Can Systemic Thinking be Measured? Introducing the Systemic Thinking Scale (STS)

Abstract

This paper presents an exploratory study to measure systemic thinking in undergraduate business students. Based on literature related to cognitive styles, we identify three dimensions of systemic thinking - locus of attention, inter-relatedness and flexibility. The authors developed a 25-item Systemic Thinking Scale (STS) which is being tested on undergraduate students during Fall 2014. The scale''s validity and reliability, as well as its relationship to student performance in the class, will be tested during late Fall 2014/Early Spring 2015.