"Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems, i.e. cohesive groups of interrelated, interdependent components that can be natural or human-made."
This theory views organizations as complex systems that need to be understood holistically, with inputs, processes, and outputs.
Systems Thinking: The core concept of Systems Theory, this topic explores how complex systems are composed of interconnected elements that react and adapt to changes in their environment.
Feedback Loops: The loops of communication and causation that exist within a system, allowing for self-correction and adaptation.
Hierarchy: The levels of a system, from small subsystems to larger systems, that create a structure of authority and power.
Boundaries: The physical and conceptual limits of a system, defining what is inside and outside and shaping its interactions with the environment.
Environment: The external factors that affect a system, including physical, social, and economic forces.
Control: The methods and tools that are used to maintain stability and influence behavior in a system.
Cybernetics: The study of feedback loops and control systems, including the principles of information processing and communication.
Complexity: The study of complex systems and the emergent behavior that arises from their interactions.
Nonlinear Dynamics: The study of how small changes in a system can have a disproportionate effect on its behavior over time.
Resilience: The ability of a system to withstand and recover from shocks and disruptions.
Governance: The processes and structures that govern the behavior of a system, including its decision-making processes and regulatory systems.
Stakeholders: The individuals and groups who have a stake in the outcomes of a system, including those affected by its decisions and those who influence them.
Leadership: The role of leaders in shaping the behavior and outcomes of a system, including their ability to influence and communicate with stakeholders.
Organizational Behavior: The study of how individuals and groups interact within organizations, including their motivations, communication patterns, and decision-making processes.
Strategic Planning: The process of setting goals and objectives for a system, and developing a roadmap for achieving them.
Performance Management: The process of measuring and evaluating the performance of a system, and using that data to improve its outcomes.
Public Policy Analysis: The study of how policy decisions are made, and how they affect the behavior of systems and individuals.
Risk Management: The process of identifying and managing risks to a system, including those arising from environmental factors, financial issues, and regulatory conditions.
Globalization: The study of how systems interact on a global scale, including economic, political, and cultural factors.
Ethics and Values: The principles and values that guide the behavior of systems and individuals, including issues of morality, justice, and social responsibility.
General Systems Theory: It focuses on the system approach to understanding organizations and their environment.
Political Systems Theory: A theoretical approach that emphasizes the role of politics in organizations, their management and operation, and their interaction with other organizations.
Ecological Systems Theory: It focuses on the ecological and environmental factors that influence the functioning of organizations.
Social Systems Theory: A theory that posits that organizations are social systems and that their operation and management have to be understood in the context of larger social systems.
Cultural Systems Theory: The theoretical approach that emphasizes the culture of the organization, its values, beliefs, and norms, and how they influence organizational behavior.
Open Systems Theory: It is focused on how organizations interact and adapt to their changing environments.
Cybernetic Systems Theory: Deals with the control mechanisms of organizations, including feedback loops, and how they can be used to enhance organizational performance.
Chaos Theory: A theoretical approach that emphasizes the unpredictable and dynamic nature of organizational systems.
Complexity Theory: The theoretical approach which posits that organizations are complex adaptive systems that interact and adapt through self-organizing processes.
Critical Systems Theory: A theoretical approach that emphasizes the importance of social justice and equity in organizational decision-making and management.
"Every system has causal boundaries, is influenced by its context..."
"...defined by its structure, function, and role..."
"...and expressed through its relations with other systems."
"A system is 'more than the sum of its parts' by expressing synergy or emergent behavior."
"Changing one component of a system may affect other components or the whole system."
"It may be possible to predict these changes in patterns of behavior."
"The growth and the degree of adaptation depend upon how well the system is engaged with its environment and other contexts influencing its organization."
"Some systems support other systems, maintaining the other system to prevent failure."
"The goals of systems theory are to model a system's dynamics, constraints, conditions, and relations..."
"General systems theory is about developing broadly applicable concepts and principles, as opposed to concepts and principles specific to one domain of knowledge."
"It distinguishes dynamic or active systems from static or passive systems."
"Active systems are activity structures or components that interact in behaviors and processes or interrelate through formal contextual boundary conditions (attractors)."
"Passive systems are structures and components that are being processed."
"For example, a program is passive when it is a disc file and active when it runs in memory."
"The field is related to systems thinking, machine logic, and systems engineering."
"The field is related to systems thinking, machine logic, and systems engineering."
"...and to elucidate principles (such as purpose, measure, methods, tools) that can be discerned and applied to other systems at every level of nesting..."
"...for achieving optimized equifinality."
"...and in a wide range of fields for achieving optimized equifinality."