Systems Thinking Research Articles

Interconnectedness of Health and Economy in Post-COVID-19: A Systems Thinking Approach to Synergies, Trade-Offs, and Policy Responses in Nepal.

This study addresses the economic challenges posed by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with a specific focus on Nepal. Employing a Systems Thinking approach, the study develops a comprehensive model that integrates macroeconomic interventions, exploring the trade-offs and synergies among various economic sectors. The interconnectedness of health, economic, and policy domains highlights the need for a holistic understanding of the pandemic's effects. An exploratory research design was used. The model introduces three primary subsystems-import, local demand, and local production-illustrating their interdependence. The causal loop diagram depicts the implications of fiscal and monetary policies on the economy, emphasizing the synergy and trade-offs resulting from policy interventions. Findings reveal the significant economic impact of the pandemic on Nepal, leading to its negative growth rate in FY 2020/21, the first time Nepal has experienced this in the last two decades. The results show that both intended and unintended consequences are observed following the adoption of fiscal and monetary policy that aimed at minimizing the spread of virus suggesting a complex nature of relationship among the policy variables. The fiscal policy induced negative consequences on the increasing loan, slow revenue growth, while positive feedbacks are observed on increased investment opportunities, and boosting of local economy. The monetary measures yielded unintended consequences on the rising land prices, surge in share market. The study concludes by emphasizing the crucial role of informed policymaking in navigating the complex landscape, offering insights for creating a resilient and sustainable post-pandemic future.

Exploration of Teacher Perspectives on the Integration of Sustainable Development Goals and Systems Thinking in Chemistry Learning

Exploration of Teacher Perspectives on the Integration of Sustainable Development Goals and Systems Thinking in Chemistry Learning

Real-World Experiences in Higher Education: Contributing to the Developing a Systems Thinking Paradigm

Background: Systems thinking has been proposed as a means to address complex and wicked problems. Systems thinking involves moving beyond looking at an issue from a static perspective and seeing interrelationships between parts and wholes. Students will be better prepared to handle the complexity of the world if they develop a systems thinking paradigm. Yet, little research exists on how individuals develop a systems thinking paradigm. Purpose: This phenomenological research study focuses on “What real-world experiences contribute to developing a systems thinking paradigm?” Methodology/Approach: Phenomenological interviews were conducted with 11 faculty affiliated with the University of Florida School of Natural Resources and the Environment. Data were coded using Colaizzi's seven-step approach. Findings/Conclusions: The essence of the study was that real-world experiences contribute to developing a systems thinking paradigm. Fieldwork, laboratory, and research experience develop the knowledge needed to understand the concept of complexity. Immersive academic experiences create opportunities for people to interact with others who have varying perspectives. Nonacademic work in the real world gives people a holistic view of the system. Implications: It is recommended that faculty focus on incorporating real-world experiences into their pedagogy and obtain support to create these opportunities.

Environmental, social, and economic challenges to forest-based micro-entrepreneurship: a comparative case study in Finland

Countries worldwide, especially Nordic countries, have proposed a forest-based bioeconomy to halt systemic risks, such as climate change, and to create socioeconomic welfare. Entrepreneurs operating in various business sectors and regions face several complex challenges in this regard. However, the challenges faced by forest-based micro-entrepreneurs have not been addressed across various regions using systems thinking. This comparative case study aimed to identify the environmental, social, and economic challenges faced by forest-based micro-entrepreneurs and the spatial features of these challenges—their scale, interactions, and prevalence—in two different regions in Finland: Lapland and South Karelia. These regions’ economies rely heavily on the recreational value of nature and on the large-scale pulp and paper industries, respectively. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with micro-entrepreneurs from various sectors, such as forestry, logging, tourism, and natural products. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The framework used enabled a deeper spatial understanding of the challenges experienced by forest-based micro-entrepreneurs. The micro-entrepreneurs in the two case regions had great similarities in terms of themes related to trust, workload, and labor shortage. This may hinder the implementation of new practices in regional forest-based bioeconomy development. Future quantitative studies could validate the identified challenges for further policy development.

