Ritual and Systems Thinking: Managing an Initial Encounter(Systems Thinking)

To many individuals and organisations, situations generated by the world coronavirus pandemic have posed challenges and opportunities. We need to rethink how we interact with each other and with our natural environments. This book offers a way forward by proposing the use of rituals insight: semi-encoded patterns of thinking or actions to help us rebuild a sense of community, which, integrated with insights of applied systems thinking, and in contrast to a dominant pragmatist orientation of thinking and action, could help us further cope with work or education situations in which we still want to pursue our authenticity as human beings. This book offers ways to help make sense of how we could systemically and compassionately slow down and cope with work or education during and after the world coronavirus pandemic. It does so by integrating ideas about ritual with current research and practice on applied systems thinking. The author establishes a dialogue for co-existence between individuals and the knowledge disciplines of creativity and applied systems thinking, using the mediation of rituals to help us appreciate our world with others. This conversation is much needed given our sense of uncertainty during and after the world coronavirus pandemic and the challenges or opportunities offered by hybrid work and education. Throughout the book, the conversation explores new directions for research and practice beyond “futureaction” perspectives or orientations and the inclusion of electronically mediated spaces. The insights provided in this book offer a vital resource for management researchers and upper-level students, particularly those researching and studying applied systems thinking and creativity.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 - Introduction Chapter 2: Engineered Presence Chapter 3: Pursuit(s) of identities Chapter 4 - A systems map of ritual knowledge Chapter 5 - Creativity and the Future Chapter 6 Ritual Memories, Drawings and Groundings Chapter 7 Rituals and Applied systems thinking (AST) Chapter 8 Summary and Final Reflection

About the Author :
José-Rodrigo Córdoba-Pachón (Bsc, Ma, PhD, FHEA) is an associate professor in Technology and Information Management at Royal Holloway, University of London. He has been researching in applied systems thinking for over 20 years and has published numerous articles and books on systems thinking, information systems, creativity, and sustainability. He is passionate about teaching systems thinking, walking, drinking coffee, drawing, cycling, and dancing. He still tries to make sense of life in two continents.

Review :
“Systems thinking has been put to the test in the convergence of a quasi-catastrophic episode of everyday life (the COVID pandemic). This leads the author to explore, through his own doubts and weaknesses but also questions and answers, the meaning of life as a response based on coexistence understood as the act of recognizing the other as a legitimate other in coexistence and from there, enriching the possibility of creative thinking. From a critical review of ritual, the author leads us to critically explore rituals as spaces of co-existence, which is perhaps the propitious space for the exercise of critical systemic thinking in its most authentic sense. A work which reveals a deep systemic vocation.” — Professor Alejandro Ochoa-Arias, PhD, Universidad Austral de Chile, sede Puerto Montt "Rituals and Systems Thinking explores the significance of rituals. It blends personal stories, systems thinking, and societal insights. Dr. Córdoba- Pachón assesses comprehensively how rituals could transform our lives in a post-pandemic, tech-driven world, emphasizing a more meaningful existence. This book deserves slow reading.” — Professor Teresa Torres-Coronas, PhD, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Catalonia, Spain