IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/syseng/v11y2008i1p1-14.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enabling systems thinking to accelerate the development of senior systems engineers

Author

Listed:
  • Heidi L. Davidz
  • Deborah J. Nightingale

Abstract

As systems become more complex, the roles involved in developing and managing such systems also become more complex. Thus, there is increasing interest in educating and training engineering professionals to think more systemically. In particular, there is an increasing need to accelerate the development of senior systems engineers. As new educational degree programs in systems rapidly emerge and as companies scurry to establish systems training programs to meet this need, fundamental questions still remain about how systems thinking develops in engineers. Increased understanding of the mechanisms that develop systems thinking will enable effective and efficient development of senior systems professionals. After reviewing related literature, an exploratory and inductive study was designed to gather data on enablers, barriers, and precursors to systems thinking development in engineers. In a field study conducted primarily in the United States aerospace sector, 205 interviews were conducted in 10 host companies. Senior systems engineers were studied to better understand how they developed systems thinking, and information was collected on company procedures for developing systems engineers. Using interview and survey data, comparisons were made of two control groups and senior systems engineers. Proven stellar systems thinkers were also interviewed. To summarize the results, even though systems thinking definitions diverge, there is consensus on primary mechanisms that enable or obstruct systems thinking development in engineers. In order to reconcile the divergent definitions observed, a systems thinking framework and definition are given. The data show that the primary mechanisms that enable systems thinking development include experiential learning, specific individual characteristics, and a supporting environment. This document defines the research space on this topic and suggests applications for the results. Better understanding of systems thinking development provides a foundation for educational interventions and employee development in systems thinking for engineering professionals across industry, government, and academia. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng

