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All Outputs (55)

Operational Research: Methods and Applications (2023)
Journal Article
Petropoulos, F., Laporte, G., Aktas, E., Alumur, S. A., Archetti, C., Ayhan, H., …Zhao, X. (2023). Operational Research: Methods and Applications. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 75(3), 423–617. https://doi.org/10.1080/01605682.2023.2253852

Throughout its history, Operational Research has evolved to include methods, models and algorithms that have been applied to a wide range of contexts. This encyclopedic article consists of two main sections: methods and applications. The first summar... Read More about Operational Research: Methods and Applications.

The Four Waves of Systems Thinking (2023)
Journal Article
Cabrera, D., Cabrera, L., & Midgley, G. (2023). The Four Waves of Systems Thinking. Journal of Systems Thinking, 3, 1-51. https://doi.org/10.54120/jost.000051

This Handbook is about the past, present, and future of systems thinking. It captures the history of systems thinking over its first three ‘waves,’ which are thought of as significant paradigmatic time periods in the history of the field. It then int... Read More about The Four Waves of Systems Thinking.

Multi-level participation in integrative, systemic planning: The case of climate adaptation in Ghana (2023)
Journal Article
Helfgott, A., Midgley, G., Chaudhury, A., Vervoort, J., Sova, C., & Ryan, A. (2023). Multi-level participation in integrative, systemic planning: The case of climate adaptation in Ghana. European journal of operational research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2023.01.045

Adaptation to climate change is impacted by a range of interrelated processes operating from local to global levels. There are often significant disconnects between different people's perceptions of responsibilities, capabilities and motivations, and... Read More about Multi-level participation in integrative, systemic planning: The case of climate adaptation in Ghana.

Alexander Bogdanov and the question of unity: An emerging research agenda (2023)
Journal Article
Şenalp, Ö., & Midgley, G. (2023). Alexander Bogdanov and the question of unity: An emerging research agenda. Systems research and behavioral science, 40(2), 328-348. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2923

In this paper, we propose a research agenda to support the recovery of Alexander Bogdanov's philosophical and systemic thinking that culminated in his magnum opus, Tektology. Our main reason for doing so is to re-address enduring questions about the... Read More about Alexander Bogdanov and the question of unity: An emerging research agenda.

Mindfulness and Behavioural Insights: Reflections on the Meditative Brain, Systems Theory and Organisational Change (2022)
Journal Article
Lilley, R., Whitehead, M., & Midgley, G. (2022). Mindfulness and Behavioural Insights: Reflections on the Meditative Brain, Systems Theory and Organisational Change. Journal of Awareness-Based Systems Change, 2(2), 29-57. https://doi.org/10.47061/jasc.v2i2.3857

This paper explores the impacts of the Mindfulness-Based Behavioural Insights and Decision-Making (MBBI) programme. Combining mindfulness with behavioural insights instruction, the authors have developed the MBBI programme through a series of iterati... Read More about Mindfulness and Behavioural Insights: Reflections on the Meditative Brain, Systems Theory and Organisational Change.

A systems perspective on systemic innovation (2021)
Journal Article
Midgley, G., & Lindhult, E. (2021). A systems perspective on systemic innovation. Systems research and behavioral science, 38(5), 635–670. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2819

The term ‘systemic innovation’ is increasing in use, but there is no consensus on its meaning: five understandings of the term can be identified, each based on a different view of what the word ‘systemic’ should refer to. The first understanding focu... Read More about A systems perspective on systemic innovation.

Critical Systems Thinking, Systemic Intervention and Beyond (2021)
Book Chapter
Midgley, G., & Rajagopalan, R. (2021). Critical Systems Thinking, Systemic Intervention and Beyond. In G. S. Metcalf, K. Kijima, & H. Deguchi (Eds.), Handbook of Systems Sciences (107-157). New York: Springer Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0720-5

Applied systems thinking has evolved since the 1950s through three paradigmatic waves. Authors in the first wave regarded systems as real-world entities, and systems models as representations of reality, so objectivity was important. In contrast, sec... Read More about Critical Systems Thinking, Systemic Intervention and Beyond.

Designing interagency responses to wicked problems: Creating a common, cross-agency understanding (2020)
Journal Article
Sydelko, P., Midgley, G., & Espinosa, A. (2021). Designing interagency responses to wicked problems: Creating a common, cross-agency understanding. European journal of operational research, 24(1), 250-263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2020.11.045

Wicked problems are open-ended, highly interdependent issues that cross agency, stakeholder, jurisdictional, and geopolitical boundaries. In response, there has been advocacy for interagency working. However, this confounds conventional approaches to... Read More about Designing interagency responses to wicked problems: Creating a common, cross-agency understanding.

