Systems Thinking Is Critical in Developing Solutions to Sustainability Challenges - Essay Example

SYSTEMS THINKING by Student Student’s Name + Code Institution’s Name Professor’s Name Course Title + Code Town/City Date of Submission Systems Thinking System thinking is a process of viewing the entire entity and the paths or connections, which permit each part of the entity or procedure, which links the whole to be accompanied as well as analyzed as every judgment impacts the entire system of the social system/process. Obesity is a many-sided challenge, which demands complex thinking, as well as a wider systems viewpoint that will fashion and define the challenge, comprehend possible root causes, recognize decisive influence points regarding obesity, as well as undertake an appropriate act regarding the problem in regard to prevention strategies and treatment. Thus, linear strategies in multifaceted obesity problem, like obesity crisis are apparently effective; however, cannot deal with several aspects of the practical experience, as well as the several impacts based on the energy balance (Sterman 2006). Therefore, it is imperative to adopt involvedness plus to fashion approaches along with executing the needed change at manifold levels, which will impact the conduct of human beings, as well as overturn the present rising tendency in regard to weight issues associated with obesity. A system view provides a novel strategy for obesity study plus action, which that will potentially lower the cases of obesity. Additionally, the systems strategy has history of more than fifty years since it was developed by Forester. More and more, obesity researchers are vigorously searching for other fields in their research, such as psychology, computer sciences, engineering among other disciplines, which apply this strategy. This strategy has been used greatly in the health sector to highlight apparently obstinate challenges, comprising cardiovascular disease, mental health, diabetes, public health emergencies, as well as tobacco control. The multifaceted problem in public health has outstanding history and influence by the systems approach perspective. Similar to tobacco challenge in terms of control that used different approaches, advancement in the obesity field will need a model view, which will study and analyze interdisciplinary processes, especially the systems theory, as well as conceptual plus health care practice from social ecology, society progress, public health and the existing networks in the society (Forrester 1971). Obesity has emerged to be a multifaceted challenge in the health sector, which falls under the spectrum of weight-shape, and related issues that include, weigh issues and negative body image. These different fields fall under different disciplinary knowledge that controls them in the health arena, which comprise of behavioral sciences, social sciences, biochemistry, and genetics that regularly function in different silos. Naturally, system thinking offers an appropriate ,as well as attractive model of reasoning, comprehending in addition to taking a step toward weight and shape linked problems. This offers manifold techniques design to unveil the manner know-how is produced, utilized , transferred, as well as incorporated among fields, environments, and players, and may as well assist to build up models and projections ,which may help policy makers (Sterman 2006). System thinking deals with building an understanding of dynamic complexity: how associations among the various aspects of a given system of thinking, which be political or socioeconomic in nature to generate the behavior of interest. System performance often surprises us and may behave in counterintuitive ways. Complexity theory, as well as the system thinking strategy might help to understand the element of complexity and at the same time assist toward extrication of some of the relationships of different variables in a given system. The strategies employed hers offer creative, flexible, as well as instinctive view of the society to replace that customary strategy of “decrease and solve” the obesity problems. Complexity theory, repeatedly linked to the investigation of disarray in the society, which asserts that the different systems are extremely complex to predict their prospect, however, fundamental models may be recognized that may assist to clearly understand the environment we live (Epstein 1999). Correspondingly, the system thinking model comprehends the different systems of reasoning , though feedback loops models produced although the constructive, as well as unconstructive association among the aspects related to circumscribed thinking system. Thus, these strategies share common characteristics: they recognize numerous players, societal groups, and sub-systems, which are intertwined, where they possess the element of heterogeneity in terms of values, norms as well as beliefs among the diverse stakeholders that constitute the particular system (Vandenbroeck et al 2007). This is extremely vital for the policy makers, for instance, since diverse policy actions may produce diverse alterations in the established systems of thinking; nonetheless, it is a fact that uncomplicated alterations in terms of changes can result in huge consequences on a given systems thinking , while dealing with obesity. System thinking modeling may assist to envisage, as well as commune current associations plus limitations, which might impact the prospect behaviors of a given system at a precise occasion, as well as offer an instrument to direct towards making important decisions for possible actions in the specific system that is modeled (Barton et al 2004). Though not adequate consideration has been dedicated to intricacy sciences in the obesity field, vital groundwork studies have been carried out in preventing and treating obesity. For instance, via a multi-approach, the Government Office for Science Foresight Program (2007) in the United Kingdom (UK) designed a comprehensive chart of obesity map. The obesity map had “energy balance” at the center. Thus, the center of the obesity atlas was enclosed by 108 different elements or what it is called variables, which