This thesis deals with the critical systems thinking (CST) and its necessity and usability within a commercial company. Critical systems thinking is defined and explained from different perspectives, first as a specific way of approaching a problem, but as a tool for problem solving as well. The thesis also details the specific skills of critical systems thinking and systems archetypes and identifies some interrelations between CST and a specific commercial company with its needs. The practical part is focused on the process of solving specific problems using critical systems thinking, it also discusses the benefits and limitations and evaluates the overall necessity of CST for a commercial company.

This dissertation develops virtual reality modules to capture individuals’ learning abilities and systems thinking skills in dynamic environments. In the first chapter, an immersive queuing theory teaching module is developed using virtual reality technology. The objective of the study is to present systems engineering concepts in a more sophisticated environment and measure students learning abilities. Furthermore, the study explores the performance gaps between male and female students in manufacturing systems concepts. To investigate the gender biases toward the performance of developed VR module, three efficacy measures (simulation sickness questionnaire, systems usability scale, and presence questionnaire) and two effectiveness measures (NASA TLX assessment and post-motivation questionnaire) were used. The second and third chapter aims to assess individuals’ systems thinking skills when they engage in complex multidimensional problems. A modern complex system comprises many interrelated subsystems and various dynamic attributes. Understanding and handling large complex problems requires holistic critical thinkers in modern workplaces. Systems Thinking (ST) is an interdisciplinary domain that offers different ways to better understand the behavior and structure of a complex system. The developed scenario-based instrument measures students’ cognitive tendency for complexity, change, and interaction when making decisions in a turbulent environment. The proposed complex systems scenarios are developed based on an established systems thinking instrument that can measure important aspects of systems thinking skills. The systems scenarios are built in a virtual environment that facilitate students to react to real-world situations and make decisions. The construct validity of the VR scenarios is assessed by comparing the high systematic scores between ST instrument and developed VR scenarios. Furthermore, the efficacy of the VR scenarios is investigated using the simulation sickness questionnaire, systems usability scale, presence questionnaire, and NASA TLX assessment.

What would happen if, the systems we deal with everyday, and the situations we find ourselves in, could trigger us to give something to someone else? This work started by exploring the theme of  money systems and social structures and the ambition to find alternatives for our current economic system, which has failed in several ways. People all over the world are already coming up with alternatives that can supplement and stabilize our money-monoculture and that give new meaning to currency.This research investigates a particular alternative economic system called the gift economy, which has great potential to build meaningful relations and re-establish a sense of  community. Since the gift economy has been mainly researched by anthropologists and ethnographers in the last century, my focus is on implementing its principles in society today. Through literature review, case studies and a series of  design projects, this thesis articulates possible ways of  triggering a gift economy. With a special coin, a concept for a bar and by linking the local bakery to Konstfack, we may start to understand what giving really means, how it can benefit us, in what way it can build more meaningful relationships and how it can offer an alternative way of  thinking than what currently drives our economic system

Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) is rapidly becoming a most sought after research area due to the influence of recent supply chain disruptions on global economy. The thesis begins with a systematic literature review of the developments within the broad domain of SCRM over the past decade. Thematic and descriptive analysis supported with modern knowledge management techniques brings forward seven distinctive research gaps for future research in SCRM. Overlapping research findings from an industry perspective, coupled with SCRM research gaps from the systematic literature review has helped to define the research problem for this study. The thesis focuses on a holistic and systematic approach to modelling risks within supply chain and logistics networks. The systems thinking approach followed conceptualises the phenomenon of risk propagation utilising several recent case studies, workshop findings and focus studies. Risk propagation is multidimensional and propagates beyond goods, finance and information resource. It cascades into technology, human resource and socio-ecological dimensions. Three risk propagation zones are identified that build the fundamentals for modelling risk behaviour in terms of cost and delay. The development of a structured framework for SCRM, a holistic supply chain risk model and a quantitative research design for risk assessment are the major contributions of this research. The developed risk assessment platform has the ability to capture the fracture points and cascading impact within a supply chain and logistics network. A reputed aerospace and defence organisation in UK was used to test the experimental modelling set up for its viability and for bridging the gap between theory and practice. The combined statistical and simulation modelling approach provides a new perspective to assessing the complex behavioural performance of risks during multiple interactions within network.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / The purpose of this strategic analysis of the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center (FISC) Norfolk Detachment Philadelphia was to determine strengths and weaknesses in the organization. The objective was to describe the extent of congruence among important variables in the organization's system framework. This document includes a detailed description of the FISC Det Philadelphia system. Data were collected through interviews with key personnel and employee surveys. Data were analyzed to determine the congruence of the variables that make up the system (inputs, design factors, and outcomes). Conclusions as to the strengths and weaknesses of the organization were drawn based on the analysis of the variables. Recommendations were made on how to improve the areas identified as weaknesses and capitalize on those that were found to be strengths to revitalize the organization. The thesis also provides an example of how systems thinking can be used to perform a strategic analysis of an organization. Seeing the system as a whole through a comprehensive analysis of the key variables allows us to understand the impact of our changes as they relate to the entire organization. / Civilian, Department of the Navy

