Summary

Summary System Theory

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Course
System Theory (MANBCU321)

Institution
Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen (RU)

Book
Organizations

Summary of the important concepts and theories of the course System Theory (MAN-BCU321). The concepts that emerge in this summary are: - GENERAL SYSTEM THEORY (ASHBY) - TRIVIAL AND NON-TRIVIAL MACHINES (VON FOERSTER) - ORGANIZATIONS AS SOCIAL SYSTEMS (LUHMANN) - FUNCTIONAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES: VIABLE...

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Uploaded on January 18, 2020
Number of pages 9
Written in 2019/2020
Type Summary

system theory st summary radboud university 20192020

Book Title:Organizations

Author(s):Jan Achterbergh, Dirk Vriens

Edition:augustus 2010
ISBN:9783642143151
Edition:1

Institution
Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen (RU)
Education
Bedrijfskunde
Course
System Theory (MANBCU321)

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INTRODUCTION
Concrete system A set of elements and relations between them, showing particular behavior

Abstract system The set of (measurable) variables that describe behavior (of the process)

Norm value Diﬀerence between what you want and don’t want (desired - undesired)

Regulating systems Dealing with complexity (disturbances), divided into recipe and complexity

Recipe (regeltheorie) Steps to make sure some particular concrete system shows desired behavior, in
spite of disturbances:
0. Overarching function/goal
1. Determine (concrete and abstract) system
2. Determine norm values (desired behavior)
3. Identify possible disturbances
4. Formulate regulatory actions
5. Carry out regulatory actions

Complexity Complexity of the regulatory and disturbing system, measured in terms of
variety, two types of system theory: GST and OST

Variety The number of diﬀerent states a system can be in

State Set of values of the variables of the system at a particular moment in time (state
of desired behavior when ‘variation in disturbances = variation in regulations’)

Behavior Described in terms of activities (or transformation processes) and in terms of the
eﬀect of these activities (this is done in terms of variables and norm values)

General System Oﬀers concepts for understanding and regulating/designing any kind of system
Theory (GST) (cybernetics of Ashby, experimental arch)

Organizational This applies notions from GST and uses them to understand and design
System Theory (OST) organizations (what it means to one particular kind of system)

Organization as A social (interaction) system that continuously conducts experiments (SSCE)
system

Experimentation Every goal, infrastructural condition and operational regulatory action is an
uncertain selection (hypotheses) that needs to be monitored and adjusted. It is
based on the following feedback process: problem, setting goals and (re)design

Focal objects Onderwerp van alle experimenten en communicaties

Archai (Aristoteles) Hoofdelementen vaan een fenomeen, bij een organisatie: experimentele karakter
(hypotheses) en sociaal systematische karakter (organisatorische communicatie
conditioneert zichzelf, systeem van gerelateerde communicatie)

Poor sense of whatever goals’ geselecteerd voor ‘whatever reasons’ en gerealiseerd in
survival ‘whatever way’ —> organisatie kan zelfstandig bestaan in omgeving, maar nadat
het doel is bereikt houdt het op met bestaan (egoïstisch zoals winsten behalen)

Rich sense of Een organisatie bestaat zelfstandig en (doelen zijn) betekenisvol in de omgeving
survival (maatschappelijke bijdrage zoals CSR)

Organization society Maatschappij waarin het organiseren van organisaties van vitaal belang is voor
de realisatie van maatschappelijke waarden (zoals onderwijs en veiligheid) —>
met MVO bijdragen aan maatschappelijke condities waardoor mensen in staat
zijn een meaningful (fulfilled) menselijk leven te hebben

Infrastructure - Human Resources (personnel)
- Technology (all resources except personnel)
- Structure/division of work (way tasks are defined and related in network)

, Activities of The infrastructure is required for 4 activities:
organizations - Performing (primary) transformation processes
- Setting goals (for primary processes) —> regulation by control
- Operational regulation (dealing with disturbances)
- (Re)designing the infrastructure itself —> regulation by design
Functional design Designing an organization by stating what an infrastructure should be able to do
principles for organizations to survive (VSM) —> specificeren gewenste eﬀecten

Specific design Designing an organization by stating how (parameters of) an infrastructure
principles should be designed in order to realize the desired functional principles —> welke
(waardes van) parameters relevant zijn voor realiseren van het gewenste eﬀect

GENERAL SYSTEM THEORY (ASHBY)
System A unity consisting of elements and relations between those elements that shows
particular behavior

GST Description of behavior and regulation of behavior

Regulation Ensuring (despite disturbances) the concrete system shows desired behavior

Transformation A description of behavior in terms of a sequence of states

Desired behavior If the values of the variables are within the norm values (limits)

Essential variables Variables that express the overarching function/goal of a system (when these are
(EV) outside norm values for too long, the system can’t survive)

Parameters Influencing factors on behavior:
- Disturbances (cause EV to move outside norm values: negative influence)
- Regulatory actions (EV within norm values: positive influence)
Regulatory table How the values of EV’s depend on the values of the parameters

Regulation of Making sure that the EV’s stay within their norm values, so despite disturbances
behavior desired behavior occurs. Three types (continuous cycle):
1. Regulation by control (strategic regulation)
2. Regulation by design
3. Operational regulation

Criteria infrastructure - It helps to perform activities/processes in an eﬃcient and eﬀective way
- It should be as invulnerable for disturbances (from environment or from
infrastructure itself) as possible
- It should have enough regulatory potential (to deal with disturbances)
Operational Carrying out regulatory actions in the face of disturbances given a design and
regulation given a set of goals (doesn’t change the infrastructure). Assumptions:
- Goals (EV’s and norm values) are fixed
- Concrete system (infrastructure) is fixed and doesn’t change
- Disturbances are fixed/given and can’t be changed
- Regulatory actions are fixed
Eﬀective operational For every disturbance selecting a regulatory action in such a way that the
regulation desired value of EV can be reached

Eﬃcient operational Being eﬀective with as few as regulatory actions as possible
regulation

Passive operational No selection of regulatory actions given some disturbance because it is already
regulation part of system and does its work automatically (shield of a turtle), passive block

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