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What is a system?
In order to understand better what systems thinking is about, we should explore what a system is. According to systems thinking, systems are everywhere around us. Just think of some examples:
Think about an example from above, a family. Obviously, the parts of the system are its members, mother, father, three daughters and a son, grandparents, and so on. If these parts would not interact, we could not speak of a system, the interactions make the family a system. In order to understand it, it would not suffice to study each family member individually, only the interactions between the family members can lead to an understanding of patterns – how the family works.
Systems have several defining criteria: (This is adapted and extended from "What is Systems Thinking" www.thesystemsthinker.com/systemsthinkinglearn.html and the Wikipedia entry "Systems thinking")
In order to use the system definition and apply it to the real world, one question seems important: Where to draw the boundaries of a system? What belongs to the system and what belongs to the system's environment? The environment of a system are those elements, issues, ideas, people and so on that do not belong to the system, though they might nevertheless be important for understanding it. While it sounds straightforward in theory - every system has a boundary that distinguishes the system from its environment - it becomes a bit more difficult when we deal with "messy" reality. This is important for the practical use of systems thinking for conflict analysis. On the one hand the analysis should of course be broad enough in order to enable deep understanding, on the other hand, we can't look at everything. From a practical perspective, there seems to be no general rule for deciding the matter, and drawing a boundary around a system is essentially about drawing "provisional" boundaries and chose the interactions that are most vital in the problem you are investigating.
References:
"What is systems thinking" <www.thesystemsthinker.com/systemsthinkinglearn.html> (accessed 11 August 2009)
Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_thinking> (accessed 14 August 2009)
Systems Thinking and Practice, open learning source <http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1289&topic=all> (accessed 14 August 2009)
- The circulatory system in your body
- The pond in the nearby park - an ecological system
- A bath tub
- Your computer
- The predatory-prey relationships in the savannah
- Your organisation
- Your family
- And many more
“A system is a group of interacting, interrelated, and interdependent components that form a complex and unified whole.” [What is Systems Thinking <www.thesystemsthinker.com/systemsthinkinglearn.html> (accessed 11 August 2009)]
Or: “A system is an entity that maintains its existence through the mutual interaction of its parts.” [Bellinger, Gene, Systems Thinking. An Operational Perspective of the Universe, 2004 www.systems-thinking.org/systhink/systhink.htm (accessed 30 July 2009)]
Think about an example from above, a family. Obviously, the parts of the system are its members, mother, father, three daughters and a son, grandparents, and so on. If these parts would not interact, we could not speak of a system, the interactions make the family a system. In order to understand it, it would not suffice to study each family member individually, only the interactions between the family members can lead to an understanding of patterns – how the family works.
Systems have several defining criteria: (This is adapted and extended from "What is Systems Thinking" www.thesystemsthinker.com/systemsthinkinglearn.html and the Wikipedia entry "Systems thinking")
- Every system has a purpose within a larger system. Systems are embedded in one another. Larger systems have sub-systems. This also means, every system is situated within an environment.
- All of the system’s parts must be present for the system to carry out its purpose optimally.
- Systems change in response to feedback. Systems maintain their stability by making adjustments based on feedback.
- Energy, material and information flow among the different parts of the system, and also from and to the surrounding environment.
In order to use the system definition and apply it to the real world, one question seems important: Where to draw the boundaries of a system? What belongs to the system and what belongs to the system's environment? The environment of a system are those elements, issues, ideas, people and so on that do not belong to the system, though they might nevertheless be important for understanding it. While it sounds straightforward in theory - every system has a boundary that distinguishes the system from its environment - it becomes a bit more difficult when we deal with "messy" reality. This is important for the practical use of systems thinking for conflict analysis. On the one hand the analysis should of course be broad enough in order to enable deep understanding, on the other hand, we can't look at everything. From a practical perspective, there seems to be no general rule for deciding the matter, and drawing a boundary around a system is essentially about drawing "provisional" boundaries and chose the interactions that are most vital in the problem you are investigating.
References:
"What is systems thinking" <www.thesystemsthinker.com/systemsthinkinglearn.html> (accessed 11 August 2009)
Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_thinking> (accessed 14 August 2009)
Systems Thinking and Practice, open learning source <http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1289&topic=all> (accessed 14 August 2009)
chachabooth |
Latest page update: made by chachabooth
, Aug 25 2009, 1:42 AM EDT
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