1. The logic and methodology of systems research involve the following: elaboration of conceptual means (systems of notations, special models, etc.) to represent the systemic nature of the domain studied; development of an apparatus to describe the most important characteristics of the system features (connections, systems of connection, inter-connections of the systems and its environment, hierarchical structure, control problems, etc.); and development of formalized techniques to describe system features, including the development of specific rules of inference.
2. It has been suggested that systems research represents the convergence of operations research and systems engineering. The major areas contributing to it have been identified as operations research and systems analysis, industrial engineering and human engineering. Systems research procedures differ from operations research in that they are descriptive rather than prescriptive. They seek to develop behavioural abstractions of systems which can provide guidance for decision-making for a range of values rather than an optimum solution relative to any specified value system. Specifically they provide statements of relationships between system task and resource variables. These relationships are derived from empirical data and organized according to logical rules.
3. Systems researchers, although usually trained as disciplinary specialists, work and communicate within multidisciplinary groups which seek to develop factual and general knowledge of systems, knowledge that does not lend itself to disciplinary classification. This knowledge provides a basis for more effective designs and operations of systems, so that it provides both a technology and a science of systems.