A critical process for the evaluation of methodology
This thesis uses Critical Systems Thinking (CST) as a basic philosophy to explore how to create a critical process for evaluating methodology. CST is different from the other two mainstreams of systems thinking (Hard Systems Thinking and Soft Systems Thinking) in terms of its emphasis on methodological pluralism, critical awareness and emancipation. The study begins with an explanation of a widely used critical systems methodology, Total Systems Intervention (TSI). TSI offers a means for evaluating other methodologies, and the original aim of the thesis was to further develop this. However, the way the research progressed resulted in a break with the basic structure of TSI. Consequently, a new methodology was produced, which can either be used independently or within TSI. This is called Participative Methodology Evaluation (PME). PME is founded on the idea that a person's understanding of a methodology is influenced by his/her social ideology. Thus, the basic concern of the evaluation of methodology needs to be how methodology-users and organisational/environmental stakeholders can examine their ideological differences through processes of critique in order to make more informed choices. In particular, three
Ho, Chia-Hui
Management
A critical process for the evaluation of methodology. This thesis uses Critical Systems Thinking (CST) as a basic philosophy to explore how to create a critical process for evaluating methodology. CST is different from the other two mainstreams of systems thinking (Hard Systems Thinking and Soft Systems Thinking) in terms of its emphasis on methodological pluralism, critical awareness and emancipation. The study begins with an explanation of a widely used critical systems methodology, Total Systems Intervention (TSI). TSI offers a means for evaluating other methodologies, and the original aim of the thesis was to further develop this. However, the way the research progressed resulted in a break with the basic structure of TSI. Consequently, a new methodology was produced, which can either be used independently or within TSI. This is called Participative Methodology Evaluation (PME). PME is founded on the idea that a person's understanding of a methodology is influenced by his/her social ideology. Thus, the basic concern of the evaluation of methodology needs to be how methodology-users and organisational/environmental stakeholders can examine their ideological differences through processes of critique in order to make more informed choices. In particular, three
critical process evaluation methodology critical systems thinking basic philosophy explore create critical process evaluate methodology different mainstream system think hard systems thinking soft systems thinking term emphasis methodological pluralism critical awareness emancipation study_begin explanation widely_use critical system total systems intervention offer_mean evaluate methodology original aim_develop this however way progress resulted break basic_structure consequently new produce either use independently within call evaluation found idea person influence his_her social ideology thus basic concern evaluation need methodology users organisational environmental stakeholder examine ideological difference process critique order make informed choice particular