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Designing and simulating sociotechnical systems: Concepts and strategies
Author(s) -
Brandt Dietrich,
Hartmann Ernst,
Sander Christine,
Strina Guiseppe
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
human factors and ergonomics in manufacturing and service industries
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.408
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1520-6564
pISSN - 1090-8471
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1520-6564(199922)9:3<245::aid-hfm2>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - sociotechnical system , computer science , complex system , truck , systems engineering , management science , industrial engineering , knowledge management , engineering , artificial intelligence , aerospace engineering
Today, technology design, technology use, and organizational structures in enterprises can no longer be regarded as isolated from each other because they are highly correlated in networks, which become increasingly complex and dynamic. Enterprises must be understood as sociotechnical systems that consist of human and technical subsystems and their relations with each other. They can be analyzed by referring to the concept of self‐similarity (or fractals). In (re)designing such systems, modeling and simulation methods are needed. This report describes a method that combines two different simulation methods. They can be integrated to model and simulate complex sociotechnical systems as a whole. The method has been developed by modeling and simulating computer‐supported cooperation and communication along the logistic chain in intermodal traffic (train–truck freight transportation). © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.