What Is a System? And What Is Systems Thinking?

Donella Meadows, the pioneer of Systems Thinking and author of Thinking in Systems: A Primer, defines a system as an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something. If you look at that definition closely for a minute, you can see that a system must consist of three kinds of things: elements, interconnections, and a function or purpose (2008, p. 11). For this Discussion, using Meadowss definition of a system, consider an organization you are familiar with and post the following:

• Provide a brief description of the organization.
• Provide two examples of a system within the organization, and describe the elements, interconnections, and purpose for each. (Remember, to be an actual system all three features must be present.)
• Now that you have identified some examples of systems within an organization, consider your definition of what systems thinking may entail. Provide a 1-sentence definition.