Hasan Özbekhan
Encyclopedia
Dr. Hasan Özbekhan was a Turkish American
systems scientist, cyberneticist
, philosopher and planner who was Professor Emeritus of Management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
. He applied the field-of-systems theory
to global problems, helped inspire the group of planners, diplomats, scientists and academics who came together as the Club of Rome
.
in 1921, into a diplomatic family. He studied at the Lycée Chateaubraind in Rome, and then studied Law and Political and Administrative sciences at the Faculte de Droit and the École Libre des Sciences Politiques
in Paris
, and his graduate studies at the London School of Economics
. He undertook his postgraduate work at the University of Cambridge
after being elected to the Leverhume Fellowship.
In the 1960s Ozbekhan worked as management consultant to large multinational corporation
s. The work he did for governments includes Science Policy design for Turkey and a large study for the French Government analyzing the nature of present events that, most probably, will shape the future of Paris. The recommendations derived from these analyses currently constitute the basis of the policies adopted by the French Government with respect to the city's long-term development. From 1963 to 1969 he was principal scientist and director of planning at the System Development Corporation
, a military research group and software development company in Santa Monica, California.
In 1970 he started working at the University of Pennsylvania
at the faculty of the Wharton School, where he became Professor of Operations Research
and Statistics
, and Chairman of the Graduate Group in the Social Systems Sciences Department. From 1986 until his retirement in 1992 he was Professor of Management
at the Wharton School.
He has been a Fellow of the Royal Economic Society
, and held membership in The Economic Club of New York
, the American Economic Association
, the National Academy of Economics and Political Science, The Society of Business Advisory Professions, the Comité National Belge de l'Organisation Scientifique, the American Society for Political and Legal Philosophy, Mankind 2000, Futuribles.
He died on February 12, 2007 in Philadelphia.
In the 1970s Özbekhan was co founder and first director of The Club of Rome, with Aurelio Peccei
an Italian Industrialist, and Alexander Christakis
, a physicist
and systems research designer. Özbekhan wrote the original prospectus for The Club of Rome, The Predicament of Mankind. This document served as vision for systems scientists who, under the leadership of Alexander Christakis
and the 21st Century Agoras developed the science of structured dialogic design. Özbekhan is credited for the formulation of the Axiom of Engagement.
Together with Robert Jungk
, Johan Galtung
and many others he was member of MANKIND 2000.
Turkish American
Turkish Americans are people who have Turkish ancestry and are citizens of the United States.-History:Early Turkish immigrants to the United States were predominantly from Turkey's rural community. They settled in large, industrial cities and found employment as unskilled laborers...
systems scientist, cyberneticist
Cybernetics
Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...
, philosopher and planner who was Professor Emeritus of Management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. He applied the field-of-systems theory
Systems theory
Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems in general, with the goal of elucidating principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of research...
to global problems, helped inspire the group of planners, diplomats, scientists and academics who came together as the Club of Rome
Club of Rome
The Club of Rome is a global think tank that deals with a variety of international political issues. Founded in 1968 at Accademia dei Lincei in Rome, Italy, the CoR describes itself as "a group of world citizens, sharing a common concern for the future of humanity." It consists of current and...
.
Biography
Hasan Özbekhan was born in TurkeyTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in 1921, into a diplomatic family. He studied at the Lycée Chateaubraind in Rome, and then studied Law and Political and Administrative sciences at the Faculte de Droit and the École Libre des Sciences Politiques
École Libre des Sciences Politiques
École Libre des Sciences Politiques , often referred to as the École des Sciences Politiques or simply Sciences Po was created in Paris in February 1872 by a group of European intellectuals, politicians and businessmen, which included Hippolyte Taine, Ernest Renan, Albert Sorel, Pierre Paul...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and his graduate studies at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. He undertook his postgraduate work at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
after being elected to the Leverhume Fellowship.
