Reference no: EM133071410

Systems Thinking

Table of Content
Abstract
Situation
Concern
Question
Answer
References

Abstract
An abstract should provide an overview of each of the aspects of the report. After reading the abstract a reader/examiner must have the full overview of the key elements of your paper. It should therefore provide key elements of:

The situation;
Explain what the concern is that you want to address with this paper;
Clearly identify the research question; and
Provide a synopsis of the answer

Situation

The overall function of the situation is to set the background and context for the concern. This is a very important part of the paper as it sets the context for the paper. It introduces your work context and must include a description of your organisation, its products/services, customers and stakeholders. Make sure you provide sufficient information so that the examiner understands your organisation, its purpose, customers, etc. It is useful to explain the bigger context of the organisation (eg if it is a multinational) then focuses on the South African business operations, then on the part where you work. Think of it as a funnel that gets smaller to identify where you fit in. When giving this explanation, please provide diagrams/picture eg organisation chart, maps, etc to enrich your paper. Please remember to reference all sources (eg if you list the vision, mission of the organisation - reference your corporate website/strategy documents, etc).

Next explain your role and responsibilities. This is important for the examiner to understand how you are affected by the problem and also to understand your approach with the answer. Then you also need to provide background information about the problem/issue you want to address. Provide facts/data/evidence of this problem. Copy and paste your rich picture from your appendix and use it to help explain the situation. It has to provide relevant information (including data/facts and references) on the issue, problem or opportunity that is the topic of your paper.

Concern

Present your CBOT and fully explain your CBOT, indicating why it is a concern and what would happen if you do not address the concern (this establishes relevance!). Make sure the CBOT has valid data to make it believable (validity). Therefore you need to explain how you gathered the data that you plotted in your CBOT. After the CBOT, present your conceptual model (CLD) and explain it in detail. You need to make reference to each concept and the relationship and explain your problem in this manner. Your conceptual model has to explain the system that is causing the concern.

Explaining the CLD:

Make sure that your variables in your CLD are phrased correctly. Take note of the following:
When you completed your AD you must make sure that the categories identified are phrased as variables. A well-phrased variable can fit into sentences like: "The level of...."; "The number of...."; The quality of....". some words are variables in its own right, eg cost. Cost can increase and cost can decrease. You must be able to clearly indicate that the variable can increase and it can decrease. Take for example the concept ‘planning'. This is not a variable. In cases like this, you have to ask yourself: looking at the topic and context of your paper (values-based leadership), what about planning is particularly important for you? It may be any of "The amount of planning"; "The accuracy of planning"; "Effectiveness of planning"; "quality of planning"......etc.
Also make sure that you phrase your variables as neutrals as far as possible. Refrain from phrasing a variable as : "Lack of planning" This implies that there will always be a lack of planning. At some point there will be ‘more' lack of planning and at other points ‘less' lack of planning. This does not make sense.

You have to fully explain your CLD by referring to your situation - make it real. It has to clearly indicate what the key concepts are and how these are related to each other. Remember that your CLD is your interpretation of the situation relating to your CBOT.
When you explain your concern, make sure that you reference relevant issues in your context that links to each variable. Start with a specific variable, explain the variable and then clearly explain how that variable affects the next variable. You need to explain the logic of the cause-and-effect relationships. It is not sufficient to just state that "If X increases then Y will also increase". You need to explain why a change in X will result in a change in Y. Make this explanation detailed and rich by referring to actual issues in your context.

A note of caution when explaining the CLD: Many students fall in the trap of explaining the CLD as if it is a solution (ideal situation). Remember, at this stage you are explaining the current situation and what is causing the problem.

Explain your stakeholder perspectives and end this chapter with an explanation of what will happen if you do not address the concern. This establishes relevance.

Question

This section develops a powerful question that your paper will answer. It must be clear how the Question flows from the Concern and how an answer to the Question will deal with the concern

Answer

Show your original CLD and indicate how the intervention/s fit into the original CLD by presenting an amended CLD (this should be the exact same as the original CLD, but with new elements added to show the intervention/s). Make sure that you explain how the intervention/s will address the concern.

Also explain the actions that were identified, that will be used to implement the answer. You should have a clear action plan for implementation, not just vague things that should be done. Be clear about how the Answer, answers the Question and deals with the Concern - your C→Q→A link. This is the foundation and the core thesis of your paper. Use relevant theories and data to support your answer when you present it.

References

For a paper of this nature, you should have a minimum of 10 - 15 references to fully validate all the statements you make in the paper. Make sure that you reference all sources of information and that you use the correct referencing convention.

Attachment:- Systems Thinking Assignment Template.rar