A case study in the use of soft systems methodology: Restructuring an academic organisation to facilitate the education of systems agriculturalists

Macadam, Robert D.; Packham, Roger G

doi:10.1016/0308-521x(89)90004-8

Cited by 26 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Tennent and Hyland [11] found that students felt rewarded by participating when marks were allocated and may provide a further incentive for students to partici-pate or respond with deeper learning or more critical thinking style responses. No marks were allocated for engaging in the learning activities described in this study, as it was believed that the incentive to participate, engage in hands-on practical sessions in live animal handling, would be enough incentive to participate.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, there is no time lost travelling to the campus as students can engage in the learning activities in the comfort of their own homes or even the local library or internet café. Tennent and Hyland [11] have previously found that students enrolled as distance or rural students valued online discussion boards and many UWS students presumably value the flexibility as well.…”

Section: Development Of Learning Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development of online learning activities to enhance student knowledge of animal behaviour prior to engaging in live animal handling practical sessions

Old

Spencer²

2011

OJAS

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Learning activities were developed to increase the awareness of animal behaviour among first year students enrolled in animal-associated degrees prior to students engaging in hands-on live animal practical sessions. Learning activities were developed in an easy to use collegial online environment and to encourage student engagement in learning activities. One hundred and one students were given a preliminary and post learning activity survey to assess their initial knowledge and experience of animal behaviour, as well as to determine if the learning activities increased the students' knowledge of animal behaviour after engaging in the learning activities. Of the students surveyed, most currently owned pets or have had pets (91.1%), some had animal-related qualifications (22.8%) and currently worked in an animal-related position (24.8%). There was a significant difference (70.3% increase) in student responses after engaging in the learning activities with the major change occurring in the students' understanding of the term 'ethology', regardless of the level of qualifications or animal-related career experience. In addition, after engaging in the learning activities, most students believed that they could better articulate and interpret animal behaviors based on their observations. Overall, the inclusion of learning activities successfully increased the ability of students to understand behavioral traits of animals, which will increase safety in live animal practical sessions. The learning activities also encouraged a collegial learning environment that enhanced new knowledge construction amongst the students.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Development Of Learning Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of online learning activities to enhance student knowledge of animal behaviour prior to engaging in live animal handling practical sessions

Old

Spencer²

2011

OJAS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…It is also one of the most widely used in the UK and in other parts of the world, see Mingers and Taylor (1992), Ledington and Donaldson (1997), Macadam and Packham (1989), Macadam et al (1990), Brocklesby (1995) among others. During the 1970s, Checkland and his colleagues at Lancaster University questioned the use of hard systems thinking to real-world situations.…”

Section: Soft Systems Methodology (Ssm)mentioning

confidence: 99%

A systemic framework based on Soft OR approaches to support teamwork strategy: An aviation manufacturer Brazilian company case

Abuabara

Paucar‐Caceres

Belderrain

et al. 2017

Journal of the Operational Research Society

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The paper reports on the application of a combination of Operational Research (OR) approaches to a real-world case of re-designing the strategy of a department management team, in an aircraft manufacturing organization in Brazil. We combine approaches from 'Soft' OR Problem Structuring Methods in a multi-methodological framework arguing that this helps to discuss, develop and implement a new departmental strategy. The proposed framework uses elements of Soft Systems Methodology; Strategic Options Development and Analysis to understand and structure the situation; Value-Focused Thinking to define the means and objectives; and ValueFocused Brainstorming to highlight the potential solutions. We conceptualize a four-phased systemic framework linking elements of the above four 'Soft' OR approaches and apply it to a real-world case in a department where a new team leader was appointed with the specific brief to improve the departmental strategy and its performance in general. Findings suggest that combining the approaches into a framework encourages trust and participation from stakeholders which, in practice, is translated into an improved strategy for the organization. A reflection on the multi-methodological approach is proposed. Conclusions and points for further research are suggested.

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“…It is also one of the most widely used in the UK and in other parts of the world (Mingers and Taylor, 1992;Ledington et al, 1997;Macadam and Packham, 1989;Macadam et al, 1990Macadam et al, , 1995Rodriguez-Ulloa, 1994a, 2003Wilson, 1984Wilson, , 2001. During the 1970s, Checkland and his colleagues at Lancaster University questioned the use of hard systems thinking to real-world situations and started to test a new methodology that shifted the systemicity from the real world to the process of enquiry itself.…”

Section: Soft Systems Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Soft System Dynamics Methodology (SSDM): Combining Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and System Dynamics (SD)

Rodriguez-Ulloa¹,

Paucar‐Caceres

2005

Syst Pract Act Res

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Soft System Dynamics Methodology (SSDM), a systemic methodology product of the combination of two widely used systems-based methodologies from two different systems thinking paradigms, Systems Dynamics (SD) and Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), is presented. The paper argues that by combining some of SD and SSM stages, within the intellectual framework proposed by SSDM, a methodology developed by one of the authors 1 much can be gained in a systemic intervention to tackle complex social problematic situations. A framework for comparing the ontological, epistemological and methodological principles of SD, SSM and SSDM is proposed and the synthesizing and dialectical role of SSDM is advanced. The 10 stages of SSDM are outlined and illustrated by an application on a small Peruvian company; and a set of conclusions and points for further research are discussed.

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A case study in the use of soft systems methodology: Restructuring an academic organisation to facilitate the education of systems agriculturalists

Cited by 26 publications

References 3 publications

Development of online learning activities to enhance student knowledge of animal behaviour prior to engaging in live animal handling practical sessions

Development of online learning activities to enhance student knowledge of animal behaviour prior to engaging in live animal handling practical sessions

A systemic framework based on Soft OR approaches to support teamwork strategy: An aviation manufacturer Brazilian company case

Soft System Dynamics Methodology (SSDM): Combining Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and System Dynamics (SD)

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