System Thinking

MSc. PROJECT AND ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
ENVSPM1 – PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Tiago Melo de B. Souto

Bartlett School, UCL

“All projects need simple processes in place to monitor and control cost, progress and quality. It is argued, however, that projects involving innovation and complexity, almost regardless of size, need a “system approach” to project management” Discuss the above statement

Word Count: 3161

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Bartlett School, UCL

Table of Contents

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4 Traditional Management and Dynamic Environments .............................................................. 5 Innovation as a Factor of Discontinuity ...................................................................................... 6 Complexity within Project Management and System Thinking ................................................ 7 System Thinking ........................................................................................................................... 8 5.1. Equifinality: Flexibility across Systems .......................................................................... 10 5.2. Boundary and Collaboration across Agents .................................................................... 11 5.3. Integration ......................................................................................................................... 12

6. 7. 8.

Criticism of System Thinking .................................................................................................... 12 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 13 References ................................................................................................................................... 14

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