International Federation for Systems Research
Encyclopedia
The International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR) is an international federation for global and local societies in the field of systems science
. This federation is a non-profit, scientific and educational agency
founded in 1981, and constituted of some thirty member organizations from various countries.
is to advance cybernetic and systems research and systems applications and to serve the international systems community. For this purpose the federation wants to coordinate systems research among member organizations. They are focused on the organization and sponsorship of research and development, international meetings and workshops in the field. More specific the federation wants to develop and promote international programs and publications in the area of systems research and applications.
Other tasks include the development and promotion of:
For its member organizations the federation wants coordinating programs and provides assistance to them.
The IFSR was founded on 12 March 1980 by the American Society for General Systems Research
(now ISSS) the Austria
n Society for Cybernetic Studies, and the Dutch Systems Group
with George Klir
as first president of the IFSR.
This IFSR Journal was established in 1984 and aims to stimulate disciplined inquiry and provides transdisciplinary focus for the exchange of ideas and knowledge; relating to the analysis, design, development, and management of systems and programs.
This IFSR Book Series provides a publication avenue for high quality systems literature. George Klir
(State University
New York
, Binghamton) is the editor of the book series.
Systems science
Systems science is an interdisciplinary field of science that studies the nature of complex systems in nature, society, and science. It aims to develop interdisciplinary foundations, which are applicable in a variety of areas, such as engineering, biology, medicine and social sciences.Systems...
. This federation is a non-profit, scientific and educational agency
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
founded in 1981, and constituted of some thirty member organizations from various countries.
Organisation
The overall purpose of the FederationFederation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
is to advance cybernetic and systems research and systems applications and to serve the international systems community. For this purpose the federation wants to coordinate systems research among member organizations. They are focused on the organization and sponsorship of research and development, international meetings and workshops in the field. More specific the federation wants to develop and promote international programs and publications in the area of systems research and applications.
Other tasks include the development and promotion of:
- Resource materials development in systems education;
- Standards of competence in systems research and systems education;
- A knowledge baseKnowledge baseA knowledge base is a special kind of database for knowledge management. A Knowledge Base provides a means for information to be collected, organised, shared, searched and utilised.-Types:...
in the cybernetic and systems sciences;
For its member organizations the federation wants coordinating programs and provides assistance to them.
The IFSR was founded on 12 March 1980 by the American Society for General Systems Research
Society for General Systems Research
The Society for General Systems Research is predecessor of the current International Society for the Systems Sciences , known to be one the first interdisciplinary and international co-operations in the field of systems theory and systems science...
(now ISSS) the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Society for Cybernetic Studies, and the Dutch Systems Group
Dutch Systems Group
The Dutch Systems Group, or Netherlands Society for Systems Research or Systeemgroep Nederland, is a society in the Netherlands for systems theory, and its applications...
with George Klir
George Klir
George Jiri Klir is a Czech-American computer scientist and professor of systems sciences at the Center for Intelligent Systems at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York.- Biography :...
as first president of the IFSR.
Member organizations
The IFSR is a member organizations for over 25 systems science worldwide such as:- American Society for CyberneticsAmerican Society for CyberneticsThe American Society for Cybernetics is an American non-profit scholastic organization for organization for the advancement of cybernetics as a science and the interdisciplinary collaboration and synthesis of cybernetics. The society contributes to the cooperation around the research and...
, USA - Australia and New Zealand Systems Group (ANZSYS)
- Cybernetics SocietyCybernetics SocietyThe Cybernetics Society is the UK based learned society that exists to promote the understanding of cybernetics. The core activity of the Cybernetics Society is the organization and facilitation of scientific meetings, conferences, and social events...
London, U.K. - Hellenic Society for Systemic StudiesHellenic Society for Systemic StudiesThe Hellenic Society for Systemic Studies The Hellenic Society for Systemic Studies The Hellenic Society for Systemic Studies ( is a scientific non-profit society that was established in 2003. It is a member of the International Society for the Systems Sciences and International Federation of...
Athens, Greece - International Society for the Systems SciencesInternational Society for the Systems SciencesThe International Society for the Systems Sciences is a world-wide organization for systems sciences.- Overview :The initial purpose of the society was "to encourage the development of theoretical systems which are applicable to more than one of the traditional departments of knowledge."The idea...
, USA - International Systems Institute, USA, California, San Francisco
- Management Science Society of Ireland
- MSSI - The Management Science Society of Ireland
- Dutch Systems GroupDutch Systems GroupThe Dutch Systems Group, or Netherlands Society for Systems Research or Systeemgroep Nederland, is a society in the Netherlands for systems theory, and its applications...
, The Netherlands - United Kingdom Systems Society, U.K.
Journal and bookseries
- Systems Research and Behavioral Science
This IFSR Journal was established in 1984 and aims to stimulate disciplined inquiry and provides transdisciplinary focus for the exchange of ideas and knowledge; relating to the analysis, design, development, and management of systems and programs.
- International Series on Systems Science and Engineering
This IFSR Book Series provides a publication avenue for high quality systems literature. George Klir
George Klir
George Jiri Klir is a Czech-American computer scientist and professor of systems sciences at the Center for Intelligent Systems at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York.- Biography :...
(State University
State university
In the United States, a state college or state university is one of the public colleges or universities funded by or associated with the state government. In some cases, these institutions of higher learning are part of a state university system, while in other cases they are not. Several U.S....
New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Binghamton) is the editor of the book series.
Past presidents
More prominent system scientists have been officers of the IFSR since 1980. Presidents of the federation were:- 1980: George J. Klir
- 1986: Robert TrapplRobert TrapplRobert 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 :...
- 1988: Gerrit BroekstraGerrit BroekstraGerrit Broekstra , is a Dutch scientist and professor in the field of organization behavior and systems sciences at the Erasmus Universiteit, Rotterdam, Northwestern University, Chicago, and Nyenrode Business University in the Netherlands.- Biography :Broekstra was born in 1941 in Alkmaar in Holland...
- 1992: Gerard de ZeeuwGerard de ZeeuwGerard de Zeeuw is a Dutch scientist and professor Mathematical modelling of complex social systems at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.- Biography :...
- 1994: Bela H. BanathyBéla H. BánáthyBéla Heinrich Bánáthy was a Hungarian linguist, systems scientist and a professor at San Jose State University and UC Berkeley. Bánáthy was the founder of the White Stag Leadership Development Program whose leadership model was adopted across the United States...
- 1996: Michael C. JacksonMichael C. JacksonMichael Christopher Jackson OBE is a British systems scientist, consultant and Professor of Management Systems and Dean of Hull University Business School....
- 2000: Yong Pil RheeYong Pil RheeYong Pil Rhee was a Korean political scientist, systems scientist and Professor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Seoul National University, South Korea. He was one of the first systems theorists, who demonstrated that the system is dynamic and experiences change.- Biography :Yong Pil...
- 2002: Jifa GuJifa GuJifa Gu is a Chinese systems scientist, and Professor of Operations Research and Systems Engineering at the Institute of Systems Science, Academy of Mathematics and System Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences.- Biography :...
External links
- Homepage IFSR
- Article 25 Years of the IFSR: A Milestone in the Systems Sciences, by Gerhard ChroustGerhard ChroustGerhard 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...
.