In the 1960s Ozbekhan worked as management consultant to large multinational corporation
Multinational corporation
A multi national corporation or enterprise , is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation...
s. The work he did for governments includes Science Policy design for Turkey and a large study for the French Government analyzing the nature of present events that, most probably, will shape the future of Paris. The recommendations derived from these analyses currently constitute the basis of the policies adopted by the French Government with respect to the city's long-term development. From 1963 to 1969 he was principal scientist and director of planning at the System Development Corporation
System Development Corporation
System Development Corporation , based in Santa Monica, California, was considered the world's first computer software company.SDC started in 1955 as the systems engineering group for the SAGE air defense ground system at the RAND Corporation...
, a military research group and software development company in Santa Monica, California.
In 1970 he started working at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
at the faculty of the Wharton School, where he became Professor of Operations Research
Operations research
Operations research is an interdisciplinary mathematical science that focuses on the effective use of technology by organizations...
and Statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
, and Chairman of the Graduate Group in the Social Systems Sciences Department. From 1986 until his retirement in 1992 he was Professor of Management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
at the Wharton School.
He has been a Fellow of the Royal Economic Society
Royal Economic Society
The Royal Economic Society is incorporated by a Royal Charter dated 2 December 1902. It is one of the oldest economic associations in the world. Currently it has over 3,300 individual members, of whom 60% live outside the United Kingdom...
, and held membership in The Economic Club of New York
The Economic Club of New York
The Economic Club of New York is a non-profit and non-partisan membership organization located in New York City and founded in 1907. Its stated purpose is the promotion of the study and discussion of social, economic, and political questions....
, the American Economic Association
American Economic Association
The American Economic Association, or AEA, is a learned society in the field of economics, headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. It publishes one of the most prestigious academic journals in economics: the American Economic Review...
, the National Academy of Economics and Political Science, The Society of Business Advisory Professions, the Comité National Belge de l'Organisation Scientifique, the American Society for Political and Legal Philosophy, Mankind 2000, Futuribles.
He died on February 12, 2007 in Philadelphia.
Work
Özbekhan applied the field-of-systems theory to global problems, helped inspire the group of planners, diplomats, scientists and academics who came together as the Club of Rome. He wrote a paper, "The Predicament of Mankind," that became an influential core document of the group, addressing issues of energy, overpopulation, depletion of resources and environmental degradation.In the 1970s Özbekhan was co founder and first director of The Club of Rome, with Aurelio Peccei
Aurelio Peccei
Aurelio Peccei was an Italian scholar and industrialist, best known as the founder and first president of the Club of Rome.- Early life :...
an Italian Industrialist, and Alexander Christakis
Alexander Christakis
Alexander Christakis is a Greek American social scientist, systems scientist and cyberneticist, former faculty member of several Universities, organizational consultant and member of the Club of Rome, known for his "study and design of social systems".- Biography :Christakis came to the United...
, a physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and systems research designer. Özbekhan wrote the original prospectus for The Club of Rome, The Predicament of Mankind. This document served as vision for systems scientists who, under the leadership of Alexander Christakis
Alexander Christakis
Alexander Christakis is a Greek American social scientist, systems scientist and cyberneticist, former faculty member of several Universities, organizational consultant and member of the Club of Rome, known for his "study and design of social systems".- Biography :Christakis came to the United...
and the 21st Century Agoras developed the science of structured dialogic design. Özbekhan is credited for the formulation of the Axiom of Engagement.
Together with Robert Jungk
Robert Jungk
Robert Jungk , also known as Robert Baum and Robert Baum-Jungk, was an Austrian writer and journalist who wrote mostly on issues relating to nuclear weapons....
, Johan Galtung
Johan Galtung
Johan Galtung is a Norwegian sociologist and the principal founder of the discipline of peace and conflict studies. He founded the Peace Research Institute Oslo in 1959, serving as its Director until 1970, and established the Journal of Peace Research in 1964...
and many others he was member of MANKIND 2000.
Publications
- 1957, The Isle of Princes http://books.google.com/books?id=e5tAAAAAIAAJ&q=hASAN+oZBEKHAN&dq=hASAN+oZBEKHAN&ei=GZiiS8GFMY3gyATJzez6CA&hl=de&cd=2
- 1968, Toward a General Theory of Planning.
- 1970, The Predicament of Mankind. Report to the Club of Rome.