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Systems Thinking in Operational Research Angela Espinosa, Giles Hindle and Gerald Midgley (Centre for Systems Studies, University of Hull) are organizing a systems thinking stream at the Operational Research Society Conference on 11-13 September 2018 in Lancaster, UK. We are particularly interested in systemic approaches to stakeholder engagement, problem structuring and systems modelling. The Conference: The conference is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Operational Research Society. It will be held on 11-13 September 2018 at Lancaster University, which is situated near the Lake District - one of the most picturesque regions of the UK. Lancaster University is famous for being the institutional home of Soft Systems Methodology. We're delighted that Prof Peter Checkland will give a plenary address to the conference. Everything you need to know about the event (venue, travel, accommodation, price, requirements of presenters, etc.) can be found on the conference web site, where you can also sign up and submit abstracts (please choose the Systems Thinking stream): http://www.theorsociety.com/Pages/Conferences/OR60/OR60.aspx The Systems Thinking Stream: The stream will open with a keynote from Prof Mike Jackson (University of Hull, UK) and a participative workshop where everyone will be collectively involved in defining 'systems thinking for operational research'. The stream will also end with a second workshop to discuss future directions for systems thinking in OR, and for systemic change in wider society. We welcome the widest possible diversity of practitioners and academics, whatever specialism you bring or research community you have engaged with previously. We encourage the submission of abstracts discussing: * Applications of systems thinking to (and across) organizational, social and environmental issues; * Theoretical and methodological innovations; * Thoughts on the diversity, impacts and ethics of systemic OR practice; and * Reflections on the past, present and future of systems thinking in OR. Indeed, any presentation of relevance to systems thinking and OR is very welcome. A New Context and a New Opportunity: In 2017, the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) all publically declared systems thinking to be a key leadership skill that is necessary to deal with the fundamental interconnectedness of complex, local-to-global economic, social and environmental issues. This recognition of our field by major international agencies represents an open door to new opportunities to make a difference in both local communities and global governance. The understanding of systems thinking in the UN, WHO and OECD provides a great foundation for us to build upon. However, there is not yet a widespread awareness in these and many other institutions of the diverse range of systems theories, methodologies and methods that can make a real difference to the translation of systems thinking into systems practice. We need to further develop our understanding of what works and why, and ensure that this knowledge is widely disseminated. For decades now, systems theories, methodologies and methods have been developed in a synergistic meeting place between systems thinking (to deal with high levels of complexity and discord) and OR (which is an analytical profession already embedded in many public, private and voluntary sector organizations). This is one of the reasons why the 2018 OR Society Conference is an appropriate place to discuss systems thinking. The other reason is that the OR profession is changing. While there have been many previous calls for systems thinking to inform OR, today there is a renewed recognition that practitioners must think seriously about how they can transform OR practice to better address the complexities of an increasingly interconnected world. If OR practitioners fail in this regard, they will find themselves largely excluded from dealing with the most serious challenges in today's societies. Thus, systems thinking and OR are converging on the same problem space, and people in both research communities can learn from one another. Contacts If you want to ask questions about the stream, please contact Angela Espinosa ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>), Giles Hindle ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>) or Gerald Midgley ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>). For further information about the conference more broadly (including anything to do with costs, travel or accommodation), please contact Hilary Wilkes at the OR Society: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Best wishes, Giles [cid:image002.jpg@01D2FC91.D4929780] Giles Hindle, PhD | Faculty of Business, Law and Politics University of Hull Hull, HU6 7RX, UK www.hull.ac.uk<http://www.hull.ac.uk/> [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> | 01482 463457 [cid:image004.png@01D2FC91.D4929780] @UniOfHull<https://twitter.com/UniOfHull> [cid:image006.png@01D2FC91.D4929780] /UniversityOfHull<https://www.facebook.com/UniversityOfHull/> [cid:image008.png@01D2FC91.D4929780] universityofhull<https://www.instagram.com/universityofhull/>