A Critical Review of P.B Checklands Information Systems and System Thinking: Time to Unite?
The article seeks to find a union between the various approaches in information systems; systems thinking and information theory. It seeks to argue the case for application of new systemic systems thinking methodology to provide usefulness in solving some the problems affecting organizational information provisions in the last two decades.
In the IT industry, the majority of hardware and software are referred to as “systems” as this relates to the basic operation of these aspects as perceived by the technicians and engineers. This is perpetuated by knowledge passed through our curriculum that is mostly based on ideologies that were built upon on concepts laid out in the 1940-80 and have molded the mindset of professionals in these fields and this in itself is another topic of discussion (Katz, 1999). Checkland seeks to argue that based on this, there is a case for a systematic approach as regards to information systems.
This means that the elements that are not traditionally related to IT, those that deal with the individual and the organization in general are brought into focus. An example is the way meetings have been affected by advancements in voice and video technologies. They have been made more flexible and mobile thus leading to consequences beyond the technical, consequences relating to social and political aspects of an organization (Martinez, 1999). This pushes for understanding of these changes in the greater perspective of an organization.
The reader is engaged in defining the difference between systemic and systematic approaches to information systems and author seeks to show that earlier research in the field of information systems was based on an engineering view, a view based on logic, on hardware; the results leading to misplaced conclusion on what was called “information”, he however does not take into consideration that there could have been other research related to this that challenged this view as described by Tapscot & Caston(1993)
The use of diagrams enables the reader to internalize the argument been put forth and enables the author to build on his theory.
Do we embrace the new shift in systems thinking circa 1980? What is the view of information systems are related to human activity and the greater organization? These are questions raised by the author.
References
Katz, R. N., Ed. (1999). Dancing with the Devil: Information Technology and the New Competition in Higher Education. Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series. p128-130
Martinez, D. T. (1999). Systems Development Methods for Databases, Enterprise Modeling, and Workflow Management p209-231
Tapscott, D., Caston, A., (1993) Paradigm Shift: The New Promise of Information Technology p337
