Systems Theory studies the relationships and structure of systems
Systems theory is the interdisciplinary study of systems. A system is a cohesive conglomeration of interrelated and interdependent parts which can be natural or human-made. Every system is bounded by space and time, influenced by its environment, defined by its structure and purpose, and expressed through its functioning. A system may be more than the sum of its parts if it expresses synergy or emergent behavior.[1]
Meadows notes the importance of understanding the relationship between structure and behavior in order to understand the behavior that is latent in the system itself:
Once we see the relationship between structure and behavior, we can begin to understand how systems work, what makes them produce poor results, and how to shift them into better behavior patterns…. A system is a set of things—people, cells, molecules, or whatever—interconnected in such a way that they produce their own pattern of behavior over time.[2]
#systems-thinking #complex-systems
See also:
Thinking in Systems – Meadows (2008), Introduction. ↩︎