SYSTEM BOUNDARY

Abstract Many systems, such as TV networks and social organizations, do not have geometric boundaries. Hence, if we wish to use a comprehensive notion of system boundary we must turn to some nongeometric concept. Topology enables us to define a suitable concept of system boundary via that of neighborhood of a system component. In turn, such a neighborhood is defined as a set of things that are directly linked to the given component. A boundary component of a system is then defined as one every neighborhood of which contains at least one system component and at least one thing in the environment of the component. A boundary of a system is defined as the set of all its boundary components. But different link types induce different neighborhoods, hence different boundaries. It is postulated that every concrete system, except for the universe as a whole, has at least one boundary. Geometric boundaries, i.e. smooth lines or surfaces enclosing systems, are the exception rather than the rule. INDEX TERMS: Systemcompositionenvironment boundaryinside of a systemprocess