Systems Thinking, 3rd Edition

Systems Thinking, 3rd Edition

by Jamshid Gharajedaghi
Released August 2011
Publisher(s): Morgan Kaufmann
ISBN: 9780123859167

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Book description

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

Table of contents

  1. Cover image
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Front matter
  4. Copyright
  5. Foreword to the Third Edition
  6. Foreword to the Second Edition
  7. Preface
  8. Acknowledgment
  9. Chapter 1. How the Game Is Evolving
  10. 1.1. Imitation
  11. 1.2. Inertia
  12. 1.3. Suboptimization
  13. 1.4. Change of the game
  14. 1.5. Shift of paradigm
  15. 1.6. Interdependency and choice
  16. 1.7. On the nature of inquiry
  17. 1.8. The competitive games
  18. Introduction
  19. Chapter Two. Systems Principles
  20. 2.1. Openness
  21. 2.2. Purposefulness
  22. 2.3. Multidimensionality
  23. 2.4. Emergent property
  24. 2.5. Counterintuitive behavior
  25. Chapter three. Sociocultural System
  26. 3.1. Self-organization: movement toward a predefined order
  27. 3.2. Information-bonded systems
  28. 3.3. Culture
  29. 3.4. Social learning
  30. 3.5. Culture as an operating system
  31. Chapter four. Development
  32. 4.1. Schematic view of theoretical traditions
  33. 4.2. Systems view of development
  34. 4.3. Obstruction to development
  35. Introduction
  36. Chapter five. Holistic Thinking
  37. 5.1. Iterative process of inquiry
  38. 5.2. Systems dimensions
  39. Chapter six. Operational Thinking
  40. 6.1. Complexity
  41. 6.2. Operational thinking, the ithink language
  42. 6.3. Dynamics of throughput systems
  43. Chapter Seven. Design Thinking
  44. 7.1. Design thinking, as the systems methodology
  45. 7.2. Operating principles of design thinking
  46. 7.3. Modular design
  47. 7.4. Design and process of social change
  48. 7.5. Interactive design
  49. 7.6. Critical design elements
  50. Chapter eight. Formulating the Mess
  51. 8.1. Searching
  52. 8.2. Mapping the mess
  53. 8.3. Telling the story
  54. 8.4. The present mess
  55. 8.5. Current crisis and future challenges
  56. Chapter nine. Business Architecture
  57. 9.1. The system's boundary and business environment
  58. 9.2. Purpose
  59. 9.3. Functions
  60. 9.4. Structure
  61. 9.5. Processes
  62. Introduction
  63. Chapter ten. The Oneida Nation
  64. 10.1. Desired Specifications
  65. 10.2. Systems architecture
  66. 10.3. Governance
  67. 10.4. Membership systems
  68. 10.5. Learning systems
  69. 10.6. Business systems
  70. 10.7. Core services
  71. 10.8. External environment
  72. 10.9. Judicial system
  73. Chapter 11. Butterworth Health System
  74. 11.1. Issues, concerns, and expectations
  75. 11.2. Design specifications
  76. 11.3. The architecture
  77. 11.4. Market dimension
  78. 11.5. Care system
  79. 11.6. Output dimension
  80. 11.7. Core knowledge
  81. 11.8. Shared services
  82. 11.9. Health delivery system, core knowledge, and care system interactions
  83. 11.10. The executive office
  84. 11.11. Recap
  85. Chapter twelve. The Marriott Corporation
  86. 12.1. The environment: how the game is evolving
  87. 12.2. Purpose
  88. 12.3. The architecture
  89. 12.4. Recap
  90. Chapter 13. Commonwealth Energy System
  91. 13.1. Stakeholders' expectations
  92. 13.2. Business environment
  93. 13.3. Design
  94. 13.4. General architecture
  95. 13.5. Core business units: gas and electricity distribution
  96. 13.6. Technology/supply-oriented business units: energy generation and supply
  97. 13.7. Energy brokerage and international operations
  98. 13.8. Shared services (performance centers)
  99. 13.9. Executive office
  100. Chapter froteen. Carrier Corporation
  101. 14.1. Expectations, assumptions, and specifications
  102. 14.2. Core values
  103. 14.3. Systems architecture
  104. 14.4. Markets
  105. 14.5. Output units
  106. 14.6. Components
  107. 14.7. Inputs
  108. 14.8. Business processes
  109. Author Biography
  110. Conclusion
  111. References
  112. Index

Product information

  • Title: Systems Thinking, 3rd Edition
  • Author(s): Jamshid Gharajedaghi
  • Release date: August 2011
  • Publisher(s): Morgan Kaufmann
  • ISBN: 9780123859167