Beyond methodology choice: critical systems thinking as critically systemic discourse
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Beyond methodology choice: critical systems thinking as critically systemic discourse W Ulrich* University of Fribourg, Switzerland Professional competence in applied disciplines such as OR/MS requires both technical expertise and critically reflective skills. Yet, a widespread misconception has taken hold of the OR/MS community: ‘critical’ and ‘emancipatory’ systems methodologies are opposed to ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ ones as if they were sensible alternatives. Accordingly, adequate ‘methodology choice’ is now widely considered a key condition of reflective professional practice; critical systems thinking (CST) is understood to deal mainly with this issue. The present paper argues that this conception of CST is neither theoretically sound nor conducive to reflective practice. An examination of the two major current strands of CST suggests some basic requirements of an alternative conception: (1) Reflective practice depends more on a framework of critical argumentation and discourse than on a framework of methodology choice. (2) A well-conceived discursive systems approach will give a proper place to the public sphere. (3) The much-discussed emancipatory orientation of CST inheres in the methodological requirements of discourse rather than in an arbitrary ‘commitment’ on the part of the systems practitioner. (4) Systemic boundary critique—the methodological core concept of critical systems heuristics (CSH)—allows us to translate these requirements into practical methodology. (5) Contrary to present conceptions of methodological pluralism or ‘complementarism’, boundary critique must not be subordinated to methodology choice, for it is constitutive of all critical inquiry and practice. These considerations lead to a reconstitution of CST, and to a new view of reflective professional practice in general, as critically systemic discourse. Journal of the Operational Research Society (2003) 54, 325–342. doi:10.1057/palgrave.jors.2601518 Keywords: boundary critique; critical systems thinking; methodology choice; philosophy of OR; practice of OR; professionalism
Introduction: systems thinking as critical discourse Critical systems thinking (CST) is about critical systems practice. That is, it stands or falls by the ability to promote reflective professional practice. If this is so, one must wonder whether the prevailing association of CST with methodology choice is adequate. This paper argues that CST is more appropriately understood as a form of critical discourse, whatever methodologies may be used. Only thus can we expect it to fulfil its purpose of promoting reflective practice. In Critical Heuristics1 and on other occasions,2 I have offered a detailed philosophical argument for the shift from the prevailing ‘monological’ to a more dialogical or discursive understanding of the systems approach. That argument was developed against the background of two contrasting philosophical conceptions of discursive rationality in appl
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