System Archetype
From WikiSD
In the mid 30's the Austrian Biologist Ludwig von Bertalanffy [Davidson, 1983] proposed that the same structures operated across all discipline of science, and if one learned how the structures operated one could transfer much of their learning from one discipline to another. When moving to another discipline one would simply have to learn the structures that were operating and the labels on the elements of the structure. When first encountered this might seem most profound, though after pondering it for a while a light bulb might go off. Of course this is true, for the disciplines of science are a contrivance of man, not nature, so with one universe, of course there is only one set of structures that operate. It seems to make sense, doesn't it?
As it turns out there are system structures which produce very well defined patterns of behavior over time. And, because these structures occur very frequently across multiple disciplines of science, they are referred to as System Archetypes. The Balancing Loop and Reinforcing Loop are the two most basic System Archetypes. All other System Archetypes, and all other structures for that matter, are simply some combination of two or more of these two basic loops.
The current incarnation of the System Archetypes were first popularized by Peter Senge in "The Fifth Discipline."
You can find additional information at System Archetypes.
See Also
References
- Bellinger, G. 2004. Archetypes: Interaction Structures of the Universe
- Bellinger, G. 2008. System Archetypes
- Davidson, M. 1983. Uncommon Sense: The Life and Thought of Ludwig von Bertalanffy, J. P. Tarcher, Inc.
- Braun, B. 2002. The System Archetypes
- Gibson, D., Levine, L. & Novak, W. 2006. Using System Archetypes to Identify Failure Patterns in Acquisition
- Goodman, M. & Kleiner, A. 1993. Using the Archetype Family Tree as a Diagnostic Tool, The Systems Thinker 4(10):5-6
- Senge, P. 1990. The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization
