Includes bibliographical references.

Part I. Precendents to systems theory -- A logic of systems / A. Angyal -- The structure and function of organization / J. Feibleman and J.W. Friend -- Part II. Properties of open systems -- Closed and open systems / W. Koehler -- The theory o f open systems in physics and biology / L. von Bertalanffy -- Common characteristics of open systems / D. Katz and R.L. Kahn -- Self-regulation and requisite variety / W.R. Ashby -- Certain peculiarities of organisms as a system from the point of view of physics, cybernetics, and biology / V.I. Kremyanskiy -- The abstract characteristics of living systems / G. Sommerhoff -- Part III. The environment of a system -- A tentative classification of goal-seeking behaviours / M.P. Schutzenberger -- Rational choice and the structure of the environment / H.A. Simon -- Adaptation in the multistable system / W.R. Ashby -- The causal texture of organizational environments / F.E. Emery and E.L. Trist -- Part IV. Human organizations as systems -- Foundations of the theory of organizations / P. Selznick -- Socio-technical systems / F.E. Emery and E.L. Trist -- A formalization of functionalism / E. Nagel -- Systems, organizations, and interdisciplinary research / R.L. Ackoff -- Part V. Systems management -- Economic development, research and development, policy making : some converging views / A.O. Hirschman and C.E. Lindblom -- The road to 1977 / M. Ways.