scholarly journals Inter-Work and Ethical Vigilance: Two Scenarios for the (Post-)Pandemic Future of Systems Thinking

Systems ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
José-Rodrigo Córdoba-Pachón
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Professional Group ◽  
System Thinking ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
Interdisciplinary Work ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Future System ◽  
Andrew Abbott

For several decades, systems thinking has been a defined body of knowledge that has contributed to many areas of science. Its value has, critically, resided in (meta- or post-) paradigmatic and participative use of one or several systems approaches to help stakeholders’ structure and tackle complex problems. With renewed and (post-)pandemic interest in interdisciplinary work, this paper argues that to continue securing a future, system thinking requires a wider understanding of the dynamics and intertwining of knowledge unfolding and ethics in society. Two different but overlapping scenarios for systems thinking are proposed: (a) One based on inter-(disciplinary, para/professional, group) work and (b) another based on ethical vigilance. The first one is not so different from what has been envisaged for systems thinking in the last few years. Nevertheless, and following the ideas of the sociologist Andrew Abbott, this scenario proposes the explicit inclusion of the goal of knowledge rediscovery to promote a sense of solidarity, mutual understanding and compassion. For the second scenario, Michel Foucault’s notion of governmentality is used to problematize pandemic events and practices, and to offer possibilities for individual critical thinking and action, also leading us to consider the importance of (self-other) compassion. Features, implications, questions and examples of use are provided for each scenario.

Integrating Disciplines in a Plant Chemistry Laboratory Module to Enhance Interdisciplinary and Scientific Thinking in Undergraduate Students

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas Busta ◽  
Sabrina E. Russo
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Medicinal Plant ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Chemistry Laboratory ◽  
Scientific Thinking ◽  
Written Communication ◽  
Plant Chemistry ◽  
Hands On

Here, we describe a hands-on medicinal plant chemistry laboratory module (Phytochemical Laboratory Activities for iNtegrative Thinking and Enhanced Competencies; PLANTEC) for undergraduates that targets the development of core competencies in (i) critical thinking and analysis of text and data, (ii) interdisciplinary and systems thinking, (iii) oral and written communication of science, and (iv) teamwork and collaboration.<br>

scholarly journals Practical Applications of Systems Thinking to Business

Systems ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Jamie Monat ◽  
Matthew Amissah ◽  
Thomas Gannon
Keyword(s):  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Business Management ◽  
Organizational Management ◽  
System Thinking ◽  
Business Managers ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Business Failures ◽  
Hands On ◽  
High Level ◽  
Systems Thinking Approach

In this paper we summarize the research on Systems Thinking for business management and explore several examples of business failures due to a lack of application of Systems Thinking, with an ultimate goal of offering a Systems Thinking approach that is useful to all levels of management. Although there is significant literature aimed at facilitating Systems Thinking in organizational management, there remains a lack of adoption of Systems Thinking in mainstream business practice. This is perhaps because the literature does not reduce high-level Systems Thinking principles to hands-on, practical protocols that are accessible for typical managers, thus limiting the working application of Systems Thinking concepts to researchers and consultants who specialize in the field. The goal of this work is to not only elaborate on the high-level ideals of System Thinking, but also to articulate a more precise and practical hands-on approach that is useful to all levels of business managers.

scholarly journals Examining Professionals’ Critical Thinking about Children Who Pose a Serious Threat to Others

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 598-615
Author(s):  
Gavin Heron ◽  
Claire Lightowler
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Professional Group ◽  
Vulnerable Children ◽  
Potential Harm ◽  
Analytical Skills ◽  
Actual Harm ◽  
Harm To Others ◽  
Child Care Professionals ◽  
The Way

Abstract Concerns have been raised about the quality of child-care professionals’ critical thinking and analytical skills. This study examines the critical thinking demonstrated by professionals when discussing risk in relation to vulnerable children. Data were collected from thirty consultation meetings, each of which focused on assessing the risks of a child who presented a serious threat of harm to others. Discourse analysis is used to examine the way in which critical thinking about risk is discussed at the consultation meetings. The findings suggest that critical thinking is demonstrated by professionals in ways that differentiate between potential harm and actual harm, and in relation to harm children pose to themselves and to other people. Also, the willingness of professionals to ask relevant questions and challenge each other is an important way of prompting individuals to demonstrate critical thinking. However, professionals tend to demonstrate a relatively narrow conceptualisation of critical thinking. This narrow conceptualisation cannot be reduced solely to the abilities or traits of an individual or professional group and it is argued that the bureaucratic and procedural demands of organisations in relation to vulnerable children may be an important factor in limiting the way professionals demonstrate critical thinking.

