Systems Thinking Essay

Systems thinking is about interactions of system parts that can effectively perform together in order to achieve set goals. Attaining an understanding on the concept called systems thinking and how diverse connections result in diverse results can be developed to achieve improved and greater strategic views. According to McCarthy, external and inner environments exert a huge level of complexity on business leaders. To achieve their goals, these leaders are required to monitor issues that they face and use their strengths towards achieving their goals. He also states that external and internal environments in organizations have an impact on how leaders make decisions. He goes on to describe his thoughts using an automobile. He argued that an automobile as a whole systems can move people from one place to another, however, its parts cannot perform the same task.

A system is a whole and can be effective on its own but not as parts. Despite the fact that these parts can function individuals, they can only work and become a system if they work together. In retrospect to his view on system thinking, this involves interactions of a systems element working as a whole in order to find out if they are compatible. It is also referred to as unplanned strategy, it occurs when deliberate strategy is no longer achieving its target. In this strategic model, Henry Mintzberg defines emergent type’s strategy as reactions to actions that have not been planned and often under unanticipated situations. On the other hand he states that deliberate types of strategies are products of prearranged goals that have been put into action.

This is regardless of daily or personal life experiences, he believes that any decision made is either deliberate (Planned) or emergent (unplanned). He has admitted to practicing the two strategy models in different situations throughout his lifetime. This has ultimately increased the concern of strategy turning into practice. This is because the concept focuses only on the practitioners, practice and the praxis. Those form the organizational strategies. Strategies as practice not only focuses on performance that gets direction from a strategy while concentrating on all other factors that impact the process of strategizing. In his literature review, Hammer (2011) addresses the concept of strategies used as practice and also adopted as a complex adaptive strategy. Research by (Complex Adaptive System: The Health Foundation, 2010) also devised an alternative meaning of the concept of complex adaptive thinking.

In their view, complex adaptive thinking is referred to as the evolving theoretical technique of being thoughtful of the effect and cause to examine and understand how the compound business environment cares for the diverse models and more so the interactions, communications and connects of the parts that form the system or the organization. In their journal, Narendra K. and Annaswamy A. (2005) states that defining complex adaptive thinking is not easy. Strategic tools differ with methods used by managers while scheduling to advance their businesses or organizations. Some of these tools used by managers include; BCG model, SWOT analysis, Ansoff matrix, matrix and PEST analysis Jarratt and Stiles (2010, p. These tools or approaches to planning practice are separated into mainly three models; imposed, reflective and routinized practice.

Routinized practice is usually applied in business settings that are extremely foreseeable. While using this type of practice model, expansion of organizations are easily forecasted and administrators quickly bring into line their resources and their business with their environment. By doing this they will ensure all factors that are influenced by the application of either of the strategic models are covered. Application in a Workplace In healthcare facilities, an increase in complexity has been experienced and this has in turn affected normal organizational operations Sweeney and Mannion (2002). They also stated that the acknowledgement of volatility and doubt should be highly expected. This will ultimately lead to painful experiences for organizational stakeholders. Nevertheless, the use of complex adaptive system assist in searching and applying different types of management.

After this, our center has been considered as a department within the whole foundation. We do not have roles similar to other foundation departments, however we all interacting while serving all of the foundation’s strategic goals. Our department’s main role is to ensure needed healthcare service reach all employees and students so as to ultimately decrease the waiting time experienced in public healthcare centers and absenteeism that hugely affects their overall performance. Discussion As markets continue to rapidly grow and change, the fact that managements need to adopt system thinking in the developing strategies so as to adapt and survive the active market environment. Forerunners of system thinking like Dr. An example is seen when in an organization, a worker uses strategic tools like Ansoff and SWAT analysis in a bid to develop their strategic plan.

This worker also takes part in several businesses which need research that assist in market analysis for promoting both new and existing products, this clearly changes management through the use of strategic tools. Conclusion In order to understand the system, one should create a strategy (Zhu 2014). Furthermore, one needs a system so as to develop a strategy. Strategic thinking involves being able to look into the future, set goals and consequently making decisions that help us attain those goals. For this reason strategic thinking and system thinking models need to be carefully deliberated to realize goals. Additionally, informative meeting, revolutionizing interactions and networks amongst department affiliates of an organization can be achieved through implementing the complex adaptive system. Bibliography Ehn, A.