Management Thinking for Complex Issues: Review of Two Contrasting Perspectives

This paper investigates whether a superior perspective (out of two perspectives) for management thinking in complex issues exists. Two prevailing thought-styles/perspectives are contrasted: reductionist and holistic. Complex issues require the right management perspective because wrong interventions informed by an inferior perspective may exacerbate complex problems. Scholarly literature is reviewed that highlights the effectiveness of a superior perspective in the management of complex phenomena ranging from business management to social policy. From the literature it is discovered that although reductionist thinking has its benefits when dealing with simpler phenomena, it has severe limitations and can be a blind-spot for managers when complex issues are at stake. As the world we live in now is characterized by increasing complexity, managers must switch from reductionist to holistic thinking (the superior perspective) in order to make the right interventions in complex issues.