Systems and Systemic thinking

Ison (2010, p. 19) has "no intention of defining what systems thinking or practice is, or is not. ... definitions are constraining.. ". Rather, we "recognise" systems thinking" systems thinking and practice are a [social dynamic]..". This recognition may follow from a "claim" to be systemic (Ison, 2010, p. 20).

but ..
"Systemic thinking .. refers to the understanding of a phenomenon within the context of a larger whole... to put [things] into a context, to establish the nature of their relationships." (Ison, 2010, p. 22).

and ..

Quoting Morris (in Ison, 2010, p. 39); "Somewhere between the delightful simplicity of reductionist explanations and the possibily unreal requirements of unrestricted holism ... where the ideas of systems and of systems thinking are valuable."

Definition of a system; "A collection of entities that are seen by someone as interacting together to do something (... to cause change)" (Morris, in Ison, 2010, pp. 39-40), therefore including a "subjective" element (Ison, 2010, p. 44). This can manifest as choosing "diffeent types of systems"; conflicting "conceptions of a system of interest" and "criteria for success" (Ison, 2010, p. 44, referencing Morris).

Matrix: "a complex network of nested and intersecting circular relationships"
(Ison, 2010, p. 18) [refer also 'network'].

Other systems concepts (from Ison, 2010, pp. 21-22); boundary, communication, connectivity, difficulty, emergent properties, environment, feedback, hierarchy, measure of performance, mess, monitoring and control, networks, perspective, purpose, resources, system, system of interest, systemic thinking, systematic thinking, tradition, transformation, trap, worldview. Also; cycles, counterintuitive effects and unintended consequences (Ison, 2010, p. 30).

"Someone who pays particular attention to interconnections is said to be systemic" (Ison, 2010, p. 28) although "effective systems practice .. means being both systemic and systematic when appropriate (Ison, 2010, p. 28).

Systems practice is therefore a "relational dynamic", that "arises in social relations" (OU, 2010, p. 70). Refer also system as process vs system as entity.

“If you act with epistemological awareness, then you enhance the practice repertoire you have at your disposal for managing systemic change” (OU, 2010, p. 72).

Ison's systemic practitioner (as juggler) is an "ideal type" (Ison, 2010, pp. 53-54).