What Is Integrative Thinking? A Scoping Review
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| Title: | What Is Integrative Thinking? A Scoping Review |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Aisling Danielle Walsh Brody, Isabel Rivera, Colin Furness |
| Source: | Learning Organization. 2026 33(4):615-638. |
| Availability: | Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 24 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Information Analyses Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Metacognition, Cognitive Processes, Definitions, Intellectual Disciplines |
| DOI: | 10.1108/TLO-06-2025-0148 |
| ISSN: | 0969-6474 1758-7905 |
| Abstract: | Purpose: The term integrative thinking has become widely used but without consensus on its meaning. The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a scoping review of integrative thinking, toward establishing conceptual clarity with a unified and robust definition. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic search was conducted to characterize the literature and to identify and analyze existing definitions of integrative thinking. Thematic analysis was used to code definitions to identify patterns of conceptualization and application of the term. Emergent themes were synthesized to propose a unified definition. Findings: Definitions of integrative thinking were identified in 63 articles drawn from a wide range of time, geography and disciplines. Two primary contexts of use were identified: Shaping People, which was dominated by the education literature, and Shaping Practice, which was dominated by the business literature. Four themes were extracted from this collection of definitions: (T1) Perceiving holistic and interconnected systems; (T2) Synthesizing multiple disciplines and perspectives; (T3) Reconciling opposing ideas and creative tension resolution; (T4) Enacting reflection and metacognition. These two contexts and four themes were synthesized to propose a unified definition of integrative thinking. Originality/value: This study is the first known comprehensive analysis of the breadth and focus of definitions of integrative thinking and the first to synthesize a unified definition. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1508225 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1508225 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: What Is Integrative Thinking? A Scoping Review – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aisling+Danielle+Walsh+Brody%22">Aisling Danielle Walsh Brody</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Isabel+Rivera%22">Isabel Rivera</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Colin+Furness%22">Colin Furness</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Learning+Organization%22"><i>Learning Organization</i></searchLink>. 2026 33(4):615-638. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 24 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Information Analyses<br />Reports - Research – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Metacognition%22">Metacognition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Processes%22">Cognitive Processes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Definitions%22">Definitions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intellectual+Disciplines%22">Intellectual Disciplines</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1108/TLO-06-2025-0148 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 0969-6474<br />1758-7905 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Purpose: The term integrative thinking has become widely used but without consensus on its meaning. The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a scoping review of integrative thinking, toward establishing conceptual clarity with a unified and robust definition. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic search was conducted to characterize the literature and to identify and analyze existing definitions of integrative thinking. Thematic analysis was used to code definitions to identify patterns of conceptualization and application of the term. Emergent themes were synthesized to propose a unified definition. Findings: Definitions of integrative thinking were identified in 63 articles drawn from a wide range of time, geography and disciplines. Two primary contexts of use were identified: Shaping People, which was dominated by the education literature, and Shaping Practice, which was dominated by the business literature. Four themes were extracted from this collection of definitions: (T1) Perceiving holistic and interconnected systems; (T2) Synthesizing multiple disciplines and perspectives; (T3) Reconciling opposing ideas and creative tension resolution; (T4) Enacting reflection and metacognition. These two contexts and four themes were synthesized to propose a unified definition of integrative thinking. Originality/value: This study is the first known comprehensive analysis of the breadth and focus of definitions of integrative thinking and the first to synthesize a unified definition. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1508225 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1508225 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1108/TLO-06-2025-0148 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 24 StartPage: 615 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Metacognition Type: general – SubjectFull: Cognitive Processes Type: general – SubjectFull: Definitions Type: general – SubjectFull: Intellectual Disciplines Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: What Is Integrative Thinking? A Scoping Review Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Aisling Danielle Walsh Brody – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Isabel Rivera – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Colin Furness IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0969-6474 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1758-7905 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 33 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Learning Organization Type: main |
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