Abstract Reflecting on learning from the practical experience in the employment of systems thinking and facilitation to tackle complex, multi‐stakeholder problems in work settings, three interconnected challenges were commonly encountered: an inclusivity challenge, a capability challenge and a change challenge. A series of typical cases are outlined to help illustrate these challenges, where combinations of participative systems methods, models and facilitation practices were employed within complex, multi‐stakeholder policing problem situations.

Abstract Older adults are living longer in the United States and the proportion of those belonging to minoritized groups is growing. The value and characteristics of quality of life (QoL) at an older age have becoming of central concern to policy makers. To investigate the wicked problem of ageing and QoL, we conducted and compared two group model building workshops in St. Louis City, one with 16 White and another with 10 Black American older adults, age 65 and older. Group model building workshops involve communities in the identification and testing of shared solutions to pressing and complex problems. Findings demonstrated that racial disparities in terms of material and environmental resources represent significant barriers to QoL for both Black and White participants. Results underscore the need to address social determinants of health that impede healthy ageing and damage well‐being and QoL of older adults.

No abstract is available for this article.

Abstract In a global knowledge and socioeconomic system dominated by the Western worldview, this paper introduces, from a practical point of view, the Zen Business Model. This is an emerging systems approach grounded on ancient Eastern wisdom that explores the symbiotic relationship between Taoism and Buddhism applied to organizational sustainable development and transformation. The model brings a universal and natural understanding of the organization as a living system whose value generating behaviour biomimics the natural cycles of transformation explained in Taoist systems theories. By doing so, the paper argues, on one hand, that business organizations can learn from nature‐based Eastern systems approaches as a way to increase their positive contribution to society, the environment and the economy. And, on the other hand, it explains the five corporate stars and its value dynamics as a principles‐based pathway to sustainable transformation.

Abstract This is the third of a series of papers on the stages of critical systems practice. Critical systems practice is a multimethodology that seeks to employ the ideas of critical systems thinking to intervene in and improve complex real‐world problem situations. It has four stages—Explore (the problem situation), Produce (an intervention strategy), Intervene (flexibly) and Check (on progress)—called to mind as EPIC. The aim is to set out where thinking has reached on the best way to carry out each of these stages and to invite comment on what more needs doing. This paper discusses the third stage, Intervene. It is concerned with executing a flexible multimethodological intervention in accordance with the agreement reached by decision makers, and other stakeholders, at the end of the previous stage. The theoretical and practical problems associated with multimethodological interventions are discussed, and solutions and ways forward are suggested based on the philosophy of pragmatism.

Abstract Alongside claims that ‘the methodological pluralism debate has been won’, worries grow just why the victory is not shared by the wider social sciences and applied disciplines. Remedies are sought but mainly tinkering on presentation tactics. Against this status quo, this article argues for a critical reflection on theoretic approaches to methodological pluralism. Seemingly convenient for legitimating diverse methodologies though, the Paradigm root metaphor has from the very beginning trapped methodological pluralism theorising in a no‐win battle. Drawing on Kuhn's later perspective of scientific change as ‘proliferation of specialties’, this article posits that the enhanced evolutionist metaphor fits better with methodological pluralism by depicting the increasing variety of methodologies as deepened division of labour and combined‐use of methodologies as enlarging human competence. In Kuhn's spirit, this article calls for a strongly pluralist, responsive approach, not so much in flexibly ‘managing paradigms’ or ‘living with incommensurability’ as in reflexively deliberating the comparative advantages of adopting different theoretic approaches in terms of efficacy in facilitating compelling theorising and sharing ideas with practitioners.

Abstract The growing concern for environment and pressing need for societal well‐being require organizations to encompass sustainability in their projects. This study attempts to propose an integrated systems thinking approach to attain sustainability in project‐based organizations (PBOs). An integrated approach consisting of viable system model (VSM), evolutionary game theory (EGT) and system dynamics (SD) is utilized to identify key organizational subsystems for achieving sustainability and analyse interaction patterns among various key personnel in PBOs. The proposed models are developed based on the data collected from two PBOs; thereafter, these models are validated through the data collected from eight PBOs (situated in Singapore and India). The outcomes of this study reveal key organizational subsystems that are required to achieve sustainability and differences in interaction patterns among various key personnel in PBOs, for these two countries. This study facilitates project professionals in identifying the best organizational designs to achieve sustainability in PBOs.