HSSS Manifesto

Declaration of Scientific Principles of the
Hellenic Society for Systemic Studies (HSSS)

1st Principle

Α. The HSSS is a scientific non-profit company, whose main objective is to promote and disseminate the Systemic Thinking, to develop systemic approaches applicable to several traditional and modern subjects through the use and development of internationally accepted methods, methodologies and multi-methodologies. Objectives of the HSSS also are: the introduction of the institution of Systemic Analyst in Greece, in academics, agencies, and businesses in general with the aim of making itself a scientific entity useful in the international scientific community.
Β. The Hellenic Society for Systemic Studies (HSSS) promotes interdisciplinarity through improved communication between the experts of any scientific area and urges the Greek scientists and professionals they generally use a systems approach to keep up with HSSS.

 

2nd Principle

Many of the current problems that occur in organizations in a broad or a limited scale in a group or even an individual level may be determined by the following:

  • They are complex and often difficult to be defined precisely.
  • They concern numerous and often conflicting participants who have different interpretations and non-matching visual approach.
  • They bear the imprint of earlier failed attempts to resolve them.
  • They provide superficial short term solutions without penetrating into the real solution of the problem, which will also lead to the cure.
  • They concern systems with complex dynamics, which is difficult to understand.
  • They resist obvious arrangements causing more complex and holistic settings.

They are treated with solutions often inaccessible to common intuition and logic.
Solving these problems has obvious difficulties while conventional and often trivial methods usually applied, fail to approach the truth. Their treatment is not achieved with additional unilateral specialization but is possible through communication channels among the experts, which communication will emerge and the interactions of the cognitive objects. The solutions often chosen perpetuate problems continually postponing their aggressive treatment and eradication. Systems approach using systemic methodologies and multi-methodologies for the radical treatment of such problems is now imperative.

 

3rd Principle

The HSSS as a scientific institution aims of the development, dissemination and application of systems analysis through the following channels:
•Scientific methodology searching for the truth of the problems relating to the protection of the collective sphere and liberated from the narrow limits of personal experiences and considerations of the Parties involved in the problem.
•Organized and structured convergence process of the viewpoints both of the expert and non-specific people involved in the problem, directed towards mutually acceptable positions and solutions, which detects and highlights the power of systems approach as a mechanism for convergence.
The scientific community HSSS aims not only the dissemination of systemic analysis but also the development of tools, processes and methodologies that will facilitate the application of systems analysis at all levels of decision making. Scientists and professionals who have not dealt with the systemic analysis but love systems, will have the ability through the scientific activities of the HSSS and its publications, which are of international level, to present their work and receive the positive results of the interdisciplinary cooperation. The HSSS’s intention is to make its members and anyone interested communicants in implementing the systems approach and the use of specialized systemic tools. This training will take place in special workshops, which will be organized by the company, while the scientific results will be released at regular annual national conferences in which there will be sessions that will address specific systemic issues. Besides, the company will set up special interest groups, which will be responsible for processing issues and problems of exclusive direction and whose work will be presented in parallel sessions at national conferences.
In all these ways, the HSSS aspires to have strong scientific and social contribution with humanistic character in all aspects of human activity both domestically and globally.
The specific objectives of the HSSS focus on the development and application of systemic approaches in both scientific fields and production, as stated in its Constitution. The HSSS will carry out National Congresses towards the systems approach and references to contemporary issues linked to the Greek society. The HSSS will make every effort in order the interdisciplinary presentation of various cognitive objects and applications presented at the same conference to become points of a constructive dialogue, consolidation and enrichment of knowledge between the participants.

 

4th Principle

The Systemic analysis as rigorous scientific approach consists of:
•A special holistic philosophical consideration of reality,
•a specialized communication code between specialists and
•an integrated set of scientific tools, techniques and methodologies
which have as common aim an interdisciplinary, holistic and systemic tackle of unaddressed and powerful problems.

