Systems Thinking Essentially Seeks To Understand Phenomena as a Whole Formed By the Interaction of Parts

Document Type:Essay

Subject Area:Management

Document 1

For the examination of the above statement, it is vital to first delineate the primary concepts linking with this ideology. Various scholars define a system as an entity or body, which exists due to the mutual communication of its parts or components. In this mutual interaction, several parts take part to ensure that the organization achieves success. On the other hand, thinking is the process of considering or reasoning about something. Linking this concept, system thinking involves several parts within an organization or firm. Likewise, it is a concept regarding the changes of circumstances and the way they occur within an organization (Jarzabkowski, Julia and David, 12). Different studies have established that strategic thinking approaches have become essential components of strategic management, the factor that has attracted attention from the scholars and consultants alike.

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Moreover, various firms that practice strategic thinking are capable of executing more efficient and constructive strategies, which enhance the chances for survival. With the intense competition, organizations that lack proper planning ideologies fade away or even make more losses. Moreover, the globalization aspect has created more impact on organizations, and thereby enabling the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) to come to terms with everyday changes that take effect. For individuals and organizations to engage in doing right things, they should apply strategic thinking, to enable them consider the larger environment as well as analyze information for the determination of the vague or genuine ones (Gutierrez-Gutierrez et al. Moreover, this development utilizes various approaches to aid in analyzing opportunities and problems with a wider view.

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Likewise, it helps in the understanding of the probable impact that actions taken could have on each other. According to Liedtka, five approaches apply is strategic thinking. The first one includes the systematic approach, mostly formed basing on the systematic attitude. However, the application of strategic thinking by its former CEO Steve Jobs led the organization to a remarkable achievement in all departments, the factor that led to the manufacture of attractive products, which beat their rivals such as Nokia and Samsung in the market. In such as case, Steve jobs ensured that the system components coordinated and worked together in identifying problems and opportunities as well as in understanding the existing relationships between these departments. From such development, it is apparent that the modern organizations require strategic thinking approaches to enhance their performance and attain success.

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Systems Thinking Strategic thinking approaches work effective if only the systems within an organization coordinate well in an effort to achieve the ultimate success. All organizations are interconnected and have interdependent but closely related parts that make up a whole. Various scholars have identified Systems Thinking as a cornerstone of a learning organization in the modern times given that it features among the five disciplines exercised by a learning firm or business entity (Oreg et al. The system thinking focuses on the organization as a whole, the way systems affect other systems, the change that occurs over time, and the interactions between parts, and not the parts themselves. Other areas that the systems thinking concept cover include the affairs of the organization as a whole, the effect of the feedback on the parts, and the reoccurrence of patterns rather than the just individual events, and more.

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The Systems Thinking focuses more on the root cause of the problems or issues within an organization, with the ultimate target of identifying the accurate leverage or power points. The identification of the leverage would further create positive impacts that apply through the entire system in bringing the ultimate change. Organizations have failed to lay down ideal crisis-to-crisis management strategies, and therefore the need for systems thinking approaches to align this issue. Even though the pressure to initiate a swift change in response to the challenging economic times is relentless, making quick and non-calculated solutions is hazardous and costly. For the companies to overcome this situation, they should focus on getting ahead of the problems rather than embracing quick solutions that would cost them a great deal.

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Under this perspective, employing systems thinking would work positive in the development of a deeper and accurate analysis and examination of issues, so that the outcomes or solutions address the real problems affecting the organization. Likewise, it enables individuals and organizations to target in resolving the root of the problem as a measure of solving the current crisis as well as solving the future issues. At times, the solutions generated would exacerbate or create yet another problem. Under this scenario, organizations could reflect on utilizing the traditional linear approach to problem solving Under this strategy, the management fixes one part of a system before reflecting on moving on to another. Furthermore, such developments can be effective if only the management employs the approaches to system thinking (Petrou et al.

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The outcome of this development yields to well working departments. However, lack of integration within the organization could also cause suffering. Complex Adaptive Systems: Modelling Complexity As a measure f modelling complexity, individuals and organizations should embrace Complex Adaptive Systems, which would guide them toward adopting and evolving with the changing environment. The complex adaptive systems are polices that guide an organization towards adapting to a changing environment. The business environment is characterized by a number of changes, arising due to many factors, both external and internal, which serve as an obstacle to the organizational success (Jones 573). Such changes arise due to the nature changes and adaptations. As such, the complex adaptive systems theory demands that organizations revise their goals on a regular basis and adopt new strategies that could enable the balance any issues not favorable in the routine business operations.

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As such, the utilization of systems thinking is instrumental in ensuring that all parts or departments within an organization work together to ensure that organizations focus on solving problems as well as identified opportunities, and thus enable them excel over their competitors as well as generate more profits (Oreg et al. Organizations that have employed the practice perspectives have outshined their competitors as well as achieved higher progress in their niche, the factor that demonstrates the significance of systems thinking. Ultimately, systems’ thinking is instrumental given that it guides individuals and organization on how to overcome the existing challenges as well as the utilization of opportunities to attain profits and survive in the market. Works cited Jarzabkowski, Paula, Julia Balogun, and David Seidl.

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