Systems-thinking

An approach to problem-solving that assumes that the individual problem is part of a much larger system.  The intent is to solve the problem in a way that does not create further problems down the road.  This approach is particularly important in complex systems where we do not always understand the inter-connection between parts.

Source:

The Natural Step, "Glossary," Available Online at http://www.naturalstep.org/en/glossary, Retrieved October 27, 2008