On the design of systems-oriented university curricula

This paper proposes a tool called the Systems Education Matrix (SEM) for use in informing the work of developers of systems-oriented curricula at colleges and universities around the world. The SEM was developed by Team 1 at the 2008 IFSR Fuschl Conversation held at Fuschl am See in Austria. In order to manage the complex problems we are dealing with today, systems thinking is essential. It is clear that systems education should be acknowledged as an important 'scientific method' that can help today's society to deal with the complexities of contemporary issues. To serve this role effectively, systems education needs to be focused towards the various needs that exist. The members of Team 1 have focused on the nature of systems education that will be required to not only train systems specialists, but to make systems thinking and analysis an integral part of discipline focused research and management

Systems thinking - language of complexity for scientists and managers

Land managers are regularly faced with the prospect of having to anticipate the consequences of their actions, and avoid unintended consequences, without comprehensive information about the system surrounding their management activities, for a number of reasons. First, natural systems are complex and while information may be available to assist managers in decision-making, it is often uncertain. Second, relevant information is often fragmented and scattered throughout scientific publications, reports, databases and in the heads of experienced people, making it difficult for managers to utilise. Third, people can have divergent views about management because pieces of information often relate to different management objectives (e.g. conservation vs. production) and different people hold different opinions about how management systems operate. This uncertain, fragmented and conflicting picture of natural resource management can result in managers continually dealing with symptoms rather than the underlying causes of management problems. Thus, there is a need to integrate information surrounding land management issues in a systematic way. This paper provides an insight into how systems thinking can be used as a mechanism for developing an understanding of the issues under consideration. It briefly explores the requirements for dealing with complex systems and demonstrates the application of three examples of Systems Thinking tools to help achieve some of the desired outcomes toward sustainability. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for a paradigm shift (a new way of thinking about the world and relationships). For this, Systems Thinking not only offers a language for understanding complexity and dynamic change, but also provides sophisticated and unsophisticated modelling technology and associated collaborative learning environments

Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Agribusiness Success of Small-scale Farming Systems in Northern Vietnam

This study was conducted in Haiphong (Vietnam) during 2013-2014 to analyse the requirements for the success of small-scale agribusinesses. Following two baseline studies on the current state of the local farming systems and market situations, various stakeholders were engaged in a number of workshops with support of a causal loop diagram (CLD) modelling tool to redefine the pre-requisites for agribusiness success and their interplays. As a result, multi-stakeholder collaboration and government support via its policies and development programs were identified as the necessary conditions for success. Nonetheless, strengthening the capacity of local cooperatives and investing in human and social capitals are of equal importance as sufficient conditions, which generate multiple benefits towards achieving agribusiness success. Values of full participation by all stakeholders and the use of the CLD in defining systemic interventions are also discussed

Systems approaches towards understanding the barriers to innovation adoption in the Australian beef industry

The slow and low level of innovation adoption in the Australian beef industry was explored by using a systems approach. A causal loop model of innovation adoption system in the Australian beef industry was built based on various sources of literature and fieldwork findings in Queensland Australia. Further analysis of the systems model and fieldwork findings revealed the systemic structures of innovation adoption system in the Australian beef industry which underlie the complexity and dynamics of innovation adoption behaviour. To the utmost importance is this research also externalized key mental models of different actors within in the beef production system. Key conclusions drawn from the systems analysis were (1) the barriers to innovation adoption are business situation specific, barriers shifting along with the changing of business situation; (2) a lack of fully understanding the systemic structure of innovation adoption system in the Australian beef industry is common; (3) a lack of shared mental model among different key actors in the beef production system was also clearly shown which inhibits effective cooperation among them for various innovation activities; (4) using systems approaches to understand barriers to the innovation adoption in the Australian beef industry can add valuable insights to this complex issue which traditional non-system based methods are not able to achieve

Capacity Building and Think2Impact

"The difficulty to establish systems education is evident in many institutions worldwide"; ".....is a highly complex task";  "There is a strong need to educate students who can deal with the complexities of integrating environmental, social, economic and business components associated with the development of sustainable management systems and the creation of new era leadership"; "There is a need for a new way of thinking in this complex and turbulent world we live..."; "... systems thinking needs to become mainstream in society". These are only a few sentences in current literature.  Is a stronger emphasis and research on how to diffuse systems thinking in society - effective and continued capacity building -the answer? Capacity building in systems thinking is a concept with wide implications for a variety of people. We talk about 'Executive training programs', formal university education, informal training and learning  - depending on the purpose of the capacity building. In all cases there is a need for a new way of thinking. Executive training programs address the need of managers and other decision makers to deal with the many problems they are facing that are embedded in a complex web of global issues that are all interconnected with each other.  There is a strong realisation that issues cannot be solved anymore with traditional single discipline and linear thinking mindsets. This realisation has also led to employers to increasingly require from new people entering the workforce to have the attributes/capacity to redesign in systems and sustainability terms. This requirement has become one of the biggest challenges for education in this century and creates a significant pedagogical dilemma in current university education that tends to be focused on discipline specific teaching which has no room for a wider systems approach.  It has become essential to develop innovative curriculum designs and learning environments that address academic paradigms as well as industry requirements. Then there are the many people in organisations, businesses, communities, government departments and other stakeholders who are not necessary at managerial or decision making levels, but who are (should be) involved in finding solutions  to every day complex problems. In their case there is also a need for a new way of thinking, but they do not require a deep knowledge of systems concepts and theories. Informal training provides these members of society with knowledge and an awareness of the basic principles of systems thinking and interconnectedness, how user-friendly systems tools can help them to unravel the complexities and how to identify leverage points in the system for interventions that would address the root causes of the problems, rather than treating the symptoms. In this presentation the focus will be on: A discussion of the need for and value of learning platforms for ETPs and recent progress on determining effective modes of delivery that would have a global reach; Preliminary outcomes from the 'reflection step" of the first two rounds of the cyclic process of an ELLab for systems education, which revealed that students have shifted their way of thinking significantly from limited understanding and linear thinking to more coherent and interconnected thinking; How the use of Think2Impact as a global platform can fulfil our vision of educational institutions to be linked together for sharing reflections and lessons learned with each other in order to move to new levels of performance and assist each other to diffuse systems thinking into educational systems around the world; and the importance of capacity building through informal training (provided in the 'Learn' platform of Think2Impact) and co-learning during the establishment and cyclic running of an ELLab, and the capturing of these learnings to be shared through "Access" platform of Think2Impact

