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From Ecological Analysis & Comprehensive Approaches to Systems Change & Systems-Focused Actions - Introduction
This page introduces the topics covered in this sub-section of wiki-summaries on Ecological Approaches, Systems Thinking, Systems Science, Organizational Development and Management Strategies for large complex organizations.These topics have been identified and are being developed through the previous and current activities of the International Discussion Group on Ecological Approaches and Systems Change

Click on any of the items listed to access the various summaries. The wiki-summaries will eventually include Glossary Terms (1-3 paragraphs), Encyclopedia Entries (Two pages), Handbook Sections (Book Chapters) and Bibliographies/Toolboxes (Extensive lists updated periodically) as well as Additional Resources.   

We welcome your comments and suggestions which you can post on the pages linked to this introduction or send them directly to info@internationalschoolhealth.org

The topics described here begin with several key concepts describing why and how a move away from a narrow focus only on implementing individual interventions/programs to "ecological analysis", "comprehensive approaches" and "systems thinking" which are now being used in many sectors as well as move us towards more and better use of knowledge derived  from "Systems Science" and "Organizational Development Models". This overdue paradigm shift enables systems and organizations to address endemic "wicked problems" which often cause decision-makers to adopt narrow or limited solutions to specific issues or to define vague, aspirational goals without strategic, specific objectives or targets.

This section also describes several management or systems change models that have been used in the private, health care and other sectors to focus, guide and drive large, complex organizations such a education systems as well as their coordination with other large public, private and voluntary systems. The characteristics of these "open, adaptive, complex, loosely-coupled professional bureaucracies"  are listed and discussed in depth and detail in the topic list shown on the right hand navigation bar. Continuous improvement driven by intrinsically motivated, semi-autonomous professionals enables incremental change within these large organizations to respond to urgent needs or opportunities across the spectrum of their work rather than act only within or react to a top-down, predetermined program choice or prescribed change process.

Key Messages/Lessons Learned:

Here are some of the key messages or things that we have learned thus far in these discussions:

     










For updates and reader comments on this section, go to our Mini-Blog on Ecological Analysis, Comprehensive Approaches & System Change

The number of summaries completed or drafted in this section are listed below.

Understand the Paradigm           - Ecological Approaches
             - Systems Thinking
             - Systems Science
             - Organization Development Models
             - Wicked Problems vs Artificial,   
               Specific Programs or Vague Goals
             - Management/Change Models
             * Total Quality Management
                 * Coherence Building
                 * Continuous Improvement
                 - School-Based Management
Education systems are “open, adaptive, complex, loosely-coupled, professional bureaucracies that must work across, with and within other large complex systems”
  • Open, Adaptive, Complex Systems
           · Stasis
           - Resilient systems
           - Feedback loops
           · Boundaries
           · Contexts
            · System-environment interactions
            - Size, complexity, fit of the change
            · Innovations vs Reforms
             - absorptive capacity
  • Loosely Coupled Systems
            - Policy Levers
            · Ecology/micro-politics of schools
          ·   Role of senior leaders/managers
             · Role of middle managers
             · Role of Front-line Managers
             · Role of front-line staff
             · Change Agents/Coordinators
             - Employee Agency/Efficacy
  • Professional Bureaucracies
            · Multi-level systems
            · Structures
            · Internal communications
            · Social networks within organizations
            · Non-rational decision-making
            · Routinization and key routines
          ·   Knowledge as power & influence
            · Organizational culture
            · Readiness for innovation
            · Adopter Concerns
            · Professional norms
            · Professional identities
            · Sociology & work lives of employees
  • Working Across Multiple Systems
             · Degrees of cooperation
             · Cooperation Across & Within
  ·           Nature of Partnerships
            · Whole of Government Approaches