The Systems Thinking Approach to Strategic Management

This paper presents a review of the field of systems thinking and strategic management The evolution of the areas of interest between systems thinking and strategic management follows similar patterns with more prescriptive developments occurring within the 1960s until 1980s; then, an increasing focus on emergence and transformation emerged in later years. From the review, there seems to exist synergies between multiple strands in Systems Thinking and Strategic Management. Suggestions to facilitate the interaction between both fields are proposed, considering the type of processes to generate strategies and the perspectives employed to visualize the organizations as systems. Hopefully, the paper can contribute to embedding systemic approaches to the strategic management of organizations and society.

The tip of the iceberg: Generalism in undergraduate medical education, a systems thinking analysis.

There is a shortage of generalist physicians globally impacting health equity and access to care. An important way in which medical schools can demonstrate social accountability is by graduating learners interested in careers in generalism. While generalism is endorsed as a matter of principle in medical education, how this translates into curricula is less clear. The aim of this study was to identify how generalism is understood and supported by family physician educational leaders in undergraduate medical education (UME) in Canada. We conducted a qualitative study, interviewing 38 family medicine leaders in UME across all 17 Canadian medical schools. We examined the data with template analysis, informed by the iceberg model of systems thinking. Four themes were identified: (1) Teaching and learning strategies in support of generalism-a consistent range existed across UME curricula; (2) Curriculum patterns-changes in leadership and curriculum reform created positive or negative feedback loops that promoted or hindered initiatives to support generalism; (3) Curriculum structures-organ-system-based curricula and availability of generalist faculty presented particular challenges to teaching generalist approaches; (4) Mental models and ways of knowing-the preponderance of biomedical frameworks of thinking in curricula unconsciously undermined generalist approaches to patient care. UME programmes promoted generalism through a range of teaching activities and strategies, but these efforts were countered by curriculum structures and mental models that perpetuate epistemic inequity between biomedical approaches to medical education and generalist models of care. Novel curricular frameworks are needed to align undergraduate programmes' commitment to social accountability with community-based need.

Leadership in Times of Uncertainty: Proactive Crisis Leadership andStrategic Vigilance among School Administrators in a Selected PrivateHigher Education Institution

This study examines the strategic vigilance and crisis leadership competencies of school administrators, highlighting the critical importance of these skills in navigating the complex and unpredictable landscape of modern education. The analysis covers a range of competencies, including adaptability, communication transparency, global engagement, practical experience, collaboration, ethical decision-making, systemic thinking, and innovation. The study underscores the necessity for school administrators to continuously enhance their skills through practical training and professional development. Key recommendations include fostering a culture of adaptability, improving communication channels, engaging with global best practices, prioritizing ethical decision-making, and promoting continuous learning and innovation. These efforts are essential for maintaining resilience, ensuring operational stability, and achieving long-term success in educational institutions. The results suggest that effective crisis leadership and strategic vigilance are less about inherent traits or background and more about ongoing development and proactive management. This research provides a comprehensive plan for improving leadership strategies, ultimately benefiting students, staff, and the broader educational community.

Fostering systems thinking about socioscientific issues

ABSTRACT Systems thinking is essential for understanding wicked real-world problems and suggesting solutions. This is the case for addressing socioscientific issues (SSI) that involve inter-related personal, socio-political, cultural, scientific, economic and moral dimensions. It is challenging for teachers to support students in adopting and practising systems thinking when they explore SSI. In this study, we tested the extent to which causal loop diagramming (CLD) developed students’ systems thinking. We examined a 2-week teaching unit that used a computer-based CLD tool to foster students’ systems thinking about obesity in a first-year university general education course. Ninety-six students from a variety of majors/disciplines participated in this study. They worked in groups and engaged in reading news, proposing actions while creating causal loop diagrams about factors that contributed to obesity and approaches to tackle the issue. We analysed their pre-, mid-, and post-unit causal loop diagrams (3 × 26 groups) and weekly reflective memos. The data revealed their significant shift towards a systems approach of thinking. The reflective memos showed that the shift was afforded by cycles of construct–revise–use as they created the diagrams. The findings suggest the potential of causal loop diagramming to foster systems thinking in the sense-making and decision-making of SSI.

