Applying Systems Thinking Research Articles

A comparative study of the application of systems thinking in achieving organizational effectiveness in Malaysian and Pakistani banks

The present work is a comparative study of the banking industry of Malaysia and Pakistan. The paper aims to measure the impact of individual systems thinking on the overall organizational effectiveness. Skilled individuals are considered as an asset of the organization especially when these individuals exhibit systems thinking capabilities that helps in achieving effectiveness. The sample consisted of 368 respondents belonging to lower and middle tier levels in the banking sector of both countries. The results indicate that Malaysian banking employees are ahead of their counterparts in Pakistan while applying systems thinking. The study is significant in enhancing the understanding of the importance of systems thinking for organizational effectiveness. The study has managerial implications for the top management of banks.

Learning and Applying Systems Thinking When Studying a Local Creek System

Learning and Applying Systems Thinking When Studying a Local Creek System

Engaging Undergraduates in Soil Sustainability Decision-Making Through an InTeGrate Module

ABSTRACTContinued agricultural productivity hinges on understanding how to manage soil resources. A 2-week undergraduate introductory-level module: A Growing Concern: Sustaining Soil Resources Through Local Decision Making was collaboratively developed through the InTeGrate Project. InTeGrate modules and courses engage students in grand challenges of sustainability (e.g., agriculture, water, and climate) using active learning strategies. In A Growing Concern, students examine physical and chemical distinctions between intensively managed agricultural landscapes (e.g., conventional tillage) and natural vegetative types. They analyze geospatial and soil profile data to identify how intensive land management threatens soil sustainability. After exploring land practice and climate impacts on soil, they create extension-style fact sheets that provide recommended practices to reduce soil erosion. To maximize accessibility, we piloted the module in three settings: (1) an interdisciplinary Ecological Agriculture course at a Land Grant Institution, (2) a Geology of the Critical Zone course at a 4- y college, and (3) an Introduction to Environmental Science course at a 2- y community college. Classroom observations using the reformed teaching observation protocol revealed that the instructors used reformed teaching practices. Students also commented favorably on the hands-on nature of the module within focus group sessions. All students passed the culminating fact sheet, which was aligned with the rubric used in module development. Students had some difficulty interpreting site-specific geologic data and applying systems thinking. Revisions to instructional materials emphasized local data and greater systems diagramming.

Selling Systems Engineering by Searching for the Sweet Spot

AbstractSystems Engineering has the potential to be a ubiquitous discipline, adding value in a multitude of domains and organizations. However, there are problems in application and take‐up in any area where it is not already explicit. Part of the reason for this is the way INCOSE and others present Systems Engineering. From the outside it appears a rigid, process‐heavy approach with a strange terminology and a significant investment burden – rather than a liberating, thoughtful (applied Systems Thinking) approach to yield clearer problem understanding that leads to more successful outcomes.In this paper, based on case study evidence of the application of Systems Engineering in a number of domains, it is suggested a more flexible approach to Systems Engineering is needed to introduce it. The introduction occurs largely within organizations. The approach requires a balance between the type / variant of Systems Engineering required by the problem situation, and the level / potential of Systems Engineering capability in the organization – targeting the “sweet spot” is seeking to optimize these two elements. The implementation of Systems Engineering should be seen and planned as a journey rather than a “big bang” implementation.A flexible approach to implementing Systems Engineering will produce a far greater probability of successful take‐up and application. INCOSE must recognize this and generate guidance to organizations (beyond what it has produced for individuals) to establish capability in (an appropriate style of) Systems Engineering. If this is done, INCOSE can have the impact it desires, with the appropriate application of Systems Engineering leading to more successful projects, and the generation of solutions to the increasing difficult problems and challenges facing the world.

Enhancing the Effectiveness of Significant Event Analysis: Exploring Personal Impact and Applying Systems Thinking in Primary Care.

Introduction:Significant event analysis (SEA) is well established in many primary care settings but can be poorly implemented. Reasons include the emotional impact on clinicians and limited knowledge of systems thinking in establishing why events happen and formulating improvements. To enhance SEA effectiveness, we developed and tested “guiding tools” based on human factors principles.Methods:Mixed-methods development of guiding tools (Personal Booklet—to help with emotional demands and apply a human factors analysis at the individual level; Desk Pad—to guide a team-based systems analysis; and a written Report Format) by a multiprofessional “expert” group and testing with Scottish primary care practitioners who submitted completed enhanced SEA reports. Evaluation data were collected through questionnaire, telephone interviews, and thematic analysis of SEA reports.Results:Overall, 149/240 care practitioners tested the guiding tools and submitted completed SEA reports (62.1%). Reported understanding of how to undertake SEA improved postintervention (P < .001), while most agreed that the Personal Booklet was practical (88/123, 71.5%) and relevant to dealing with related emotions (93/123, 75.6%). The Desk Pad tool helped focus the SEA on systems issues (85/123, 69.1%), while most found the Report Format clear (94/123, 76.4%) and would recommend it (88/123, 71.5%). Most SEA reports adopted a systems approach to analyses (125/149, 83.9%), care improvement (74/149, 49.7), or planned actions (42/149, 28.2%).Discussion:Applying human factors principles to SEA potentially enables care teams to gain a systems-based understanding of why things go wrong, which may help with related emotional demands and with more effective learning and improvement.

