The 3rd International Conference on Systems Thinking in Management (ICSTM 2004) will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA on May 19 - 21, 2004 at the University of Pennsylvania. The University's Ackoff Center for the Advancement of Systems Approaches (ACASA) and the Association For Enterprise Integration (AFEI) are co-hosting the conference. The Conference will feature a celebration of over 50 years of contributions to the management sciences by Russell L. Ackoff. In addition, for the first time ever, many of the world's best known systems thinkers will be in one place at one time. This is an event that you cannot afford to miss if you are interested in systems thinking or in transforming your organization.

Conference Purpose

The purpose of the conference is to critically determine the state-of-the-art in applying systems thinking to the current transformation of government and industry. It will include hard-hitting examinations of key issues that surround managing organizations today, and the application of systems thinking to achieve real world results.

The conference will feature many of the top systems thinkers in the world. They include:

• Russell Ackoff, Professor Emeritus, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
• Chris Argyris, Harvard University and the Monitor Group
• Vince Barabba, author and former General Motors executive
• Peter Checkland, Lancaster University Management School, UK
• Michael C. Jackson, University of Hull, UK
• Allenna Leonard, American Society for Cybernetics
• Michael Maccoby, author and President of The Maccoby Group
• Ian Mitroff, University of Southern California
• Barry G. Silverman, University of Pennsylvania
• John Sterman, MIT System Dynamics Group
• Margaret J. Wheatley, author and President of the Berkana Institute

Why Attend?

You will learn techniques and methods designed to effectively assess and manage change from recognized critical thinkers and practitioners. Speakers from around the world in industry, government and academia will present the latest advances in dealing with, and even harnessing, continuing change.

Attendees will have the opportunity to challenge speakers on how organizations can produce real, sustained economic growth in uncertain, strained times. Government attendees will learn how industry is becoming more adaptive, and how many government organizations are harnessing technology to increase the velocity of transformation.

Interaction with key speakers, participation in workshops and practical exercises, and presentation of your own thoughts and ideas provide the means for you to participate in this groundbreaking event.

About The Theme

Our organizations exist in a highly networked world. They face fast-paced technological, economic, regulatory, environmental, demographic, and cultural changes that daily influence their ability to remain relevant and viable. Corporations and governments are struggling to adapt to the current economic structure, which is now highly influenced by globalization, security concerns and ubiquitous technology. The conference will apply the concepts of systems thinking as the means by which to proactively shape our approaches to managing successfully in this complex environment.

Town Hall Meeting

The Town Hall meeting is the capstone of the conference. Eleven of the thought leaders in systems thinking will be together for an informal discussion. Half of the time will be devoted to questions from the audience. The other half of the time will be devoted to questions which are received before the conference.

About The Background

ICSTM 2004 is an outgrowth of the 1st and 2nd International Conferences on Systems Thinking in Management held at Deakins University, Australia, in 2000 and the University of Salford, UK, in 2002 respectively. The 3rd International Conference, ICSTM 2004, is being hosted by the Ackoff Center for the Advancement of Systems Approaches at the University of Pennsylvania, USA and by the Association For Enterprise Integration. The conference will be held at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

One of the key objectives of this conference is to bring industry, government, and academic thinkers and practictioners together to share ideas and experiences leading to more effective organizations.