Logo

Physical systems provide a link with the reality in a tangible manner. The functioning of any practical enterprise cannot take place without managing physical systems of various kinds. The physical systems consist of tangible and quantifiable variables. This book provides a theory of physical systems which is a general systems theory to act as a base for modelling a vast variety of physical systems. This theory, which is termed as physical systems theory (PST) has been suitably amended and integrated with other modelling methodologies, in a flexible system methodological framework, to cover a range of physical systems from operational to tactical to strategic.

The book is aimed to provide a comprehensive flow modelling framework to suit a variety of physical systems in managerial context, both at micro and macro levels. The objective of the book is to provide the fundamentals and developments on methodology front with flexibility in modelling by suitable integration with other methodologies, to be illustrated by a variety of applications at operational, tactical and macro levels. This illustrates the potential of the proposed flexible modelling methodology that can be taken up by management researchers, students, and practitioners.

The management applications covered in the book encompass the areas of manufacturing management; organizational and tactical management; and socio-economic systems. The applications in the context of manufacturing management cover multistage manufacturing systems, manufacturing of compression springs and turbogenerators, a closed chain production system with storage, an optimization model for technology selection, analysis of cost and quality, inspection policy, and integrated material handling systems. Applications in organizational and tactical management cover the areas such as integrated financial decision-making, organizational analysis, project management, management information system, and decision support system for maintenance management. At the macro level socio-economic systems, a variety of applications are presented such as intersectoral modelling of national economy, national budget, energy planning, steel planning, transport systems, and waste management systems.

Contents: 1. Opening the Door. 2. Methodology. 3. Applications in Manufacturing Management. 4. Applications in Organizational and Tactical Management. 5. Applications in Management of Socio-economic Systems. 6. Looking Beyond.