For directions to St Lucia campus please click here:

www.uq.edu.au/maps/directions.html?menu=1

The final program and abstract book including the conference schedule for ISSS2009 can now be downloaded from CONFERENCE PROGRAM BOOK (140 pages, 4.8 MB).

The CONFERENCE SCHEDULE (11 pages, 75kb) can be downloaded as a quick reference.

Registration will open on Sunday 12th July, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., in the lobby of the Abel Smith Building on the St Lucia Campus of University of Queensland, Brisbane.

During that afternoon, there will be two workshops available, and these will be followed at 5 p.m. by the conference opening reception in Building 14 (General Purpose North 4) in the Terrace Room.

The first day of the conference will begin at 9 a.m. on July 13th in the Abel Smith Lecture Hall.

Please download the schedule and if you have questions, please contact isssoffice@dsl.pipex.com

 ISSS 2009 Brisbane<!--StartFragment-->

International Network for Systems Education

Workshop

Wednesday 15 July 2009 13:30 to 5 pm (During ISSS 2009 conference in Brisbane)

At the last meeting of the ISSS in Madison a Chair of the International Committee for Systems Education was appointed (the under-signed). However, there is not yet an official committee. Our intention is to establish such a committee during ISSS 2009 in Brisbane, by creating a network that will represent systems educators around the world.

You are hereby invited to attend and participate in the Systems Education Workshop to be held on Wednesday 15 July 2009 during the conference.

Three short presentations on the a systems education matrix created during the 2008 Fuschl discussions (Professor Ockie Bosch), how systems education in Vietnam developed from “nothing to excitement” (Professor Hoang TRI) and Systems Education at The University of Queensland (Professor Kambiz Maani) will be followed by a facilitated session to

·       Establish a network (involving people/institutions who attend)

·       Define steps towards actively extending the network

·       Determine how the network will operate, e.g.

-      sharing of knowledge and tools?

-      sharing of course material?

-      availability of web-based e-courses?

-      summer Schools in different localities?

-      systems training in industry and communities (creating a demand where necessary)?

·       Enhance the ISSS website for improving communication and networking and to serve as a major mechanism for keeping the International Committee for Systems Education fully active and alive.

·       With the Systems Education Matrix as a basis, determine broad guidelines for curriculum development for instilling systems skills in different types of students (from helping reductionist scientists to contextualize their work in the bigger picture to systems integrators and pure systems scientists.  

 The participation of all people interested in systems education is essential to achieve the above. Your attendance will therefore be highly appreciated

Professor Ockie Bosch

Head

School of Integrative Systems, The University of Queensland, Australia

ISSS and IFSR Chair of International Committee for Systems Education

Three workshops are planned before the ISSS2009 conference in July. For more detailed information click here.

1. Systems Thinking for Complex Problem Solving

Presenters:

Professor Kambiz Maani, Chair in Systems Thinking and Practice - School of Integrative Systems, University of Queensland, AUS

Professor John Bliss, Oregon State University, USA

Dr Carl Smith, School of Integrative Systems, UQ, AUS

Professor Ockie Bosch, Head, School of Integrative Systems, UQ, AUS

Venue:

Collaborative Learning Centre

Room 219 Building 14 - St Lucia Campus, The University of Queensland

Workshop Brief

This workshop introduces Systems Thinking as an integrating paradigm and set of tools for complex problem solving in general, and natural resource management and sustainability in particular. The workshop integrates Systems Thinking theory and tools in the context of a real-life case. The selected case attempts to address policy, planning and organisational issues related to sustainable tourism in Cambodia using integrated and systemic frameworks. It is expected that key officials from Cambodia will participate as informants for this workshop.

Thus, over 2 days, workshop participants will be exposed to and engage in a real multi dimensional decision-making/problem-solving challenge. The case will be used as a learning platform throughout the workshop.

Please email mlmoore@uq.edu.au for further information and costs, and a booking form.

Early-bird discounted registration is still available for the ISSS2009 conference in Brisbane, but this discount will expire in two weeks time, on May 1, 2009. Please register by the end of April 30, 2009 to be sure not to miss these savings! Click on the Registration link in the Quickpaths menu under Brisbane 2009 to register and complete payment online. 

Online Payment

On-line registration and payment for Brisbane 2009 delegates is now available.

