PRESS RELEASE
For
Immediate Release: For
More Information:
September 23,
2004 Becky Collins, 215-898-6967
Center
for Organizational Dynamics and the Ackoff Center for the Advancement of
Systems Approaches (ACASA) Form Strategic Partnership
September
23, 2004 (Philadelphia, PA) – The Center for Organizational Dynamics located in the
School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) and the Ackoff Center for the Advancement of
Systems Approaches (ACASA) located in the School of Engineering and Applied
Sciences (SEAS) both at the University of Pennsylvania announce a strategic
partnership that will take effect September 23, 2004. The partnership will facilitate scholarship and delivery of
non-degree educational workshops on systems thinking in management. The partnership will also broaden the
courses available for students enrolled in the Master of Science in Engineering
(MSE) and Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics (MSOD) degree programs.
“This
partnership will focus on delivery of systems thinking research, models, and
methods to organizations in the Delaware Valley and across the globe. We are very pleased not only about the
relationship with ACASA, but with the continued relationship with Dr. Russell
Ackoff for whom ACASA was named and who recently taught in our MSOD program”
reported Dr. Larry Starr, Executive Director of the Center for Organizational
Dynamics and Director of the Organizational Dynamics Graduate Program.
Dr. Barry
Silverman, Director of ACASA and Professor of Engineering and Medicine and Operations and Information
Management noted, “This is an excellent combination of resources. Workshops and seminars
involving systems thinking, technology, and organizational dynamics will be enhanced
by our combined faculties. Furthermore,
engineering students will have access to the more than 70 organizational
courses in the MSOD program.”
ACASA and the Center for Organizational Dynamics recently
combined efforts to help manage the 3rd International Conference on
Systems Thinking in Management (ICSTM) held at the University of Pennsylvania
May 19-21, 2004.
The
mission of the Center for Organizational Dynamics is to support the
Organizational Dynamics Degree Program and to increase the effectiveness of
leaders and managers by developing and supporting a person-oriented,
multi-disciplinary understanding of organizations.
The mission
of ACASA is to conduct theoretical and applied research, education and service
to industry, government and education, using system sciences and systems
thinking as global knowledge and competency resources.
The
partnership’s day-to-day activities will be managed jointly by John Pourdehnad,
PhD, Associate Director of ACASA and Marie Zecca, EdM, Associate Director of
the Center for Organizational Dynamics.