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The purpose of this paper is to develop a behavioral mode (as opposed to a numerical one), which considers any parasitic behavior as an indication of a potentially contributing element in the overall system deficiency.

Similar to that associated with general systems theory, this paper concentrates on the organization and functions of natural systems which exhibit a loss of efficiency due to some general parasitic behavior. Based on the philosophy of “Bionics”, it clarifies the functional architecture and root-cause of this behavior in living systems in order to model subsystems characteristics which exhibit the same behavior in a complex system. In addition, a case study is done on the so-called “Eurozone financial difficulties” to examine the idea of this paper. However, limited access to proprietary financial data limits the generalization of the theory and therefore special case studies seem to be necessary.

The study of “parasites” and their associated functions introduces one possible explanation for the shortage of resources in systems. This concept could also help understand “interfaces” in a new perspective, where changing the system boundary could alter the type of interfaces in the system.

This work is applicable where there is a competition for the limited resources. Resource-based systems, such as financial systems, could be the subject of parasitic attack, and therefore, this work could build an appropriate foundation to understand and prevent this kind of danger to the system.

The presented behavioral model would be very useful to predict failures in systems which are rich in the resources. Detailed analysis on the subject, presented in this paper, provides initial knowledge to prevent shortage in system resources, caused by a general parasitic behavior.

The Seventies have experienced a proliferation of citizen, city, state, national and international groups aiming at designing alternative futures for a better society. With few exceptions these groups have neglected to incorporate into their designs the private corporation as an important determinant of these futures. In this paper we provide a conceptual framework which identifies the role of the private corporation as an indispensable agent in future developments. The framework discards the contemporary form of a corporation and proposes a new organic firm.

This research aims at examining public parks as a complex, interrelated system in which a public park’s natural system and its man-made system can work together within an ecocentric approach. It will create a framework that can support the design and management of public parks.

The article first introduces previous research and justifies the need for a new approach. It then uses conceptual analysis to examine the concepts that construct a park’s system through previous theoretical research. Finally, the public park system is constructed by synthesising its components and showing the interrelations between them. These components are defined based on previous theoretical and empirical research.

A public park system is defined as consisting of a natural system and a man-made system with multiple components that interact to offer the overall experience in a park. The defined system can be a useful tool for decision-makers, managers and designers in the analysis and evaluation of existing and potential projects to achieve multifunctional parks that are better utilised and have a wider influence.

The research offers an alternative approach for framing public parks that do not deal with their components in isolation from each other. This view of public parks brings together perspectives from different literature into one coherent framework that emphasises mutual dependencies and interactions in one integrated whole.

The purpose of this paper is to study major man‐made system disasters and to suggest a solution for filling the noted gaps in control systems interfaces and to render those vital considerations for the next‐generation disaster management control systems.

This research analyzes the nature of large‐scale disasters and observes that most man‐made system disasters are composed of many related events that interact with one another.

The findings show evidence of a common path to catastrophe. These functional failures resulted from the information gaps that eventually contribute to the development of a tragedy. Because of the intricate interconnections among related events of a developed calamity, an integrated approach to man‐made disaster detection and prevention as well as emergency management is required.

Conducting an analysis of the typical contingency control structures, the authors suggest that disaster or emergency managers adopt a pessimistic and quasi‐intelligent orientation to monitor and control critical systems.

This research presents a generic threat‐driven disaster management control system design with advanced model bases and decision support technologies to enhance conventional disaster management control systems and to supplement management responses so that the sphere and magnitude of damage can be minimized.

This paper sets out describe the creation of sustainable urban planning concepts based on optimized urban landscape functioning. It gives an account of the formation and transformation processes of natural and artificial streaming structures.

The paper examines the present‐day approaches to the environmental assessment and zoning of urban territories. This was achieved by creating the conceptual methodological basis for the assessment and classification of urban landscapes.

Based on an analysis of the urban planning development of the Moscow agglomeration, principles have been proposed for the shaping of sustainable urban planning structures – landscape planning that can be applied to the management of the territorial growth of large cities and urban agglomerations. First, the shaping and reconstruction of the city structure, including the structure of land management, as well as the mutual arrangement of functional areas, should be based on the need to preserve the axes – the lines and planes of mass, energy and information transfer of landscapes of various orders. Second, the order of preserved landscape axes depends on the organisational complexity of a territory. Third, assessment of the sustainability of the structure of a city and agglomeration should be based on the criteria of river systems along their borders, such as the quantity and composition of water, its temperature, retention of the annual functioning cycle and biodiversity. Finally, urban planning control regimes should be established across the entire city and they should be determined by the position of the territory in the city's landscape structure.

