Systems theory is oriented to the common characteristics of different entities.
Systems theory is a multidisciplinary approach that focuses on the particularities common to various entities. The Austrian biologist Ludwig von Bertalanffy ( 1901 – 1972 ), historians say, was responsible for introducing this concept also known as general systems theory (abbreviated with the acronym TGS ) in the mid- 20th century .
According to specialists, it can be defined as a theory compared to other theories , since it seeks rules of general value that can be applied to all kinds of systems and with any degree of reality. It should be noted that systems consist of ordered modules of parts that are interrelated and interact with each other.
A distinction can be made between a conceptual or ideal system (based on an organized group of definitions, symbols and other instruments linked to thought) and a real one (a material entity with ordered components that interact in such a way that the properties of the whole cannot be completely deduced. of the properties of the parts).
Evolution of systems theory
Although systems theory emerged from the hand of a biology specialist, over time it spread to different fields of study, such as cybernetics and information . The German sociologist Niklas Luhmann ( 1927 – 1998 ) has been one of those responsible for adapting and applying it in the field of social sciences .
Among the principles of systems theory , we can mention the use of the same concepts to describe the main features of different systems, the search for general laws that facilitate the understanding of the dynamics of any system and the formalization of the descriptions of the reality. In conclusion, it can be highlighted that it has a dynamic, multidimensional and multidisciplinary character .
The exchange between the entity and the environment is analyzed by systems theory.
Relationship with the environment
A system is considered open when it is permanently related to its environment , exchanging energy, matter and information. On the other hand, it is closed if this interaction is minimal, since it uses its own reserve of resources; As a result of this lack of communication, its components do not suffer any modification.
The systems to which cells, plants, insects, and man himself belong, are open; They present a constant tendency towards evolution and present a structural order. The closed ones, on the other hand, do not establish an order or differentiation of their elements; Consequently, they distribute energy evenly .
Properties of an open system
- Totality : a system is a whole comprised of its components and their properties , an organization in which the behavior and expression of each one impacts and is affected by the others. This type of system is much more than the mere sum of each of its parts;
- Objective : although a system has been conceived in a dysfunctional way, it always has a common objective and tends to survive , fighting not to disintegrate, no matter how harmful said group may seem to some of its members;
- Equifinality : the same result can be obtained from different conditions , just as the same origin can lead to different ends, because the key point is the nature of the organization and the interaction that occurs between its components;
- Protection and growth : in systems, a force coexists that makes the system maintain its previous state and another that causes changes in it, which at the same time ensures stability and adaptation to new situations;
- Equipotentiality : associated with the phrase "the past does not exist and the future is unpredictable", it defines that the same beginning can lead to different results, that when one component is extinguished , another can take its place.