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology / Robert L. Larson / Bradley J. White / Applying systems methods to cattle production requires investigators to think about whole systems when addressing study objectives. The research conducted for this dissertation emphasized studying whole systems using different methods. We studied cattle production systems through mathematical simulation and new indirect monitoring technologies. While the methods used for the research in this dissertation may be very different, all utilized systems methods to address the study objectives. Firstly, we applied systems thinking methods and developed a dynamic, deterministic systems simulation of cow-calf production over a 10-year horizon. This model was used to investigate the effects the duration of postpartum anestrus (dPPA) has on reproductive performance. A large range of dPPA have been reported, so various primiparous cow and multiparous cow dPPA were simulated. We found that increasing the dPPA for primiparous and multiparous cows had a negative impact on herd performance and that the dPPA is an important factor in determining cow-calf performance success. We then used the cow-calf simulation to explore the effects of breeding nulliparous cows prior to the rest of the herd, known as providing Heifer Lead Time (tHL). We found that increasing tHL improved herd performance, especially with longer dPPA for primiparous cows. Secondly, real-time location systems (RTLS) were used to indirectly monitor cattle behavior. These systems have been used to determine the amount of time cattle spend at eating and drinking locations. We modeled the probability of cattle participating in eating and drinking behavior when determined to be at these locations by RTLS and found that significant differences exist between individual calves and period of the day. Finally, we explored associations between bovine respiratory disease (BRD) and animal-to-animal contacts as determined by RTLS in beef cattle. We found that the probability of BRD diagnosis was associated with the amount of time 4 days’ ago that a calf was in calf-contact with calves assumed to be shedding BRD pathogens.

School systems nationwide confront declines in the number of principal applicants while facing increasing student accountability concerns. The idiosyncrasies of adolescent development and the social nature of the educational environment reflect the declines in applicants and impact student accountability. Using a three-tiered case study, the present research inquiry identified perspectives of superintendents, middle school principals, and middle school teachers regarding Baldrige-based practices in the four Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award-winning school districts in the United States. This study's data illuminated how a non-prescriptive framework such as the Baldrige National Quality Program (BNQP) combined with Baldrige Education Criteria for Performance Excellence (BECPE) assessment instrument, were utilized by the superintendents and middle school principals in the award-winning schools to address the issues of both instructional leadership and student achievement. Perspectives from targeted superintendents, middle school (grades 6-8) principals, and middle school teachers regarding Baldrige-based practices as they relate to instructional leadership in middle level education were investigated. Research participants from Chugach School District in Anchorage, Alaska; Pearl River School District in Pearl River, New York; Community Consolidated School District 15 in Palatine, Illinois; and Jenks Public Schools in Jenks, Oklahoma discussed the adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the Baldrige National Quality Program, combined with the ongoing utilization of BECPE, in their middle schools. Respondents disclosed instructional leadership beliefs and practices utilized within their school and/or district. Utilizing information from the three interview protocols created for superintendents, middle school principals, and middle school teachers in the targeted districts, an analysis of themes emerged from the transcribed interviews and interview correspondences, providing insight about the gaps in research literature pertaining to the application of Baldrige-based practices in middle level education. These gaps substantiated the need for continued research that examines the role of instructional leadership in creating Baldrige environments in the middle school arena. Overall, the qualitative results of this exploratory study promoted understanding and informed efforts to build instructional leadership in other middle level educational institutions across the nation.

