Systemic Factors

Systemic factors are the broad, underlying influences within a larger system—such as an organization, society, or economy—that affect how individual parts function and interact. These factors include policies, cultural norms, economic conditions, and institutional practices. They shape behaviors, opportunities, and outcomes by creating the environment in which individuals and groups operate. Understanding systemic factors is important because they can reinforce existing patterns or barriers, and addressing them often requires changes at the structural level rather than focusing solely on individual actions.