How Systems Thinking Enhances Systems Leadership (2020)
Report
Hobbs, C., & Midgley, G. (2020). How Systems Thinking Enhances Systems Leadership. London: National Leadership Centre

Systems leadership is only part of what is needed to deal with cross-cutting issues. Leaders need to be allowed to step back from the system they are in, think about what they are trying to achieve in relation to the bigger picture, and collaborate w... Read More about How Systems Thinking Enhances Systems Leadership.

Exploring Boundaries in Food Systems Research: Implications for Projects on UK Food Security (2020)
Report
Helfgott, A., & Midgley, G. (in press). Exploring Boundaries in Food Systems Research: Implications for Projects on UK Food Security. Swindon: RCUK Global Food Security Programme (subcontract to University of Oxford)

Executive Summary This report describes the Global Food Security (GFS) Boundaries Project, which represents the first systematic attempt to apply critical systems thinking and practice to a food systems research programme (as opposed to a single... Read More about Exploring Boundaries in Food Systems Research: Implications for Projects on UK Food Security.

Systemic evaluation of community environmental management programmes (2020)
Journal Article
Foote, J., Midgley, G., Ahuriri-Driscoll, A., Hepi, M., & Earl-Goulet, J. (2021). Systemic evaluation of community environmental management programmes. European journal of operational research, 288(1), 207-224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2020.05.019

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Community environmental management (CEM) involves the facilitation of community partnerships, local dialogue, consultation and participative decision-making. This is increasingly seen as a solution to some of the more complex env... Read More about Systemic evaluation of community environmental management programmes.

Foreword (2020)
Book Chapter
Midgley, G. (2020). Foreword. In Immersive Systemic Knowing: Advancing Systems Thinking Beyond Rational Analysis (xi-xi). Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49135-2

This is the Foreword to a book by Raghav Rajagopalan called "Immersive Systemic Knowing: Advancing Systems Thinking Beyond Rational Analysis", published by Springer, New York, in October 2020.

Expertise in research integration and implementation for tackling complex problems: when is it needed, where can it be found and how can it be strengthened? (2020)
Journal Article
Bammer, G., O’Rourke, M., O’Connell, D., Neuhauser, L., Midgley, G., Klein, J. T., …Richardson, G. P. (2020). Expertise in research integration and implementation for tackling complex problems: when is it needed, where can it be found and how can it be strengthened?. Palgrave communications, 6(1), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-019-0380-0

© 2020, The Author(s). Expertise in research integration and implementation is an essential but often overlooked component of tackling complex societal and environmental problems. We focus on expertise relevant to any complex problem, especially cont... Read More about Expertise in research integration and implementation for tackling complex problems: when is it needed, where can it be found and how can it be strengthened?.

Stakeholder identification and engagement in problem structuring interventions (2019)
Journal Article
Gregory, A. J., Atkins, J. P., Midgley, G., & Hodgson, A. (2020). Stakeholder identification and engagement in problem structuring interventions. European journal of operational research, 283(1), 321-340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2019.10.044

© 2019 The Authors This paper addresses the under-researched issue of stakeholder identification and engagement in problem structuring interventions. A concise framework is proposed to aid critical reflection in the design and reporting of stakeholde... Read More about Stakeholder identification and engagement in problem structuring interventions.

Towards a heart and soul for co-creative research practice: A systemic approach (2019)
Journal Article
Nicholas, G., Foote, J., Kainz, K., Midgley, G., Prager, K., & Zurbriggen, C. (2019). Towards a heart and soul for co-creative research practice: A systemic approach. Evidence and Policy, 15(3), 353-370. https://doi.org/10.1332/174426419X15578220630571

© Policy Press 2019 The language of co-creation has become popular with policy makers, researchers and consultants wanting to support evidence-based change. However, there is little agreement about what features a research or consultancy project must... Read More about Towards a heart and soul for co-creative research practice: A systemic approach.

Developing a systemic program evaluation methodology: A critical systems perspective (2018)
Journal Article
Torres-Cuello, M. A., Pinzón-Salcedo, L., & Midgley, G. (2018). Developing a systemic program evaluation methodology: A critical systems perspective. Systems research and behavioral science, 35(5), 538-547. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2561

In recent years, there has been an increased interest within the program evaluation field for introducing systems thinking concepts. However, most of these attempts have been primarily directed towards supporting the practice of evaluation and not to... Read More about Developing a systemic program evaluation methodology: A critical systems perspective.