Frank Stowell: Is Professor of Information Systems Has Published Papers and Texts in The

Keynote in Soft Operational Research

Prof Frank Stowell

Soft not Vague

Organisational intervention is problematic and no more so than in our so called information age. Traditional models of organisation are unsatisfactory as they assume a certain level of predictability, but research shows that an enterprise is far from predictable. Each inquirer has a different notion of what an organisation is and in order to make sense of it adopts a particular ontological model or concept of organisation. But organisations are in a continuous state of change and at a time of change tensions are created that threaten its stability. Instability creates an environment where individual members and groups use their power in an attempt to shape outcomes making traditional models, rooted in reductionist notion of organisational behaviour, deficient. Extensive organisational research undertaken at the University of Lancaster suggests we abandon ontology for epistemology in recognition of the dynamic of organisational behaviour. Arising out of this research are methods of inquiry that recognise this complexity. In this keynote presentation I will provide an account of the key findings of the research and what that means for organisational intervention.

Frank Stowell: Is Emeritus Professor of Systems and Information Systems. Before rejoining Portsmouth in 2004 he was Director of Campus at the Milton Keynes Campus of De Montfort University and prior to that Professor of Systems and Information Systems at University of the West of Scotland.

He has a PhD in Organisational Change and his research centers around methods of participative design. He has supervised research projects ranging from modeling complex decision-making in mental health care, knowledge management, through to methods for client-led information systems development. He has examined a number of PhD’s at various UK Universities and continues active involvement in research. He has been involved in research council funded projects notably the Systems Practice for Managing Complexity project, designed to help managers address complex issues. He has published papers and texts in the field of Information Systems and presented papers at a number of international conferences in Europe and the United States. His publication “The Managers Guide to Systems Practice” is a text written expressly for practicing managers, which is also relevant for undergraduate and postgraduate study - in any discipline. Frank is presently Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Systems and Society (http://www.igi-global.com/journal/international-journal-systems-society-ijss/75104)

He is past President of the UK Academy of Information Systems and the UK Systems Society presently the chair of the Council of Information Systems Professors and is a member of the Executive Board of the World Organisation of Systems and Cybernetics. Frank has recently been elected as a distinguished fellow of the Schumacher Institute [http://www.schumacherinstitute.org.uk/about-us/people/distinguished-fellows/]