Hasan zbekhan

Dr. Hasan Özbekhan (1921—February 12, 2007) was a Turkish American systems scientist, cyberneticist, philosopher, and planner. He was Professor Emeritus of Management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Özbekhan applied systems theory to global challenges and played a key role in inspiring the Club of Rome, an influential group of planners, diplomats, scientists, and academics focused on addressing global issues such as energy, overpopulation, resource depletion, and environmental degradation. Born into a diplomatic family in the Ottoman Empire, Özbekhan studied at institutions including the Lycée Chateaubriand in Rome, the Faculte de Droit and École Libre des Sciences Politiques in Paris, the London School of Economics, and the University of Cambridge. In the 1960s, he worked as a management consultant for multinational corporations and governments, including designing science policies for Turkey and analyzing future trends for the French government. From 1963 to 1969, Özbekhan was principal scientist and director of planning at the System Development Corporation in Santa Monica, California. He later joined the Wharton School in 1970, becoming Professor of Operations Research and Statistics and Chairman of the Graduate Group in Social Systems Sciences. He retired as Professor of Management in 1992. Özbekhan co-founded the Club of Rome with Aurelio Peccei and Alexander Christakis. His paper "The Predicament of Mankind" served as a foundational document for the group, outlining critical global challenges. He also formulated the Axiom of Engagement, emphasizing ethical participation in socio-technical system changes, and the Requisite Law of Action, which warns against attempting change ...