Self-Organization and Management of Social Systems

Prof. Dr. Gilbert J. B. Probst ist ordentlicher Professor für Organisation und Management und Direktor des MBA-Programms an der Universität Genf. Er ist Vorstandsmitglied der SKU (Schweizerische Kurse für Unternehmensführung) und Berater verschiedener großer Unternehmen. Gleichzeitig ist er Mitglied des Verwaltungsrats der Reisebüro Kuoni AG und der Neuen Warenhaus AG (EPA).

I Principles of Self-Organization in Physical, Biological, and Social Systems.- Principles of Self-Organization - In a Socio-Managerial Context.- Two Principles for Self-Organization.- Can Synergetics Be of Use to Management Theory?.- Self-Organisation: Some Theoretical Cross-Connections.- Towards a Theory of Social Systems: Self-Organization and Self-Maintenance, Self-Reference and Syn-Reference.- II Self-Organization and Management.- Management - A Misunderstood Societal Function.- Systems Thinking in Management: The Development of Soft Systems Methodology and Its Implications for Social Science.- Evolutionary Management.- Systems Approach to Management: Hopes, Promises, Doubts - A Lot of Questions and Some Afterthoughts.- Cybernetic Principles for the Design, Control, and Development of Social Systems and Some Afterthoughts.- Some Explanatory Boundaries of Organismic Analogies for the Understanding of Social Systems.- Insights, Promises, Doubts, and Questions Emerging from a Colloquium - A Summary.- Index of Contributors.