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What is Holism ?

Holism is an approach that emphasizes viewing systems as whole entities rather than merely a collection of separate parts. This perspective sees the parts in relation to the entire system, allowing for the understanding of emergence and emergent properties. Russel Ackoff refers to this concept as ‘synthetic thinking’ or ‘Synthesis,’ which focuses on “seeing the whole rather than parts.”

Additional Glossary Terms

Interpretivism

Interpretivism focuses on subjective experiences and interpreting the meaning from non-measurable aspects of the social world, such as meaning, social action, perspectives, social norms, and discourse. It recognizes that people’s

Autopoiesis

Autopoiesis refers to the self-making process through which living systems create and recreate themselves, maintaining their own identity as distinct organisms or organizations. Coined by Maturana and Varela, the term

Agency

Agency refers to the ability of an individual or organization to act independently and make decisions that affect themselves or others. It is the capacity to take action and have

Structure

In systems thinking, structure refers to the arrangement of parts within a system, the relationships among them and the rules, laws, procedures, and policies that govern those interactions. The structure

Reductionism

Reductionism is an approach that seeks to understand complex systems by breaking them down into simpler components or elements and analyzing them in isolation.

Perspective

Perspective refers to the specific viewpoint from which an individual observes and interprets a system or situation. It is inherently tied to the one’s current position or context, influencing how