Advancing systems thinking and building microworlds in business and industrial marketing

PurposeThis article sets out to describe the benefits of systems thinking in overcoming short‐sighted decision making in business and industrial marketing.Design/methodology/approachThe article illustrates specific tools and recent applications of systems thinking research.FindingsThe basic building‐blocks for creating microworlds are the claims made by stakeholders running and affected by real‐life systems.Research limitations/implicationsSuggestions for future research includes transforming research designs from linear one‐way models to models expressly recognizing time delays, feedback loops among variables, and seemingly hidden, unimportant relationships.Practical implicationsAll business exchanges involve systems and there is more complexity than is readily apparent; systems thinking helps decision makers to deeply understand what is really happening.Originality/valueThis article advises replacing the one‐direction thinking and research paradigm that dominates business and industrial marketing with systems thinking and system dynamics modeling; the article identifies examples and the literature necessary to embrace this alternative paradigm.