Abstract

It is almost common-sense knowledge by now, that a transdisciplinary approach displays a substantially higher potential to contend with the challenges posed by complex issues, than merely disciplinary or additive interdisciplinary modes of inquiry. As will be shown in this  paper, this does hold for education and research in the field of management and leadership. In principle, any generalized, formal language could be used in order to provide means of communication across different disciplines needed to deal with a complex issue at hand. To give some examples, logic, mathematics, statistics and philosophy provide such transdisciplinary languages. The specific transdisciplinary apparatus s that has emerged through the systems approach focuses on dynamic complexity. Therefore it is specially apt to enhance human and social actors' potential to deal with the complexities of our day.

The twentieth century has not only seen drastic developments in the complexity and dynamics of social systems at all levels. It has also bred a new evolutionary stage of science through the emergence of systems theory (cf. Rapoport 1998). This is the science which deals with the structure and behaviour of all kinds of organized wholes (cf. Bertalanffy 1968). Two different streams of systemic inquiry can be discerned, which are of pecial interest to organisations and other social systems.

On one hand, a "cybernetics thread" of inquiry has bred Cybernetics, the Sceince of the (self-) control and communication in and of complex dynamical systems (cf. Wiener, 1948). From this tradition, a new approach to dealing with the issues of structure, adaptation and learning of organisations, has emanated, which is subsumed under Management Cybernetics (cf. Beer passim) or Organizational Cybernetics.

On the other, a "servomechanism thread" of inquiry has led to the development of new methodologies for the modeling and simulation of complex dynamic systems. Of these, the theory and methodology of System Dynamics, has proven to be highly useful for triggering insights into the "counterintuitive behaviour" of social systems (Forrester passim). Given its generality, it has also triggered a broad range of applications.

Both of these "threads" have not only had a growing influence on management research and education in general. They have been cornerstones for the development of the Systems Approach to management at USG.

This paper is about the impact of the Systems Approach on management education and research. It will in particular draw on the experience gained at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, where the Systems Approach has orientated the research and education in general management for approximately three decades. The emphasis will be more on Cybernetics than on System Dynamics, for two reasons: Firstly, experiences with the former have been generally documented to a lesser extent than those with the latter. Secondly, Cybernetics has been more influential in the specific case of USG.