Philip M'Pherson

Philip Keith M'Pherson (1927 - 27 April 2016) was a British systems engineer, consultant, Emeritus Professor of Systems Engineering & Management at the City University London, and founder of the Department of Systems Science at City University, also known as developer of the Inclusive Valuation Methodology.

Biography Born in London, United Kingdom, M'Pherson was educated as an engineer at Oxford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He started his career as "hard-hat practitioner" at the Royal Navy, where he became gunnery engineer officer specialized in fire-control systems. In 1955 he was sent to MIT's Instrumentation Laboratory run by Charles Stark Draper to work on the development of Inertial navigation systems sharing ideas with pioneers as Norbert Wiener and Harold Chestnut. M'Pherson presented a survey of systems science and systems philosophy intended to "provide an integrated, if personal, view of the ideas within the contemporary systems movement."

M'Pherson concluded that reductionism and holism don't have to contradict, but that "philosophy, theories and methods in systems science and systems philosophy offer a means for bringing reductionism and holism into a satisfactory alliance."

Meaning and Value of Systems Engineering M’Pherson acknowledged (2006) that the definition and meaning of Systems Engineering (SE) is the subject of ongoing discussion since it emerged in the 1950s. In this discussion many stakeholders are involved from individual systems engineers, corporate providers, and human operators inside the system to the end-users, who use the system's results.

In the context according to M’Pherson Systems Engineering "has the potential to contribute considerable positive intangible value, as well as reducing costs. But that value will not be fully realised until society can come to terms with 21st century complexity and appreciate the endeavours of the systems engineer of the future as the Master of Complexity."

Inclusive Value Methodology The Inclusive Value Methodology is a method for the measurement of the assets of projects and organizations.

Publications M'Pherson has authored and co-authored various publications in the field of systems engineering. A selection: M'Pherson, P. K. "A perspective on systems science and systems philosophy." Futures 6.3 (1974): 219–239. M'Pherson, P. K. The Design of Multidimensional Value Criteria for Use in Decision, Design and Technology Assessment. City University, 1979. M'Pherson, P. K. "Systems engineering: an approach to whole-system design." Radio and Electronic Engineer 50.11.12 (1980): 545–558. M'Pherson, P. K. "A framework for systems engineering design." Radio and Electronic Engineer 51.2 (1981): 59–93. M'Pherson, P. K. "Systems engineering: a proposed definition." Physical Science, Measurement and Instrumentation, Management and Education-Reviews, IEE Proceedings A 133.6 (1986): 330–331. M'Pherson, Philip K. "Business value modelling." Aslib proceedings. Vol. 50. No. 7. MCB UP Ltd, 1998. M’Pherson, Philip K., and Stephen Pike. "Accounting, empirical measurement and intellectual capital." Journal of Intellectual Capital 2.3 (2001): 246–260.