Were We Right the First Time? Adopting a Systems Thinking Approach to Reviewing a Decision in a Higher Education Setting

Abstract

The dynamic and complexity of social interactions have made it imperative that policy makers adopt a more resilient and empirically supported approach to confronting social issues. No field of policy development has seen a more dynamic development of complexity than the higher education terrain. As aptly put by Arnold and Wade (2015), now, more than ever, systems thinkers are needed to prepare for an increasingly complex, globalized, system of systems future in which everything from Canadian logging to Middle-Eastern oil drilling to Australian diamond mining will produce ripple effects throughout the globe. Based on this reasoning, it could be strongly argued that all people in decision-making roles should have a solid grasp on systems thinking. The rapid growth of complex systems springing up all over the human landscape is apparent in the increasing instructiveness and interconnectedness between national systems such that, globalization is growing social systems in complex new ways. For example, Technological advancement spawns system after system, each increasing in interdependence on preceding and existing systems. This is exemplified in how international trade ties nations together in powerful economic feedback loops where policy changes in one nation inevitably causes ripple-effects in another (Arnold & Wade, 2015). With the exponential growth of systems in our world, comes a growing need for systems thinkers to tackle these complex problems. This need stretches far beyond the science and engineering disciplines, encompassing, in truth, every aspect of life. Yurtseven and Buchanan (2016) is of the firm view that decision making within a systems framework has been mostly discussed in terms of mathematical tools and techniques. There are situations when this is applicable, such as where the problematic situation can be clearly described. They advocated for the application of various tools; such as mathematical programming, game theory, simulation models, Markov chain models, decision tress, etc. However, in other cases, such as in decision situations faced by top managers, there may be too much ambiguity about the objective and decision options. Sometimes the information and knowledge available to make an effective decision may be uncertain, incomplete, or even distorted. Their advice is that, under such conditions the problematic situation must be described in its full system context.