worldview

The term worldview comes from the German Weltanschauung, which refers to the total system of values and beliefs that characterize a given culture or group. It serves to point out that decisions are made based on conceptual frameworks. These frameworks are both the basis for and culmination of the perceived valid theories of the decision makers.

Management application --
Understanding an organization's or decision maker's worldview is essential to understanding hypotheses formulated, theories produced, and decisions made. The worldview contains the presuppositions that management brings to their work.

Identity --
Worldview and identity are proximate concepts. See identity.

Basis for a worldview --
All knowing requires faith. Every worldview begins with a basic assumption about the nature of reality that cannot be proven by using the scientific method or logical deduction. All methods of knowing ultimately rely on certain assumptions. These assumptions are then illuminated by research, science, and reason. See Noebel, 2006.