Systemic Management Education as an Adaptive Venture: 60‐Year Evolution of the St. Gallen Management Model

Which methodological position is best for orientating higher education? This question is crucial for the design of pedagogical programmes. The issue is not always raised; hence, many offers in higher education are unsatisfactory: ill‐defined, concept‐less, inefficient. The purpose of this article is to learn from fruitful experiences with cybernetic‐systemic frameworks and programmes of higher education that have been gathered over several decades. Instead of carrying out a survey of many or all cases in point, one instance has been chosen for analysis, which stands out for its longevity: the Systems Approach to Management at the University of St. Gallen (UNISG). In the 1960s, the St. Gallen Management Model (SGMM), a framework for systemic management, was developed at that University, and published in the early 1970s. We find that the framework has evolved over several generations and oriented teaching and research at UNISG. This is the story of a concept of systemic research and teaching that has shaped the development of an entire institution and inspired generations of its students. The research about this evolution has implications: The case study brings to light insights that are valuable for the future design of systems‐oriented initiatives and study programmes within educational institutions.