"Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems, i.e. cohesive groups of interrelated, interdependent components that can be natural or human-made."
This views organizations as a system of interrelated parts that work together towards a common goal.
Systems thinking: An approach to problem-solving that analyzes complex systems as a whole, rather than just the individual components.
Feedback loops: A mechanism where output or results of a system are fed back into the system as inputs, either to maintain or modify ongoing behaviors or characteristics of the system.
Cybernetics: The study of information processing and communication in living organisms and machines, focusing on feedback systems and self-regulating control.
Open systems theory: A theory that considers an organization as a system made up of interconnected parts that interact with the external environment.
Complexity theory: A theory that deals with how systems behave in a non-linear manner and how small changes can have big effects on the overall system.
Network theory: The study of the relationships and interactions between various actors (e.g., individuals, organizations, markets) and how these connections impact the overall system as a whole.
Contingency theory: The idea that there are no universal rules or principles to guide organizational behavior, and that different situations require different behaviors or actions.
Resilience theory: The study of how systems can withstand and recover from disturbances, shocks, or crises.
Organizational culture: The collection of shared values, beliefs, norms, and behaviors that shape how people behave in an organization.
Organizational structure: The formal framework of an organization, including its hierarchy, roles, departments, and decision-making processes.
Change management: The process of planning, implementing, and monitoring changes within an organization, including organizational culture and structure.
Leadership: The ability to influence and guide a group towards achieving its goals, including understanding the complexities of systems theory and how it applies to organizational behavior.
Team dynamics: The interactions and behaviors of individuals within a group or team, including how they can impact the overall system.
Conflict resolution: The process of finding a peaceful and constructive solution to disagreements or disputes within an organization, including the use of feedback loops and other systems theory concepts.
Learning organizations: Organizations that actively seek to learn from experiences and incorporate new knowledge into their processes and systems.
General Systems Theory: This theory focuses on the interactions and relationships between different parts of a system, with a focus on the overall functioning of the entire system.
Cybernetics: This theory focuses on regulation and control within a system, with a focus on feedback loops and communication channels.
Living Systems Theory: This theory applies the concepts of biology to systems, considering systems as living entities with different levels of organization.
Chaos Theory: This theory focuses on the nonlinear, dynamic and unpredictable behaviors of systems, with a focus on the role of small changes and fluctuations.
Complexity Theory: This theory focuses on complex, self-organizing systems, with a focus on emergent properties and nonlinear causal relationships.
Social Systems Theory: This theory focuses on human interactions within a system, with a focus on social structures and relationships.
Ecological Systems Theory: This theory focuses on the interactions between individuals and their physical, social, and cultural environments, with a focus on how systems impact human development.
Systems Dynamics: This theory focuses on the behavior of complex, interconnected systems over time, with a focus on feedback loops, stocks, and flows.
Soft Systems Methodology: This theory focuses on the use of systems thinking to develop holistic solutions to complex problems, with a focus on the importance of multiple perspectives and stakeholder engagement.
Critical Systems Thinking: This theory focuses on the application of systems thinking to social and political issues, with a focus on the systematic analysis of power relations and social justice issues.
"Every system has causal boundaries, is influenced by its context..."
"...defined by its structure, function, and role..."
"...and expressed through its relations with other systems."
"A system is 'more than the sum of its parts' by expressing synergy or emergent behavior."
"Changing one component of a system may affect other components or the whole system."
"It may be possible to predict these changes in patterns of behavior."
"The growth and the degree of adaptation depend upon how well the system is engaged with its environment and other contexts influencing its organization."
"Some systems support other systems, maintaining the other system to prevent failure."
"The goals of systems theory are to model a system's dynamics, constraints, conditions, and relations..."
"General systems theory is about developing broadly applicable concepts and principles, as opposed to concepts and principles specific to one domain of knowledge."
"It distinguishes dynamic or active systems from static or passive systems."
"Active systems are activity structures or components that interact in behaviors and processes or interrelate through formal contextual boundary conditions (attractors)."
"Passive systems are structures and components that are being processed."
"For example, a program is passive when it is a disc file and active when it runs in memory."
"The field is related to systems thinking, machine logic, and systems engineering."
"The field is related to systems thinking, machine logic, and systems engineering."
"...and to elucidate principles (such as purpose, measure, methods, tools) that can be discerned and applied to other systems at every level of nesting..."
"...for achieving optimized equifinality."
"...and in a wide range of fields for achieving optimized equifinality."