2. Creative Holism: A critical systems approach to complex problem situations 49 th Annual Meeting of the ISSS, Cancun, Mexico

3. Creative Holism 1. The Need for Creative Holism 2. The Benefits of Holism 3. Creativity in Applied Systems Thinking 4. The Nature of Creative Holism 5. The Potential Impacts of Systemics on Society

4. The Need for Creative Holism >The nature of problem situations more complex change more rapidly exhibit greater diversity >The failure of management fads and panaceas not holistic enough not creative enough

5. The Benefits of Holism > Holism and reductionism > Some strengths of holism transdisciplinary analogies structure and process holism as critique theoretical awareness > Some benefits of holism success in practice addresses big issues

6. 3.1 Creativity – the development of applied systems thinking INCREASING DIVERGENCE OF VALUES UNITARYPLURALISTCOERCIVE SIMPLE COMPLEX INCREASING COMPLEXITY HARD SYSTEMS THINKING SOFT SYSTEMS THINKING EMANCIPATORY SYSTEMS THINKING SYSTEM DYNAMICS ORGANIZATIONAL CYBERNETICS COMPLEXITY THEORY POSTMODERN SYSTEMS THINKING Figure 1. The development of applied systems thinking

7. 3.2 Creativity – metaphor and paradigm analysis Metaphor analysis machine organism brain culture political system etc Paradigm analysis functionalist (positivist and structuralist) interpretive emancipatory postmodern

8. The Nature of Creative Holism > Creativity > Choice > Implementation > Reflection The holistic doctor

9. The Potential Impacts of Systemics on Society > Creative holism and some big issues > Improving goal-seeking and viability > Exploring purposes and achieving mutual understanding > Ensuring fairness > Promoting diversity