particular value here. Our new models must further be consistent with the dynamic properties and forces within complex systems. Increasingly, motivations, attitudes, values, complex learning and problem solving, and other aspects of higher-order hierarchical organization must be reflected in systems development. These issues, with an emphasis on working models, arc discussed in relationship to problems of education, research, systems effectiveness, and system-environment interactions.