Critical systems thinking

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Critical systems thinking (CST) is a systems thinking multimethodology that seeks to combine methods and practices from various systems thinking schools, such as System dynamics, Soft systems methodology, Hard systems, Sociotechnical system, and others, into a problem situation to better understand and design interventions to address the needs of stakeholders.[1][2]

The problem situations that critical systems thinking address are "characterized by large scale, complexity, uncertainty, impermanence, and imperfection."[3][2] Each systems thinking methodology has its own strengths and weaknesses, hence critical systems thinking as in critique, which can limit its effectiveness to these "wicked" problems when implemented alone.[4] When a plurality of methods are combined, guided by theory, in various phases of the systems intervention, however, these complex problem situations may be more effectively understood and addressed.[5][6]

History[]

Systems Thinking History[]

Main article: Systems theory § History

As system thinking history indicates, the foundational systems methodologies that are combined as a part of critical systems thinking developed during the mid-20th century.[4] By the early 1980s, Michael C. Jackson and Paul Keys observed in their influential article, " A ‘system of systems methodologies’ is developed as the interrelationship between different methodologies is examined along with their relative efficacy in solving problems in various real‐world problem contexts."[7]

See also[]

Publications[]

  • Robert L. Flood (1990). "Liberating Systems Theory: Toward Critical Systems Thinking", in: Human Relations, Vol. 43, No. 1, 49–75.
  • Philip Graham (1999). "Critical Systems Theory: A Political Economy of Language, Thought, and Technology", in: Communication Research, Vol. 26, No. 4, 482–507.
  • Kristo Ivanov (1991). Critical systems thinking and information technology. - In J. of Applied Systems Analysis, 18, 39–55. (ISSN 0308-9541).
  • Michael C. Jackson (2019), Critical Systems Thinking and the Management of Complexity, Wiley
  • Deiniol Lloyd-Jones (2004). "Technical Cosmopolitanism: Systems, Critical Theory and International Relations", POLIS Working Paper No. 6.
  • G. Midgley (2000). Systemic intervention: Philosophy, methodology, and practice. New York : Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
  • Stephen L. Payne (1992). "Critical systems thinking: A challenge or dilemma in its practice?", in: Systemic Practice and Action Research, Vol. 5, Nr 3 June, 237–249.
  • Andrew Feenberg, Critical Theory of Technology (Oxford University Press, 1991), later republished as Transforming Technology (Oxford University Press, 2002), see below

References[]

  1. ^ Werner Ulrich (2003). A Brief Introduction to "Critical Systems Thinking for Professionals & Citizens"
  2. ^ a b Jackson, Michael C. (2019). Critical systems thinking and the management of complexity : responsible leadership for a complex world. Hoboken, NJ. ISBN 978-1-119-11838-1. OCLC 1084643459.
  3. ^ Gabriele Bammer (2003). "Embedding Critical Systems Thinking in the Academy". CMS conference paper.
  4. ^ a b Jackson, Michael C. (2003). Systems thinking : creative holism for managers. Chichester, West Sussex, England: J. Wiley. ISBN 0-470-87144-X. OCLC 54776208.
  5. ^ Lai, Linda Sau-ling (2000). <205::aid-sres294>3.0.co;2-t "An integration of systems science methods and object-oriented analysis for determining organizational information requirements". Systems Research and Behavioral Science. 17 (2): 205–228. doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-1743(200003/04)17:2<205::aid-sres294>3.0.co;2-t. ISSN 1092-7026.
  6. ^ Multimethodology : the theory and practice of combining management science methodologies. John Mingers, Anthony Gill. Chichester: Wiley. 1997. ISBN 0-585-24196-1. OCLC 45733692.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. ^ Jackson, M. C.; Keys, P. (1984). "Towards a System of Systems Methodologies". Journal of the Operational Research Society. 35 (6): 473–486. doi:10.1057/jors.1984.101. ISSN 0160-5682.
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