Please click here: OnLine Registration

New tour information has been added to the Tourist Attractions and Tours page of the Brisbane Conference. http://isss.org/world/en/brisbane-2009-tourist-attractions-tours

These are offered by Adventure Tours, and they will also be offering a special arrangement to take people from Sydney on July 10 for a three day sightseeing trip by coach, including two nights accommodation, arriving at the conference by July 12. See the full details on the conference pages and if you are interested in these tours, you must contact the company directly by emailing fiona@adventuretours.com.au to make a booking.

If you would like to purchase a printed copy of the ISSS2008 Conference Proceedings or selected previous years, please go to the Publications page.

http://isss.org/world/en/bulletins

Printed proceedings are now available through an arrangement with Curran Associates to print on demand paper copies of the CDROM proceedings. These are especially useful for library subscriptions.

CDroms of each year's proceedings are also available to order from the ISSS Office. See the Publications page for details on this option.

It is time again to ask for submissions of short notes or research reports, and other items of interest, for the upcoming ISSS 2009 General Systems Bulletin to be published in January 2009.

Short papers/research notes should be no longer than 1000 words.

ALSO, other items of interest are welcome for the membership section such as future conferences, calls for papers, employment announcements, new courses, etc...

Please email to isssoffice@dsl.pipex.com

Or by post to:
ISSS Office
47 Southfield Road
Pocklington
York YO42 2XE
United Kingdom

Please send all submissions to arrive no later than December 15th 2008

As in previous years, audio and written retrospectives will be available from this year's annual meeting in Madison, WI, USA, held July 13-18, 2008.
As soon as this material is available, an announcement will be made on this page and through the email announce list for ISSS.

ISSS2008: Systems that Make a Difference

Location: University of Wisconsin, Memorial Union, 800 Langdon Street, Madison, Wisconsin

Three unique opportunities have been arranged  as optional tours for Wednesday afternoon. Each of these options are very special opportunities to explore Madison and the surrounding area. For more details, see Tours...

The ISSS Roundtable has some updated information on the Roundtable organisation and content. Please see Roundtable on the SIG call for papers page.

A new, fourth conference workshop on Living Systems Science, led by Jim Simms has been added to the program on Wednesday morning. Please see LSA, Workshop 4...

Go to the Publications page for purchase of printed proceedings for ISSS 2007. These proceedings are now available through an arrangement with Curran Associates.

CALL FOR PAPERS:
ISSS 2008
The University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
July 13-18, 2008

Systems that Make a Difference
President: Gary Metcalf

The title for this conference borrows from Gregory Bateson¹s definition of information as "a difference that makes a difference." The question for systems researchers and practitioners is, "what difference are we making?"

The ISSS 2008 conference will bring together professionals who are developing the cutting edge of systems ideas with leaders who face real-world complexities and ³messes² daily. While we must continue to make systems research ever more rigorous, we must also connect that work with the dilemmas in the world for which people are seeking solutions. The intent of this conference is to further build the bridges between rigor and relevance in systems work. Speakers and authors are invited who can address any part of this spectrum, from better methods for systems research to clarifying the nature of real-world problems in need of resolution.

Location

The 52nd conference will be held at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, July 13-18, 2008. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is located in Madison, WI, and the campus spreads out along Lake Mendota, encompassing wooded hills, friendly shores and lively city streets. Madison ‹the state¹s capital city with a population of 208,000) offers the perfect combination of natural beauty, stimulating cultural offerings, outdoor recreation, distinctive restaurants, unique shops and vibrant nightlife.

The university¹s location in south central Wisconsin makes for convenient access to Milwaukee (80 miles), Chicago (150 miles) and Minneapolis (270 miles). Daily buses serve all three cities.

Related Web Sites

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: www.wisc.edu
• City of Madison: www.ci.madison.wi.us
• Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau: www.visitmadison.com
• Dane County: www.co.dane.wi.us
• State of Wisconsin: www.wisconsin.gov/state/home
• Visiting Wisconsin: www.travelwisconsin.com

Call for Papers

Although the conference will accept papers related to the following areas of research, the list is neither exclusive nor restrictive. Proposals of new sessions and tracks are very welcome. Each session chair takes the final responsibility for running his/her session. All submitted papers are encouraged to state how relevant the paper is with regard to systems thinking, systems modeling and/or systems practice.