The paper describes our usage of and experience with the method of participatory systems mapping. The method, developed for the purpose of facilitating knowledge brokerage, builds on participatory modelling approaches and applications and was used in several events involving both researchers and policy makers. The paper presents and discusses examples of how different types of participatory interaction with causal loop diagrams ("system maps") produced different insights on issues related to sustainable consumption and enabled participatory reflection and sharing of knowledge. Together, these insights support a systemic understanding of the issues and thus the method provides instruments for coping with complexity when formulating policies for sustainable consumption. Furthermore the paper discusses the ability of the method - and its limits - to connect mental models of participants through structured discussion and thus bridge boundaries between different communities.

Thesis advisor: Patrick J. McQuillan / This dissertation presents two case studies of educational leadership, followed by an extensive discussion of methodological, historical, and philosophical issues that pertain to education research, policy, and leadership development. The case studies utilize qualitative research methods and the theoretical framework of complex systems to ascertain how and to what extent principals fostered cultural and educational change at their schools, with attention to how principals leveraged distributed leadership, instructional leadership, and the generation of cultural norms. Findings from the study were consistent with literature on systems leadership, and reinforce the significance of history and path dependence in school systems, the need to limit disequilibrium and turbulence within sustainable ranges, the importance of trust within social networks to facilitate productive change processes, and the importance of shared cultural norms to align staff values and behavior. Following the explication of the two cases, a meta- analysis is presented to address the methodological and interpretive limits of the study. The role of human development and the influence of cultural ideology and social infrastructures are highlighted as crucial dimensions of reality that warrant integration in educational research. Integral Theory is utilized as a means to explore the cultural, social, and psychological factors involved in achieving more comprehensive interpretations of social reality. Key topics include: complex systems, Integral Theory, modernity, postmodernity, education reform, neoliberalism, and developmental psychology. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T17:04:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 19 / Nenhuma / Em mercados competitivos e complexos como os de commodities, ter a capacidade de planejar cenários e vislumbrar o comportamento do preço em cada um deles, constitui-se em uma grande vantagem competitiva para as organizações. Dentro deste contexto, esta pesquisa teve por objetivo desenvolver um método para o entendimento dos fatores chaves que impactam a precificação de commodities, através de uma abordagem sistêmica, permitindo a estimação/avaliação de preços futuros em diferentes cenários. A metodologia de pesquisa adotada foi a pesquisa-ação, caracterizada pela aprendizagem coletiva e contínua. Uma adaptação do método PSPC – Pensamento Sistêmico e Planejamento de Cenários - aos objetivos desta pesquisa foi elaborada e aplicada em uma indústria do mercado de minérios de ferro. A primeira fase gerou o entendimento das principais variáveis associadas ao preço; na segunda este aprendizado foi materializado em um modelo computacional de dinâmica de sistemas que na terceira e última etapa foi utilizado para a est / In competitive and complex environments, like commodity markets, the ability to plan alternative scenarios and foreseen pricing behavior represents a competitive advantage. Within this context, this research aims to build a method that uses a systemic approach to understand the key factors that impact in commodities pricing, in order to visualize prices in different future scenarios. Action research is chosen as research method, by its characteristics of continuous and collective knowledge constructions. Based on PSPC – Systems Thinking and Scenario Planning – it proposes a method with three steps to be applied in the iron ore market. The first step leads to a collective awareness of the main variables related with pricing. In the second one, this knowledge is transferred to the dynamic system model, which, in the third phase, is used to visualize prices behavior in future scenarios. Along with quantitative evaluation, interviews with the participants give the inputs to accept and improve the proposed method.