Applying Systems Thinking and
Common Archetypes to Organizational Issues

Module 1: Why the Systems View?

The Case of Acme Inc.

Acme is a $200 million division of a Fortune 500 company. It sells an industrial product line to a wide range of customers. For more than a decade, Acme was a growth company with healthy profits. Delivery and billing proceeded smoothly.

Then, something happened. Sales slowed and took a downturn. Billing errors, customer complaints, and delivery problems became a continuous headache. The time to close a new account increased alarmingly, and profitability was sliding.

After reorganizing and making some personnel changes, Acme's Board of Directors engaged a consultant to take an overall look at the problems and recommend solutions.

 

 

 

• Overview
• Getting Started
• Course Syllabus
• Module 1: Why the Systems View?
  • About This Module
  • The Case of Acme Inc.
    • A Typical View
    • A Systems View
    • Exercise: The Difference Between a Typical and a Systems View
    • Exercise: Impediments to Thinking and Acting Systematically
  • Overview of the Steps in Systems Thinking
  • Where Systems Thinking Adds Value
  • Module Summary
  • Frequently Asked Questions
• Module 2: Organizational Learning and Systems Thinking Framework
• Module 3: Systems Language
• Module 4: Planning Interventions
• Module 5: Mental Models and Productive Conversation
• Module 6: Systems Archetypes
• Module 7: The Steps in Systems Thinking
• Module 8: Systems Thinking on the Job
• Course Library