MANAGEMT 7130OL - Systems Thinking

Online - Online Teaching 2 - 2023

Many of today's complex challenges cannot be tackled with the narrowly-focused, unconnected thinking of the past. Managers must make decisions and take action in complex environments in which finance, economics, markets, people and nature are interconnected and interdependent. This `messy? interconnectedness blurs the boundaries between organisations, communities and fields of expertise ? nothing is neat and tidy. Systems thinking focuses on the relationships among system elements and the interactions of the system with its environment, as opposed to focusing on the elements themselves. It is holistic (integrative) thinking instead of analytic (dissective) thinking. This course will introduce you to the world of systems and systems thinking. We will consider the merits of looking at wholes, rather than unconnected parts, and we will explore ways in which managers can make use of the nature of systems, even in complex, unpredictable environments, to influence outcomes in a more profound way than can be achieved with `linear? or `mechanistic? thinking.

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Course Details

Course Code	MANAGEMT 7130OL
Course	Systems Thinking
Coordinating Unit	Management
Term	Online Teaching 2
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	Online
Units	3
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	N

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Mr David Pender

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Combine the elements of complexity and systems with the role of connectedness to gain a better insight into local and global issues.
2. Discriminate between the structural components of systems and how they shape system behaviour.
3. Choose appropriate system locations to intervene when system change is required.
4. Compare and resolve the archetypal patterns of systems dynamics that may give rise to unintended consequences of systems interventions.
5. Propose systems interventions in an insightful way within identified boundaries.
6. Diagnose uncertain, messy systems environments and the issues that emerge from complex living systems.

University Graduate Attributes

No information currently available.
Learning Resources

Required Resources

Meadows DH, 2008, Thinking in Systems: A Primer, Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction VT
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

No information currently available.

Workload

No information currently available.

Learning Activities Summary

No information currently available.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Detail	Due	Weighting	CLOs	Related Weeks
1: Investigative report - interpreting the root beer game	End of week 2	20%	CLO 1,2	Weeks 1 & 2
2. Research report - systems based intervention	End of week 4	30%	CLO 1,2,3,4	Weeks 1-4
3. Case study analysis	End of week 6	40%	CLO 4.5.6	Weeks 1-5
4. Critical business reflection	End of week 6	10%	All	All

Assessment Detail

No information currently available.

Submission

No information currently available.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

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SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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Counselling for Fully Online Postgraduate Students

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Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator