Re: Variation & SoPK

[TQNELSON@aol.com]

The ongoing dialogue (debate?) on variation vs. system and the SoPK might 
benefit from the following considerations:
a. As Dr. Ackoff has demonstrated, analysis (looking at the parts), by 
itself, leads to/causes failure, as in such actions the true meaning of the 
"parts," their supportive relationships for the system aim, is lost. as WED 
stated in his introduction to Mary Walton's, "Deming Management At Work," 
"The performance of any component within a system is to be judged in terms of 
its contribution to the aim of the system, not for its individual production 
or profit, nor for any other competitive measure."
b. Based on the above I would propose that systems and variation is a case of 
"both/and" and not one of "either/or" (one also needs to include Psychology 
and the Theory of Knowledge in this grouping/relationship, of course). Thus, 
there is no "more important element. They are either all there, in a living 
system relationship or the SoPK is not there.
c. In a timing sequence one can say that the Appreciation for a System 
PRECEDES the others (this is NOT, to repeat an issue of importance, just the 
sequence of use). For example, many of the contributors have justly pointed 
out the importance of a Knowledge of Variation. But we must ask the 
questions, "variation from what," and "why is that important?" Returning to 
WED's words above we must reply "variation from contributing to the 'aim of 
the system'." WED further stresses the importance of this in TNE, pp 98ff, 
"...a system is a network of interdependent components that work together to 
try to accomplish the aim of the system. A system must have an aim. Without 
an aim, there is no system." He further refines that understanding of the 
system aim, from the perspective of the SoPK, as "It must always relate 
directly to how life is better for everyone" (TNE, p. 52) 
d. Thus, the first element for beginning the study of any system is to 
learn/determine the system aim.
e. From this beginning we can then proceed to identifying the internal 
relationships that compose the system and the variation within and between 
those relationships (numeric/statistical or psychological) and investigate 
their contribution to/blocking of attainment of the system aim ("making life 
better for everyone").
f. We can then proceed to the predictive practice of the Theory of Knowledge 
(TNE 104-110).

I hope this helps ease the understanding of DEN members that the SoPK, as a 
system, can only be understood and used by:
a. Knowing its aim (contributing to efforts to make life better for everyone);
b. Examining the components and their inter/intra relationships from the 
perspective of that aim;
c. Recognizing that every relationship will contain variance, some 
quantifiable and able to be better understood through the use of statistics 
(enumerative), some not quantifiable and better able to be understood though 
the use of psychology, and some requiring the use of both;
d. Developing a theory, based on these findings to predict/make changes to 
better achieve, in a process of never-ending-improvement, the attainment of 
the overall system aim of making life better for everyone.

Del Nelson
American River College

When "We, the People..." are replaced
by dollars, profits, and greed,
It is time to start over
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