unswervingly or not directly impact energy balance, where some are quantifiable (for example, the ambient temperature of the interior surroundings), whilst other aspects in the environment in the system were not quantifiable. According to Finegood (2010), obesity is one of the “wicked” multifaceted challenges around the world. Simple solutions will not be capable to solve multifaceted issues like obesity. Nevertheless, if people acknowledge these variables as multifaceted challenges that require multifaceted solutions by all players, the society can progress move and amid the two areas of treatment and prevention in unpacking environments, which defines stakeholders, objectives, and strategies connected to weight-shape concerns, and in exploring universal solutions to this health problem of obesity. This demonstrates the way unitary analytic strategies might assist enlarge patterns, as well as forecasts to develop planned decision-making process. Thus, the inventive and abridged Foresight maps offer individuals with a enthralling point to start the exploration of key issues regarding the complexity, as well as anticipations of the potential treatment and prevention methods of obesity (Homer et al 2004). Multi-level and multi-sector strategies, in most cases founded on the ecological models, have been able to attract noteworthy recognition towards comprehending the determinants of the health problem (obesity), as well as mapping out treatment and prevention actions (Sterman 2006). Systems thinking may be minute or huge and regularly correspond to the levels, which are definite to the ecological structure. A school, for example, may be considered to be a micro-system in the bigger society; as a meso-system in the bigger social, nationwide and political setting; or as a macro-system in the international system framework. An example in this case is the BMI screening in different educational institutions. The monitoring of babyhood growth and development raised some issues in the society for many decades. In past decades, educational institutions have been subjected to stress from different quarters to react to obesity among the school children (Hirsch et al 2012). In spite of the inadequate proof on the worth of educational institutions offering independently intended for assistance for kids having elevated BMIs, school-based surveillance is needed to document obesity’s incidence, as well as update the improvement and implementation of treatment plus prevention policies and practices. Though the evaluation and study of height, as well as weight in different educational institutions seems reasonably easy, which in reality has been occurring for many years, the establishment of thorough evaluation, as well as reporting procedures has been restricted till lately. This absence of well-designed procedure, as well as the malfunction to undertake a systems viewpoint, may lead to numerous unintentional results and perturbations to the system (Homer et al 2004). For instance, kids might feel mortified in the course, parents/guardians might feel bare take action on the data and recommendations they get, nurses, nutritionists, and physicians in the society might not be well-read regarding obesity prevention, the society might lack sufficient pediatric programming approaches where kids may be referred, and educational institutions can give up other screening strategies to undertake BMI screening. Moreover, legislators at Georgia State used a complex model developed key policies and practices through legislation to address obesity among the school-going kids. The legislators chose to model childhood obesity since obesity amongst the school-age children in the United States had triple in the past years and Georgia is no exemption (Barrett 2012). Therefore, overturning this multifaceted problem needed a varied policies and practices, as well as actions from different stakeholders, making it a perfect player for the systems thinking model was clearly seen in the center of the Certified Program. Thus, in order to test the theory, prior to the 2009 lawmaking session, the Georgia Health Policy Center assembled fifteen Georgia law-makers along with personnel, where they were give each a computer with a computer replicate founded on scheme thinking modeling. Furthermore, the replication process was tailored by a joint group, which incorporated state law-makers, specialists in nutrition, legislative personnel, as well as system thinking modeling. This depended on epidemiological information and makeup, from the same instrument designed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP). Finally, systems thinking may indeed act as an effective strategy towards designing interventions and treatment strategies. Systems thinking, as a paradigm supports different methodologies, may assist to attract the intricacy of weight and shape connected challenges, and additional investigate collective prevention and treatment approaches. Systems thinking may assist to guarantee multiplicity, as well as fairness within the fields when designing and implementing prevention interventions. In addition, systems thinking offer a novel way of thinking regarding obesity problem, which may encourage relationship-building to attain relevant shared goals; explore a means of developing models, as well as projections, which may inform policy change; and fashion awareness regarding the way knowledge can be collected, integrated, interpreted, and disseminated (Barrett 2012). List of References Anderson, R. M., B. T. Grenfell, and R. M. May. 1984. “Oscillatory fluctuations in the incidence of infectious disease and the impact of vaccination: Time series analysis”. Journal of Hygiene (London) 93(3):587-608. Barrett F J.2012. “Yes to the Mess: Surprising Leadership Lessons from Jazz”. Harvard Business Press Books, Boston. Barton,P, S. Bryan, and S. Robinson, 2004, “Modelling in the economic evaluation of health care: selecting the appropriate approach,” Journal of Health Services Research and Policy, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 110–118, 2004. Best, A., G. Moor, B. Holmes, P. I. Clark, T. 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