COMM : Applied Organizational Communication Instructor: Dan Lair Day Six: Systems Thinking Approaches to Organizational Communication September 14, 2005

Today’s Agenda 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 ( ) Organizations as complex systems can be understood by looking at them through the metaphor of a living organism. The implications of this perspective include: – 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) 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 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: – Equifinality – Equilibrium – “Loose” v. “Tight” Coupling – Openness v. Closedness – Entropy

Systems Thinking Illustrated (drawing from

Systems Thinking Conception of Communication 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” 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” Key Terms to know: – 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” 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: – 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 in- depth, based upon the conclusions you have reached as a group.