The where of systemic thinking

Abstract

The previous chapters in this section have addressed: (1) the who question through a discussion of problem stakeholders, their analysis and management; (2) the what question by deconstructing a mess and its constituent problems into relevant elements such as fundamental and means objectives; and (3) the why question through an analysis of motivation and how each problem has a unique model of motivation and feedback between and among its stakeholders. This chapter will answer the where question. This where we refer to is not associated with physical location and geographical coordinates, but with the circumstances, factors, conditions, values and patterns that surround the problem, and the boundaries that separate the problem from its environment.