The third track of the Open-Systems-Thinking school: An application of domain theory to New Zealand ports

The Open-Systems Thinking (OST) school identified with Emery and Trist is s ituated as an important but underutilized approach in systems thinking. The main features of OST are described, including four "tracks" along which OS T has developed. The third track, which focuses on interorganizational doma ins, is considered in detail. It is then applied to a case concerning the c omplex social dynamics of and in port domains in New Zealand. This exercise enables us to illuminate some lacunae in previous representations of the p ort domain research, to assess OST's third track regarding its relevance fo r systemic practice, and to help to bring OST to the table with other syste ms approaches that are all vying for the attention of researchers, practici ng managers, students, and consultants.