Systems Thinking (glossary)

(1) An epistemology which, when applied to human activity is based on four basic ideas: emergence, hierarchy, communication, and control as characteristics of systems.

(2) A process of discovery and diagnosis – an inquiry into the governing processes underlying the problems and opportunities.

(3) A discipline for examining wholes, interrelationships, and patterns utilizing a specific set of tools and techniques.

Source

(1) Checkland, Peter. 1999. Systems Thinking, Systems Practice. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

(2) & (3) Senge, P. M. 1990. The fifth discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization. New York, NY: Doubleday Business.

Discussion

Definition (1) is the System Science view, defining system thinking as a "theory of knowledge, esp. with regard to its methods, validity, and scope", based around seeing the world as systems.

Definitions (2) and (3) focus more on Systems Thinking as a collection of methods for dealing wih system problems. This aspect of Systems Thinking relates directly to the Systems Approach defined in the SEBoK.