OR60 Peter Checkland - A Parthian shot (friendly).

Reflections on 40 years of engagement with so-called ‘social’ and ‘management’ science,
including OR ‘hard’ and ‘soft’.
Peter Checkland gained a First in Chemistry at St. John’s College, Oxford, where he was a Casberd Scholar, before leaving to join what was then a new science-based industry; making
wholly synthetic fibres - nylon, polyester and polypropylene. He joined ICI, then the UK’s largest
industrial company, and spent 15 years there, working in Research and Development. When he left the company he was manager of a 100 strong group engaged in process and product
development. Following this successful career with ICI, Peter joined the new University of Lancaster in 1969, when he was appointed Professor of Commercial Systems. Peter led the
research programme which ran for 30 years at Lancaster. He believed strongly in practical ‘action research’ in real world situations outside the University and the programme capitalised
on the fact that the average age of students on the one year masters course was around 30, making work possible in outside organisations which could not have been done with fresh
graduates. He pioneered impact-led research, and with colleagues developed Soft Systems Methodology which enables managers to engage with real life situations. His SSM based approach to problem solving in organisations is now taught around the world, in the public, private and voluntary sectors. An eminent scholar, his publications are now classic texts and the International Council for Systems Engineering named him as one of the most influential
people in the field. He also served as Chairman of Lancaster University Management School.

[@dagwould]

Wonderful to see PC. I've read his work and applied it in Value Management and Organisation Development assignments. Great approach.

[@brockljo]

Thanks for posting this.