Suggested Citation

  • Heidi L. Davidz & Deborah J. Nightingale, 2008. "Enabling systems thinking to accelerate the development of senior systems engineers," Systems Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:syseng:v:11:y:2008:i:1:p:1-14
    DOI: 10.1002/sys.20081
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sys.20081
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sys.20081?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Moti Frank, 2000. "Engineering systems thinking and systems thinking," Systems Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 3(3), pages 163-168.
    2. Barry Richmond, 1993. "Systems thinking: Critical thinking skills for the 1990s and beyond," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 9(2), pages 113-133, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Moti Frank, 2010. "Assessing the interest for systems engineering positions and other engineering positions' required capacity for engineering systems thinking (CEST)," Systems Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(2), pages 161-174, June.
    2. Fernando Ramos-Quintana & Héctor Sotelo-Nava & Hugo Saldarriaga-Noreña & Efraín Tovar-Sánchez, 2019. "Assessing the Environmental Quality Resulting from Damages to Human-Nature Interactions Caused by Population Increase: A Systems Thinking Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-29, April.
    3. Clement Smartt & Susan Ferreira, 2012. "Constructing a general framework for systems engineering strategy," Systems Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(2), pages 140-152, June.
    4. Shukla Divya, 2018. "Modeling systems thinking in action among higher education leaders with fuzzy multi-criteria decision making," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 13(2), pages 946-965, June.
    5. Sheu‐Wen Chuang & Chung‐Yu Pan & Chin‐Yin Huang, 2009. "A system‐oriented analysis model to enhance patient safety in healthcare organizations," Systems Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(3), pages 218-232, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bucaro, Anthony C., 2019. "Enhancing auditors' critical thinking in audits of complex estimates," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 35-49.
    2. Khalid Saeed, 2014. "Jay Forrester's operational approach to economics," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 30(4), pages 233-261, October.
    3. Jagustović, Renata & Zougmoré, Robert B. & Kessler, Aad & Ritsema, Coen J. & Keesstra, Saskia & Reynolds, Martin, 2019. "Contribution of systems thinking and complex adaptive system attributes to sustainable food production: Example from a climate-smart village," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 65-75.
    4. Yun Eui Choi & Kihwan Song & Min Kim & Junga Lee, 2017. "Transformation Planning for Resilient Wildlife Habitats in Ecotourism Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-28, March.
    5. Kelley E. Dugan & Erika A. Mosyjowski & Shanna R. Daly & Lisa R. Lattuca, 2022. "Systems thinking assessments in engineering: A systematic literature review," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(4), pages 840-866, July.
    6. Gürsan, C. & de Gooyert, V., 2021. "The systemic impact of a transition fuel: Does natural gas help or hinder the energy transition?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    7. K. Lawler & T. Vlasova & A. Moscardini, 2019. "Using System Dynamics in Macroeconomics," Вестник Киевского национального университета имени Тараса Шевченко. Экономика., Socionet;Киевский национальный университет имени Тараса Шевченко, vol. 3(204), pages 34-40.
    8. Piero Mella & Michela Pellicelli, 2017. "How Myopia Archetypes Lead to Non-Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-24, December.
    9. Estee Vermeulen-Miltz & Jai Kumar Clifford-Holmes & Amanda Talita Lombard & Bernadette Snow, 2023. "Coastal Tourism Recovery amid COVID-19: Insights from a Participatory System Dynamics Approach," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-16, July.
    10. Fernandes, Aline R. & da Silva, Carlos Arthur B., 2017. "Ten Years later: A Comparison of Results of Simulation Scenarios under a Systems Dynamic Approach and the Actual Economic Performance of Small-Scale Agro-industries Supported by Brazilian Agro-industr," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 8(2), March.
    11. Kwamina Ewur Banson & Daniel Kwasi Asare & Fidelis Doodaa Dery & Kwadwo Boakye & Akudugu Boniface & Moses Asamoah & Lourees Esi Awotwe, 2020. "Impact of Fall Armyworm on Farmer’s Maize: Systemic Approach," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 33(2), pages 237-264, April.
    12. Linlin Wang & Rongchang Wang & Haiyan Yan, 2021. "System-Dynamics Modeling for Exploring the Impact of Industrial-Structure Adjustment on the Water Quality of the River Network in the Yangtze Delta Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-20, July.
    13. Crystle J. Kelly & James Rogers & Edward J. Gallaher, 2021. "Insights from system dynamics that support experimental research: an exemplar of the NMDA receptor," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 37(2-3), pages 197-211, April.
    14. Thomas Grisold & Markus F. Peschl, 2017. "Why a Systems Thinking Perspective on Cognition Matters for Innovation and Knowledge Creation. A Framework towards Leaving behind Our Projections from the Past for Creating New Futures," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 335-353, May.
    15. Martin F. G. Schaffernicht & Stefan N. Groesser, 2016. "A competence development framework for learning and teaching system dynamics," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 32(1), pages 52-81, January.
    16. Camilo Olaya, 2015. "Cows, agency, and the significance of operational thinking," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 31(4), pages 183-219, October.
    17. Paul H. Thibodeau & Cynthia McPherson Frantz & Mirella L. Stroink, 2016. "Situating a Measure of Systems Thinking in a Landscape of Psychological Constructs," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(6), pages 753-769, November.
    18. Gohari, Alireza & Savari, Peyman & Eslamian, Saeid & Etemadi, Nematollah & Keilmann-Gondhalekar, Daphne, 2022. "Developing a system dynamic plus framework for water-land-society nexus modeling within urban socio-hydrologic systems," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    19. Gattie, David K. & Kellam, Nadia N. & Turk, H. Jeff, 2007. "Informing ecological engineering through ecological network analysis, ecological modelling, and concepts of systems and engineering ecology," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 208(1), pages 25-40.
    20. Rajneesh Chowdhury, 2023. "Holistic Flexibility for Deploying Systems Thinking as a Cognitive Skill," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 36(5), pages 803-825, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:syseng:v:11:y:2008:i:1:p:1-14. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1002/(ISSN)1520-6858 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.