Special Issue: Systems Education for a Sustainable Planet

We live in a world in which complexity characterizes all human endeavors today, such as healthcare, economic development, environmental protection, gender relationships, poverty, mental health, business management and social responsibility (just to name a few). The issues facing our world have become increasingly complex due to the fact that they are embedded in a global web of ecological, economic, social, cultural and political processes and dynamic interactions. These complex problems and challenges cannot anymore be addressed and solved in isolation and with the single dimensional mindsets and tools of the past

The Art of Interconnected Thinking: Starting with the Young

Despite many efforts to deal with the various complex issues facing our societies, plans and problem solutions are seldom long lasting, because we, as individuals, and our leaders are most likely to fall into the trap of using traditional linear thinking. It is natural and easy, but does not usually deliver long-term solutions in the context of highly complex modern communities. There is an urgent need for innovative ways of thinking and a fresh approach to dealing with the unprecedented and complex challenges facing our world. It is essential for future leaders and citizens to be prepared for “interconnected” thinking to deal with complex problems in a systemic, integrated and collaborative fashion; working together to deal with issues holistically, rather than simplistically focusing on isolated features. An educational tool (Ecopolicy) is used as the main mechanism to achieve this aim. The Ecopolicy cybernetic simulation “game” is a challenging, but playful, method by which students are introduced to the idea of thinking in terms of relations, in feedback cycles, in networks and in systems. Participation in this stimulating simulation enhances the capacity of young people to change their way of thinking. This would be expected to prepare them to develop into leaders or citizens who can effectively deal with a complex and challenging future

Systems Education for a Sustainable Planet

The issues facing humanity have become increasingly complex due to the fact they are embedded in a global web of ecological, economic, social, cultural and political processes that are dynamically interlinked. The capacity to conceptualise and redesign solutions, in systems and sustainability terms, will increasingly be what society and employers expect. This “expectation” is globally one of the biggest challenges for education. This Special Issue highlights key developments in the area of systems education and how some of the many challenges are currently being addressed. The 15 articles published fall into five groups: how to design learning systems for systems thinking and sustainability education; insights from the various systems education programs available internationally; different approaches to teaching systems thinking and sustainability; how systems education can be tailored to broaden systems education beyond universities; and possible future pathways for systems education for a sustainable planet. The range and magnitude of the contributions to this book illustrate the diversity of systems education practices and programs (learning systems) in the global systems community, and the relevance of systems thinking and practice to examining issues crucial to the long-term sustainability of the planet

Practical Value of the Systems-based Evolutionary Learning Laboratory in Solving Complex Community Problems in Vietnam

This paper provides initial reflections on the practical value of the systems-based Evolutionary Learning Laboratory (ELLab) through a case study on improving the quality of life for women smallholder farmers in rural Haiphong, northern Vietnam. The first five steps were implemented during 2013-2014 providing valuable results that have made both practical and theoretical contributions with substantial implications to community development. The approach and framework helped to identify and engaged right stakeholders in problem analyses and decision making activities. Fuzzy problems within the complex web of life of the women and rural households were uncovered using relevant systems tools through a guided ELLab process. The ELLab helped to build capacity of local people for taking ownership of the process and outcomes to guarantee sustainability and long-term impacts. It also facilitated true participation and co-learning amongst stakeholders, making transformative learning occur. Contributions to action research are discussed

DEVELOPING CAUSAL LOOP DIAGRAMS FOR COFFEE SUPPLY CHAIN: SUPPORTING TO ENHANCE THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES OF A VIETNAMESE COFFEE

In this paper, researchers develop causal relationships among different variables that present enablers and outcomes – operating within many identified feedback loops. The resulting causal loop model provides coffee managers with a snapshot of the dynamic interactions among elements in the coffee supply chain, which helps to identify proactive action in implementing the coffee supply chain philosophy for increasing the competitiveness of coffee products. Based on this review and analysis, recommendations are made regarding application of the causal loop method in coffee supply chain management. Important future research directions are also indicated