The Combinatory Systems Theory by Piero Mella

The Combinatory Systems Theory by Piero Mella

This book adopts the logic of Systems Thinking and Control Systems, presenting a simple but complete theory called the Theory of Combinatory Systems. This new theory describes, interprets, explains, and simulates collective phenomena and their observable effects. Such collective phenomena – many of which are “one way", non-repeatable or reproducible – can all be described and understood using the model, as simple as it is general, of combinatory systems; that is, systems formed by collectivities, or populations of non-connected and unorganized individuals of some species, which appear to be directed by an invisible hand that guides the analogous actions of similar individuals in order to produce an emerging collective phenomenon.

This edition includes enhanced theories such as an analysis of potential interactions between combinatory systems and their dynamics, highlighting the role of the environment in which such systems operate. It also includes new examples and enhanced figures that illustrate how combinatory systems are observed in social, biological and physical contexts.

Piero Mella is Full Professor of Business Economics and Control Theory in the

Faculty of Economics, University of Pavia. In the past, he has been the Dean of the

Faculty as well as the Director of its Department of Business Research. He has

authored dozens of publications (among which a treatise entitled Amministrazione

d'Impresa [Management of the Firm], UTET Press), and for years he has researched

systems theory from multiple perspectives. His recent essays about systems theory

include: The Holonic Revolution. Holons, Holarchies and Holonic Networks. The

Ghost in the Production Machine (Pavia University Press. Pavia, 2009), Systems

Thinking: Intelligence in Action (Springer, 2012), The Magic Ring: Systems

Thinking Approach to Control Systems (Springer, 2014) and The Combinatory

Systems Theory. Understanding, modeling and simulating collective phenomena

(Springer, 2017).