Acting with systems thinking: complex responsive processes and systems intelligence Short title: Acting with systems thinking

The conception that systems thinking is relevant for managers is widespread. This fact stands in contrast to the fact that few organizations have adopted systems thinking. Ralph D. Stacey and his collaborators approach this gap by questioning the relevance of systems thinking altogether. They present the theory of complex responsive processes as an alternative to systems thinking. We analyse the complex responsive processes perspective and the related critique of systems thinking from the point of view of systems intelligence, introduced by Saarinen and Hämäläinen. We argue that systems thinking and the complex responsive processes perspective are complementary. The theory of complex responsive processes provides a vocabulary with which to describe processes of systems thinking. These processes are often an essential, but not sufficient, in effective management. We describe systems intelligence as a competence that incorporates systems thinking with other modes of effective managerial behavior.