pp.

612-621
A Systems View of an Organization

Target System the organizational system, consists of all the activities,

processes, and components that make up the organization
Suprasystem is the environment in which the organization operates
Subsystem (or individual system) consists of the people in the organization and
their behavior.

-All systems influence each other.

-A persons environment plays a key role in influencing his or her behavior
-If managers want to change the work-related behavior of their employees, they must in
some way alter the environments the employees work in rather than try to change them
directly.
Four Components of Organizational System
1.
2.
3.
4.

organizing arrangements
human factors
technology
physical setting

-These components are highly interrelated and interdependent.

-They constitute the fundamental characteristics of organizations and the basic building
blocks of any work setting
Organization arrangements consist of all the formalized guidelines for coordinative
action in the system
Human Factors made up of people-related characteristics and processes of the
organization
Technology describes all aspects of processes through which system inputs are
transformed into system outputs.
Physical setting includes the physical environment people work in.
Purpose
-

the four components are coordinated by the purpose of the system

It is the fundamental glue that bonds the organization by providing the definition
of the systems reason for being.
Unclear purpose leads to confusion and inefficiency

Purpose, therefore, is the star on the horizon that guides the organization
External environment of the organization impacts the organization through the
organizations purpose

The Management Process

What managers can change: influence and decision-making power over the definition
of the organizations purpose and the four components of the organizational system
What managers cannot do much: they can do little either to directly manage the
organizations external environment or directly change subordinates behavior in the
long run.
What managers can use to effect change: the leverage points for change to any
manager are the organizational system components. It is primarily through their
alteration that managers influence the behavior of individuals within the organization.
Role of managers behavior: Their behaviors affect the four key organizing subsystems.
Result: New work environment and work behavior.
-

Changes in work behavior leads to changes in both the organizations

performance and the individuals mental health.

Three sources of influence on managerial behavior:

1. As a set, organizational performance and individual mental health outcome
changes.
2. the purpose of the organization
3. the personal purpose of the individual manager
The Organizational Development (OD) Process
rooted in a broader model of change originally formulated in the 1940s by Kurt Lewin.
He proposed three broad phases:
1. unfreezing stage current behavior, assumptions, attitudes, and so on of a social
system are openly questioned and a desire for change is generated
2. changing stage these same factors are consciously altered in planned direction
3. refreezing stage new forms of operation becomes part of the normal
functioning of the system.

Steps in Action Research Process

1. Organizational Development begins with a decision to change and awareness

that problems or opportunities exist.
2. Data are gathered to determine the underlying dimensions of the present
situation and provide a foundation for action
3. Generated data are reported to all relevant organizational members who analyze
the information and decide what actions to take
4. Implementation of desired actions
5. Assessments