{"id":"https://openalex.org/W2082459665","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920910973144","title":"Soft systems and research","display_name":"Soft systems and research","publication_year":2009,"publication_date":"2009-06-12","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W2082459665","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920910973144","mag":"2082459665"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1108/03684920910973144","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920910973144","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S168682784","display_name":"Kybernetes","issn_l":"0368-492X","issn":["0368-492X","1758-7883"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319811","host_organization_name":"Emerald Publishing Limited","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319811"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Emerald Publishing Limited"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Kybernetes","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5028724815","display_name":"Frank Stowell","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4763-660X"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I63072094","display_name":"University of Portsmouth","ror":"https://ror.org/03ykbk197","country_code":"GB","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I63072094"]}],"countries":["GB"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Frank Stowell","raw_affiliation_strings":["Information Systems Group, School of Computing, Faculty of Technology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK","(Information Systems Group, School of Computing, Faculty of Technology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK)"],"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Information Systems Group, School of Computing, Faculty of Technology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I63072094"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"(Information Systems Group, School of Computing, Faculty of Technology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK)","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I63072094"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5028724815"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I63072094"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":1.2052,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":13,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.81693731,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":90,"max":96},"biblio":{"volume":"38","issue":"6","first_page":"879","last_page":"896"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11810","display_name":"Complex Systems and Decision Making","score":0.9979000091552734,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1803","display_name":"Management Science and Operations Research"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/18","display_name":"Decision Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11810","display_name":"Complex Systems and Decision Making","score":0.9979000091552734,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1803","display_name":"Management Science and Operations Research"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/18","display_name":"Decision Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10778","display_name":"Philosophy and History of Science","score":0.9128999710083008,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1207","display_name":"History and Philosophy of Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/soft-systems-methodology","display_name":"Soft systems methodology","score":0.8019091486930847},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cybernetics","display_name":"Cybernetics","score":0.7383880019187927},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/systems-thinking","display_name":"Systems thinking","score":0.7183445692062378},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/originality","display_name":"Originality","score":0.6767795085906982},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/value","display_name":"Value (mathematics)","score":0.6426180005073547},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/computer-science","display_name":"Computer science","score":0.5576074719429016},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/engineering-ethics","display_name":"Engineering ethics","score":0.5212819576263428},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/foundation","display_name":"Foundation (evidence)","score":0.5200597643852234},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/management-science","display_name":"Management science","score":0.5039324164390564},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/epistemology","display_name":"Epistemology","score":0.5010049343109131},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/contemplation","display_name":"Contemplation","score":0.4888553023338318},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/process","display_name":"Process (computing)","score":0.4884249269962311},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/systems-research","display_name":"Systems research","score":0.47170352935791016},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/systems-theory","display_name":"Systems theory","score":0.4213520884513855},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/sociology","display_name":"Sociology","score":0.33613884449005127},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/information-system","display_name":"Information system","score":0.2827403247356415},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/artificial-intelligence","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","score":0.23232731223106384},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/social-science","display_name":"Social