Critical Management, Critical Systems Theory And System Dynamics Stream 13: OR/Systems Thinking for Social Improvement

This paper explores the theoretical compatibility and practical benefits of combining methods developed within Systems Dynamics with Critical Systems Thinking to address concerns relevant to critical management. Three questions arise. The first is how System Dynamics methods might be useful in critical management studies. What ‘problems’ within critical management studies might qualitative System Dynamics methods resolve? The second question is the nature of the theoretical relationship between Critical Systems Thinking and System Dynamics, asking where the potential similarities and differences in underlying theoretical perspective occur? The third question examines the extent to which it is possible to combine apparently incommensurate methodologies in a theoretically coherent way. Are there theoretically permissible ways of combining the methods of System Dynamics and Critical Systems Thinking? Can methods that were originally developed within a functiona list paradigm, be legitimately and usefully adapted for use within critical management studies? This investigation is important because Alvesson and Deetz (in (Clegg, Nord, & Hardy, 1996), p212) identified as problematic, both the lack of empirical studies within critical management studies and the lack of diversity of established empirical methods, developed in ways compatible with the theoretical assumptions of critical management theory. The former problem means that, typically, critical management studies use a limited range of methodologies and the (in)compatibility of other methods is assumed but is unelaborated and untested. The paper will conclude by identifying some general guidelines for combining these two different approaches to systems thinking.