Fostering students’ systems thinking through futures education

In an era of worsening environmental crises, students may not perceive themselves as able to impact and change the inevitably upcoming futures. Accordingly, a common goal of educational systems has been to increase students' agency and sensemaking in a complex world. Simultaneously, students are facing unprecedented levels of futures anxiety, and educational institutions undervalue the importance of future thinking. To take on a constructive approach on futures thinking, we examine how students’ systems thinking skills develop during a futures education course in which they write their own visions of a hopeful future. By looking at the thematic spheres of society, nature, and technology, we analyse how students develop systemic understandings of the complex system that is the context of the study: the city of the future. The study examines how students’ written futures visions develop throughout the course, and how those developments indicate development in systems thinking. The results show that the futures education course allowed students to improve their understandings of the interconnectedness of the topics they raised, fostering more holistic and active understandings of the futures, here shown through the multidimensional development of systems thinking. Students developed a deeper understanding of the interrelationships of society, nature, and technology, and developed understandings of the pathways to change and the agency and action needed to achieve their futures.

Rationalization of labor as a function of systemic economic thinking under the modern social and labor relations

Rationalization of labor as a function of systemic economic thinking under the modern social and labor relations

Developing the skills for complex thinking research: a case study using social robotics to produce scientific papers

The development of university students’ skills to successfully produce scientific documents has been a recurring topic of study in academia. This paper analyzes the implementation of a training experience using a digital environment mediated by video content materials starring humanoid robots. The research aimed to scale complex thinking and its sub-competencies as a hinge to strengthen basic academic research skills. Students from Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico committed to preparing a scientific document as part of their professional training participated. A pretest to know their initial level of perception, a posttest to evaluate if there was a change, and a scientific document the students delivered at the end of the training experience comprised the methodology to demonstrate the improvement of their skills. The results indicated students’ perceived improvement in the sub-competencies of systemic, creative, scientific, and innovative thinking; however, their perceptions did not align with that of the tutor who reviewed the delivered scientific product. The conclusion was that although the training experience helped strengthen the students’ skills, variables that are determinants for a student to develop the knowledge necessary to prepare scientific documents and their derived products remain to be analyzed.

Membangun Keterampilan Adaptasi dan Fokus Belajar di Era Teknologi

The rapid development of technology in recent decades has had a significant impact, on the field of education. The integration of educational technology in today's era emphasizes developing skills such as problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, criticism, and systematic thinking. But with the advancement of technology, it also presents various challenges. The qualitative descriptive method is one of the research methods used to understand a phenomenon in depth by collecting non-numerical data, such as words, images, or documents. This method focuses on describing and interpreting the phenomena being studied, collecting data through observations, interviews, or study of documents. Adapting to digital learning in this technological age where students have to develop independent skills, while teachers play an important role in understanding digital tools and integrating them into the learning process. With the advancement of technology, teachers can also have more varied media choices in learning and can collaborate and develop new skills according to the materials they are taught. It involves the use of techniques such as time blocking to set a specific time for learning, setting up a learning environment that minimizes distractions, using technology wisely, disciplining in using smartphones, and using applications or learning tools that help improve concentration.

Advancing Competitive Positioning in The Photovoltaic Module Market with System Thinking: A Case of PT. Indonesia Solar Global

Advancing Competitive Positioning in The Photovoltaic Module Market with System Thinking: A Case of PT. Indonesia Solar Global

Do future teachers’ sustainability commitments really relate to action-oriented educational approaches?

This work analyzes the educational proposals designed by 130 future secondary school teachers (FTs) to address socioecological problems -in this case, the presence of microplastics in the environment-, and the relationship with their own perceptions and commitments regarding these problems. The research design was mixed, with both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data. Results showed that systemic thinking regarding the problems, with a comprehensive ecological but also social perception, was correlated with proposals which were aimed at promoting critical thinking and reflection among pupils. Likewise, committed FTs -who show a greater willingness to reduce their plastics consumption and who, above all, assume greater personal responsibility- tend significantly towards action-oriented approaches. Nevertheless, these approaches continue to be scarce. This leads us to discuss the need for greater emphasis on instructional practices in education for sustainability in teacher training.

