Some ideas and readings on the "holistic" nature of the agile literature review approach

Some ideas and readings on the "holistic" nature of the agile literature review approach (ALRA):

One of the key characteristics of the agile literature review approach (ALRA) is that it is holistic. In this note, I provide some basic information about what does being "holistic" mean in the context of ALRA: 

1. Dictionary explanation: Holistic: adjective: dealing with or treating the whole of something or someone and not just a part:

Examples of usage:

My doctor takes a holistic approach to disease.

Ecological problems usually require holistic solutions.

2. Some basic information on holism.

3. Some basic ideas on the holistic approach.

4. A briefing (video) on holism and reductionism.

5. Some basic ideas about the holistic view in Systems Thinking.

** The agile literature review approach (ALRA), specifically, is grounded on critical systems thinking and endorses creative holism as put forward by M.C. Jackson. For example, all the ALRA diagrams are encouraged to be constructed in a co-created, systemic, critical and complicated way with stakeholders, encompassing inter-related factors that cover zones on environmental factors, organizational capabilities, outcomes and solutions. Nevertheless, each dissertation project needs to have sufficient research focus as indicated in the core-focus-domain in the ALRA diagrams. Another example of systems thinking endorsement is the employment of expansionism in research objective formulation in the ALRA.

The course of research methods for MBA students does not require the teaching of systems thinking in management, thus MBA students doing dissertation projects only need to have some basic awareness of the topic of "holistic" nature, as adopted by the ALRA. In this regard, spending time to study the information as provided in this blog note is quite adequate for learning the ALRA at this stage.

References of the ALRA can be found in the specific website section of JKK Ho.

Additional reading: on the organizational unit of analysis in dissertation project (MBA).