Specific Calls for Papers will be advertised on the website, and in the General Systems Bulletin 2008, by the following Special Integration Groups (SIGs) and exploratory groups:

EXPLORATORY GROUPS

In addition the above sessions, the Student SIG and ISSS Roundtable SIG will be organized and the format for these sessions is interwoven into the program. These groups do not accept abstracts or paper submissions. Anyone who is interested is welcome and invited to participate; please see the website for information about the organization of these sessions or contact Nicholas Magliocca (Student SIG) or Sue Gabriele (Roundtable SIG) for further information.

Important Dates

(Late papers received after May 31, 2007 may still be accepted to the conference, but they are included on the CD-ROM proceedings for the subsequent year.)

Late abstracts may be accepted after May 1 on a space available basis until June 15, 2008. If late papers from these abstracts are submitted they will be held for publication on the following year conference CDROM.

Social Programs

The conference opening reception will be held on July 13 and the conference banquet will be held on Thursday, July 17. Detailed plans will be announced on the conference website.

Registration

Off-line registration will also begin on February 1. A copy of the registration form has been included with this mailing. Accommodation information for the conference can also be found on the website. The registration fee does not cover accommodation or transportation expenses to and from the conference site.

The registration fee includes:

• ISSS membership fees for 2009
• A program/abstract book
• CD-ROM proceedings
• Reception on Sunday July 13
• One banquet ticket for Thursday July 17
• Coffee/tea breaks
• Lunches from Monday to Thursday

Due to space limitations, only one paper per registered participant will be accepted for the 2008 conference.

Accommodations

Accommodation information is being gathered and will be available shortly.

There will be the choice of University accommodation or local hotels in Madison.

Committees

This is a preliminary notice to announce that ANZSYS will be held in 1-2 December, 2008 at the Mount Lawley campus of Edith Cowan University in Perth. I would appreciate it if you could circulate this information. At the moment little has been decided except the dates and the venue but with preliminary discussions it appears that the closing date for papers will be in late August. We will be holding ANZSYS at the same time as our security conferences but ANZSYS will be distinct from them - it just makes logistical sense to do it this way. (I might add that I want to run a 'Systems and Security' stream). Any assistance or ideas will be greatly appreciated. At a later time we will need willing reviewers, and workshop facilitators.

I will get back to you more formally later.

Regards
Bill

Professor Bill Hutchinson
IBM Chair (Information Security)
School of Computer and Information Science Edith Cowan University Mt Lawley
Western AUSTRALIA 6050
Email: w.hutchinson@ecu.edu.au

Web site: http://www.scis.ecu.edu.au/staff/staffinfo.aspx?staffid=wehutchi

Call for Papers: EASST/4S conference “Acting with Science, Technology and Medicine”, Rotterdam, August 20 – 23, 2008

STS Locations: Latin America

As has been noted in many STS works, the manner in which science, technology, and medicine is produced or translated depends greatly on historical and national contexts. The production of knowledge about the interactions of science, technology, medicine, and society is not exempt from this contextualization. Yet much like the production of tehnoscientific and medical knowledge, STS knowledge production remains primarily EuroAmerican despite the field’s attempts to broaden its conceptual perspectives. The session’s goal is three-fold: to explore the contributions to thinking about science, technology, medicine and society by scholars in Latin America past and present; to provide scholars working on Latin American STS issues an opportunity to showcase their work; and to further theorize the specifics of acting with a co-productionist/interventionist approach, to science, technology, and medicine in Latin American locations.

Papers are invited to address issues such as:

• Methodological and theoretical contributions to the field of STS by Latin American scholars
• Latin American approaches to theorizing and acting with science, technology, and medicine
• Latin American interventions and activism with science, technology, and medicine
• Latin American innovations and developments in science, technology, and society

Multiple panels will be submitted in these four areas if there is sufficient interest.

Session Organizers

• Robert Olivo, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
• Rick B. Duque, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
• Christina Holmes, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

Please send an abstract of a paper (minimum 250 words, maximum of 400 words) dealing with the issues sketched above and related issues to Robert Olivo (olivo@vt.edu). Submission deadline: February 13, 2008.

CALL FOR PAPERS: July 2009 issue (Vol. 2, Issue 2) of the International Journal of Information Technologies and the Systems Approach

http://www.igi-pub.com/ijitsa
An Official Publication of the Information Resources Management Association

IMPORTANT DATES

DESCRIPTION

The International Journal of Information Technologies and the Systems Approach (IJITSA) is a refereed, international journal on applied and theoretical research, aimed at providing coverage of the foundations, challenges, opportunities, problems, trends, and solutions encountered by both scholars and practitioners in the field of Information Systems when applying the Systems Approach. IJITSA emphasizes the systemic worldview of managerial, organizational and engineering interaction facets provided by modern complex information systems and information technologies. The articles published in IJITSA will focus on Information Systems (IS) and their interactions with Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, Complex Systems and Philosophy of Systems Science issues for a better understanding and development of the Information Systems discipline.

