Systemic Thinking

What is systemic thinking and why is it so important? Since many centuries it has been practice to understand various things by deconstructing them and breaking apart different components into smaller pieces or parts. We analyse things and try to solve it. Analytical skills have been very important in our society and well recognised. Systemic thinking does not only allow thinking analytically but it also requires thinking holistically by understanding the problem through its complexities. Systemic thinking requires brain to make connection of one problem to another or the effect of one problem to another and encourages to approach in such a way that it does not only solve the problem but also avoids any unforeseen issues through different connections. It offers a better way to manage critical situations and improves the way we think in this 21^st century. In many organisations, governments and businesses we hear shared leadership, integrative approach or holistic thinking; these are all parts of systemic thinking. Systemic thinking challenges today’s leadership and academia’s to rationalise 21^st centuries world problems in such a way so it recognises externalities (positive & negative) and the costs of not recognising it and accordingly provide solutions to it. Our teachers are nurturing our tomorrow’s world. They must do everything possible to instil systemic thinking into our kids’ minds so when they grow up; they are taught to rationalise the problem from every possible angle and analyse the root cause instead of jumping to a solutions.

In sustainable world all short term solutions to our long term problems are useless and it is very critical for us to apply systemic thinking approach to our long term problems and look for the permanent and acceptable solutions; those solution’s that are of nature and support our quality of life. The world is changing fast and becoming more and more complex than ever before. The problems are becoming very difficult for anyone to understand. We humans are facing ever increasing problems of climate change, GHG emissions, environmental degradations, wastes and many more. Sustainable development offers the opportunity to approach all of these problems through systemic thinking. Economic, environmental and social are three dimensions of sustainable development demonstrates true example of systemic thinking approach.

Comments

The Value of Vultures - What’s a vulture worth? A lot more than you might think.

Illustration by Kelsey King June 4, 2014 — Editor’s note: The following is excerpted from What Has Nature Ever Done For Us? How Money Really Does Grow on Trees (2013) by Tony Juniper. In the book the author explores the economic value of nature, pointing to examples of natural services that are (or were) provided for free by nature, and which are being removed at our cost. Juniper argues that in light of this realization we should stop treating natural systems in a destructive manner. Published here with permission from Synergetic Press. One bright clear morning in April 1993 I was aboard a British Airways 747 that was preparing to land at New Delhi Airport in India. As the aircraft started its final descent from about 1,000 meters, I noticed vultures. Their broad wings, with flight feathers spread out like a span of long fingers, had taken them to the height of the plane. From this vantage point their incredibly sharp vision would enable them to scan t...

New research points to risk peak oil presents to business

The sun sets behind an oil well sited in the middle of a soybean field in 2008 near New Haven, Illinois, USA. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images For many years, the most compelling issue driving sustainability efforts among businesses, consumers, governments and activists has been climate change. We are all becoming increasingly concerned with the impacts of rising temperatures and extreme weather events on our supply chains, cities, transportation networks, agricultural industries, and lives. We have become increasingly alarmed about the results of burning too much coal, oil and gas; the consequences of excessive emissions resulting from some of the most useful substances humanity has ever harnessed. We have identified our most important struggle – to maintain economic growth while reducing carbon emissions. Because our concern has been first and foremost the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, we have designed and sporadically implemented economic i...

Climate Change Policy Response – A Case of China

Climate Change Policy Response – A Case of China Introduction Global climate change and its adverse effects are a common concern of mankind. Ever since the industrial revolution, human activities, especially the massive consumption of energy and resource by developed countries in the process of industrialisation, have increased the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases, produced conspicuous impacts on the natural ecosystems of the earth, and posed severe challenges to the survival and development of human society (National Development and Reform Commission, 2008) . The ultimate goal of the United Nations Framework convention on Climate Change is “stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.” Such a level should be achieved within a “time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened, a...

Sustainability A way of life!

Search This Blog