Systems thinking and its application to general
management has waxed and waned over the past six decades.
The idea of adopting a systems approach to management has
been discussed in the literature since the 1960s [12] [13].
Early studies emphasized the importance of defining
management as a systems activity [12]-[15]. The emphasis of
these early studies included the pursuit of efficiency, an
emphasis on planning, and a general belief that systems
thinking would lead to success.
More recently, the continued evolution of systems
engineering as a discipline has fostered a renewed interest in
applying systems thinking and systems engineering principles
to management problems [16]-[19]. A systems approach to
project management complements this increased significance
of systems engineering. Key to this idea is that system
engineering management of the technical aspects of
development should be mirrored by a systems approach in the
management of that technical effort [20].