COVERAGE

IJITSA will publish papers – one issue per semester – of high quality, rigor and relevance on Information Systems that use the Systems Approach as a main method of inquiry under the following categories: (i) theoretical research papers (from conceptual review and analysis, formal analysis or modeling), (ii) empirical research papers (from an engineering perspective (e.g., papers that report the design, and/or building and/or empirical (even as a pilot test) evaluation of a system)) or and behavioral papers (e.g. papers that report survey-based, case study or action research approaches, where human beings’ behavior –including both subjective and objective constructs- are the main focus of the systems studied in laboratory and field settings). Papers can have the following single or combined research purposes: scholastic, instrumental/methodological, exploratory, descriptive, predictive, explanatory, design and control, evaluative, interpretative or interventionist. The studies can use the following systemic research methodologies or approaches: conceptual, formal mathematical, systems simulation (discrete, multi-agent or hybrid), systems dynamics, soft systems, action research, critical systems, multi-methodology, and their philosophical underpinnings can be either positivist, interpretative, critical or based in critical realism. They are expected to be integrated or discussed under the perspective of the Systems Approach with the long-term aim of obtaining a unified view of Information Systems.

GUIDELINES FOR MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONS:

Please visit: http://www.igi-pub.com/journals/details.asp?ID=6720&v=guidelines

STEERING-EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-Chief:
David Paradice
Florida State University, USA

Operational Editor-in-Chief:
Manuel Mora
Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, México

Senior Associate Editors (SAEs):
Frank Stowell
University of Postmourth, England
Information Systems/Technology and the Systems Approach

David Paradice
Florida State University, USA
Complex Information Systems and the Systems Approach

Doncho Petkov
Eastern Connecticut State University, USA
Software Engineering and the Systems Approach

Miroljub Kljajic
University of Maribor, Slovenia
Systems Engineering and the Systems Approach

John Mingers
University of Kent at Canterbury, England
Information Systems and Philosophy of Systems Science

Paper/Abstract Submissions and Invited Session Proposals Due: *January 9th, 2008*
Author Notifications Due: *February 20th, 2008*
Final Paper Due: *March 11th, 2008*

The 6th International Conference on Computing, Communications and Control Technologies: CCCT 2008 (http://www.infocybereng.org/ccct2008g), to be held in Orlando, June 29th - July 2nd, 2008

Submitted papers and extended abstracts will have three kinds of reviews: double-blind (by at least three reviewers), non-blind, and participative peer-to-peer reviews.

Authors of accepted papers, who have registered in the conference, will have access to the reviews and comments of the reviewers that recommended the acceptance of their paper, so they can accordingly improve the final version of their papers. Non-registered authors will not have access to the reviews of their respective submissions.

Awards will be granted to the best paper of those presented at each session. From these sessions' best papers, the best 10%-20% of the papers presented at the conference will be selected for their publication JSCI Journal (www.iiisci.org/Journal/SCI) and sent free to over 220 research libraries. Libraries of journal authors' organizations will receive complimentary subscriptions of at least one volume (6 issues).

Academics, professionals, and consultants are also invited to organize an invited session related to a topic of their research/professional interest. Those interested in organizing an invited session, can fill out the respective form provided in the conference web site. If the invited session is approved, the respective organizers will receive a password, so they may be able to include and modify papers in their respective invited sessions.

The registration fee of effective organizers will be waived. Twelve additional benefits are described in the conference web site.

More details about the reviewing process, the acceptance policy, and the organization of invited sessions, can be found in the conference web site.

For those who think that the submission deadline is too tight for them, please let us know about a suitable time for you and we will inform you if it is feasible for us.

Best regards,

Dr. C. Dale Zinn
CCCT 2008 Program Committee Chair

CHANGE OF DATE
CALL FOR PAPERS: Social Entrepreneurship, Systems Thinking, & Complexity

First International Conference April 24-26, 2008 Adelphi University, Garden City, New York (right outside of Manhattan, near JFK Airport)

The unique and pressing challenges facing both the economic and social situations of the 21st century are calling for fundamentally new initiatives.

