The 3rd edition is dedicated to the increased requirements for sustainability and picks up on the higher dynamics as a result of agile system development, which is widespread today. The application of the methods to technical systems is also extended to include socio-technical systems. The work provides a historical outline of development trends in systems engineering (SE) up to the present. Included is a systematic examination of the various models and procedural concepts of SE. Based on this, the Generic Systems Engineering (GSE) is developed, consisting of a new meta-model, which can be combined with a project management-integrated process concept in a problem-solving-oriented manner and can be permanently updated or supplemented. Eight test examples show possible fields of application of the GSE, which range from virtual product development to field data feedback into it. Furthermore, examples for the transfer of GSE to socio-technical systems, i.e. companies and companynetworks, are presented.