Transcript COMM 4170-01: Applied Organizational Communication

COMM 4170-01:
Applied Organizational Communication
Instructor: Dan Lair
Day Six: Systems Thinking
Approaches to Organizational
Communication
September 14, 2005
Today’s Agenda
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Overview of Systems Thinking
Discussion of Byrd, Senge
Application of Systems Thinking and
Classical/HR approaches to case study, “A
Matter of Perspective”
Systems Theory (1960-1980)
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Organizations as complex systems can be
understood by looking at them through the metaphor
of a living organism. The implications of this
perspective include:
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Organizations are comprised of the interdependent
interactions of many subsystems
Organizations must interact with their environment(s) to
survive
Organizations must seek both stability and adaptation
Organizations have life cycles: birth, development,
maturation, death
Key Principles
of Systems Thinking
(adapted from Conrad & Poole, 2005)
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The whole is more than the sum of its parts
(holism)
Causality is complex, not linear
(interdependence of parts)
Systems are embedded in other systems
Systems imperative: adapt or die (feedback)
History is crucial to organizational systems
Open Systems Theory:
Important Concepts
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In Open Systems Theory (Katz & Kahn),
organizations are seem as self-renewing systems
that take energy from the environment (input),
transform that energy (throughput), and send it back
into the environment (output). Some of the
characteristics of that process include:
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Equifinality
Equilibrium
“Loose” v. “Tight” Coupling
Openness v. Closedness
Entropy
Systems Thinking Illustrated
(drawing from www.threesigma.com)
Systems Thinking
Conception of Communication
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Communication is ongoing, continuous
Communication is a feedback loop
(managing stability-adaptation)
Communication is the “blood” of a system.
Communication is informal, networked,
multidirectional
Discussion of Byrd,
“Developmental Stages”
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What does it mean to take a “developmental”
view of organizations? How can that help us
diagnose and solve organizational problems?
On p. 16, Byrd argues that “norms will
develop in a quasi-stationary equilibrium of
acceptable openness and closedness, with
openness being generally more valued.”
What does that mean? What are its practical
implications?
Discussion of Senge,
“The Laws of the Fifth Discipline”
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Key Terms to know:
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Compensating feedback
Leverage
Principle of the system boundary
On p. 65, Senge briefly distinguishes between “snapshot” and
“process” thinking. What does that distinction mean? Why
does it matter?
On p. 63, Senge argues, “There is a fundamental mismatch
between the nature of reality in complex systems and our
predominant ways of thinking abut that reality.” What is he
trying to say here? What are the implications of this argument?
Case Study:
“A Matter of Perspective”
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In your theory specialization groups, work through this case
study in the following four step for both the Classical/HR
approach and for Systems Thinking:
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Describe the case in general
Diagnose the central communication problem in the case, based
on your “reading” of both broad patterns and specific details.
Suggest potential solutions for that problem
Assess the appropriateness of each perspective perspective for
this particular case. Are there weaknesses/blind spots that hinder
your ability to suggest adequate solutions?
Be prepared to return to the full class to discuss the case indepth, based upon the conclusions you have reached as a
group.