Of Possible Interest to Systems/Ackoff folks

[Jim Clauson <jim@jclauson.com>]

DENizens,

If you have an interest in systems or the work of Russ Ackoff, the
following may be of interest.

jc



NEWS RELEASE Release Date: For Immediate Release 

Contact: Sandy Rathman at (215)898 7244 
rathman@seas.upenn.edu 
University of Pennsylvania 
School of Engineering 


RESEARCHERS AND INDUSTRY JOIN FORCES TO EXAMINE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE
NETWORK
CENTRIC ECONOMY 

The School of Engineering and Applied Science of the University of
Pennsylvania announced the creation of
the Ackoff Center for Advanced Systems Approaches (A-CASA). The Ackoff
Center, named for Dr. Russell 
Ackoff, Emeritus Anheuser-Busch Professor of the Wharton School, will
operate as a think tank in! the
vanguard of systems approaches. A-CASA is dedicated to education,
academic research, industry research
and consulting, and outreach programs in the area of systems approaches. 

Faculty from Engineering and the Wharton School is expected to work
under the auspices of A-CASA on
multi-disciplinary research topics in such areas as netcentricity and
sustainability. Netcentricity or network
centricity is the centrality of telecommunications networks and the
Internet for business, education, and leisure.
The Ackoff Center will examine the implications of netcentricity on a
variety of topics including production,
logistics, trading, organizational design, and knowledge management.
Sustainability is the ability of
organizations and countries to sustain economic development, standard of
living, quality of life and the
environment. The Ackoff Center will examine several issues related to
sustainability in both "new economy" and
traditional organizations. 

The Center is! the result of generous contributions of the
Anheuser-Busch Foundation, Analog Devices, and the
General Motors Foundation, and research grants that will sustain the
Center's first year operating budget of $1
Million. Future funding is anticipated from corporate memberships,
research grants and Executive Education.
The membership program will allow for close liaison with leading edge
companies for industry-sponsored
research and short-term Fellows from industry to work on intellectually
challenging projects with standing faculty
and students. Further, A-CASA will provide opportunities for internships
for undergraduates and graduate
students from Penn and other institutions to further enhance the
educational mission of the University. An annual
workshop will be conducted to disseminate the results of the research to
academia and industry leaders. Says
Jack Purnell, Executive Vice President of Anheuser-Busch, "This is a
unique opportunity to combine the
systems theory and researc! h capabilities of the exceptional faculty at
Penn Engineering and Wharton with the
real-world industry experience and wisdom brought by Russ Ackoff and his
senior associates." 

The Director of the Center, G. Anandalingam, National Center Professor
of Resource and Technology
Management and Professor of Information Management at the Wharton
School, will be responsible for
directing the research activities and for general administrative
decision-making. "The intention is for the Ackoff
Center to develop innovative ideas in systems approaches that will
enable the Center to evolve into a world
class institution with contributions to solving intractable problems,
wherever they exist," says Eduardo Glandt,
Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. A-CASA will
extend its offerings beyond the walls of
Penn through the application of information technology and the Internet
and will represent a competency bank of
knowledge for all Systems Thinking related academic act! ivities,
research and practices which are scattered
around the world. 

------message #2------------ 

Invitation to Ackoff Center Reception 

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen: 

We kindly request the pleasure of your company at the inaugural ceremony
for The Ackoff Center for Advanced
Systems Approaches (A-CASA) at the University of Pennsylvania. 

The opening ceremony, will begin with a gala on the evening of Thursday,
September 28th, to be followed by a
one-day conference on Friday, September 29th on the challenge facing the
systems-thinking community: 

"Systems Approaches, Directions for Development: Designs for the
Future." 

The conference will provide an occasion for Russell Ackoff and other
distinguished thought leaders to address
the challenge from their perspective. In addition, representatives from
business and government organizations
will address the same challenge from their perspectives. The conference
will be concluded with a! panel
discussion synthesizing the content of the day. 

Within the next few weeks you will receive a program note with further
details. 

In any event, we thank you in advance for your consideration of our
invitation and hope that the Ackoff Center
will have your support in its endeavors to provide continuity to the
pioneering work guided by systems-thinking
philosophy. 

If we can provide you with additional information, please don't hesitate
to contact us acasa@upenn.edu. 

We look forward to receiving your reply by August 31, 2000. 

------------------------------------------------------ 
Dr. G. ANANDALINGAM 

National Center Professor of Resource and Technology Management 
CHAIR, Department of Systems Engineering 
Professor of Operations and Information Management 
(Wharton School of Business) 

University of Pennsylvania 
Towne Building 295 Telephone: 215-898-8790 
220 South 33rd Street Facsimile: 215-898-5020 Philadelphia, PA
19104-6315 E-Mail:
anand@seas.upenn.edu 
U. S. A. 
http://www.seas.upenn.edu/sys/homeanand.html 
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