This work will provide a better understanding of integrated environmental systems to enable development of best management practices in the city of Moscow.

The protagonists of the “quality revolution” of the 1980s had a dream: to permeate each and all organizational activities – the strategic included – with the new “total quality management (TQM) culture.” The name TQM was in fact conceived to express the pervasiveness of the concept. In reality, progress took mainly place in the area of “doing things right,” a mostly technical area, specifically concerned with defect reduction. The purpose of this paper is to explore TQM possible contributions to the eminently strategic area of “doing the right things”: that is, making the correct choices in a continuously changing, turbulent environment.

This paper claims that TQM, to be significant, should prove to be able to contribute to “doing the right things” in large organizations.

To face the challenges of world globalization a broader view of management, and within it of managing for quality (that is, managing for customer/stakeholder value) is needed. The cultural basis for such changes should be education in systems thinking.

This paper looks at the way in which quality-related concepts have evolved, will evolve and should evolve to face the challenges of globalization.

The purpose of this paper is to report a further step in the authors' research and suggest a new – 4th order cybernetics, applying it to the issue of a sustainable future, that must unavoidably result from the current socio‐economic crisis surfacing in 2008 as the top of an iceberg, or humankind of the current civilization has poor chances to survive. One‐sided solutions do not prove to work; they make us think of systems and cybernetics.

Qualitative research with application to real‐life cases.

While cybernetics is about steering, i.e. influencing, cybernetics of the 1st and 2nd order might be insufficient for solving the problem, and cybernetics of the 3rd order might serve us better, but not enough either. The authors' thesis reads: they might better be put in a new synergy with the (Universal) Dialectical Systems Theory and Cybernetics of Conceptual Systems to make a new kind of systems theory/cybernetics called cybernetics of the 4th order. It should help human beings to attain the requisite holism of the human approach and the requisite wholeness of outcomes of human action.

A more holistic concept of cybernetics is suggested.

Control of ecological problems of today might be made easier.

This is the first publication about the concept of the 4th order cybernetics, especially with application to issues of sustainability.

The term “causes” of disasters is used interchangeably very often with other terms, such as “types” of disasters. Also, causes of disasters are usually explained in the literature in an individualistic fashion relating every single disaster with its own causes only. This limits the ability to identify the real causes of disasters. Second, it reduces the ability to create any kind of grouping for the causes of disasters. The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss causes of disasters in a more categorical manner.

An extensive review of the existing literature has been made in order to identify, introduce and discuss theories related to the causes of disasters. Overall, the approach taken is based on theoretical reasoning informed by the literature.

Disasters, even those which seem to be composite and complex, are not mysterious incidents that cannot be explained or analyzed. Literally, almost all disasters can be diagnosed and the causes of disasters can be identified in a systematic and reasonable manner.

This study provides a better conceptualization and understanding of the causes of disasters. It is believed that this study will improve the decision-making process accompanied with the disaster risk reduction processes by understanding the exact causes of disasters. The study also clarifies the differences between the causes, sources and types of disasters which is extremely significant in disaster lifecycle modeling.

To the author’s knowledge, very few attempts have been made in the literature to capture causes of disasters in a categorical and systematic manner. Almost all disaster occurrences have been discussed in the literature in an individualistic fashion relating every single disaster with its own causes only.

Most serious organizational change efforts of the last two decades have focused on change within groups or the socio‐technical system. Hard data on change efforts are both limited and present a mixed picture of the effectiveness of these efforts, particularly over an extended period of time. Presents ideas, notions and concepts about the role of the individual within organizations which may help to explain some of the failures and increase the probability of successful change. Like individuals, organizations consist of body (participants′ common goals, beliefs of background), and spirit (individuals′ ideas, assumption and thought processes). The artificial system of an organization (spirit) is man‐made and owes its continued existence to the ideas, assumptions and thought processes in the minds of the individual within the organization. Consistent with this notion, develops the concept that for real long‐term organizational change to occur, the systems existing within the minds of individuals must be altered. Further, proposes that language, values, norms and ethics are the factors which hold an organization together and, since these factors are developed within individuals, they must be accounted for in change efforts. Also focuses on leaders and managers and their roles in organizational change. Specific characteristics of leaders which enable them to promote and foster change are identified and discussed. It is noted that for leaders to be successful they must (1) free themselves from themselves, (2) free themselves from the artificial systems of organizations, and (3) take specific responsibility for their actions.