science","score":0.16593483090400696},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/engineering","display_name":"Engineering","score":0.16253811120986938},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/qualitative-research","display_name":"Qualitative research","score":0.14515355229377747},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/management-information-systems","display_name":"Management information systems","score":0.11139523983001709},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/philosophy","display_name":"Philosophy","score":0.0892890989780426}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C141846272","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q613474","display_name":"Soft systems methodology","level":4,"score":0.8019091486930847},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115286129","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123637","display_name":"Cybernetics","level":2,"score":0.7383880019187927},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C27177047","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269699","display_name":"Systems thinking","level":2,"score":0.7183445692062378},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776950860","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2914681","display_name":"Originality","level":3,"score":0.6767795085906982},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776291640","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2912517","display_name":"Value (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.6426180005073547},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.5576074719429016},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C55587333","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1133029","display_name":"Engineering ethics","level":1,"score":0.5212819576263428},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780966255","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5474306","display_name":"Foundation (evidence)","level":2,"score":0.5200597643852234},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C539667460","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2414942","display_name":"Management science","level":1,"score":0.5039324164390564},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111472728","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9471","display_name":"Epistemology","level":1,"score":0.5010049343109131},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C178288346","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1123855","display_name":"Contemplation","level":2,"score":0.4888553023338318},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C98045186","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205663","display_name":"Process (computing)","level":2,"score":0.4884249269962311},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3018944089","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269699","display_name":"Systems research","level":3,"score":0.47170352935791016},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C89798329","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269699","display_name":"Systems theory","level":2,"score":0.4213520884513855},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144024400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201","display_name":"Sociology","level":0,"score":0.33613884449005127},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C180198813","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q121182","display_name":"Information system","level":2,"score":0.2827403247356415},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.23232731223106384},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C36289849","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34749","display_name":"Social science","level":1,"score":0.16593483090400696},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C127413603","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11023","display_name":"Engineering","level":0,"score":0.16253811120986938},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C190248442","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q839486","display_name":"Qualitative research","level":2,"score":0.14515355229377747},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C29848774","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61905","display_name":"Management information systems","level":3,"score":0.11139523983001709},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C138885662","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5891","display_name":"Philosophy","level":0,"score":0.0892890989780426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778053677","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30121","display_name":"Pasture","level":2,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119599485","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q43035","display_name":"Electrical engineering","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111919701","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9135","display_name":"Operating system","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C18903297","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7150","display_name":"Ecology","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C86803240","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q420","display_name":"Biology","level":0,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C95457728","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q309","display_name":"History","level":0,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C166957645","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23498","display_name":"Archaeology","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.0}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1108/03684920910973144","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920910973144","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S168682784","display_name":"Kybernetes","issn_l":"0368-492X","issn":["0368-492X","1758-7883"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319811","host_organization_name":"Emerald