Applying Systems Thinking to City Logistics: A Qualitative (and Quantitative) Approach to Model Interdependencies of Decisions by various Stakeholders and their Impact on City Logistics

Concepts for city logistics require the cooperation between several types of stakeholders. As different stakeholder types have different objectives and different decision spaces, we suggest a top-level qualitative approach (system thinking) to model the interdependencies of the different factors which are influenced by these stakeholder decisions. We also suggest using this qualitative system thinking model as a meta-structure for further quantitative sub-models (as e.g. system dynamics models). We present a methodological approach to create such a meta-structure (i.e. a system thinking model) and give an example on how this meta-structure can be expanded by quantitative sub-models.

Applying Systems Thinking and Logic Models to Evaluate Effectiveness in Wildlife Conservation

Conservation projects have limited resources and an ever expanding to-do list, presenting a significant leadership challenge. Mid-term evaluations can be informative tools to check how short term activities and resources are achieving long term conservation outcomes. This research study involved a programme evaluation of a successful species recovery project in Mauritius, using a systems-thinking approach to conservation management, and utilising a Theory of Change to assess the effectiveness of short term activities on long term impacts. This systematic method of evaluation gave greater clarity on resource planning, performance indicators and supporting processes, with observations that could be incorporated into ongoing plans. Such an approach could be used by funding organisations or by local management teams to review project performance without the need for a comparator, extensive benchmark data, nor a prescriptive management standards framework.

Applying Systems Thinking in shaping South Africa's Electricity System

AbstractThe paper analyses the current situation in respect of South Africa's electricity situation and asks the question if Systems Thinking, more specifically as it pertains to the theory of Complex Adaptive Systems, would make a contribution to improved Electrical Energy decision making.The authors applied a specific branch of Complex Adaptive Systems (namely “edge of chaos” theory) by following an example based argumentative approach in their research. This led to the following observations: Information in respect of Electrical Energy and South Africa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as presented in the National Development Plan, Integrated Energy Plan and Integrated Resource Plan appears to be inconsistent. The sensitivity of Energy Intensity, the (lack of) accuracy with which it can be forecasted, and its alignment with expected growth sectors in the South African economy should be well understood and carefully monitored in shaping the future of the country's Electricity System.The paper concludes that the mental framework which Systems Thinking provides, and specifically the theory which explains the behavior of Complex Adaptive Systems, could make a positive contribution towards achieving quicker coherence in respect of South Africa's future Electricity System. Furthermore that such coherence will lead to quicker emergence of the single most important characteristic of the “RSA (Incorporated) system” ‐ its economic growth.

Applying Systems Thinking to Examine and Reduce Dependency on Food Banks

Systems thinking is the art of understanding interconnections between various disciplines thereby unwinding the existing complexity. Most of the real world problems are complex, take for the example the increasing dependency rate on food banks. While various factors contribute towards it, not much has been done to bring the take off the number of dependents. By viewing this system from a holistic systems thinking lens, one explores the issue in depth. We realise the universally acceptable solution is not alleviating the problem in the long run. By applying systems thinking principles several hidden factors are brought to attention and subsequently can be dealt with more aptly. A movement that transcends disciplines results in delivering better solutions.

Applying Systems Thinking to Analyze Wind Energy Sustainability

Wind energy, along with other renewable energy sources, has become an alternative to traditional energy sources to meet the growing energy demand. Wind energy is considered to be one of the cleanest sources of energy. Wind energy sustainability focuses on a balance between economic, social and environmental objectives. However, wind energy faces various challenges associated to sustainability. This paper presents a way to analyze wind energy sustainability using a systems thinking approach.