The burgeoning arena of social entrepreneurship is one such example of how public and private organizations are forging alliances aiming at addressing these challenges. As of yet, though, there's no recognizably useful theoretical underpinning of the systemic dimension of social entrepreneurship.

Recent advances in the sciences of complex systems, however, hold great promise for a more thorough understanding and grounding of social entrepreneurship activities. The need for a complexity-based perspective going beyond current linear and equilibrium-based models is even noted in the most recent guidelines for applications for funding in the area of social entrepreneurship programs.

At this conference we will bring together leading thinkers in complexity theory, social entrepreneurship, systems thinking, social innovation, and leadership research to explore questions surrounding social entrepreneurship.

Attendees of the conference will gain a better understanding of the state of knowledge in these vital areas and will leave more energized and engaged in furthering the goals of social entrepreneurship. The goal of this conference is not only to provide a unique opportunity to further understanding but also to make a real difference in our world.

Selected papers at the conference will be published in a special issue of the journal Emergence: Complexity and Organization (E:CO) and will also be included in an edited book to be published in 2008.

Due Dates

For consideration, Extended abstracts or drafts of academic papers must be received by: February 15, 2008

Proposals for Panels or Symposia are due by: March 10, 2008

Submission Guidelines: All academic paper submissions will go through a blind review process. All submissions should be prepared in Word (version 1998 or higher). Submission of a paper constitutes agreement that if the paper is accepted for presentation at least one of the authors will register to attend the conference.

Invited Special Guest Speakers- world-renowned speakers in public policy, economics, complexity, and social entrepreneurship to give plenary sessions.

The organizers of this conference are Dr. Jeffrey Goldstein (goldstei@adelphi.edu) & Dr. James K. Hazy (hazy@adelphi.edu)of Adelphi University. An electronic copy of the submission should be sent to Dr. Hazy.

Additional information and guidelines on the Emergence: Complexity and Organization (E:CO) journal may be obtained from its website: www.emergence.org.

Conference Information: Please check for details and updates on our website at: http://complexityleadership.wikispaces.com/Events .

Program / Schedule Available  Schedule

ISSS2008: Systems that Make a Difference

Location: University of Wisconsin, Memorial Union, 800 Langdon Street, Madison, Wisconsin

The title for this conference borrows from Gregory Bateson’s definition of information as “a difference that makes a difference.” The question for systems researchers and practitioners is, “what difference are we making?”

For more information see the Madison 2008 main page, and the Madison 2008 Conference Announcement

Confirmed Plenary Guest Speakers

• Timothy F. H. Allen, President-elect, ISSS (2009) and Professor, Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin
• Steve Carpenter, Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin
• Manfred Drack, Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science, Vienna, Austria
• Jon Foley, Professor, Department of Sustainability and Global Environment, University of Wisconsin
• David L. Hawk, Dean of the School of Management and Faculty in the New Jersey School of Architecture, New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Doug McDavid, Executive Research Consultant, Almaden Research Center, San Jose, CA
• Bobby Milstein, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Syndemics Prevention Network
• Bill Rouse, Professor in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, with a joint appointment in the College of Computing. Also, Fellow, International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) 2006 and recipient of the IBM Faculty Award in 2005 and 2006
• David Schwartz, Professor, Chemistry and Genetics, University of Wisconsin
• David Waltner-Toews, Professor, Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph and founding president of the Network for Ecosystem Sustainability and Health
• Jennifer Wilby, Director of the Centre for Systems Studies and faculty member in Management Systems at the University of Hull, UK

If you were unable to attend the 51st Annual Meeting of the ISSS, the Tokyo 2007 Retrospective includes digests, photographs, presentations, and downloadable MP3 audio.

For reference, the original conference pages have been retained.

We will be happy to welcome you to ALE2008 on 9,10 and 11 June 2008 at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia.

ALE is an informal network of engineering educators dedicated to improving engineering education through active learning techniques. For more information on this Active Learning in Engineering Education Workshop and the call for contributions, please visit the website

• http://ale2008.uniandes.edu.co/

We would be really grateful if you would forward this message to any colleagues who may be interested.

Hoping to hear from you soon,

The organizing committee
ALE

ALE2008 - Learning has never been more fun!

