From theory to impact – how do organizations benefit from systems research?

Description

This special issue seeks research demonstrating how organizations apply systems theory and cybernetics to create tangible impact. Rather than focusing solely on theoretical development, the issue invites contributions showing practical benefits across management, education, engineering, and other domains where formal systems approaches are relevant. Diverse article types are welcomed, including case studies, practitioner papers, viewpoints, and technical reports, allowing authors to present their work in varied formats while maintaining clear arguments supported by suitable evidence.

The special issue addresses academia's responsibility to engage with grand societal challenges and sustainable development goals. Systems theory and cybernetics offer tools for understanding complex dynamics beyond simplistic solutions, enabling more comprehensive approaches to contemporary problems. Submissions examining applications in the Global South and Eastern Hemisphere, particularly those providing firsthand evidence of systems research's effectiveness in these contexts, are especially encouraged.

Potential topics

  • Leading change in dynamic societies through complex-adaptive systems models
  • Structure, practice, and impact of educational systems on employment, income, social transformation
  • Added value of AI, blockchain, and other technical implementations of systems operations
  • Effects of systems-oriented consulting services
  • Limitations of systems designs and interplay with improvisation and heuristics
  • Leadership systems development, application, and assessment
  • Cultural differences and specificities affecting the application of formal systems models