Werner Ulrich (born 1948,

Berne Bern () or Berne; in other Swiss languages, gsw, Bärn ; frp, Bèrna ; it, Berna ; rm, Berna is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city" (in german: Bundesstadt, link=no, french: ville fédérale ...

, Switzerland) is a Swiss

social scientist Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of socie ...

and practical philosopher, and a former professor of the theory and practice of social planning at the

University of Fribourg The University of Fribourg (french: Université de Fribourg; german: Universität Freiburg) is a public university located in Fribourg, Switzerland. The roots of the university can be traced back to 1580, when the notable Jesuit Peter Canisi ...

. He is known as one of the originators of

critical systems thinking Critical systems thinking (CST) is a systems approach designed to aid decision-makers, and other stakeholders, improve complex problem situations that cross departmental and, often, organizational boundaries. CST sees systems thinking as essential ...

(CST) and in particular for the development of critical systems heuristics.

Life and work

Ulrich received doctoral degrees in

Economics Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyzes ...

and

Social Sciences Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of so ...

from the

in 1975, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Social Systems Design from the

University of California at Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant uni ...

in 1980, where he studied and worked with C. West Churchman. Back in Switzerland, in 1981, Ulrich started a double career as policy analyst in government at the Canton of Bern, and academic teacher at the University of Fribourg. Here he was appointed Titular Professor of Social Planning in the Faculty of Arts. He has also been Visiting Professor at the

University of Hull , mottoeng = Bearing the Torch f learning, established = 1927 – University College Hull1954 – university status , type = Public , endowment = £18.8 million (2016) , budget = £190 million ...

, the

University of Lincoln , mottoeng = Freedom through wisdom , established = 1861 – Hull School of Art1905 – Endsleigh College1976 – Hull College1992 – University of Humberside1996 – University of Lincolnshire and Humberside2001 � ...

, the University of Canterbury in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...

, New Zealand, and the

Open University The Open University (OU) is a British public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by number of students. The majority of the OU's undergraduate students are based in the United Kingdom and principally study off- ...

in Milton Keynes, UK. Ulrich is now retired from his professorship at the University of Fribourg but remains Honorary Visiting Professor at the

.Werner Ulrich's Home Page
has moved to http://wulrich.com as of October 26, 2009. In 2001, he initiated the Lugano Summer School of Systems Design at the

University of Lugano A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

, which he has been directing since. Ulrich is co-founder and coeditor of the " Journal of Research Practice".

Publications

Ulrich wrote a few books and some 175 articles.A List of my Publications from 1971 to 2009
by Werner Ulrich. Retrieved 30 November 2009. A selection: * 1975. ''Kreativitätsförderung in der Unternehmung : Ansatzpunkte eines Gesamtkonzepts''. * 1983. ''Critical heuristics of social planning : a new approach to practical philosophy''. Habilitation thesis. Bern : Haupt. * 1994. ''Critical heuristics of social planning : a new approach to practical philosophy''. New York : Wiley. Articles, a selection: * 1998

Working Paper No. 23 1998 * 2000
Reflective Practice in the Civil Society: The Contribution of Critically Systemic Thinking"
* 2004
"In memory of C. West Churchman (1913–2004): Reminiscences, retrospectives, and reflections"
In: ''Journal of Organisational Transformation and Social Change'' Vol 1 Numbers 2–3. * 2005
"A Brief Introduction to Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH)"

References

External links

Werner Ulrich
home Page {{DEFAULTSORT:Ulrich, Werner 1948 births Academics of the Open University Swiss business theorists Living people Systems scientists University of Fribourg alumni University of California, Berkeley alumni Academic staff of the University of Fribourg