Systems Analysis: Systematic or Systemic

Analyzing a system is core activity in solving problems of complex systems. There two philosophically different approaches to carry out systems analysis. One rooted in traditional engineering and management whiles other in living organisms. This paper introduces both schools of though. Philosophical assumptions are outlined and a comparison is provided. It is argued that the complex problem in living systems, and those categorized as human activity systems, cannot be solved by systematic approach as these have emergent properties peculiar to themselves. The systemic way of systems analysis is better approach as a well-defined (hard) problem needing solution is the special case within the general cases.