Making change happen: recollections of a systems professional
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the potential of making the systems approach fertile for the future of our world(s).
Design/methodology/approach
Underpinned by a significant case study, the idea of the paper is to show how a systems study changed the basis for deciding on an incisive interference planned for a lovely alpine valley. The study builds on a qualitative conceptual model and reverts to a quantitative, system‐dynamics simulation model, as well as standard economic evaluation methods. The decision process is explained with its outcomes and implications.
Findings
The study found, among others, the following concrete result: The optimal variant (Case B) required an additional investment for its realization. According to the calculations that were carried out, the period needed for the amortization of the pertinent amount was found to be no more than 0.9 to 1.6 years. It became clear that the most expensive variant was indeed a very good business proposition for the Austrian Republic.
Practical implications
The results of the study were integrated into the General Traffic Plan of the Austrian Ministry of Transportation, Innovation and Technology, i.e. the study's conclusions obtained legal status. This meant a shift toward a long‐term orientation. In addition, new insights for the realization of similar studies and interventions were gained.
Originality/value
The study described in the paper shows both rigor and relevance. It illuminates a methodology that combines the qualitative and the quantitative, as well as careful analysis and powerful synthesis. Beyond the methods and procedures used in the inquiry, its outcomes and impact on the concrete system under study are demonstrated.
Keywords
Citation
Schwaninger, M. (2012), "Making change happen: recollections of a systems professional", Kybernetes, Vol. 41 No. 3/4, pp. 348-367. https://doi.org/10.1108/03684921211229451
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited