A CRITIQUE OF HIERARCHY THEORY

In our zeal to apply models successfully, failures of the model are of ten overlooked. A model may be used for quite some time before its suc cess is questioned or before the model fails to be applied successfull y. Since hierarchy theory has been deemed successful in the systems fi eld, it is necessary and appropriate to critique the development and a pplication of hierarchy theory using the framework presented in Creati ve Problem Solving (Flood and Jackson, 1992). That framework proposes a critique that uses the four areas of theory, utility, ideology, and methodology in reviewing a systems theory. It is important to examine hierarchy theory through the analytical filter of critical systems thi nking if we are genuinely to understand what hierarchy theory has to o ffer systems thinking in the exploration of complex situations.