Systemic Thinking in IT Management of the Future: Where are the Benefits?

The digitalization of the economy and society continues unabated.
Generative artificial intelligence, especially ChatGPT, has triggered a new wave
of digitalization since its availability in November 2022. In addition to new technologies
such as generative AI, companies and their IT function are still busy
with the transformation of applications and IT infrastructure into the cloud, the
expansion of capabilities in data analytics, the agilization of application development,
new regulatory requirements, the increase in IT security and the shortage of
skilled workers. Furthermore, many companies are developing new digital business
models that place new demands on the IT function. Social developments,
such as sustainability and diversity, are also leading to new challenges for the IT
function. The pace of change in companies is also accelerating. The complexity
that IT management must deal with has grown in recent years and continues to
grow at a rapid pace. Traditional ITmanagement models and IT operating models,
such as ITIL or COBIT, are not able to cope with these challenges. Against this
backdrop, this contribution discusses whether and how systems thinking can be
an integral part of future IT management models and IT operating models and can
help deal with the increased complexity brought about by digitalization.