Applying Systems Thinking to Aviation Psychology

Hazard analysis is at the heart of system safety. It can be described succinctly as “investigating an accident before it happens.” A hazard is selected, such as two aircraft violating minimum separation standards or an aircraft losing sufficient lift to maintain altitude, and then the scenarios that can lead to that hazardous state are identified. Hazards are informally defined here as precursor states to accidents that the designer never wants the system to get into purposely. The resulting scenarios or potential paths to the hazard are then used to compute the probability of the hazardous state occurring or to design to either eliminate the scenarios or to control or mitigate them. Alternatively, after an accident, hazard analysis techniques can generate the potential scenarios to assist accident investigators in determining the most likely cause.

Operational research and critical systems thinking—an integrated perspective

On the basis of a review of the role of systems thinking in the history of OR, Part 1 of this essay proposed a systematic understanding of OR as applied systems thinking. Further, it identified the contribution of ‘critical’ systems thinking (CST) in a combined ability of its two strands, critical systems heuristics (CSH) and total systems intervention (TSI), to enhance the conceptual sophistication of OR. Part 2 aims to translate this understanding into a framework for good professional practice. How exactly can CST strengthen the competence profile of OR professionals? Drawing on three experience-based archetypes of professional service and some basic argumentation-theoretical considerations, a new understanding of OR and applied systems thinking as argumentative practice emerges. In this new understanding CST finds a systematic place and some exemplary uses of CSH and TSI can be located—an integrated perspective.

Operational research and critical systems thinking—an integrated perspective

What does good OR practice mean, and what can critical systems thinking (CST) do for it? This two-part essay proposes new answers to both questions. It reaches out to the wider community of OR professionals and explains from their perspective what CST is all about and why it matters for good practice. Part 1 first reviews the idea and history of systems thinking in OR, as a basis for properly situating CST within OR. It then offers a comparative, non-partisan account of the two strands of CST, critical systems heuristics and total systems intervention, and identifies their combined potential in an ability to enhance the contextual sophistication of OR. The prevalent but inaccurate notion of the history of OR as a linear evolution from ‘hard’ to ‘soft’ and ‘critical’ systems thinking is replaced by an integrated perspective of OR as applied systems thinking.

6.1.1 Applying Systems Thinking via Systemigrams™ for Defining the Body of Knowledge and Curriculum to Advance Systems Engineering (BKCASE) Project

AbstractSystems thinking is commonly accepted as the backbone of a successful systems engineering approach. As such, the Body of Knowledge and Curriculum to Advance Systems Engineering (BKCASE) team chose to leverage a systems thinking based tool, called Systemitool, to describe our project to the vast audience that would potentially become involved directly or indirectly in the success of the project. This paper describes the process and steps used by the authors and the BKCASE team to develop the project's systemic diagram, or Systemigram™, and the story behind the project, the products, and the vision of the BKCASE project. The goal of the paper is to provide guidance so that readers can leverage the lessons learned from this effort to successfully develop their own project definitions and stories.

A revolution in the field of systems thinking—a review of Checkland's system thinking

AbstractThis paper focuses on discussing Checkland's system thinking by two parts. The first part of the paper reviews three significant paradigm shifts of Checkland's system thinking in the view of the system movement. The first shift is that system thinking is developed from the general system thinking to applied systems thinking. The second shift is that the applied system thinking is transferred from Hard System Thinking (HST) to Soft System Thinking (SST). The third shift is that the social paradigm of applied system thinking is diverted from functionalism to the interpretive tradition for dealing with human affairs. According to these three shifts, this paper ascribes Checkland's system thinking to four core concepts: the human activity system, the purposeful holon, the learning system and two pairs of system concepts. It indicates that Checkland's system thinking is a significant milestone in the history of system movement. The second part of this paper provides some criticisms and suggestions for Checkland's system thinking. Firstly, it criticizes the philosophical attitude of extreme subjectivism. It implies that the functionalism approach which based on positivism and the interpretive paradigm which based on the phenomenology are complementary rather than mutually exclusive when we deal with the complexity of social reality. Secondly, it analyses the latest achievement of system movement after 1970s and suggests that SST should be extended to three pairs of system concepts by supplementing ‘self‐organization and adaptive evolution’ as the third pair of systems concepts. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Archetypes of famine and response

Famines have long been characterised by rapidly shifting dynamics: sudden price spirals, sharp increases in mortality, the media frenzy that often accompanies such spikes, the swift scaling up of aid flows, and a subsequent decline in interest. In arguing that these aspects of famine have been largely ignored in recent years due to attention to the famine process', this paper attempts to make these dynamics more explicit by applying systems thinking. It uses standard archetypes of systems thinking to explain six situations--watch, price spiral, aid magnet, media frenzy, overshoot, and peaks--that are present in many famine contexts. It illustrates their application with examples from crises in Ethiopia, Malawi, Niger, and Sudan. The paper contends that the systems approach offers a tool for analysing the larger patterns in famines and for pinpointing the most appropriate responses to them, based on an awareness of the dynamics of the crises.

