Out of Context: On Systems Thinking (Definitions)

"Systems thinking is a special form of holistic thinking - dealing with wholes rather than parts." (C J Pearson and R L Ison, "Agronomy of Grassland Systems", 1987)

"Systems thinking is a framework of thought that helps us to deal with complex things in a holistic way." (Robert L Flood & Ewart R Carson, "Dealing with Complexity: An introduction to the theory and application of systems", 1988)

"Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing patterns of change rather than static 'snapshots'. [...] And systems thinking is a sensibility for the subtle interconnectedness that gives living systems their unique character." (Peter Senge, "The Fifth Discipline", 1990)

"Systems thinking is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing patterns rather than static snapshots. It is a set of general principles spanning fields as diverse as physical and social sciences, engineering and management." (Peter Senge, "The Fifth Discipline", 1990)

"[Systems thinking is a] new way to view and mentally frame what we see in the world; a worldview and way of thinking whereby we see the entity or unit first as a whole, with its fit and relationship to its environment as primary concerns." (Stephen G Haines, "The Managers Pocket Guide to Systems Thinking & Learning", 1998)

"Systems thinking is an iterative learning process in which we replace a reductionist, narrow, short-run, static view of the world with a holistic, broad, long-term, dynamic view, reinventing our policies and institutions accordingly." (John D Sterman, "Learning in and about complex systems", Systems Thinking Vol. 3 2003)

"Systems thinking is only an epistemology, a particular way of describing the world. It does not tell us what the world is." (John Mingers, Realising" Systems Thinking: Knowledge and Action in Management Science", 2006)

"Systems thinking is a mental discipline and framework for seeing patterns and interrelationships." (Richard L Daft, "The Leadership Experience", 2008)

"Systems thinking is the art of simplifying complexity. It is about seeing through chaos, managing interdependency, and understanding choice." (Jamshid Gharajedaghi, "Systems Thinking: Managing Chaos and Complexity A Platform for Designing Business Architecture", 2011)

"Systems thinking is a discipline or process that considers how individual elements interact with one another as part of a whole entity." (Karen L Higgins, "Economic Growth and Sustainability: Systems Thinking for a Complex World", 2015)