Case Study

Your task

Write

a

case study

in the form of a short conference paper

of

2

,000 words that

presents

a

syst

ems thinking investigation

that you have completed

about

a problematical situation

of your choice

within a

health

care

domain

.

Your case study should follow an acceptable format for an academic conference paper

that presents “work in progress”, i.e. not a

full conference paper but one that follows the

same academic conventions such as having an

abstract

, referencing appropriate

literature and following clearly explained methods.

Your

case study

should

begin with a

n

introduction

describing

the problemati

cal

situation, its scope

,

boundaries and key emergent properties

. It should also explain the

purpose of your case study and

why

it

is interesting and relevant.

Your

methods

should

include

a variety of different

systems thinking

techniques including

a Soft

Systems

Methodology enquiry and the

use of

Thinking Differently techniques

and/or other

approaches and ideas covered in the course

.

The techniques you select should

be

justified and

help you

to

explore the current situation and identify the challenges and

opportunities of taking a more holistic perspective on the situation.

The out

puts

from the

tools and techniques should be presented as the

results

.

Based on these, the

discussion

of your findings

should include a

critical,

reflective evaluation of your o

wn

analysis. Your

conclusion

should summarise the key points

,

consider whether the work

undertake

n fulfilled the stated purpose

and make recommendations for further action

research or investigation.

You

may present some of the output of your work as diagr

ams or tables within the paper

but

should

also be prepared to

reference

and make use of

appendices

to show the

detailed work.

Reports marked “Confidential” will be kept securely and seen only by those involved in

the University assessment process.

You ma

y also change the name of the organisation

to a fictional one provided you make this clear in the introduction.

Assessment Criteria

Your

case study

should demonstrate

that you

can

:

•

Apply a range of

systems thinking

techniques

, attitudes and approaches

to a

health

care context.

•

Use

appropriate

modelling

and techniques to surface

issues and opportunities

and new ways of thinking.

•

Critically

asses

s

the techniques that

you

have used

in terms of their

ap

p

ropriat

e

ness

, evidence base and

effectiveness

.

•

D

em

onstrate an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of

applying a

systems thinking approach

.

•

Demonstrate an ability to understand and work within healthcare domains

.

Your

case study

should:

?

Be l

ogical

ly

structure

d

with a coherent argument

.

?

Use e

vi

dence

from a

range of

relevant

sources to support your discussion

.

2

?

Use good English

with correct spelling and punctuation.

?

Include a

ccu

rate and consistent referencing

using the Harvard system

.

Word Count:

2

,000 words (exclu

ding

tables, graphs

,

abstract,

appendices

and

references)

Recommended reading

CHECKLAND, P. and J. POULTER. 2006.

Learning for action: a short definitive account of soft systems

methodology, and

its use for practitioners, teachers and students

. Wiley, UK

Top of page

Other interesti

ng reading

BEER, S. 1994.

The brain of the firm

. 2nd edition. Wiley, UK

BEYNON

–

DAVIES, P. 2010.

Significance : exploring the nature of information, systems and technology

.

Palgrave Macmillan, UK

CHECKLAND, P. 1999.

Systems thinking, systems practice

. Wiley, UK

DE BONO, E. 2009.

Lateral Thinking: A Textbook of Creativity

. Penguin, UK.

SENGE, P. 2006.

The fifth discipline: the art and practice of the learning organisation

. Century Business

SWEENEY, L. 2010.

The systems thinking playbook : exercises to stretch and build learning and systems

thinking capabilities

. Chelsea

Green Publishing Company, Vermont USA.

A selection of journal papers will accompany this course.