RRP: £12.99 Paperback: 245 pp: Publisher: SCiO; ISBN: 979-8414307754
If you feel as though the world has become more complex, you are not alone. There is a growing realisation of the need to deal with the complexity, uncertainty and speed of change of our world. These systemic factors increase the challenge for all of us and expose some traditional approaches which are unable to handle those challenges. This book sets out the fundamentals of Systems Thinking, a discipline developed specifically to grapple with complexity and uncertainty. It builds a compelling and useable guide to change the way you think about the world around you, for those wanting to understand or change systems, managers, policy makers and systems specialists alike.
Part One illustrates the nine thinking patterns involved in thinking like a systems thinker, which collectively form the core of Systems Thinking. Each pattern is contrasted with conventional thinking and shows the power of thinking differently, alongside practical ways to develop these patterns in yourself and your organisation. If you want a different way to be able to think about the world, the thought patterns in this book will give you that.
Part Two describes 33 Systems Laws and Principles on which Systems Thinking as a discipline was founded. These Systems laws show how both order and chaos are created in systems and the dynamic between them. The Laws and Principles provide the insight on how, when and why systems remain stable and change at the same time, and what happens when they don’t, instead collapsing into new forms or disintegrating. These powerful insights are vital for anyone designing a change or transformation.
The Grammar of Systems presents a very clear, coherent guide to the discipline of Systems Thinking.
Patrick Hoverstadt is a veteran systems practitioner, and chairs the professional body for Systems Practitioners.
