The book International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics is an authoritative encyclopedia

Encyclopedia

An encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....

 for systems theory

Systems theory

Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems in general, with the goal of elucidating principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of research...

, cybernetics

Cybernetics

Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...

, the complex system

Complex system

A complex system is a system composed of interconnected parts that as a whole exhibit one or more properties not obvious from the properties of the individual parts....

s science, which covers both theories and applications in areas as engineering

Engineering

Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...

, biology

Biology

Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...

, medicine

Medicine

Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....

 and social sciences

Social sciences

Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...

. This book first published in 1997 aimed to give an overview over more than 40 years developments in the field of System

System

System is a set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole....

s and Cybernetics

Cybernetics

Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...

.

This book offers a collection of more than 3000 keywords and articles of Systems and Cybernetics. Many items contain quotes from authors from the field.

The book is edited by Belgian systems scientist and diplomat Charles François

Charles François

Charles François, , is a Belgian administrator, editor and scientist in the field of cybernetics, systems theory and systems science, internationally known for his main work the International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics.- Biography :...

 with an Academic board including members such as John N. Warfield

John N. Warfield

John Nelson Warfield is an American systems scientist, who was professor and director of the Institute for Advanced Study in the Integrative Sciences at George Mason University.- Biography :...

, Robert Trappl

Robert Trappl

Robert Trappl is an Austrian scientist, and Professor at the Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Austria, known for his work in the field of cybernetics and Artificial Intelligence.- Biography :...

, Ranulph Glanville

Ranulph Glanville

Ranulph Glanville is a British freelance researcher and theoretician in both architecture and cybernetics.- Biography :Glanville studied architecture at the Architectural Association from 1964 to 1971...

, Heiner Benking, Anthony Judge

Anthony Judge

Anthony Judge, is mainly known for his career at the Union of International Associations , where he has been Director of Communications and Research, as well as Assistant Secretary-General...

, Markus Schwaninger, Gerhard Chroust

Gerhard Chroust

Gerhard Chroust is an Austrian systems scientist, and Professor Emeritus for Systems Engineering and Automation at the Institute of System Sciences at the Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Austria...

, G. A. Swanson

G. A. Swanson

Gale Alden Swanson was an American organizational theorist, and Professor of Accounting at Tennessee Technological University, known for his accounting theories based on James Grier Miller’s general living systems theory....

 and Stuart Umpleby

Stuart Umpleby

Stuart Anspach Umpleby is an American cybernetician and a professor in the Department of Management and Director of the Research Program in Social and Organizational Learning in the School of Business at the George Washington University....

.

The first edition was published in 1997 in one volume with 450 pages by publisher K.G. Saur in Munich

Munich

Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...

. The second edition was published in 2004 in two volumes and 741 pages by the same publisher. This update consisted of 1700 articles, some of them with figures, tables and diagrams, and 1500 bibliographical references.

External links

• International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics short intro.
• Book review: International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, by: John P. van Gigch.
• Some general references and terms in the 2nd edition