Enabling Systems Thinking in the “Mesonic Millennium”: The Need for Systemic Methodologies for Conceptual Learning in Undergraduate Management Education

Abstract

Successful managerial performance in the 21st century demands systems thinking. Given the challenges to effective systems thinking in practice, conceptual learning in undergraduate management education presents a significant opportunity to facilitate the development of mental models that enable such thinking. Using a cognitive approach that underscores the influence of selective attention on the development of mental models, this article explores this opportunity by highlighting the impact of attentional strategies on novice students' conceptual understanding of complex organizations. To overcome the limitations of previous educational efforts, a hypermedia methodology for teaching theory is presented as a tool that engenders the robust conceptual knowledge needed for systems thinking in the “mesonic millennium“ -a millennium of change accelerated to 1/1000 of a nanosecond.