A SYSTEMS-BASED PERSPECTIVE ON ORGANIZATIONS: INTEGRATING SOFT SYSTEMS METHODOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Organizations today operate in environments characterized by complexity, uncertainty, and rapid change, where traditional linear and reductionist management approaches are increasingly inadequate. This article proposes a systems-based perspective on organizations by integrating Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) as complementary frameworks for understanding, learning, and adaptation. Knowledge Management Systems provide the structural and technological mechanisms for capturing, storing, and disseminating knowledge, while Soft Systems Methodology offers an interpretive, participatory approach for addressing ill-structured problems shaped by multiple stakeholder perspectives. Drawing on systems thinking and organizational learning theory, this paper argues that the value of knowledge in organizations emerges not merely from technological infrastructure but from continuous sense-making, dialogue, and reflection. The integration of SSM and KMS positions organizations as complex learning systems, where knowledge is socially constructed, negotiated, and transformed into collective action. The article synthesizes prior theoretical and empirical research to develop a conceptual framework that explains how SSM enhances the effectiveness of KMS by aligning people, processes, and technology. This integrated perspective contributes a new lens for understanding organizations, highlighting pathways toward greater adaptability, innovation, and sustainable performance in dynamic environments. Keywords: Soft Systems Methodology (SSM); Knowledge Management Systems (KMS); Systems Thinking; Organizational Learning; Complex Adaptive Systems; Sense-Making; Organizational Adaptability; Knowledge Sharing