From Complexity in the Natural Sciences to Complexity in Operations Management Systems.

Cover -- Half-Title Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Preface -- Dedication -- 1. Complexity and Systems Thinking -- 1.1. Introduction: complexity as a problem -- 1.2. Complexity in perspective -- 1.2.1. Etymology and semantics -- 1.2.2. Methods proposed for dealing with complexity from the Middle Ages to the 17th Century and their current outfalls -- 1.3. System-based current methods proposed for dealing with complexity -- 1.3.1. Evolution of system-based methods in the 20th Century -- 1.3.2. The emergence of a new science of mind -- 1.4. Systems thinking and structuralism -- 1.4.1. Systems thinking -- 1.4.2. Structuralism -- 1.4.3. Systems modeling -- 1.5. Biodata of two figureheads in the development of cybernetics -- 1.5.1. Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1901-1972) -- 1.5.2. Heinz von Förster (1911-2002) -- 1.6. References -- 2. Agent-based Modeling of Human Organizations -- 2.1. Introduction -- 2.2. Concept of agenthood in the technical world -- 2.2.1. Some words about agents explained -- 2.2.2. Some implementations of the agenthood paradigm -- 2.3. Concept of agenthood in the social world -- 2.3.1. Cursory perspective of agenthood in the social world -- 2.3.2. Organization as a collection of agents -- 2.4. BDI agents as models of organization agents -- 2.4.1. Description of BDI agents -- 2.4.2. Comments on the structural components of BDI agents -- 2.5. Patterns of agent coordination -- 2.5.1. Organizational coordination -- 2.5.2. Contracting for coordination -- 2.5.3. Coordination by multi-agent planning -- 2.6. Negotiation patterns -- 2.7. Theories behind the organization theory -- 2.7.1. Structural and functional theories -- 2.7.2. Cognitive and behavioral theories -- 2.7.3. Organization theory and German culture -- 2.8. Organizations and complexity -- 2.8.1. Structural complexity.