Applying Systems Thinking to Sustainable Golf Tourism

This article examines the issues and criticisms concerning golf, tourism, and the environment and considers how golf—tourism—environment relationships might achieve economic well-being for a region while avoiding vicious cycles of destruction to local environments and the quality of life of local residents. The examination proposes the use of systems thinking, cause mapping, and system dynamics modeling and simulations of golf, tourism, and environmental relationships to help achieve workable solutions agreeable to all stakeholders. Sustainable relationships that include golf, tourism, and environmental objectives require crafting government policies via stakeholder participation of all parties that such relationships affect—recognizing and enabling this requirement needs to be done explicitly—to reduce conflicts among stakeholders and avoid system failures.

Getting the big picture in natural resource management—systems thinking as ‘method’ for scientists, policy makers and other stakeholders

AbstractThis paper discusses the benefits of applying Systems Thinking to solving natural resource management problems. It first explains the Systems Thinking concept and briefly outlines its history and emergence in agriculture and natural resource management. A series of case studies are then presented which illustrate practical examples of how Systems Thinking has been used to address real life natural resource management issues. The case studies build on the conclusions of each other by adding additional ways (lessons learnt) of incorporating Systems Thinking into practice to address issues more systemically. The first case study deals with examples of how Systems Thinking facilitated the sharing and integration of disparate sources and forms of knowledge, and making sense of the factors influencing tree density in the tropical savanna region of northern Queensland. The second case study deals with how Systems Thinking has been imbedded in the design and implementation of a research project investigating how to improve financial returns to smallholder tree farmers in the Philippines. The third case study illustrates how Systems Thinking was used to design and facilitate an adaptive rodent management project in Cambodia based on participatory research, development and extension. From these experiences, the authors' highlight a variety of key points that lead to the proposition that Systems Thinking should be ‘absorbed’ into scientific research, in the same way that statistics, is today an integral part of all sciences. A framework for the application of Systems Thinking is presented to help improve sustainable land management. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Applying Systems Thinking to Oral Health Care: Commentary on Dr. Patricia H. Werhane's Article

One of Dr. Patricia H. Werhane’s assigned tasks was to formulate the several other current approaches to the ethics of access that were not discussed in my “Ethics, Access, and Care,”[1][1] and her survey of these other approaches is very useful. But what is most important about Werhane’s

Book Review Section

Book reviewed in this article:James Hoopes. False Prophets: The Gurus Who Created Modern Management and Why Their Ideas Are Bad for Business Today.Thomas Davenport and Laurence Prusak with H. James Wilson. What's the Big Idea? Creating and Capitalizing on the Best Management Thinking.Joseph A. Raelin. Creating Leaderful Organizations: How to Bring Out Leadership in Everyone.Dennis Sherwood. Seeing the Forest for the Trees: A Manager's Guide to Applying Systems Thinking.Michael F. Broom. The Infinite Organization: Celebrating the Positive Use of Power in Organizations.Robert Galford and Anne Seibold Drapeau. The Trusted Leader: Bringing Out the Best in Your People and Your Company.Peter J. Frost. Toxic Emotions at Work: How Compassionate Managers Handle Pain and Conflict.Allen C. Bluedorn. The Human Organization of Time: Temporal Realities and Experience.Gerhard Sonnert. Ivory Bridges: Connecting Science and Society.Rodney L. Lowman (Editor). The California School of Organizational Studies Handbook of Organizational Consulting Psychology.Leon de Caluwe and Hans Vermaak. Learning To Change: A Guide For Organization Change Agents.Wayne F. Cascio. Responsible Restructuring: Creative and Profitable Alternatives to Layoffs.Hermina Ibarra. Working Identity.Daniel C. Feldman. Work Careers: A Developmental Perspective.David Sears. Successful Talent Strategies: Achieving Superior Business Results through Market‐Focused Staffing.Michael T. Brannick and Edward Levine. Job Analysis: Methods, Research, and Applications for Human Resource Management in the New Millennium.Joseph J. Martocchio. Employee Benefits: A Primer for Human Resource Professionals.Robert L. Heneman. Strategic Reward Management: Design, Implementation, and Evaluation.Michael Zanko (Editor). The Handbook of Human Resource Management Policies and Practices in Asia‐Pacific Economies.Steve M. Jex. Organizational Psychology: A Scientist‐Practitioner Approach.Dail L. Fields. Taking the Measure of Work: A Guide to Validated Scales for Organizational Research and Diagnosis.