Example of system thinking
System thinking is both an art and science that involves the making of inferences that are reliable concerning behavior via developing a progressive comprehension of an underlying structure(Careyet al., 2015).An example of system thinking in the field of public health is conducting studies on transmission of diseases. It is a system of thinking because it involves finding inferences that are reliable. For instance, the transmission of diseases is a triad that involves the agent, host, and environment. Therefore, the system thinking tries to connect the relationship that exists between the three via conducting extensive studies/research. System thinking carries its operations based on evidence that supports and leads to the emergence of credible inferences.
The strengths of the approach are that it helps in the uncovering of unknown facts about events and processes. It also provides conceptual frameworks that put into practice various techniques that assist in uncovering the relationships that characterize a system(Scheirer& Dearing,2011). Furthermore, the approach suggests the application of different analytical levels and synthesis for the various problems that arranges from actives that are simple to more complex ones.it also helps in the discovery of areas that are at risk and therefore it facilitates learning(Scheirer& Dearing,2011).
The disadvantages of this approach are that it leads to the destruction of the human systems such as the interconnections that exist between constituent subsystems(Scheirer& Dearing,2011). Another disadvantage is that the approach is that it poses a problem as it threatens some policies that are already established in the management of consulting projects such as in areas of the management of performance and conducting assessments(Scheirer& Dearing,2011). Furthermore, the approach is demanding regarding intellectual resources as it requires a multidisciplinary approach to handle the emergent issues and requires a significant investment in skills.
References
Carey, G., Malbon, E., Carey, N., Joyce, A., Crammond, B., & Carey, A. (2015). Systems science and systems thinking for public health: a systematic review of the field. BMJ open, 5(12), e009002.
Scheirer, M. A., & Dearing, J. W. (2011).An agenda for research on the sustainability of public health programs. American Journal of Public Health, 101(11), 2059-2067.
