Thinking in Systems: From Ceremonial to Meaningful Use of Systems Perspectives in Organization and Management Research

Systems perspectives portray social phenomena as dynamic wholes in which emergent outcomes arise from interdependent interactions among varied types of elements that span multiple levels of analysis. In doing so, they offer an alternative paradigm for understanding and studying core themes in organization and management research that challenges the linear approaches that have dominated our field. Our integrative review distinguishes three main types of systems perspectives (foundational, structural, and substantive) and shows how they can be used to conceptualize phenomena, empirically investigate or simulate them, and develop theoretical explanations for their dynamics and outcomes. To help organization and management research harness the full potential of systems perspectives, we highlight the value of shifting from ceremonial to meaningful use, identify phenomena for which systems perspectives are most relevant and needed, offer suggestions for navigating challenges in meaningful use of systems perspectives, and call for scholars to incorporate insights from other academic disciplines and outside Western science.