A Systems-Based Approach to Policymaking

This is a `new paradigm' book, which both presents and advances the new way of thinking about the systems of science, technology, society, economics, politics, and the environment, and calls for the replacement of the old cognitive/sociotechnical paradigm. As the title suggests, the book has two components: the systems approach, consisting of systems thinking, systems theories, and systems models; and the policymaking situation and the policymakers themselves. While systems theories and models can certainly be improved, this book places great emphasis on deficiencies in the structure of the policy situation and in policymakers. The authors provide the results of many years of working with complex systems in the contexts of systems analysis, systems design, and policymaking and decisionmaking. Some of the authors are the originators of great schools of systems thinking.