Exploring Systems Thinking Competence of Finns in Fostering Sustainable Transformation

Ilkka Ratinen and Lassi Linnanen
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Ilkka Ratinen: Faculty of Education, University of Lapland, Yliopistonkatu 8, 96300 Rovaniemi, Finland
Lassi Linnanen: Department of Sustainability Science, LUT University, Mukkulankatu 19, 15210 Lahti, Finland

World, 2022, vol. 3, issue 2, 1-12

Abstract: Systems thinking competence is one of the key sustainability competences to make the future more sustainable by focusing on individuals’ capability to analyse sustainability problems across different sectors and scales. The other competencies to foster systems thinking are futures thinking competence, values and critical thinking competence, action-oriented competence, and collaboration competence. In this study, we examined Finnish people’s systems thinking competence and its connections to sustainable transformation. The survey data collected from Finns ( n = 2006) were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical regression analysis. The study showed that the sustainability component loaded reliably into principal components. In particular, the Cronbach’s alpha (0.91) and Spearman–Brown (0.90) were high for systems thinking competence. The hierarchical regression analysis showed that Finns’ values, critical thinking, and individual action-oriented competence predict their systems thinking competence. The results indicate that Finns’ ideas of climate change and biodiversity loss mitigation arise from their individual values and opinions that actions are implemented in an ethically just way.

Keywords: sustainability competence; systems thinking competence; futures thinking competence; values and critical thinking competence; action-oriented competence; collaboration competence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G15 G17 G18 L21 L22 L25 L26 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 R51 R52 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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