 

5th Principle

The holistic philosophical approach, which the HSSS accepts and applies, is the systemic-holistic thinking. The systemic-holistic thinking is the disciplined observer effort to enrich the dynamic analysis available with the skills:
•Perception of interdependencies and synergies.
•Tracking poles, nuclei attraction, and archetypes.
•Assessment of self-organization and emergence of forms and behaviors.
•Perceptions of relational dynamics and of holistic composition.
The systemic-holistic thinking is the modern interdisciplinary philosophy. Our philosophy has always been the consistent link between the various disciplines. Through philosophy, sciences used to interact with and meet a whole range of problems of human existence. The specialization distanced sciences one from another. The experts, because of tuple reasons and direct causes, were left away from the substantial scientific communication between them leaving major and complex problems to persist and expand. A systemic approach with the dynamic tools available, is building bridges of creative dialogue and integration. The Systemic Thinking and Practice is an ingenious creation of human intellect. The Systemic Thought is free from considerations and meanness, has a purity and clarity and is able to drive the mankind through the streets of spiritual freedom pointing the way for holistic solutions to contemporary problems that arise.
The Systemic Thinking aims at spiritual cleansing and the emergence of mind in the knowledge area, its release from jerky, unconnected and occasional opinions, thoughts and deeds.

 

6th Principle

The specialized communication code between experts consists of concepts and terms developed in scientific fields such as:
•General systems theory.
•Cybernetics and information theory and communication.
•Neo-cybernetics and neuronal networks.
•System Dynamics and Feedback theory.
•Science of complexity.
•Organizational research and organizational behavior.
Concepts such as:
Open – closed systems, systems’ border, communication, control, subsystem, positive-negative feedback, hierarchy, homeostasis, forms, identity, input> edit> output, mental model, system’s topology, simulation, system dynamics, networks, isomorphism, sustainability, etc.
The HSSS’s main priority is to spread the systemic communication language between specialists and non-specialists in order to facilitate the constructive scientific convergence of their views, so that the dialogue between them becomes operational, substantial and effective.

 

7th Principle

The scientific tools of the systemic analysis consist of:
•Diagrammatic methods and methodologies for approach and analysis.
•Dialectic methodologies for numerous factors.
•Multi-methodologies.
•Dynamic approach and simulation of procedures using specialized software.
•Mathematical methods of quantitative analysis.
The HSSS aims not only to the use and implementation of existing but also to the development of specialized tools, processes, methodologies and multi-methodologies, in order to intervene in the study and to address difficult problems of Greek and global society.

 

8th Principle

In addition to the strict scientific positions, the HSSS supports the anthropocentric vision and ethics as key axes consolidating any systemic solution to man-made problems. Man for systemic thinking, is the center of any holistic vision and human morality, as this is expressed in modern organized society, is the basic principle of the implementation of systemic solutions.
The Systemic Thinking helps man to go into the purified realm of moral focusing on higher values of knowledge and love. Determining the Truth of the problem is the result of clean and open communications between persons who understand and trust each other, while these communications “are essential” in order to thrive a successful partnership.
Both in ancient Greek philosophy from Pythagoras and the need for harmony of the world up to the Platonic State and the Politics of Aristotle, and in recent systemic thinking, in the international literature and recent conferences, it is demonstrated that the study of Human Systems to new systemic environments advance Knowledge to systemic environment where they live and participate.

 

9th Principle

The HSSS seeks to establish the role of systemic analyst in every decision making process. Systemic analyst is the person who possesses well the systemic tools. He has applied prior to anywhere else in his own life. He uses them and proceeds. He is able to design solutions and processes that release the power of systems. He listens to the heart of the systems and affects their pulse. He understands the affected point of the system concerned and knows pathways healing. He loves the system because he is convinced that apart from the souls of the people who constitute them, the same are, by Professor Beer, living beings.

 

10th Principle

Α.The HSSS is responsible and supports the international scientific journal International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies (IJASS), which accepts for publication original research works and operates with the system of anonymous reviewers. The IJASS is issued by the international publisher Inderscience, which publishes nearly 200 scientific journals. The editorial committee and all the anonymous reviewers consist mainly of personalities of the international and of the Greek scientific community who have significant relevant CV.
Β.The HSSS constitutes the National Agency in the field of Systems Approach. It has joined as a full member of the International Federation for Systems Research National Societies, it participates in events and it is represented by its members in international scientific activities.

Hellenic Society of Systemic Studies