Understanding Feedback Loop in Systems Theory

1. System Thinking: System thinking is nothing but instead of focusing on only one particular issue, we have to analyze and try to understand the entire system on the whole. With this kind of analyzation, we can easily find a solution to the problem as the problems are not confined to only a particular area or time. We might find a solution for a particular issue, somewhere in the whole system by analyzing the entire system completely. We should try to relate the actions and the consequences on the whole as the issues occur at different time levels, not confined to only one particular time level. We have to have knowledge of the relation between different departments of an organization and the relation between them and the functionality between the departments as to how they are related in an organization. We generally focus on only one particular issue rather than seeing the bug picture and that shouldn’t be done. In system thinking we analyze the big picture.

The Organizations have evolved over the years and from the Concept of people management they slowly have moved towards the concept of System managements and this is how an organizations needs to aim to grow and to succeed in growing complex market environment.

Overall Strength: in general, the article provides structure to a concept that is very intangible by: (a) describing the nature and the functions of control; (b) segregating the MCS into categories: core control system, organizational structure, and organizational culture; (c) illustrating how to apply the control model (satisfied my approach) (d) provides a basis for designing and evaluating the system. The manner, in which the model is presented, with its use of figures, further emphasizes the structure of the model. See below on further emphasis on parts (a) -(c).

Likert 's System IV argues that organizations take on various forms to effectively (or ineffectively) achieve organizational goals (Miller 2015). Likert characterizes these systems by the organization 's style of motivation, communication, decision-making, goal-setting, control, influence structure, and performance (as cited in Miller, 2015, p.50).

Many of the systems in the body are delicate. They function only under a specific range of parameters.

In order for any organization to be successful, they must find effective ways to change systems and policies that are ineffective in creating a successful environment. A system consists of four things, elements, attributes, internal relationships, and the system environment. The systems theory is transdisciplinary study of the abstract organization of phenomena, independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal scale of existence (Heylighen & Joslyn, 1992). The study investigates all the principals common to all complex bodies, and the models which can be used to describe them. Von Bertalanffy (1971) was the creator of the “system” concept, he developed this idea as an answer to the limitations of individual disciplines in addressing complex social issues (Mitchell, 2005). The underlining principal of this theory is that an organization consists of multiple, interdependent parts that collectively form more than the sum of their parts. Developed from the systems theory, are three separate theories with the basis of each being the systems theory. The activity theory considers the entire program versus just one single sector, it sees the operation as a whole instead of sub departments, it combines both micro and macro elements of the organization. The chaos theory does not mean a chaotic hectic situation, rather a situation where there appears to be little to no order, there really is a hidden underlying order. The complexity theory is

The process that is used to monitor an entire system of inputs, processes, outputs, and feedback is known as systems thinking. An example of this would be a factory that uses systems thinking to monitor the production of a good on an assembly line. There are inputs (materials), processes (the materials being assembled), outputs (the finished product), and the feedback (which monitors and maintains stability of the assembly line).

Using feedback as a strategy will create growth within the organization both professional and personal.

A concept we learned about in Business Leadership that relates to the main point in this book is control systems. We looked at the importance of control in management and learned about various different systems. In this book, systems are shown to greatly help customer service. Systems are predetermined ways to get a specific result and still ensure consistency. Andrew, the plant manager said “Systems give you a floor, not a ceiling”. Thus, a system is the sort of thing you build on, a starting point. An external control measure, for example, involves

When utilizing feedback as a way of measuring effectiveness of the organizational change it can be by way of surveys from staff, meetings, questionnaires and so on. Feedback helps to communicate ideas better to management so that quality care can continue to improve and goals can continue to be reached. Feedback is used by managers as a tool to respond to and to anticipate changes (Spector, 2010).

To begin understanding how organizations learn from and adapt to change it is important to understand the concept of systems thinking. “Systems thinking is the process of understanding how various systems influence one another within a complete entity (or larger system) (“Are You Living in a World of Chaos,” 2016). Senge uses the example of a rainstorm to explain these relationships because it is only when we consider the different events that occur before, during and after the storm will rainstorms make any sense (Senge, 1990, p. 6). Systems thinking is important for leaders to comprehend because it involves looking at the effects decisions might have across a business or organization. As I discovered during this 8-week course, there is a cause and effect relationships to our actions and it is important for leaders to pay close attention to the effect their decisions have across an organization.

The General Systems Theory (GST) came about as an effort to describe the systems approach, born from the biological concept of the organism developed in the first part of the 20th century (Von Bertalanffy, 1972). In contrast to the mechanistic systems which are closed and have a direct relationship between a cause and its effect, a biological or social system is open, operating on a principle of equifinality, where regardless of the starting point, the objective can be achieved (Kast & Rosenzweig, 1972). Any system will achieve equilibrium, but an open system can reach a steady state by accessing resources from outside itself (Kast & Rosenzweig, 1972). The underlying assumptions of GST rely on the organization of a company resembling the inner workings of an organism. However, subgroups within organizations can act independently of the the whole, in

Another element that is important in groups and systems is dynamic equilibrium. Dynamic equilibrium deals with managing stability and change within a group. If a group doesn’t manage their equilibrium, than they will be affected negatively. However, if their equilibrium is managed than they won’t run into any problems. For example, if there is too much stability in a group than it is not healthy, and if there is too much change in a group than it can be overwhelming and things may get out of hand. There is a certain medium that a system should be at in order to promote growth and success within that group. For example, if a sports team decides to never practice than they will not grow or excel, but if they practice too much than they will be tired for the game and will not perform as well. Dynamic equilibrium is an important element within systems.

Systems thinking is a method of thinking that looks at the interconnectedness between different elements rather than a linear cause and effect approach and sees patterns of change rather than fixed “snapshots”. In essence it is a view on the “whole picture” (Anderson, R 1994).

When an organization is approached as a whole, appropriate actions can be assigned to tasks thus making the system of the organization run more smoothly. Besides that, according to Senge, systems thinking gives us the realization of the importance of a feedback means in an organization.