Systems Science for Engineers and Scholars

Avner Engel, PhD, has many years of experience in software and systems engineering as well as technical management within large R&D organizations and academia. He is the author of Verification, Validation, and Testing of Engineered Systems and Practical Creativity and Innovation in Systems Engineering, both published by Wiley. Currently, Dr. Engel is a researcher at the Tel-Aviv University-Systems Engineering Research Initiative (TAU-SERI).

• Preface xiiiAcknowledgments xvPart I Facets of Systems Science and Engineering 11 Introduction to Systems Science 31.1 Foreword 31.2 Critical Humanity Challenge 91.3 Systems Science in Brief 101.4 Early Systems Pioneers 201.5 Recommended Books on Systems Science 231.6 Systems Science: Criticisms and Responses 241.7 Bibliography 282 Principles of Systems Science (Part I) 302.1 Introduction 302.2 Universal Context 312.3 Systems Boundary 382.4 Systems Hierarchy 432.5 Systems Interactions 492.6 Systems Change 552.7 Bibliography 663 Principles of Systems Science (Part II) 683.1 Introduction 683.2 Systems Input/Output 693.3 Systems’ Complexity 753.4 Systems Control 913.5 Systems Evolution 963.6 Systems Emergence 1063.7 Bibliography 1124 Systems Thinking 1144.1 Introduction 1144.2 Fundamental Concepts of Systems Thinking 1154.3 The Iceberg Model of Systems Thinking 1184.4 Exploring Systems Thinking as a System 1204.5 Barriers to Systems Thinking 1214.6 Early Systems Thinking Pioneers 1244.7 Bibliography 1255 Systems Engineering 1275.1 Introduction 1275.2 Philosophy of Engineering 1275.3 Basic Systems Engineering Concepts 1425.4 Systems Engineering Deficiencies 1485.5 Bibliography 1626 Comparative Analysis - Two Domains 1646.1 Introduction 1646.2 A Case for Comparison 1656.3 Structure and Function of a Computer Hard Drive (CHD) 1666.4 Functional Correlations between the CHD and the DHD 1706.5 Conclusions 1776.6 Acknowledgments 1786.7 Bibliography 178Part II Holistic Systems Design 1797 Holistic Systems Context 1817.1 Introduction 1817.2 Rethinking the Context of the System 1817.3 Components of Systems Context 1827.4 Bibliography 1918 Example: UAV System of Interest (SoI) 1928.1 Introduction 1928.2 Example: UAV System 1938.3 Bibliography 2039 Example: UAV Context (Part I) 2049.1 Introduction 2049.2 UAV Context: Natural Systems 2059.3 UAV Context: Social Systems 2099.4 UAV Context: Research Systems 2109.5 UAV Context: Formation Systems 2179.6 UAV Context: Sustainment Systems 2219.7 UAV Context: Business Systems 2249.8 UAV Context: Commercial Systems 2279.9 Bibliography 23510 Example: UAV Context (Part II) 23610.1 Introduction 23610.2 UAV Context: Financial Systems 23710.3 UAV Context: Political Systems 24110.4 UAV Context: Legal Systems 24610.5 UAV Context: Cultural Systems 24810.6 UAV Context: Biosphere Systems 25610.7 Bibliography 258Part III Global Environment and Energy: Crisis and Action Plan 26111 Global Environment Crisis 26311.1 Introduction 26311.2 Climate Change 26711.3 Biodiversity Loss 27911.4 Bibliography 29012 Systemic Environment Action Plan 29212.1 Introduction 29212.2 Sustaining the Earth’s Environment 29212.3 Sustaining Human Society 30412.4 Bibliography 31613 Global Energy Crisis 31813.1 Introduction 31813.2 Current Global Energy Status 31813.3 Energy Return on Investment (EROI) 32113.4 Renewable Energy 32513.5 Fossil Fuel Energy 33213.6 Conventional Fission Reaction Energy 33413.7 Bibliography 33514 Systemic Energy Action Plan 33714.1 The Global Energy Dilemma 33714.2 Renewable Energy Action Plan 33814.3 Fossil Fuel Energy Action Plan 33914.4 Cars and Trucks Action Plan 34014.5 Fission Reaction Energy Action Plan 34114.6 Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) Action Plan 34114.7 Fusion Nuclear Energy Action Plan 34714.8 Bibliography 354Part IV More Systems Science for Engineers and Scholars 35515 Engineering and Systemic Psychology 35715.1 Introduction 35715.2 Schema Theory 35715.3 Cognitive Biases 36015.4 Systems Failures 36315.5 Cognitive Debiasing 37015.6 Bibliography 37516 Delivering Value and Resolving Conflicts 37616.1 Introduction 37616.2 Delivering Systems Value 37716.3 Conflict Analysis and Resolution 38316.4 Bibliography 39017 Multi-objective Multi-agent Decision Making 39117.1 Introduction 39117.2 Utility-Based Rewards 39217.3 Representation of the Decision Process 39217.4 Key Types of Decision Processes 39417.5 Example 1: Wolves and Sheep Predation 39817.6 Example 2: Cooperative Target Observation 40217.7 Example 3: Seaport Logistics 40417.8 Bibliography 40918 Systems Engineering Using Category Theory 41018.1 Introduction 41018.2 The Problem of Multidisciplinary, Collaborative Design 41118.3 Category Theory in Systems Engineering: A Brief Background 41318.4 Example: Designing an Electric Vehicle 41418.5 Category Theory (CT) as a System Specification Language 42118.6 Categorical Multidisciplinary Collaborative Design (C-MCD) 43018.7 The C-MCD Categories 43218.8 The Categorical Design Process 44418.9 Conclusion 44618.10 Acknowledgment 44718.11 Bibliography 44719 Holistic Risk Management Using SOSF Methodology 44819.1 Introduction 44819.2 Limitations of Current Risk Management Practices 44919.3 Features of SOSF 45019.4 Top-Level SOSF Actions 45419.5 Example 1: Holistic Risk Management and Failure Classes 45619.6 Example 2: Synthetic SOSF Risk Management 46419.7 Description of Typical ACP Systems 46919.8 Conclusion 47019.9 Acknowledgment 47019.10 Bibliography 47020 Systemic Accidents and Mishaps Analyses 47220.1 Introduction to Accident Causation Models 47220.2 Basic Accident, Incidents, and Mishap Concepts 47220.3 Classification of Accident Causation Models 47420.4 Systems Theoretic Accident Model and Process (STAMP) 47520.5 Causal Analysis System Theory (CAST) 48020.6 CAST Procedure 48020.7 CAST Example: CH-53 Helicopters Mid-Air Collision 48220.8 Bibliography 491Appendix-A: Distinguished Systems Science Researchers 493Appendix-B: Distinguished Systems Thinking Researchers 496Appendix-C: Permissions to Use Third-Party Copyright Material 498Appendix-D: List of Acronyms 515Index 524