Systems Thinking: The Art of Understanding the Dynamics of Systems (original) (raw)
Related papers
Routledge eBooks, 2021
Background The idea of 'systems' has been discussed in almost all disciplines since its origin in the 17th century including physics, biology and chemistry, and was eventually used for explanations in ecology, engineering, economics, anthropology, geography, sociology, cybernetics and so on. It has emerged as a meta-discipline and as a metalanguage (Checkland & Scholes, 1999). Using the idea of systems, Checkland (1981 to date) provides the seminal work on 'systems-thinking'. 'Systems-thinking' is about consciously organised thinking processes (Arnold & Wade, 2015; Checkland, 1981). Systems-thinking is a world view which allows appreciation of holistic systems, having interconnections between the elements of which systems-thinking is made of, called system-components. This includes human and non-human elements of the system, encompassing physical, natural, social, economic, cultural and cognitive attributes, established in the form of the wider, linked processes between the users (human) and technologies or structures (non-human) of the system (Clegg, 2000). These system-components contribute to properties such as drivers, outcomes and feedbacks, and can be applied to problems of multiple disciplines (Cerar, 2012; Forrester, 1994; Voinov & Farley, 2007). As a core concept, systemsthinking is an idea of the 'adaptive whole'. As a whole, a system has its own emergent properties, layered structure and processes of communication and control (Arnold & Wade, 2015; Checkland, 1981). Systems-thinking involves several principles, which on their own are looked upon as disciplines of systems-thinking. Anderson and Johnson (1997) provide the basic principles of systems-thinking: 1 The 'Big Picture' principle demands widening one's perspective to find a more effective solution (e.g. in stressful times, one tends to focus on the immediate, most pressing problem and this perceives only the effects of changes elsewhere in the system). Therefore, one should step back to look at the bigger picture and investigate the source of the problem, which would more likely identify a more effective solution. 2 The 'Long Term, Short Term' principle suggests that the best approach to strike a balance about any decision is to consider short-term (e.g., a week, a quarter, a year) and long-term
Evaluation and Program Planning, 2008
Evaluation is one of many fields where “systems thinking” is popular and is said to hold great promise. However, there is disagreement about what constitutes systems thinking. Its meaning is ambiguous, and systems scholars have made diverse and divergent attempts to describe it. Alternative origins include: von Bertalanffy, Aristotle, Lao Tsu or multiple aperiodic “waves.” Some scholars describe it as
The Development and Initial Validation of the Paradigm of Systems Thinking
Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 2018
Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing patterns of change rather than static "snapshots." '-Peter Senge. The current research examined the psychological construct of systems thinking alongside other established psychological constructs of intelligence, personality, cognitive complexity and creativity to distinguish systems thinking as an independent psychological construct. Across two studies, results suggest that, while systems thinking may overlap with some of these constructs, notably intelligence and cognitive complexity, these constructs did not fully explain obtained variance in systems thinking scores and suggest that systems thinking may indeed be a distinct, perhaps foundational, psychological construct that may exist as an individual difference dimension. This exploratory study discusses the theoretical implications of systems thinking as well as further psychometric validation of the Systems Thinking Scale.
The Four Waves of Systems Thinking
The Handbook of Systems Thinking, 2023
This Handbook is about the past, present, and future of systems thinking. It captures the history of systems thinking over its first three ‘waves,’ which are thought of as significant paradigmatic time periods in the history of the field. It then introduces a (possible) emerging fourth wave. Herein, we review the first three waves, as they have been written about in depth before, and dedicate more space to describing the fourth wave, as this is likely to be new to many readers. We cover all four waves as an entree to the many chapters, which were both recommended by an International Advisory Board (listed and thanked in the front material of this book), and written by esteemed invited authors. These chapters aptly describe the various frameworks that characterize the different waves; and notably include how those frameworks have continued to evolve since their origin.
A Definition of Systems Thinking: A Systems Approach
Procedia Computer Science, 2015
This paper proposes a definition of systems thinking for use in a wide variety of disciplines, with particular emphasis on the development and assessment of systems thinking educational efforts. The definition was derived from a review of the systems thinking literature combined with the application of systems thinking to itself. Many different definitions of systems thinking can be found throughout the systems community, but key components of a singular definition can be distilled from the literature. This researcher considered these components both individually and holistically, then proposed a new definition of systems thinking that integrates these components as a system. The definition was tested for fidelity against a System Test and against three widely accepted system archetypes. Systems thinking is widely believed to be critical in handling the complexity facing the world in the coming decades; however, it still resides in the educational margins. In order for this important skill to receive mainstream educational attention, a complete definition is required. Such a definition has not yet been established. This research is an attempt to rectify this deficiency by providing such a definition.
Systems intelligence in the process of systems thinking
2009
Abstract In any decision process, some kind of “big picture” is assumed. It encompasses a series of interdependent holistic judgments such as what is the overall purpose of the process, what issues are taken into account, what resources are decided upon, and what sources of information and expertise are used. The process of trying to see this big picture is an important element in the process of systems thinking.
Foundations of Systems Thinking: The Structure-System Paradigm
2011
ABSTRACT The aim this contribution is to propose a framework of the key concepts of a systems thinking perspective to adopt when analyzing and interpreting business as well as social phenomena. Recognizing the limits of the traditional analytical-reductionist approach, on the basis of a systems thinking, the paper underlines the need for recovering a whole view of phenomena and suggests to couple a structure-based approach, focused on the analysis of parts and relations and adequate for describing how the investigated phenomenon is made, with a systems-based approach, focused on interaction and necessary when interpreting the dynamics of functioning of the observed phenomenon. In this way, the systems path appears as a bridge between a reductionist and a holistic approach. After a definition of the qualifying elements of systems thinking, the implications of the passage from a structure-based to a systems-based view are discussed by deepening the interpretative contribution of the structure-system dualism as derived from the more general distinction between a static and a dynamic view.
Systems Thinking: An Analysis of Key Factors and Relationships
Procedia Computer Science, 2014
Today's work environment presents engineers with complex challenges that demand holistic approaches. Systems thinking provides ways to think about a problem and its solutions using "whole system" perspectives. There have been multiple studies that identify the key elements that comprise systems thinking. These studies have resulted in the identification of sets of individual systems thinking traits, elements, and characteristics. In this paper, the authors further explore and analyze individual systems thinking elements as well as the relationships between the various elements. The authors will present and discuss a model that illustrates the relationships between the elements related to individual systems thinking.
The Barriers to Systems Thinking
System Thinking is a prerequisite to effective Systems Engineering, and is one of the hardest elements to recognize, develop and use. This paper argues that this is because Systems Thinking is hard, and actually unnatural. There are barriers in the way the human brain is pre-disposed to act, and the current state of engineering can also be a barrier to Systems Thinking. To deliver the value promised by Systems Engineering recognizing these difficulties, and overcoming them is essential.