A system is a set of interconnected elements that form a whole through their relationships and interactions and serve a shared purpose. The critical point: not the individual parts define a system but the connections between them. Anyone seeking to understand a system must analyze the relationship patterns, not merely list the components.
An organization is a typical system: it consists of people, processes, technology, and culture in constant interaction. A change in one element — such as new technology — affects all others. New software changes processes, processes change roles, roles change collaboration, collaboration changes culture. Anyone who looks only at the technology while ignoring the systemic effects will be surprised by the side effects. Feedback loops are the central mechanism: every output feeds back into the system and influences future inputs.
The systems concept traces back to Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1968) and was further developed for practical application by Donella Meadows. Important: system boundaries are always constructs — where a system begins and ends is a decision of the observer, not an objective fact.
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