{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,2]],"date-time":"2025-08-02T17:56:27Z","timestamp":1754157387903,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2006,7,1]],"date-time":"2006-07-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1151712000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2006,7,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>To outline a philosophical system of inquiry that may be used as a frame\u2010of\u2010reference for modelling social systems.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper draws on insights from cognitive science, autopoiesis, management cybernetics and non\u2010linear dynamics.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>The outcome of this paper is an outline of a frame\u2010of\u2010reference to be used as a starting point (or a frame of orientation) for any problem solving\/modelling intent or act. The framework highlights the importance of epistemological reflection and the need to avoid any separation of the process of knowing from that of modelling. It also emphasises the importance of inquiry into the assumptions that underpin the methods, tools and techniques that we employ, and into the tacit beliefs of the human actors who use them.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The presented frame\u2010of\u2010reference should be regarded as an evolving system of inquiry, one that seeks to incorporate contemporary human insight.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>Exactly, how the frame\u2010of\u2010reference presented in this paper should be exploited within an organisational or educational context, is a question to which there is no single \u201ccorrect\u201d answer. What is primarily important, however, is that it should be used to raise the profile of, and disseminate the benefits that accrue from, inquiry which goes beyond the simple application of tools and methods.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>This paper proposes a new framework\u2010of\u2010reference for modelling social systems that draws on insights from cognitive science, autopoiesis, management cybernetics and non\u2010linear dynamics.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/03684920610662638","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2006,7,4]],"date-time":"2006-07-04T06:43:54Z","timestamp":1151995434000},"page":"851-864","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["A holistic frame\u2010of\u2010reference for modelling social systems"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"35","author":[{"given":"Petia","family":"Sice","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Ian","family":"French","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022021020385073600_b1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ackoff, R.L. 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