Abstract
‘Systemic Intervention’ is a form of systemic action research formulated by Gerald Midgley and his collaborators. This chapter exemplifies how different lineages of systems practice form and are conserved amongst practitioners. Practitioners are needed to maintain the viability of any practice. In systemic intervention an emphasis on intervention is contrasted ‘with the usual scientific focus on observation’ by Midgley. My purpose in introducing systemic intervention is threefold: (1) to exemplify how in this form of practice different systems methods and methodologies have been, or could be, applied as part of practice; (2) to exemplify systems practice in the medical and health field which is a domain in need of more effective systems practice, and (3) to introduce another practitioner voice by allowing the systems practitioner who developed ‘systemic intervention’ to speak for himself.
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Notes
- 1.
The report that was produced was based on 20 individual semi-structured interviews in August and September 2002. All people interviewed were working or had worked for the NHS in England, Wales or Scotland. All had experience of OU Systems courses. Most (16) held the OU Diploma in Systems Practice and studied OU Systems courses at undergraduate level 2, level 3 and Summer School.
- 2.
Midgley, G., (2006) ‘Opportunities and demands in public health systems: systemic intervention for public health’ American Journal of Public Health, Vol 96, No 3. pp 466–472. Reproduced by permission of Sheridan.
- 3.
Gerald Midgley has had a long association with the University of Hull, originally with the Centre for Systems Studies. He was for a period with the Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Christchurch, New Zealand and the School of Management, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He is currently Professor of Systems Thinking in the Business School at the University of Hull, England.
- 4.
See Fig. 8.5 – the viable system model.
- 5.
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Ison, R. (2017). Systemic Intervention. In: Systems Practice: How to Act. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-7351-9_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-7351-9_12
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