systemstheory-110829095524-phpapp01

8/13/2019 systemstheory-110829095524-phpapp01

1/15

GENERAL SYSTEMS

THEORY

TARIQ RAHIM


2/15

Ludwig von Bertanlaffy

Trained as a biologist

Held positions in Austria, Canada, the

United States, and England

Extended research to psychology and

biophysics

Theories later applied across disciplines


3/15

Ludwig von Bertanlaffy

Put forward in 1968 a theory known as

General Systems Theory. The theory

attempted to provide alternatives toconventional models of organization.


4/15

Brief Introduction to General Systems Theory

and Its Applications

Systems MovementSince the fundamental character of living things is its organization, the

customary investigation of individual parts and processes cannot

provide a complete explanation of the phenomenon of life. Thisinvestigation gives us no information about the coordination of parts

and processes. Thus the chief task of biology must be to discover the

laws of biological systems (at all levels of organization). We believe

that the attempts to find a foundation at this theoretical level point at

fundamental changes in the world picture. This view, considered as a

method of investigation, we call organismic biology and, as an

attempt at an explanation, the system theory of the organism.

(von Bertalanffy, 1934)


5/15

Brief Introduction to General Systems Theory

and Its Applications (continue)

From this statement and seemingly unsolvable

problems in practice, such as

prediction of zero-probability disastrous

weather conditions,

we see the concept of systems was formally

introduced.

As tested in the past 90 some years, this concepthas been widely accepted by the entire spectrum

of science and technology


6/15

Some of historical milestones

1948, Norbert Wieners paper: Cybernetics or Control andCommunication in the Animal and the Machine.

1954, Ludwig von Bertalanffy, Anatol Rapoport, Ralph W.Gerard, Kenneth Boulding establish Society for theAdvancement of General Systems Theory, in 1956renamed to Society for General Systems Research.

1955, W. Ross Ashbys work:Introduction to Cybernetics

1968, Ludwig von Bertalanffyswork: General System

theory: Foundations, Development, Applications 1988, the Society for General Systems Research is

renamed as International Society for Systems Sciences


7/15

Some of historical milestones

Klir (2001):

Systems thinking focuses on those properties of systems and associatedproblems that emanate from the general notion of systemhood,

while the divisions of the classical science have been done largely on

properties of thinghood,

systems research naturally transcends all the disciplines of the classical

science and becomes a force making the existing disciplinaryboundaries totally irrelevant and superficial.


8/15

Basic Concepts

Systems methodology

Quastler (1965): employs the concepts of a black box and a

white box to show research problems (of the past) can berepresented as white boxes, and their environments as

black boxes. The objects of systems are classified into

several categories Through a set of rules, policies, and

regulations, sensors and effectors do what they are

supposed to do


9/15

Principles of General Systems Theory

n Laws that governbiologicalopen systems can be appliedto systems of any form.

n Open-Systems Theory Principles

Parts that make up the system are interrelated.

Health of overall system is contingent on subsystem functioning.

Open systems import and export material from and to theenvironment.

Permeable boundaries (materials can pass through)

Relative openness (system can regulate permeability)

Synergy (extra energy causes nonsummativity--whole is greaterthan sum of parts)

Equifinality vs. one best way.


10/15

Systems Theory Emphasizes:

n Synergy

n Interdependence

n Interconnections within the organization

between the organization and the environment

n Organization as ORGANISM


11/15

General Theoretical Distinctions

n Previous theories prescribeorganizational

behavior, organizational structure or

managerial practice (prediction andcontrol). MACHINE

n

Systems theory providesan analyticalframework for viewing an organization in

general (description and explanation).

ORGANISM


12/15

Strengths

n Recognizes . . .

interdependence of personnel

impact of environment on organizational structure and

function effect of outside stakeholders on the organization

n Focuses on environment and how changes canimpact the organization

n Seeks to explain synergy & interdependencen Broadens the theoretical lens for viewing

organizational behavior.


13/15

Contingency Theory

n First extension of Systems Theory into Management

Practice - CONTINGENCY THEORY

n There is no one best way to structure and manageorganizations.

n Structure and management are contingent on the nature of

the environment in which the organization is situated.

n Argues for finding the best communication structureunder a given set of environmental circumstances.


14/15

Two Contingency Theories

n Burns and Stalker (1968) Management of Innovation

Organizational systems should vary based on the level of stabilityin the environment

Two different types of management systems

n Mechanistic systems - appropriate for stable environment

n Organic systems - required in changing environments (unstableconditions)

Management is the Dependent Variable

n Variations in environmental factors lead to management

n Lawrence and Lorsch (1969)

Key Issue is environmental uncertainty and information flow

Focus on exploring and improving the organizations relationshipwith the environment

Environment is characterized along a certainty-uncertaintycontinuum


15/15

Summary

n Systems Theory is NOT a prescriptive management theory

n Attempts to widen lens through which we examine andunderstand organizational behavior

n Key Concepts

Synergy Interdependence

Interconnections

Organization is treated not as a machine but an

organismn Organizations cannot separate from their environment

n Organizational teams or subsystems cannot operate inisolation

Date post:	04-Jun-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	tariq-rahim
View:	219 times
Download:	0 times

systemstheory-110829095524-phpapp01

Documents