Abstract
This article presents a system’s view of a common sense management model for systems (COSMOS) [1]. Salient features of COSMOS are introduced through the unfolding story of process development of a hypothetical corporation called IM Co. This systemic view models the dynamic complexity of a system or organization so that inerrelationships, rather than things, patterns of changes, rather than snapshots, are captured. COSMOS views changes as an ongoing opportunity and provides guidance for system changes to be performed in small steps. However, these small steps can build a long lever that is capable of producing dramatic effects. When performing changes, essential trade-offs have to be considered. COSMOS provides three perspectives—activity, communication, and infrastructure—of a process to assist managers in dealing with these trade-offs. The model also includes a generic two-level hierarchy—control and execution levels—to keep balance among the three perspectives.
Atricle Footnote
“Small Is Beautiful” — Ernst Fredrich Schumacher “Give me a lever long enough...and single-handed I can move the world” — Archimedes
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
R.T. Yeh, D. Naumann, R.T. Mittermeir, R.A. Schlemmer, G. Sumrall, J. LeBaron. “COSMOS: A commonsense management model for system.” To appear in IEEE Software Special Issue.
W.W. Royce, “Managing the development of large software systems” in Proc. IEEE WESCON. August 1970.
S. Schultz, Rapid Iterative Prototyping Guide. DuPont Information Engineering Associates, Wilmington, DE, 1989.
R. Thomsett, “Managing superlarge projects: A contingency approach.” American Programmer vol 4, no. 6, 1991.
R. Likert, “The principle of supportive relationships,” in Organisation Theory. D.S. Pugh (ed.). Penguin Books: Middlesex, 1971.
D.D. McCracken and M.A. Jackson, “Life cycle concept considered harmful,” ACM Software Engineering Notes. vol. 7, no. 4, April 1982.
C. Floyd, “Outline of a paradigm change in software engineering; ” ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes, vol. 13, no. 2, 1987.
B.W. Boehm, “A spiral model of software development and enhancement,” IFFF Comput. vol. 21, no. 5, May 1988.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1991 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Yeh, R.T., Schlemmer, R.A., Mittermeir, R.T. (1991). A Systemic Approach to Process Modeling. In: Yeh, R.T. (eds) Case Technology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3644-4_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3644-4_2
Received:
Revised:
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6621-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-3644-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive