System

The word system is derived from the ancient Greek sustema and thence the Latin systema. Thus, it has two distinct sets of meanings, from which numerous specializations exist:

1. A set of interconnected things or parts working together to form a complex whole e.g. a manufacturing assembly line consists of a series of manufacturing stations working together in an interconnected network
2. A set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized scheme or method e.g. the metric system, a set of rules in measurement or classification

For the purposes of this glossary, we adopt definition (1) for use in phrases like “Production System” or “Project Production System” – a set of interconnected processes working together to form a complex whole.