8th International Conference of Sociocybernetics
COMPLEX SOCIAL SYSTEMS, INTERDISCIPLINARITY AND WORLD FUTURES
Ciudad de México, MÉXICO 24-28 June 2008

CALL FOR PAPERS

Using interdisciplinary approaches to the study of social systems is a central concern in sociocybernetics. For present purposes, a complex social system can be defined as one in which the processes that determine its operation result from the convergence of multiple factors interacting in such a way that the system is not decomposable into constituent disciplinary perspectives. Therefore, no complex social system can be described by simply adding independent studies over each of its components. “The non decomposability of a complex system is due to what we have called the interdefinibility of its components. The research of that system is performed by a multi-disciplinary team, with a working methodology that must attain an inter-disciplinary integration”. (García, Sistemas complejos). It follows that the difference between a multidisciplinary and an interdisciplinary research team lies in the integration of the latter on the basis of common conceptual and methodological frameworks.

Discipline-integrating conceptual/methodological frameworks are not available ready made. Particular solutions may require different approaches. The question arises as to how far it is possible to generalize over these different approaches. The conference will provide a dialogical space for knowledge construction and discussion addressing epistemological, theoretical and methodological aspects of interdisciplinarity in the course of the study of complex social systems.

The conference also aims to elicit interdisciplinary discussion and debate about possible world futures by bringing together the views of sociologists, economists, technologists, ecologists, historians, political scientists, psychologists, anthropologists and other natural and social science specialists to reflect on different societal development paths and their desirability.

Other papers with an explicit sociocybernetic orientation are also welcomed, especially those addressing topics specific to Latin America.

VENUE AND ACCOMMODATION

The International Conference of Sociocybernetics will take place in Centro Histórico in Mexico City (Downtown). http://www.ciudadmexico.com.mx/espectaculos.htm

Benito Juárez International Airport is located at 30 minutes from Downtown.

Hotel facilities are still under negotiation.

Additional information will be sent on this respect.

SESSIONS AND LANGUAGES

The official languages of the Conference will be English and Spanish. In this conference we want to increase the interest and participation of Latin American scholars. Specific sessions in Spanish language will be organized.

However, in order to facilitate the review process and communication, all abstracts must be submitted in English. Final papers in Spanish should therefore include an English version of both title and abstract.

ABSTRACTS AND THE REVIEW PROCESS

Please submit a 500 to 1000 word detailed abstract for the review process and for assignment to a particular session. In addition, 250 word regular abstracts are needed for the Conference Programme and Abstracts booklet and for publication on the RC51 website.

All abstracts should be sent to the Chair of the Abstracts Committee, Karl-Heinz Simon simon@usf.uni-kassel.de and to the Conference Coordinator, Margarita Maass maass@labcomplex.net.

DEADLINES

CONTACTS AND INFORMATION

For any further questions and information, please consult the RC51 website at http://www.unizar.es/sociocybernetics/ . You may also directly contact any of the members of the International Organizing Committee or the Coordinator of the National Organizing Committee.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

• Bernard Scott, President RC51 <B.C.E.scott@rmcs.cranfield.ac.uk>
• Chaime Marcuello, Secretary RC51 <chaime@posta.unizar.es>
• Eva Buchinger, Vice-President <eva.buchinger@arcs.ac.at>
• Karl-Heinz Simon <simon@usf.uni-kassel.de>
  

NATIONAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

• Dr. Margarita Maass (Coordinator) UNAM rc51mexico@labcomplex.net.
  Tel: + 5255 56230449, Fax: + 5255 56162988
• Dr. José Amozurrutia UNAM amoz@labcomplex.net
• Dr. Jorge A. González UNAM jorge@labcomplex.net

CALL FOR PAPERS

14th International Congress of Cybernetics and Systems of WOSC - ICCS'08

London 1969, ..., Pittsburgh 2002, Maribor 2005, Wroclaw 2008

September 9 - 12, 2008, Wroclaw, Poland

http://www.wosc-congress.pwr.wroc.pl

ORGANIZED BY
WOSC - World Organisation of Systems and Cybernetics
IISE - Institute of Information Science and Engineering, Wroclaw University of Technology (WUT)

SUBMISSION DEADLINES
January 15, 2008 - invited session proposals
February 29, 2008 - extended abstracts
May 31, 2008 - accepted full papers

PROCEEDINGS
Papers will be published in the proceedings with ISBN number.