Effectively Applying System Analysis and System Thinking in Six Sigma Environments

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-21
Author(s):  
Brian J. Galli
Keyword(s):  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
System Thinking ◽  
Green Belts

This article provides data on how system analysis and system thinking are applied in Six Sigma. We incorporated different approaches developed by systematically analyzing various literature focused on filling the voids in Six Sigma with system analysis. The article looks at the necessities of project managers, Black Belts, and Green Belts with regards to pursuing and fulfilling projects. The key purpose is providing Six Sigma with an extensive understanding of systems thinking. Improvements will be more focused and the results broader spread in any organization employing Six Sigma. The research applied to this topic will add to previous works and have some valuable input for success in Six Sigma.

Creating successful and unique schools: leadership, context and systems thinking perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Gurr ◽  
Fiona Longmuir ◽  
Christopher Reed
Keyword(s):  
School Leadership ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
System Thinking ◽  
Leadership Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Community Factors ◽  
Community Needs ◽  
Systems Model ◽  
Successful School

PurposeThrough discussion of research about the leadership of two schools, this paper explores the complexity of school leadership and how various contextual elements interact with the work of principals in schools that are attempting to create inclusive, rich, worthwhile and unique schools. A systems thinking leadership and context model is developed to frame the exploration of the two cases, which, in turn, helps inform the veracity and development of the model.Design/methodology/approachThe research reported is broadly based on multiple-perspective case studies that have included individual and/or group interviews with school leaders, teachers, students, parents and/or school council members, observation and document analysis. The focus for this paper is on evidence from the cases that elucidate the model.FindingsA leadership and context view of schools helps to understand how school leaders work with, within and influence various contextual factors to develop schools that are both successful and unique. The cases demonstrated how individual leadership factors including career histories, personalities and values coalesced with school and broader community factors in reciprocal ways that resulted in school-specific improvements.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is limited by the nature of bounded, small number, qualitative case research. Nevertheless, the authors suggest that the school leadership and context systems model the authors presented captures much of the complexity of the successful leadership of these schools. The authors further suggest that this model provides a conceptual contribution to the study of successful school leadership that moves beyond more linear leadership views. Implications of this research and the conceptual contributions that the authors advance are that leadership and context should be considered in reciprocal and nuanced ways across a complex variety of contextual levels.Practical implicationsThese cases explore the growth and development of new school communities and capture the dynamic interactions between leadership and context within the complex arrangements of policy, system, history and community. The cases demonstrated how individual leadership factors, including career histories, personalities and values, coalesced with school and broader community factors in reciprocal ways that resulted in school-specific improvements. These findings and the system thinking leadership model help school leaders to consider their own work in developing successful and unique schools.Social implicationsSchool leadership is important for school success, and schools that meet student and community needs are important for society. The authors’ system thinking leadership model helps school leaders improve their practice in creating more interesting and successful schools that meet student and community needs.Originality/valueAt a time when international sharing of information and international testing of schools is pushing towards a uniformity of thinking about what good schools should be, the reality of leading schools is far different. This paper contributes to the knowledge about how school leaders navigate contextual complexities to create successful and unique schools that meet local needs.

scholarly journals Hands-on Learning for Classics: Building an Effective, Long-term Project

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (36) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Kyle Alexander Jazwa
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Work Skills ◽  
Ancient Greek ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Roman Culture ◽  
Hands On Learning ◽  
Development Of Students

AbstractIn this paper, I explore the use of long-term, hands-on learning activities for Classics courses. I will show that a carefully designed project can complement classroom lectures on Greek and Roman culture and contribute towards the development of students’ critical thinking and group work skills. As an example, I describe a successful hands-on learning project that I designed for my Ancient Greek Cities course at Monmouth College (USA). The students were tasked with researching and building an historically faithful, ancient Greek mudbrick building for the college's annual Classics Day event. With the success of this project in my class, I will show that Classics instructors can pursue similar long-term, hands-on learning activities for engaging students in ancient Greek and Roman culture and teaching essential skills.

Systems Thinking and Team Performance Analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadjad Soltanzadeh ◽  
Mitchell Mooney
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Performance Analysis ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Team Performance ◽  
Conceptual Analysis ◽  
The Past ◽  
Data Collecting ◽  
The Common

Systems thinking has been developed and used in many fields such as management, economics, and engineering in the past few decades. Although implicit elements of systems thinking may be found in some coaching biographies and autobiographies, a critical and explicit work on systems thinking that examines its principles and its relevance to sport sciences and coaching is yet to be developed. The aim of this Insight paper is to explore systems thinking and its potential for modelling and analysing team performance by (a) explaining how systems thinking is used in other fields, (b) highlighting the importance of conceptual analysis and critical thinking next to data collecting practices, and (c) contrasting systems thinking with the common approaches to modelling and analysing team performance.

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