From Unfreezing-Refreezing, to Systems Changes Learning by David Ing.

The field theory (circa 1947) from Kurt Lewin has largely been portrayed as "unfreeze-move-refreeze". In the history of systems thinking, Lewin was foundational for the Socio-Technical Systems (STS) and Socio-Ecological (SES) perspectives of Fred E. Emery and Eric L. Trist. With rising interests in Systems Changes, might we theorize (and philosophize) differently?

In 2013, an aritcle on "Rethinking Systems Thinking" was published. In 2019, the Systems Changes Learning Circle was founded in Toronto on an espoused 10-year journey to collectively explore progressing the rich legacy of the systems movement. In 2022-2023, two pilot consulting engagements were conducted, with materials openly accessible under Creative Commons licensing. From 2023, three (academic) peer-reviewed journal articles have been published, and a fourth is in final review. Passing the halfway point in the journey, the Circle now has subgroups on explaining theory and refining practices aligned with a new approach.

In this Dialogic Drinks session, we will discuss:

• What if we resequence thinking on "systems" as "genetic-social" before "clockworks"?
• What if we resequence thinking on "systems changes" as "ecological" before "behavioral"?
• What if we resequence thinking on "systems changes learning" as "propensity" before "causality"?

This DD conversation has been planned with a subsequent deeper philosophical session on "Yinyang and Daojia into Systems Thinking".

David Ing is a Research Fellow with the Creative Systemic Research Platform Institute (Switzerland, Spain, Finland). He served as president of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (2011-2012), and is currently Representative of the Trustees to the Board of Directors. For 28 years at IBM, he had assignments in management consulting, executive education, market development and headquarters planning. The father of four sons, all in successful careers, he lives in Toronto Canada with his supportive spouse. He blogs at https://coevolving.com.

Rewatch DD 2023.

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