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The Performance of Social Systems

Perspectives and Problems

  • Book
  • © 2000

Overview

Editors:
  1. Francisco Parra-Luna

    1. University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

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Table of contents (19 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
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  2. Introduction

    1. Introduction

      • Francisco Parra-Luna
      Pages 1-12

  3. A World of Values

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 13-13
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    2. Systems thinking and human values

      • Martin L. W. Hall
      Pages 15-24

    3. The role of values in measuring performance of social systems

      • Bruce Buchanan
      Pages 25-36

    4. Towards an axiological systems theory

      • Francisco Parra-Luna
      Pages 37-57

  4. Some Models for Defining Social Performance

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 59-59
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    2. Some problems in the observation of performance

      • Gerard De Zeeuw
      Pages 61-70

    3. The resolution of dilemmas and conflicts in approaching the performance of social systems through representation, evaluation and quantification

      • John P. Van Gigch
      Pages 71-88

    4. A model for measuring the performance of social systems

      • Francisco Parra-Luna
      Pages 89-117

    5. The potentialities of the sociocybernetic model in assessing political performance in a non-stable society

      • Philippos Nicolopoulos
      Pages 119-129

    6. Criteria of systems performance from a macro-sociological viewpoint

      • Karl-Heinz Simon
      Pages 131-146

    7. Distributed control in social systems

      • Markus Schwaninger
      Pages 147-173

    8. Space of state and performance’s optimization

      • Vladimir Degtiar
      Pages 175-200

    9. Conditions for testing performance

      • Iris Bálsamo
      Pages 201-214

  5. Operational Approaches to the Concept of Social Performance

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 215-215
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    2. Environmental balance and the performance of social systems

      • Antonio Sánchez Súcar
      Pages 217-233

    3. The performance of education systems

      • Raf Vanderstraeten
      Pages 235-252

    4. Performance of health care units and the influence of management

      • F. Tretter
      Pages 253-276

    5. Indicators of social performance in the heartland of the United States

      • Dario Menanteau-Horta
      Pages 277-292
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Keywords

About this book

It can be said that the concept of performance of social systems is one of the most relevant, since all social systems - from the family, through the enterprise, to the Nation state - are only interesting in obtaining as high a performance as possible. The difficulties encountered when dealing with the concept of performance have been recognized and few books until now ventured to tackle the task, mainly because of the following three big problems: the lack of a theoretical-operational model; the lack of valid data; and the lack of computer facilities. Today these obstacles have been overcome and this is the first book based on different systemic perspectives (value theory, modelling, observation and quantification) which offers the possibility of defining and working out the concept.
The book should be of great interest to sociologists, political scientists, economists, organizational theorists, managers and politicians.

Reviews

`The book is well produced to a high standard, and is well referenced and well written, which is useful for those readers wishing to gain a foothold in this area. Overall and interesting read.'
Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 19:3 (2002)

Editors and Affiliations

  • University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Francisco Parra-Luna

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Performance of Social Systems

  • Book Subtitle: Perspectives and Problems

  • Editors: Francisco Parra-Luna

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4251-3

  • Publisher: Springer New York, NY

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media New York 2000

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-306-46309-9Published: 30 June 2000

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4613-6908-0Published: 17 October 2012

  • eBook ISBN: 978-1-4615-4251-3Published: 06 December 2012

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XV, 397

  • Topics: Business Mathematics, IT in Business, Management, Political Science, Sociology, general

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