Critical Systems Thinking

3Critical Systems Thinking

Different problem‐solving methodologies, instead of being compared with one another in relation to their ability to solve the generality of problem types, should be evaluated in relation to their success in solving problems for which they are most suited. This should encourage mutual respect among the proponents of the different approaches … then a diversity of approaches may herald, not crisis, but increased competence and effectiveness in a variety of different problem contexts.

(Jackson and Keys, 1984)

3.1 Introduction

Critical Systems Thinking (CST) is a systems approach that aims to assist decision‐makers to better understand and address the complex issues they face. This chapter looks at the origins and early development of CST. A brief account of the state of Systems Thinking (ST) in the early 1980s is necessary to discern the reasons for the emergence of the approach. The development of CST is then traced up to 1991. By that time, it had become formalised around a set of three commitments, to which it has largely remained true. The first, ‘systemic critique’, insists that all systems approaches are partial, and this leads to their different strengths and weaknesses. The second, ‘systemic pluralism’, suggests that the maximum benefit can be obtained by using systems methodologies in combination during an intervention. The third, ‘systemic improvement’, explains what improvement means in systems terms and how it can be pursued. The case is ...