On the methodology of the holistic experiment: An approach to the conceptualization of large-scale social experiments

Abstract Presupposing Churchman's and Ackoff's definitions of a system, the notion of a holistic experiment is defined. A holistic experiment is an experiment on a nonseparable system for the purpose of determining the properties (measures of effectiveness) of the systems components. The basic problem of a holistic methodology is that of conceptualization: (1) the conceptualization of the systems “components,” (2) the conceptualization of the “teleological” standard that defines the systems components; and (3) the assessment of the degree of systems “separability.” Various guidelines for conceptualization are offered. These guidelines derive from such disparate disciplines of knowledge as the sociology of knowledge, the psychology of science, the philosophy of science, law, epistemology, ethics, and systems science. It is argued that the problem of defining an adequate methodology for holistic systems constitutes an “ill-structured” problem. The methodology for dealing with ill-structured problems is not the same as the methodology for dealing with well-structured problems. To date, the methodology of the management sciences has been overwhelmingly preoccupied with well-structured problems. Large-scale social experiments require a fundamentally different approach.

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