SYSTEMS THEORY has an axiom that every system has (1) an
over-arching purpose, and (2) operates within constraints. I need a
quotation of an authority who has said that in print. I need the
quotation and complete reference.

Dear Bill,

First of all, thank you for using Google-Answers.

Purpose and Constraints are two of the nine basic characteristics
of a system.  What you are looking for can be found in Chapter 2
of Jeffrey A. Hoffer et al's Modern Systems Analysis and Design, 3rd
Edition,
by Prentice Hall, 2002, ISBN: 0130339903 (can be ordered from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0130339903/qid=1023997875/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/002-2720027-4384830)

An online summary of the relevant chapter (two) can be found at:

http://myphliputil.pearsoncmg.com/student/bp_hoffer_modernsad_3/chapter02.ppt

see slide 2.5 for characteristics of a system.

Additional references can be found at this systems class lecture note:

http://www.atkinson.yorku.ca/~pkhaiter/Lectures/Lecture1.PDF

see page 3 for stating every system has a purpose and is subject to 
contraints, and page 2 for a list of book references/biography.

Hope this helps.

I've looked for a looooooong time to find what you found quickly.
Thank you very much!

Bill, if you did not intend to post this question twice, you may wish
to cancel the other one before it is answered.  If you deliberately
posted twice in order to cross-check your answer, please disregard
this comment.

Thanks!