The Magic Ring: Systems Thinking Approach to Control Systems

by Piero Mella

Overview

This book presents a new understanding on how control systems truly operate, and explains how to recognize, simulate, and improve control systems in all fields of activity. It also reveals the pervasive, ubiquitous and indispensable role of control processes in our life and the need to develop a “control-oriented thinking”—based on uncomplicated but effective models derived from systems thinking—that is, a true “discipline of control.” Over the book’s thirteen chapters, Piero Mella shows that there are simple control systems (rather than complex ones) that can easily help us to manage complexity without drawing upon more sophisticated control systems.

It begins by reviewing the basic language of systems thinking and the models it allows users to create. It then introduces the control process, presenting the theoretical structure of three simple control systems we all can observe in order to gain fundamental knowledge from them about the basic structure of a control system. Then, it presents the anatomy of the simplest “magic ring” and the general theoretical model of any control system. This is followed by an introduction to a general typology of control systems and a broader view of control systems by investigating multi-lever control systems and multi-objective systems.

The book undertakes the concepts through various environments, increasingly broader in scope to suggest to readers how to recognize therein control systems manifestations in everyday life and in natural phenomena. Updated for the 2nd edition, new chapters explore control systems regulating the biological environment and the organizations, with an in-depth study of the control of quality, productivity, production, sks and costs. Finally, it concludes by dealing with the learning process, problem-solving, and designing the logical structure of control systems.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783030641931
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	04/02/2021
Series:	Contemporary Systems Thinking
Edition description:	2nd ed. 2021
Pages:	848
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Piero Mella is Full Professor of Business Economics and Control Theory at the Faculty of Economics, University of Pavia, Italy. He has authored dozens of publications (among which a treatise entitled Amministrazione d’Impresa [Management of the Firm], UTET Press), and for years he has researched systems theory from multiple perspectives.

Table of Contents

Part I: Discovering the “Ring”.- Chapter1. The Language of Systems Thinking for Control Systems.- Chapter 2. The Ring. The General Structure of Control Systems. Chapter 3. The Ring Variety. A Basic Typology.- Chapter 4. The Ring Completed. Multi-lever and Multi-objective Control Systems.- Chapter 5. The Ring. Observation and Design.- Part II: The Magic of the Ring.- Chapter 6. The Magic Ring in Action. Individuals.- Chapter 7. The Magic Ring in Action. Social Environment and Sustainability.- Chapter 8. The Magic Ring in Action. The Biological Environment.- Chapter 9. The Magic Ring in Action. Organizations.- Chapter 10. The Magic Ring in Action Explores Quality and Productivity. Chapter 11. The Magic Ring in Action: Control of Production and Sks.- Chapter 12. The Magic Ring in Action: Control of Production and Sks. Chapter 13. Concluding remarks. Toward a General Discipline of Control.

Editorial Reviews

There are ten chapters. Each has some general material, as well as complementary material with specific examples. … There are a number of useful and informative diagrams of system structure. … Overall, this book is a fairly good read with lots of interesting examples and some thoughtful commentary along the way.” (Jeffrey Putnam, Computing Reviews, March, 2016)

“It is a self-contained work whose basic concepts are presented at the beginning and gradually introduces a true discipline of the control systems that is accessible to a large group of nonspecialists. … A number of examples are aimed in systems found in organizations and companies, thus the text can aid in the professional growth of managers, consultants and corporate employees in general. Teachers, professionals and educated people in general can also find sources for reflection.” (Vasile Dragan, zbMATH, Vol. 1303, 2015)

From the Publisher