Two texts on Systems Thinking:
Checkland, Peter (2001) Soft Systems Methodology, in: Jonathan Rosenhead and John Mingers (eds.), Rational Analysis for A Problematic World Revisited, Problem Structuring Methods for Complexity, Uncertainty and Conflict, Second Edition, Chichester: Wiley
Ulrich, Hans and Probst, Gilbert (1991) Anleitung zum Ganzheitlichen Denken und Handeln Ein Brevier fuer Fuehrungskraefte („Guide To Integrated Thinking And Action – A Breviary for Leaders”) , Bern and Stuttgart: Haupt – (A must for every political leader. Book according to my knowledge so far unfortunately not published in the English Language.)
On some of the major challenges and risks to our world:
Gore, Al (2013) The Future, Random House: New York and WH Allen: London.
The key quote from the section on global warming: “This time, our world is at stake.” A book making the case for the urgency to “steer” and to fix “the prevailing flaws and distortions in capitalism and self-governance”.
On concepts for improving the performance of our democratic policy making systems:
Berggruen, Nicolas and Gardels, Nathan (2013), Intelligent Governance for the 21st Century – A Middle Way between West and East, Polity Press: Cambridge