3 semester credits

Students in this course explore systems thinking as a process whereby problems are viewed as individual components within a larger system. Students are provided a framework for analyzing relationships within a system and for avoiding the risks associated with viewing problems in isolation. Students will use systems-thinking tools to model single-, double-, and multiple-loop feedback systems, both at the micro and macro levels of analysis. In addition, students will be introduced to scenario building and will examine how the practice of systems thinking lays the foundation for creating sustainable outcomes for organizations and society.