Open Systems model Flashcards
Describe organizations as organisms metaphor
Organizations are complex organisms that “live” within an external environment. These types of orgs are concerned with the external environment and how to fit into the environment. Changes to the environment are forces and factors to respond to
What is an open systems model?
system that regularly exchanges feedback with its external environment
What do healthy open systems do?
Healthy open systems continuously exchange feedback with their environments, analyze that feedback, adjust internal systems as needed to achieve the system’s goals, and then transmit necessary information back out to the environment.
How often does an open system exchange feedback?
A highly effective organization is regularly exchanging feedback with its external environment
What methods do open systems use to understand their environments?
Healthy organizations regularly try to understand their environments through use of environmental scanning, market research, and evaluations.
What is environmental scanning?
ongoing tracking of trends and occurrences in an organization’s internal and external environment that bear on its success, currently and in the future. The results are extremely useful in shaping goals and strategies.
What type of boundaries does an open system have vs. closed system?
- Open systems have porous boundaries through which useful feedback can readily be exchanged and understood.
- Organizations with closed boundaries such as bureaucracies and monopolies are often unhealthy
Examples of environmental factors
Government/political/legal, technological, economic, sociocultural, competitive, international
How does the environment determine the life cycle of an organization?
Population-ecology perspective: The changing environment determines which organizations with survive or fail. New organizations meet the new needs of society more than established organizations that are slow to change. Old organizations are likely to decline or fail, and new organizations emerge that are better suited to the needs of the environment.
How do open systems try to influence the external environment?
These organizations often try to
influence their external environment, as well, for example, through use of
public relations, advertising and promotions, lobbying and advocacy, and
educating industry and local leaders.
What is equifinality?
Equifinality means that the same or similar results can be achieved by using a
variety of different processes. For example, management can achieve the same
results by using different inputs or by using different processes with the same inputs.
Equifinality suggests that there is no one right way to accomplish important results in
an organization. There is no one right way to lead an organization. Closed systems have one correct way.
