Technology for enabling : the implications for management science of a hermeneutics of distinction

One way of describing this thesis, is to state that it attempts to explicate the context within which an application of Stafford Beer's Viable System Model (VSM) makes cybernetic sense. The thesis will attempt to explain how such a context is presently not clearly ennunciated, and why such a lack hinders communications of the model together with its consequent effective take-up by the student or practitioner. The epistemological grounding of the VSM will be described as concerning the ontology of the individuals who apply it and give witness to its application. In describing a particular grounding for the Viable System Model, I am instantiating a methodology which I call a `hermeneutics of distinction'. The final two chapters explicate such a methodology, and consider the implications for the design of a computer system. This thesis is grounded in contemporary insights into the nervous system, and research into the biology of language and cognition. Its conclusions emerge from a synthesis of the twin discourses of Stafford Beer and Humberto Maturana.

An investigation into the nature and consequences of teachers' implicit philosophies of science

The aims of this study were to investigate the beliefs concerning the philosophy of science held by practising science teachers and to relate those beliefs to their pupils' understanding of the philosophy of science. Three philosophies of science, differing in the way they relate experimental work to other parts of the scientific enterprise, are described. By the use of questionnaire techniques, teachers of four extreme types were identified. These are: the H type or hypothetico-deductivist teacher, who sees experiments as potential falsifiers of hypotheses or of logical deductions from them; the I type or inductivist teacher, who regards experiments mainly as a way of increasing the range of observations available for recording before patterns are noted and inductive generalisation is carried out; the V type or verificationist teacher, who expects experiments to provide proof and to demonstrate the truth or accuracy of scientific statements; and the 0 type, who has no discernible philosophical beliefs about the nature of science or its methodology. Following interviews of selected teachers to check their responses to the questionnaire and to determine their normal teaching methods, an experiment was organised in which parallel groups were given H, I and V type teaching in the normal school situation during most of one academic year. Using pre-test and post-test scores on a specially developed test of pupil understanding of the philosophy of science, it was shown that pupils were positively affected by their teacher's implied philosophy of science. There was also some indication that V type teaching improved marks obtained in school science examinations, but appeared to discourage the more able from continuing the study of science. Effects were also noted on vocabulary used by pupils to describe scientists and their activities.

Social cognition in leader–follower relationship:applying insights from relationship science to understanding relationship-based approaches to leadership

Relationship-based approaches to leadership (e.g., Leader–Member Exchange theory) currently represent one of the most popular approaches to understanding workplace leadership. Although the concept of “relationship” is central to these approaches, generally this has not been well articulated and is often conceptualized simply in terms of relationship quality between the leader and the follower. In contrast, research in the wider relationship science domain provides a more detailed exposition of relationships and how they form and develop. We propose that research and methodology developed in relationship science (i.e., close relationships) can enhance understanding of the leader–follower relationship and therefore advance theory in this area. To address this issue, we organize our review in two areas. First, we examine how a social cognitive approach to close relationships can benefit an understanding of the leader–follower relationship (in terms of structure, content, and processes). Second, we show how the research designs and methodologies that have been developed in relationship science can be applied to understand better the leader–follower relationship. The cross-fertilization of research from the close relationships literature to understanding the leader–follower relationship provides new insights into leadership processes and potential avenues for further research. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.