Systems Thinking
Managing Chaos and Complexity: A Platform for Designing Business Architecture
- 3rd Edition - June 29, 2011
- Latest edition
- Author: Jamshid Gharajedaghi
- Language: English
Systems Thinking, Third Edition combines systems theory and interactive design to provide an operational methodology for defining problems and designing solutions in an environme… Read more
Systems Thinking, Third Edition combines systems theory and interactive design to provide an operational methodology for defining problems and designing solutions in an environment increasingly characterized by chaos and complexity. This new edition has been updated to include all new chapters on self-organizing systems as well as holistic, operational, and design thinking.
The book covers recent crises in financial systems and job markets, the housing bubble, and environment, assessing their impact on systems thinking. A companion website is available at interactdesign.com.
This volume is ideal for senior executives as well as for chief information/operating officers and other executives charged with systems management and process improvement. It may also be a helpful resource for IT/MBA students and academics.
- Four NEW chapters on self-organizing systems, holistic thinking, operational thinking, and design thinking
- Covers the recent crises in financial systems and job markets globally, the housing bubble, and the environment, assessing their impact on systems thinking
- Companion website to accompany the book is available at interactdesign.com
Senior executives; Chief Information/Operating Officers and other executives charged with systems management and process improvement. IT/MBA students and academics
Chapter 1. How the Game Is Evolving
1.1. Imitation
1.2. Inertia
1.3. Suboptimization
1.4. Change of the game
1.5. Shift of paradigm
1.6. Interdependency and choice
1.7. On the nature of inquiry
1.8. The competitive games
Introduction
Chapter Two. Systems Principles
2.1. Openness
2.2. Purposefulness
2.3. Multidimensionality
2.4. Emergent property
2.5. Counterintuitive behavior
Chapter three. Sociocultural System
3.1. Self-organization: movement toward a predefined order
3.2. Information-bonded systems
3.3. Culture
3.4. Social learning
3.5. Culture as an operating system
Chapter four. Development
4.1. Schematic view of theoretical traditions
4.2. Systems view of development
4.3. Obstruction to development
Introduction
Chapter five. Holistic Thinking
5.1. Iterative process of inquiry
5.2. Systems dimensions
Chapter six. Operational Thinking
6.1. Complexity
6.2. Operational thinking, the ithink language
6.3. Dynamics of throughput systems
Chapter Seven. Design Thinking
7.1. Design thinking, as the systems methodology
7.2. Operating principles of design thinking
7.3. Modular design
7.4. Design and process of social change
7.5. Interactive design
7.6. Critical design elements
Chapter eight. Formulating the Mess
8.1. Searching
8.2. Mapping the mess
8.3. Telling the story
8.4. The present mess
8.5. Current crisis and future challenges
Chapter nine. Business Architecture
9.1. The system's boundary and business environment
9.2. Purpose
9.3. Functions
9.4. Structure
9.5. Processes
Introduction
Chapter ten. The Oneida Nation
10.1. Desired Specifications
10.2. Systems architecture
10.3. Governance
10.4. Membership systems
10.5. Learning systems
10.6. Business systems
10.7. Core services
10.8. External environment
10.9. Judicial system
Chapter 11. Butterworth Health System
11.1. Issues, concerns, and expectations
11.2. Design specifications
11.3. The architecture
11.4. Market dimension
11.5. Care system
11.6. Output dimension
11.7. Core knowledge
11.8. Shared services
11.9. Health delivery system, core knowledge, and care system interactions
11.10. The executive office
11.11. Recap
Chapter twelve. The Marriott Corporation
12.1. The environment: how the game is evolving
12.2. Purpose
12.3. The architecture
12.4. Recap
Chapter 13. Commonwealth Energy System
13.1. Stakeholders' expectations
13.2. Business environment
13.3. Design
13.4. General architecture
13.5. Core business units: gas and electricity distribution
13.6. Technology/supply-oriented business units: energy generation and supply
13.7. Energy brokerage and international operations
13.8. Shared services (performance centers)
13.9. Executive office
Chapter froteen. Carrier Corporation
14.1. Expectations, assumptions, and specifications
14.2. Core values
14.3. Systems architecture
14.4. Markets
14.5. Output units
14.6. Components
14.7. Inputs
14.8. Business processes
"Einstein once wrote, "Without changing our pattern of thought, we will not be able to solve the problems we created with our current patterns of thought."Jamshid develops a pattern of thought that will yield solutions to those problems."—Russell Ackoff, Professor Emeritus, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
"Gharajedaghi challenged us to think backwards from an ideal competitive position instead of forwards from our existing position with all its constraints. The result was bolder thinking about change. Jamshid forces a realistic assessment of a company’s strengths and weaknesses, an idealistic view of what it could be, and creates the path from point A to point B."—Bill Tiefel, President, Marriott Lodging
"Gharajedaghi was perfect! He had passion and brilliance. He could challenge our traditional thinking and make us see our actions and opportunities from a different perspective."—William G. Poist, President and CEO, Commonwealth Energy System
"This volume on business management explores the development of complex systems and advocates for iterative design principles as a foundational philosophy for dealing with complex, chaotic systems. The volume discusses system theory and changes to traditional paradigms in light of emerging technologies and business methodologies and explores case studies from industry leaders that showcase these systems philosophies." —SciTech Book News
- Edition: 3
- Latest edition
- Published: June 29, 2011
- Language: English
JG
Jamshid Gharajedaghi
Affiliations and expertise
President and CEO, InteractDesign, Bryn Mawr, PennsylvaniaRead Systems Thinking on ScienceDirect