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A critical systems perspective on the design of organizational space
Author(s) -
Mobach Mark P.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
systems research and behavioral science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1099-1743
pISSN - 1092-7026
DOI - 10.1002/sres.788
Subject(s) - space (punctuation) , systems thinking , perspective (graphical) , critical systems thinking , organizational architecture , knowledge management , computer science , architecture , organizational systems , epistemology , sociology , critical thinking , management science , engineering ethics , engineering , artificial intelligence , art , philosophy , visual arts , operating system
This paper is the first to introduce critical systems thinking into a new emerging research strand: the design of organizational space. The study revealed two things. First, critical systems thinking provides a thorough framework to understand the possibilities to connect organization and building; both in a conceptual understanding of the mutual relations and with regard to the practical implications that such connections have. Second, an application of critical systems thinking in an immersive virtual environment resulted in an inspiring debate around all sorts of facts and values of the current and expected future states of organizational space. It raised the awareness about a true interdisciplinary design in organization and architecture and allowed significant improvements to be made. This paper may be also regarded as an introduction to an application of critical systems thinking in other design processes where human and technical systems designs are interwoven. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.