The Role of Systems Methodology in Social Science Research

1. Science and Scientism.- 1.1. The Social Sciences and the Analytical Method.- 1.2. Hucksterism in Economics.- 1.3. The Systems Paradigm and the Re-emphasis of Interaction.- 1.4. The Status of Mathematical Research.- 1.5. General Systems Methodology and Empirical Research.- 1.6. The Influence of Cybernetics.- 1.7. Lessons from the Situation in Physics.- 2. General Systems Methodology as Language.- 2.1. Thematic Influences on Knowledge.- 2.2. Methodological and Pragmatist Emphases.- 2.3. General Systems Research as a Methodological Language.- 3. Basic Concepts.- 3.1. Categorization and Uncertainty.- 3.2. Epistemological Levels.- 3.3. Primitive Concepts.- 3.4. System Traits.- 3.5. Basic System Types.- 3.5.1. Object Systems.- 3.5.2. General Image Systems.- 3.5.3. Data Systems.- 3.6. Higher Level Systems.- 3.6.1. Framework/Investigator Interface.- 3.6.2. Behavior Systems.- 4. Generative Systems.- 4.1. Introduction.- 4.2. Representation of Source Systems.- 4.3. Representation of Data Systems.- 4.4. Definition of Mask.- 4.5. Choice of Best Mask, Sampling Scheme and Behavior System.- 4.5.1. General Considerations.- 4.5.2. Approximation versus Complexity.- 4.5.3. System Identification.- 4.5.4. Relations to the Social Sciences.- 4.5.5. Pragmatism and Uncertainty.- 5. Structure Systems.- 5.1. General Considerations.- 5.2. Definition of Structure.- 5.3. Structural Derivations.- 5.4. Separability in Design.- 5.5. Summary of Fundamental Concepts.- 6. GSPS.- I: An Organized Methodological Framework.- 6.1. Knowledge as Process.- 6.2. 'Theory' and Data in the Social Sciences.- 6.3. General Systems Problem Solving.- 6.3.1. GSPS.- 6.3.2. System Types.- 6.3.3. Problem Kinds.- 6.3.4. Requirement Types and Problem Types; Particular Systems, Requirements, and Problems.- 6.3.5. Formal Description.- 6.3.6. Summary.- 6.4. GSPS as an Interactive Framework.- II: General Systems Problem Solving and the Study of Domestic Conflict.- 6.5. Introduction.- 6.6. The Need for General Operational Methods.- 6.7. Past Work.- 6.8. Systems Problems Related to Source, Data and Behavior Systems.- 6.8.1. Source System and Data System.- 6.8.2. Behavior Systems.- Memoryless Behavior.- Memory Effects.- 6.9. Systems Problems Related to Structure.- 6.10. GSPS and Theory Construction.- 6.11. Further Directions for Investigation.- Appendices.- References.- Indices.