A Conceptual Framework for Integrating Methodologies in Management: Partial Results of a Systemic Intervention in a Textile SME in Argentina

Abstract

We report on the partial results of a systemic intervention in which a combined range of methods from classical operational research (OR), problem structuring methods and quality management tools was deployed in a small and medium-sized enterprise in Argentina. Involving a full stakeholders' participation, the intervention allowed the team to appreciate and better understand the features of the problematic situation and its underlying causes and helped the management to define action plans to bring improvements to the organization. Using the multi-methodological framework proposed by Mingers and Brockelsby for integrating methodologies as a starting point, we advance and test a modified framework that distinguish methodologies/methods by its location in the real world or in the thinking/conceptual world. The article contributes to the current debate on OR multiple paradigmatic practice and follows the trend to combine hard methods, wellknown soft OR tools with some less-known methodologies from the ever increasing portfolio of methodologies.

Combining Value-Focused thinking and soft systems methodology: A systemic framework to structure the planning process at a special educational needs school in Brazil

“…The recent OR literature evidences that the MM approach has been applied in various organisational contexts like sustainability (Kamari et al, 2019), healthcare (Small & Wainwright, 2018;Tako & Kotiadis, 2015), and community OR (Brocklesby & Beall, 2018;Henao, & Franco, 2016). The practice also has applications in contexts of small and medium-sized enterprises, as cited in Silva Barros et al (2013); Paucar-Caceres et al (2015); and Castellini and Paucar-Caceres (2019). Furthermore, Mingers (1997a, b), Mingers (1999), Mingers (2001aMingers ( , 2001b, and Munro and Mingers (2002) contain other relevant evidence in the OR literature about MM approaches.…”

A Systemic Framework to Evaluate Student Satisfaction in Latin American Universities under the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…In our experience of practicing multimethodology using systems thinking principles, see [50][51][52], one way of facilitating those is to assemble a multi-disciplinarily team. This project has been the product of a multidisciplinary effort: One author is fully conversant on soft approaches and systems thinking practice [51][52][53]; one is expert in education [54]; other one is fairly familiar with applications of systems thinking in sustainability and public policy [55]; other in statistical analysis [56]; and international education formed the rest of the team. On reflection, at end of our exercise, the authors who were not familiar with systems thinking saw the benefits that this can bring and felt that they have acquired a useful tool to tackle complexity in future projects.…”

Anais do(a) 16º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DE SISTEMAS

“…Após pesquisa na literatura de PS e PP foi proposta uma estrutura sistêmica que combinou a Soft System Methodology (SSM) com o ciclo de Políticas Públicas, conforme é apresentada na figura 4, visando auxiliar o processo de implementação de políticas públicas usando uma metodologia de aprendizagem como SSM iterativa e participativa, envolvendo os stakeholders envolvidos no processo. Essa proposta foi apresentada por Cavalcanti-Bandos e Paucar-Caceres (2019) por ocasião da 61ª. Conferência Anual de Operational Research realizada na University of Kent (Reino Unido), como uma dos resultados de uma pesquisa de pós-doutorado conduzida na Manchester Metropolitan University (Reino Unido).…”

“…Observa-se, contudo, que o monitoramento e avaliação, podem ter acontecido e refletir a necessidade de problemas na fase de implementação, assim, a SSM permite o repensar da política pública no "mundo do pensamento sistêmico" para que uma solução viável seja sistematizada e implementada no "mundo real" da política pública. Figura 4 -Estrutura Sistêmica Proposta (CAVALCANTI-BANDOS; PAUCAR-CACERES, 2019) Na sequencia, apresenta-se neste artigo um relatório do trabalho em andamento em que se pretende usar a estrutura sistêmica da figura 4 em um caso real com o objetivo de auxiliar na implementação de um conjunto de políticas públicas voltadas ao meio ambiente -o Programa Município Verde Azul Paulista na cidade de Franca (SP). (PMVA, 2019).…”