Suchergebnisse

AbstractIncreasingly, researchers and practitioners operate in complex systems difficult to comprehend. In them, the multiplicity of perspectives, elements and relationships operating on multiple levels makes the practice of systems thinking and boundary critique considerably difficult. Drawing upon boundary critique and hierarchy theory, this paper presents ways of thinking in terms of multilevel boundary judgements models useful for addressing the aforementioned problem in all fields of study. A real example of the use of these models is presented. This paper also discusses how thinking in terms of multiple levels of boundary judgements is important to better deal with values and moral frameworks and to promote critical reflexivity in systemic interventions, while escaping the dangers of reductionism. Furthermore, a systemic way of exploring the role of moral frameworks in systems practice is discussed, contributing with new concepts useful to develop a deeper understanding of ethical issues in systems practice.

There has been a growing interest in introducing systems thinking ideas in the program evaluation field over the last decades. Most of these efforts have supported the practice of evaluation, rather than contributing to produce theoretical advancements in evaluation. This article illustrates how systems thinking concepts may enrich the program evaluation field both at theoretical and practical levels. In particular, it examines how critical systems thinking perspectives and concepts were introduced in evaluation by discussing the design of an evaluation of a peace-building program in Colombia. We describe theoretical contributions of systems thinking within a reframed evaluation methodology and illustrate its application in a practical evaluation. Finally, we discuss some advantages of using systems thinking in evaluation.

AbstractIntroducing systems thinking concepts in the programme evaluation field has been mostly aimed at supporting the practice of evaluation, rather than towards making theoretical advancements in the evaluation field. This paper introduces ideas and principles from systems thinking at the theoretical and practical levels in the programme evaluation field as applied to a peace‐building programme called the Hermes Programme in Colombia. This document demonstrates how systems thinking concepts and tools were used in the practice of evaluation. We show the theoretical development of the proposed evaluation and explain how its stages were carried out in evaluating the Hermes Programme. This paper also illustrates the benefits of using systems thinking in evaluation.

Negotiations are part of systemic interventions. Because moral frameworks affect goal setting and decision‐making processes in negotiation, they can have an important effect in systemic interventions. In this paper, we use critical systems thinking to improve our understanding of the structure of moral frameworks and judgments in negotiation. We explore several moral frameworks that are applied in negotiation, and we demonstrate how boundary critique can be employed to understand and deal more reflexively and holistically with moral judgments that are part of negotiations in systemic interventions. By adopting a critical perspective of our assumptions and rationality in negotiation practice, we attempt to show how to open negotiations that are part of systemic interventions to more reflexive and informed possibilities. This can help us to avoid implementing changes in a systemic intervention that promote moral perspectives, which are not based on a holistic and reflexive exploration of the stakeholders' moral frameworks. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.