Publishing Limited","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319811"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Emerald Publishing Limited"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Kybernetes","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":64,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W43168330","https://openalex.org/W133015456","https://openalex.org/W145677748","https://openalex.org/W238550532","https://openalex.org/W375404513","https://openalex.org/W567240170","https://openalex.org/W652242553","https://openalex.org/W1480877497","https://openalex.org/W1492856410","https://openalex.org/W1495000709","https://openalex.org/W1506476636","https://openalex.org/W1519077461","https://openalex.org/W1522588346","https://openalex.org/W1534304055","https://openalex.org/W1597750586","https://openalex.org/W1604954065","https://openalex.org/W1895273801","https://openalex.org/W1967343639","https://openalex.org/W1970428482","https://openalex.org/W1979209574","https://openalex.org/W1980450223","https://openalex.org/W1987075074","https://openalex.org/W1987789700","https://openalex.org/W1989593490","https://openalex.org/W1993361194","https://openalex.org/W2000049702","https://openalex.org/W2004481065","https://openalex.org/W2026524354","https://openalex.org/W2034223465","https://openalex.org/W2036498929","https://openalex.org/W2042137662","https://openalex.org/W2072863585","https://openalex.org/W2085123588","https://openalex.org/W2092613485","https://openalex.org/W2096915084","https://openalex.org/W2101395330","https://openalex.org/W2107928912","https://openalex.org/W2111030512","https://openalex.org/W2123755784","https://openalex.org/W2128487591","https://openalex.org/W2128773789","https://openalex.org/W2133958435","https://openalex.org/W2274923782","https://openalex.org/W2280671476","https://openalex.org/W2485997718","https://openalex.org/W2486481829","https://openalex.org/W2921753315","https://openalex.org/W2945661609","https://openalex.org/W3026168860","https://openalex.org/W3135291502","https://openalex.org/W3138588297","https://openalex.org/W3166170525","https://openalex.org/W4214814923","https://openalex.org/W4230715837","https://openalex.org/W4237879735","https://openalex.org/W4240472984","https://openalex.org/W4244515384","https://openalex.org/W4320009379","https://openalex.org/W4388152435","https://openalex.org/W6609179162","https://openalex.org/W6620078376","https://openalex.org/W6631921170","https://openalex.org/W6679077276","https://openalex.org/W6695304538"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W265707475","https://openalex.org/W2741863502","https://openalex.org/W108600441","https://openalex.org/W108616332","https://openalex.org/W1492856410","https://openalex.org/W2580344003","https://openalex.org/W638110363","https://openalex.org/W2082459665","https://openalex.org/W1516242445","https://openalex.org/W1993570919"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Purpose":[0],"This":[1],"paper":[2,27,54,114,206],"is":[3,28,35,64,173,201,207],"written":[4],"in":[5,15,43,222,230],"response":[6],"to":[7,20,41,74,78,86,92,106,210,228],"the":[8,21,31,38,62,95,107,119,122,156,159,199,224,231],"question":[9,39],"\u201cWhat":[10],"developments":[11],"are":[12,72,219,226],"taking":[13],"place":[14],"systems?\u201d":[16],"as":[17,49],"a":[18,67,183],"contribution":[19],"November":[22],"2006":[23],"Cybernetics":[24],"Conference.":[25],"The":[26,53,82,113,205],"based":[29,176],"upon":[30,187],"assumption":[32],"that":[33,132,137,196],"what":[34,71,197],"meant":[36],"by":[37],"relates":[40],"research":[42,99,104,128,134],"an":[44,144],"area":[45],"of":[46,94,109,124,139,158,167,208,233],"systems":[47,80,127,142,212],"known":[48],"soft":[50,79,126,141,211],"systems.":[51],"Design/methodology/approach":[52],"begins":[55],"with":[56],"clarification":[57],"about":[58,121,155],"\u201cSystems\u201d":[59],"and":[60,100,129,146,161,171,189,214],"then":[61],"reader":[63],"taken":[65],"on":[66,89,178],"personal":[68],"journey":[69],"through":[70],"considered":[73],"be":[75],"important":[76],"contributions":[77],"research.":[81],"account":[83],"includes":[84],"reference":[85],"philosophical":[87],"treatise":[88],"aspects":[90],"relevant":[91],"some":[93,101],"difficulties":[96],"facing":[97],"subjective":[98,202],"outcomes":[102],"from":[103,118],"germane":[105],"development":[108],"these":[110,140],"ideas.":[111],"Findings":[112],"recounts":[115],"lessons":[116],"learnt":[117],"practice":[120,172],"nature":[123,157],"undertaking":[125],"whilst":[130],"acknowledging":[131],"this":[133],"continues":[135],"suggests":[136],"because":[138],"has":[143,151,182],"intellectual":[145],"practical":[147],"foundation.":[148],"Originality/value":[149],"Systems":[150,169,191],"become":[152],"more":[153],"contemplative":[154],"world":[160],"how":[162],"each":[163],"one":[164],"makes":[165,194],"sense":[166],"it.":[168],"thinking":[170,192],"no":[174],"longer":[175],"solely":[177],"biological":[179],"models":[180],"but":[181,203],"greater":[184],"emphasis":[185],"placed":[186],"understanding":[188],"learning.":[190,234],"now":[193],"explicit":[195],"comprises":[198],"whole":[200],"rigorous.":[204],"value":[209],"researchers":[213],"practitioners":[215],"especially":[216],"those":[217],"who":[218],"attempting":[220],"research/practice":[221],"which":[223],"clients":[225],"encouraged":[227],"participate":[229],"process":[232]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2019,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2018,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2016,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2015,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2014,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2013,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2012,"cited_by_count":2}],"updated_date":"2025-11-06T03:46:38.306776","created_date":"2025-10-10T00:00:00"}