Systems Theory - Introduction

The concept of Systems Theory was originally proposed by biologist Ludwig Von
Bertalanffy in 1928, and then later developed more fully after the in the 1940’s and ’50’s.

Systems Theory refers to the study of systems in general. It’s original aim was to identify
rules and conditions that apply to all types of systems from different fields of research

Contemporary application of Systems Theory has been used to fields as diverse as

ecological systems, in an organisational (workplace) context and within education models
The Development and Significance of Systems Theory

Under a ‘systems view’, a system can be understood as being composed as a

regularly interacting group of elements or inter-relating group of activities

Where conventionally groups of things were broken down into parts, individuals,
departments or units which were assessed and evaluated in isolation to one another,
Systems Theory recognised the inter-dependance between these elements.

Systems Theory contradicted reductionism in conventional theory and provided an

alternative to orthodox sociological and scientific theories that were grounded in
classical assumptions and was important in moving away from industrial age models.
 Developments

Subjects such as complexity, self-organisation, connectionism and adaptive systems

were studied at the same time as Systems Theory in the 1940’s and 50’s. Through
these studies complex systems were examined using mathematics. A General
systems or universal language was also developed to depict physical behaviour
(thermodynamics, kinetics, etc) at a systems scale

In these fields, researchers were able to explain the properties of general systems
through simple patterns and identifying rules.

Cybernetics can be viewed as a subset of Systems Theory, namely being as system

that includes a feedback loop. In Cybernetics, the feedback loop is crucial to how all
types of system (digital, mechanical or biological ) process information and respond
accordingly.
 Application of Systems Theory
Complex Adaptive Systems: -
A diverse collection of interconnected elements that have the ability to change and learn from their
environment. These systems are informed by concepts of evolution.
Living Systems Theory:-
An offshoot of Von Bertalanffy’s General Systems Theory intended to represent the concept of
life. According to founder, James Grier Miller, a ‘living system’ is made up of 20 critical
subsystems. He went on to identify a number of existing ‘living systems’ and their corresponding
‘subsytstems’.
Organisational Theory:-
A systems framework was critical to organisational theory as organisations are complex dynamic
goal orientated processes. The system in organisations relies heavily on achieving negative
entropy through openness and feedback.
Sociology:-
Models for dynamic equilibrium in systems have been linked with sociological systems and in
addition to this socio-cybernetic feedback loop shave been identified has factors that act to control
society in a sense.
Systems Biology:-
Can be described as a study of complex interactions within biological systems. An ambition of
systems biology is the modelling and discovery of emergent properties
Systems Dynamics:-
Is a method for understandng the dynamic behaviour of complex systems
 References – Areas of further Research

• Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1968). General System Theory: Foundations, Development,

Applications New York: George Braziller

• Laszlo, E. (1972a). The systems view of the world. The natural philosophy of the new
developments in the sciences. New York: George Brazillier.

• Klir, G.J. 1969. An Approach to General Systems Theory. New York: Van Nostrand
Reinhold Company.

• Gerald Weinberg. (1975). An Introduction to General Systems Thinking (1975 ed.,

Wiley-Interscience) (2001 ed. Dorset House).