Comparing the systems approaches of Checkland and Blockley

Abstract

It is argued that systems approaches from even different backgrounds can nevertheless end up with similar features, promoting the idea that such approaches are grounded in reality, as science is taken to be. The systems approaches of Peter Checkland and David Blockley, from management and engineering backgrounds, respectively, are explored with a view to highlighting similarities and differences. This is done by looking at summaries of their approaches and examples of their use. Both Checkland’s and Blockley’s approaches have a set of common features such as layers; purpose; top-level outcome; attributes such as what, how and why; measures; uncertainty and conversation. Such similarities prompt us to see systems approaches as being objective rather than relativistic. The differences in their overall approaches reflect the hierarchically structured nature of reality that requires hierarchically ordered approaches to deal with it.