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Systems intelligence inventory

Juha Törmänen (Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland)
Raimo P. Hämäläinen (Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland)
Esa Saarinen (Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland)

The Learning Organization

ISSN: 0969-6474

Article publication date: 9 May 2016

1001

Abstract

Purpose

Systems intelligence (SI) (Saarinen and Hämäläinen, 2004) is a construct defined as a person’s ability to act intelligently within complex systems involving interaction and feedback. SI relates to our ability to act in systems and reason about systems to adaptively carry out productive actions within and with respect to systems such as organizations, family and everyday life. This paper aims to develop an inventory to measure the SI construct.

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were carried out using data from self-report questionnaires.

Findings

Eight factors labeled systemic perception, attunement, attitude, spirited discovery, reflection, wise action, positive engagement and effective responsiveness are identified as the main components of SI. SI has associations with emotional intelligence but also captures additional dimensions. People in supervisor positions are found to score higher in a number of the SI factors.

Originality/value

A new measure is developed to evaluate and develop our ability to succeed in systemic contexts. The new measure is suggested to be particularly applicable in organizational contexts. It is directly related to the original core disciplines of the learning organization as described by Senge (1990), in particular personal mastery and systems thinking.

Keywords

Citation

Törmänen, J., Hämäläinen, R.P. and Saarinen, E. (2016), "Systems intelligence inventory", The Learning Organization, Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 218-231. https://doi.org/10.1108/TLO-01-2016-0006

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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