EComplexity: validation of a complex thinking instrument from a structural equation model

The eComplexity instrument aims to measure the perception of achievement in the complex thinking competency and its sub-competencies. To ensure the reliability of this instrument, validation processes like the one presented in this article are necessary. Methodologically, this study evaluates data from 1,037 university students in Mexico, confirming the statistical validity and reliability of the instrument. As a result, the demonstrated reliability of the eComplexity instrument as a tool for measuring perceived achievements in complex thinking provides a valuable resource for assessing the effectiveness of educational interventions. Consequently, this research contributes to a more informed approach to fostering critical thinking skills, benefiting both theoretical exploration and practical application in educational settings. The study employs the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate students’ self-perceptions of their performance in complex thinking and its sub-competencies, thus advancing the field of educational measurement. Academically, it enriches the discourse on the design and validation of instruments, offering a rigorous model for future efforts in measuring cognitive competencies. Practically, the study’s results inform educational practice by identifying systemic and scientific thinking as key to developing complex thinking skills. This knowledge enables educators to more effectively adapt teaching strategies and curricular designs, aiming to enhance students’ ability to navigate the complexities of the modern world.

Assessing Engineering Students’ Systems Thinking and Modeling Based on Their Online Learning

Assessing Engineering Students’ Systems Thinking and Modeling Based on Their Online Learning

Systems Thinking for Social Change: A Practical Guide to Solving Complex Problems, Avoiding Unintended Consequences, and Achieving Lasting Results

Systems Thinking for Social Change: A Practical Guide to Solving Complex Problems, Avoiding Unintended Consequences, and Achieving Lasting Results

Collaborative Systems Thinking Culture: A Path to Success for Complex Projects

Collaborative Systems Thinking Culture: A Path to Success for Complex Projects

Analysis of prospects for the use of the terahertz frequency range for special purpose wireless communication networks.

Frequencies from 100 GHz to 3 THz are promising ranges for a new generation of wireless communication systems due to wide spectrum bands. These frequencies also offer the potential for revolutionary applications made possible by new thinking and advances in devices, circuits, software, signal processing and systems. But the transition to the real use of the terahertz range as a frequency resource in the provision of communication services for applications in special purpose wireless communication networks is accompanied by many problems of spectrum management, network analysis, design and optimization of the architecture of these networks. The novelty of this work is due to the fact that, despite the fact that in recent years a number of review publications by domestic and foreign authors have been published, but in the aspects of development and specifics of possible applications of wireless communication networks of the terahertz frequency range in solving problems with power structures and forces special operations were not considered. The authors focused special attention on highlighted domestic developments in the field of wireless access systems in the terahertz range. The purpose of the work is an analytical review of the features of the transition to the real use of the terahertz frequency range as a frequency resource in the provision of communication services by resource-intensive applications by wireless communication networks for promising applications in solving special problems by power structures. In the work, a systematic analysis and classification of the main areas of promising applications of wireless communication networks of the terahertz frequency range in solving problems by special-purpose power structures is made, and scientific research tasks are given for the transition to the real use of the terahertz frequency range as a frequency resource in the provision of communication services for special purpose applications. The author's proposals developed in this work for promising applications of terahertz communication networks by special operations forces or special purpose forces are the theoretical basis for creating a methodological apparatus for substantiating recommendations for the selection of promising applications when using terahertz communication networks by special operations forces when performing special purpose tasks.

Writing from a Relational Systems Thinking Standpoint

Dr. Melanie Goodchild (Anishinaabe, moose clan) shares story about the complexities of academic writings that engage with Indigenous ancestral wisdom traditions and thinking patterns. The commentary offers considerations for co-authoring papers and citing Indigenous authors from a place of deep engagement and relationship. This is a humble offering on how to write from a Relational Systems Thinking (Goodchild, 2021) standpoint.