Systems Thinking for Social Change: A Practical Guide to Solving Complex Problems, Avoiding Unintended Consequences, and Achieving Lasting Results

Essential read of System Theory esp under uncertainty.

This is a clear account, accessible to the non-specialist, of how a 'systems' approach to problems i.e. one which looks at the way the parts of the situation inter-relate, can illuminate apparently intractable problems and help the participants work together to create significant improvements. It is full of helpful suggestions for dealing with different types of situations and explaining them in lay terms rather than jargon. It should be essential reading for public service managers.

Okay

A brilliant guide and reference that rarely leaves my side. It does focus on social change but it's easy to put the thinking and experience into any context

Academic rather than practical - if you are looking for a 'how to guide' you should probably look elsewhere

Yea nice as well. My Msc course mainly taught us UK based studies and this USA published work I think provides another practical aspect of systems thinking in Action. Not yet finished reading but so far so good.

Useful book - but little understanding of research.

An inspiring read for systems thinkers. Lots of useful advice.

Everything fine. Book in good condition! Thanks.

a great book...a must read

We need a better way of making sense of the complex problems of our modern world if we are going to bring about any kind of meaningful and lasting social change. The current linear, cause and effect, blame-laden way of seeing and understanding issues no longer works with these multi-relational, multi-faceted social dilemmas. Systems Theory provides a more wholistic way of looking at and understanding the dynamics of these problems. Past writing about systems thinking tends toward the academic and is often not very accessible, or the author uses mostly examples of natural systems, making it difficult to translate those systems principles to human/social systems. David Stroh's Systems Thinking for Social Change, overcomes both of those problems. Because of his real world examples of social issues seen through a systems lens, the book draws the reader in as Stroh narrates the story of an issue’s complexity. Problems like prison release and recidivism, health care, and affordable housing seem like tightly woven knots, impossible to untie, as we initially approach them. But as Stroh begins to diagram the elements of the problem and their relationships, the knot begins to unravel and understanding begins to emerge about potential places to intervene in the system for maximum effect.I’ve read many books on systems dynamics and modeling, and Stroh’s is one of the best at leading the reader through the step-by-step process of creating a model of a problem. He doesn’t overwhelm with too much information or too many technical terms. He keeps the reader focused on the issue and learning about diagramming unfolds as the issue is tweezed apart. The result is that the reader comes away understanding systems thinking and not just how to draw causal loop diagrams. This is a major contribution of Systems Thinking for Social Change, and although a few of the other reviewers might disagree, I think it is an excellent book, along with Donella Meadows’ Systems Thinking: A Primer, for newcomers to the field.

Estrutura sistêmica responde à pergunta, "O que está causando o padrão que estamos observando?". Tal como o gelo invisível sob a água suporta a ponta visível do iceberg, a estrutura sistêmica suporta e cria os padrões que observamos nos eventos. Pode não ser fácil ver a estrutura, mas os padrões que podemos observar nos informam que a estrutura deve estar lá.David Peter Stroh, fundador da Innovation Associates junto com Peter Senge, sabe como aplicar o Pensamento Sistêmico às Políticas Públicas. Excelente exposição.