Selected papers will be published in:
KYBERNETES (official journal of WOSC, indexed and abstracted in, e.g., ISI
databases, IEE Proceedings, INSPEC, Knowledge Engineering Review)
SYSTEMS SCIENCE (journal edited in IISE, indexed and abstracted in, e.g., COMPENDEX, IEE Proceedings, INSPEC, Mathematical Reviews)

TOPICS
Artificial intelligence
Behavioural sciences
Biological and medical cybernetics
Complex systems
Cognition and systems
Control theory and engineering
Cybernetics and art
Cybernetics and economy
Dynamical systems
Ecological systems
Education and systems
Epistemology and praxiology
Fuzzy systems
General and mathematical systems theory
Grey systems
History of cybernetics and systems
Information and communication systems
Intelligent systems
Machine consciousness
Management and cybernetics
Manufacturing and transport systems
Pansystems
Social systems
Systems modelling, control, management and decision making
Uncertain systems

Dear Colleague

On behalf of Honorary and Organising Committees I would like to cordially invite you to take part in ICCS'08 - the International Congress of WOSC organized next year in Wroclaw, Poland.

Attached you will find the call for papers in a printable version containing more detailed information than displayed above.

Please follow http://www.wosc-congress.pwr.wroc.pl to obtain other useful information and to submit an extended abstract.

Best regards Jerzy Jozefczyk

Co-President of ICCS'08, Chair of Organizing Committee for ICCS'08 Director of IISE, WUT

Wroclaw University of Technology
Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego 27
50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
Phone: +48 71 320 33 28
Fax: +48 71 320 38 84
e-mail: Jerzy.Jozefczyk@pwr.wroc.pl

CALL FOR PAPERS,
Special Issue of Enterprise Information Systems on the theme of "Material Flow Science and Technology and Global Enterprise Integration"

The design, development and implementation of enterprise information systems (EIS) have had a strategic impact on global business and the world economy. Without doubt, the emphasis of EIS is on information systems. However, the historical emergence of EIS moved from concern with material flows to a focus on physical assets more broadly and is only now beginning to incorporate internal and enterprise knowledge systems. As the focus of information systems moves from the concrete to the abstract, it is not uncommon for material emergence and constraint to be neglected. With this special issue of Enterprise Information Systems, we would like to draw the focus again to the material basis of all global enterprise.

The development of EIS has been viewed mainly from the perspective of organizations such as large corporations, governments and armed forces. The development is particularly interesting because EIS have emerged as cross-boundary subsystems of organizations – which present interesting systems-related questions. The term enterprise, historically designating the business organization itself, is now being employed to designate a sort of extra-system system. That pattern may signal a growing need for traditional systems science to iterate an entity-systems science that provides for significant flexibility between the concepts of boundary and attractor and between the ideas concept (knowledge) and information. Material Flow Science provides a foundation for innovation from the traditional systematic science to entity-systems science. A more comprehensive view of materials flow involving multi-levels of human interaction and integration may aid that iteration, explained as ‘System of Systems’=S2 or (SoS).

We, therefore, invite papers that concern material flows from the perspectives of systems science, philosophy of technology, enterprise and networking theory, and of course from the various facets of the information systems discipline. Additionally, we are interested in papers that examine material flows from the perspectives of the fundamental sciences (physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, etc.), of the fields of engineering (natural, social, economic, infrastructure, industrial, mechanical, electrical, etc.), of theoretical subjects of system and network, emergence, living systems, complexity, economics, management, pedagogy, sociology, law, accounting, history, anthropology etc., and practical approaches of logistics, waste management, service processes, environmental management, etc. Manuscripts should be submitted online. Instructions may be found at www.informaworld.com/eis.

Shoubo Xu
G. A. Swanson
Kjell Samuelson

Christian Fuchs (2008) Internet and Society: Social Theory in the Information Age. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0415961327. 408 pages. Routledge Research Series in Information Technology and Society.

More infos: http://fuchs.icts.sbg.ac.at/i&s.html

Discussion Board on Internet+Society issues: http://www.nabble.com/Internet-and-Society-f28205.html

In this book, the author develops a theory that shows how Internet has changed society and society shapes the Internet. It discusses the ecology, the economy, the politics, and the culture of transnational informational capitalism.

