Dr Prem Kumar
Chief Executive
The Global School of Systems Thinking
Dr Prem Kumar
Chief Executive
The Global School of Systems Thinking
Prem's Profile
Recognised for his contributions to community and sustainable development, Prem is an author, researcher, and facilitator who combines expertise in lifelong learning, systems thinking, consulting, and organizational development with deep capability development experience. His work features in leading publications including the International Journal of Lifelong Education and major handbooks published by Routledge and Palgrave on adult learning and education. He authored two significant works: The Learning Marketplace: East meets West in Singapore and Learning and Performance Matter.
Drawing on extensive experience across private and public sectors, Prem's academic credentials include a doctoral degree from the University of Surrey, and master's degrees from the University of Hull and The Fletcher School at Tufts University. His specialized training encompasses adult education diplomas from multiple institutions including the University of British Columbia and Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ). He holds certificates in International Organisation and Systems Development from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and IGOR Germany, as well as in Learning Organisations: Developing Leaders for Learning from Singapore's Civil Service College.
His contributions have earned multiple distinctions, including the Singapore University of Social Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award and several commendations from the People's Association and Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth, notably the 'Exemplary SkillsFuture @ Public Service Award'. Beyond his professional pursuits, Prem finds solace in nature walks and reading. While he enjoys chess and photography, he maintains a self-deprecating humour about his perpetual struggles with card games.
Thinking Smarter
From the smallest comes the mightiest change. In this transformative journey, meet Tiny - a young elephant whose courage to question tradition becomes the catalyst that revolutionizes his entire herd's survival strategy.
But this is not just a story about an elephant. It's a powerful metaphor for how breakthrough thinking can transform organisations. Through Tiny's journey, discover the profound insights taught at the Global School of Systems Thinking - where leaders learn to see beyond surface-level challenges to understand the interconnected patterns that shape our challenges.
This compelling narrative weaves together:
- The power of challenging inherited wisdom
- How fresh perspectives can unlock innovative solutions
- The transformative impact of systems thinking in action
Complete with thought-provoking discussion questions, this book empowers leaders and teams to:
- Uncover the hidden mental models driving their decision-making
- Develop new frameworks for approaching complex challenges
- Transform organizational thinking to achieve breakthrough results
Go beyond traditional problem-solving. Join Tiny on an eye-opening adventure that will forever change how you and your organization think about thinking itself. Featuring practical discussion questions, this book helps teams examine their mental models and reframe them for optimal performance.
Tiny Thinks Smarter
This is a story of how a baby elephant named Tiny saved his family from danger. Follow him in his search for solutions as he confronts the deeply held beliefs of his tribe.
Tiny is also experiencing the effects of the world becoming more unpredictable and complex. In his quest to save his tribe, Tiny begins to see the challenges he and his family were facing more holistically. Taking a systems approach enabled him to see through problems with more clarity and in applying system tools that are sustainable for the long-term. Tiny is on his journey to becoming a systems thinker.
Questions at the end of the book guide students, parents, and educators in developing an holistic approach to problem-solving and decision making.
The Learning Marketplace: Where East meets West in Singapore
This book is meant to extend our knowledge on the role of 'learning', often overlooked and taken for granted as the air that we breathe but which constantly transforms our lives and reshapes stories. It is the first to deal with the dichotomy of 'East' and 'West' going beyond the traditional learning and education framework...
This is a thoughtful book about the Singapore success story and its future.
Professor Tommy Koh
Rector, Tembusu College
National University of Singapore
There is an urgent need for understanding and collaboration between people of diverse backgrounds. Dr Kumar draws on scholarship from multiple disciplines and his extensive experience in Singapore to report on approaches to learning that respect diversity while achieving academic success. This is an important book that should be read widely.
Carsten Kowalczyk
Associate Professor of International Economics
The Fletcher School
Tufts University
Learning and Performance Matter
Learning and performing profoundly affect our results and actions. Yet getting the balance right is a challenge to individuals and organisations. While performing is about meeting the demands placed upon us, learning expands our capacity to meet future demands.
Authors
John Seely Brown and Estee Solomon Gray
Sara J. Singer and Amy C. Edmondson
Margaret Wheatley and Myron Rogers
Marilyn J. Darling and David C. Flanigan
Art Kliener
Aneel Karnani
Peter Blyde
D. Christopher Kayes
Phil Ramsey, Beth Tootell and Robyn Mason
Peter Jarvis
Andrea Needham
Deb Ramsey and Phil Ramsey
Prem Kumar
This excellent anthology by leading thinkers in organisations offers thoughtful insights on lessons about learning. They probe deeper into learning processes so that these processes can be understood, mapped, and replicated. The lessons from these essays will help managers manage change and leaders learn…
Professor Dave Ulrich
University of Michigan and Partner, The RBL Group
For consulting and facilitation enquiries
The Global School of Systems Thinking offers certification and customised workshops. Some of these are:
- Trade-off Cafés: Interactive decision-making workshops
- Supply Chain Dynamics: System simulation experiences
- The Art of Perception & Framing: Advanced cognitive tools
- Applied Systems Thinking: Frameworks for managing complexity
- Community Engagement Design: Participatory approaches
- Smart Thinking for Sustainability: Strategic methods
- Cognitive Style Insights: Understanding thinking patterns
