Global challenges demand global education of systems thinking

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Gehlert, Kurt M.^{a; b; *} | Ressler, Thomas^{a; b} | Baylon, Donoxti^{a; b}

Affiliations: [a] Graduate School of Professional Psychology, University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis, MN, USA | [b] College of Business, University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis, MN, USA

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Kurt M. Gehlert, 1000 Lasalle Ave, MOH 207, Minneapolis, MN55403-2005, USA. Tel.: +1 651 962 4656; Fax: +1 962 4651; E-mails: gehl6119@stthomas.edu; thressler@stthomas.edu (T. Ressler); donoxti@yahoo.fr (DonoxtiBaylon).

Abstract: This article is an appeal to incorporate systems thinking into topics and courses in business education and the social sciences. After reviewing the lack of systems thinking and systems theory in American education, its negative impact on decision making and risk analysis, the authors demonstrate how to weave systems thinking and systems theory into the existing curricula, and how to assess the effectiveness of such pedagogy on the decision making and risk analysis process.

Keywords: Systems thinking, decision making, risk, psychology of systems thinking, psychology of decision making, education and systems thinking, consilience, emergence, complex systems

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-120777

Journal: Human Systems Management, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 79-94, 2013