Topics addressed in the book include: self-organization in nature, self-organization in society, foundations of social theory, theory of capitalism, critical theory in the age of the Internet, transnational informational capitalism, Web 2.0, social software, ecological sustainability and ICTs, informational monopolies, strategies of accumulation related to the Internet, MySpace, YouTube, Wikipedia, Google, Open Source, Free Software, filesharing, knowledge labor, class theory, multitude and Empire (Hardt and Negri), class theory in informational capitalism, gift internet economy, commodity internet economy, gift commodity internet economy, digital divide, eParticipation, digital democracy, democratic theory, information warfare, electronic surveillance, cyberprotest, the movement for democratic globalization ("anti-globalization"), virtual communities, social networking platforms, cyberstalking, social relations online, individualization and isolation online, Internet addiction, cyberculture, cyberethics, etc.

The book provides foundations for Critical Internet Research / Critical Theory in the age of informational capitalism.

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Preparations for the 52nd annual meeting of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS) are well under way. It is our pleasure to invite you to join us in these preparations by exploring the various options for participation available to you through the web links listed below. For the 9th time, Kathia and Alexander Laszlo will be Co-Chairing the Evolutionary Development (ED) SIG for for this year's conference on "Systems that Make a Difference." The conference will be held in the United States at University of Wisconsin in the city of Madison from 13-18 July 2008. We very much hope you will join us!

Call for Participation in the ED SIG is attached with this message as a separate two-page Word document. (If you have any trouble accessing or opening it, please let us know and we will be happy to send it to you as a simple eMail message.)

Once you have familiarized yourself with the ED SIG Call, you may wish to explore further information and what to do next (especially if this will be your first time to the ED SIG of the ISSS). To begin with, and by way of background information in preparation for this event, we urge you to visit the historical webpages of the ELC SIG. Since the ED SIG is a direct descendent of its previous incarnation as the ELC SIG, the statements of goals, purpose, and history, as well as of topics, format, and focus all bear directly on the spirit of engagement in which the ED SIG will meet at the University of Wisconsin. The URL to visit is as follows: http://isss.org/sigs/sig29elc.htm

* To join the ED SIG listserv and be part of the dynamic design conversation leading up to the conference, subscribe here: http://lists.isss.org/mailman/listinfo/ed

* General information about the ISSS can be found at the main Web site: http://isss.org/world/ with some useful (though not yet fully updated) links provided here: http://isss.org/projects/

* To view the facilities at the University of Wisconsin where the presentation sessions (both plenary and individual papers), as well as the reception and banquet, will be held, visit the following Web site: http://www.union.wisc.edu/phototour/index.html The Memorial Union buidling has indoor and outdoor food facilities for breakfast and lunch, and is within walking distance of dorm and hotel accommodations.

We look forward to co-creating an engaging session with you and to seeing you in Madison next July!!

Yours,
- Alexander & Kathia Laszlo
Co-Chairs, ISSS ED SIG
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Alexander Laszlo, Ph.D. > Syntony Quest < Kathia C. Laszlo, Ph.D.
U.S.A.: 810-A Quarry Road - The Presidio, San Francisco, CA 94129
Mexico: Cardenal 1310, San Andres - El Barrial, Santiago NL 67300
Tel/Fax: ++415/346.1547 (USA) ][ Tel/Fax: ++81/8266.2186 (Mex)
mailto:info@SyntonyQuest.org >< http://www.SyntonyQuest.org
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December 12th is the new deadline for papers/abstracts submissions and Invited Sessions Proposals for WMSCI 2008 (Orlando, Florida, USA. June 29th-July 2nd, 2008) http://www.sciiis.org/wmsci2008
Authors Notification: January 21st, 2008
Camera ready, full papers: February 14th, 2008

All Submitted papers will be reviewed by a double-blind (at least three reviewers), non-blind, and participative peer review. These three kinds of review will support the selection process of those that will be accepted for their presentation at the conference, as well as those to be selected for their publication in JSCI Journal. Details are given in the conference web site.

The registration fee of effective invited session organizers will be waived and they will receive at the registration desk, for free, 1) a package of 4 DVDs and one CD containing the 6-hour tutorial "Fundamentals and History of Cybernetics: Development of the Theory of Complex Adaptive Systems"; and 2) a second 4-DVDs/1-CD package 6-hours tutorial titled "Cybernetic Management". The market price of each of these packages is US $ 295. Twelve more benefits for invited session organizers are listed at WMSCI 2008 web page.

For submissions or Invited Sessions Proposals, please go to the web site: http://www.sciiis.org/wmsci2008/organizer.asp

Authors of the best 10%-20% of the papers presented at the conference will be invited to adapt their papers for their publication in the Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics.

Best regards,
WMSCI 2008 Secretariat