Wholeness views the system from above to establish a top-down, big picture perspective of an organization. However, establishing this perspective is difficult. One of the key reasons has been a deficiency in these approaches to address an organization as a complex living entity. Managers need a holistic view of their organization. This means a fuller understanding of both the visible parts, which involve processes for materials or information flows, and for the less visible ones, involving human interactions, collaboration, coordination, and conversations.
Yet, for an organization to interpret its wholeness and adaptive effectiveness, a general framework or model of the organization’s adaptive abilities is appropriate for analyzing strategic planning and control considerations. Figure 1 indicates one technique for assessing the adaptive effectiveness of an organization’s response system for contingency or disruptive events.
Figure 1. A model for assessing adaptive effectiveness.
The information flow within the model occurs in five general steps: (a) elaboration, which includes system definition, focus, and wholeness; (b) identification and planning, which include identifying critical threats, threat analysis, and likelihood of outcome; (c) implementation, which includes purpose, resource availability, and actions/tasks; (d) measuring, which includes indicator owners, measurement techniques, and summary data; and (e) leadership adjustments, which include adaptation, learning, and communication. The model is adaptive because the sequence presented is not rigid. At any time, due to new information, improvements, new strategies, or adjustments, any step can address or re-address its functionality.
The decision activity does not occur with the leadership step. Real-time monitoring and assessment occurs throughout the modeled steps while considering, analyzing, and measuring each system disruption. Leadership activities are primarily oriented towards the comparison of observed model results and the currently established model. As necessary, the model is re-engineered to accommodate the observed behavior of the system and improve the performance of the system. An effectiveness assessment is not a one-time performed activity which is what this section (3) highlights.
After completing the readings and assignments in this section you should be able to do the following:
Learning Outcomes: 7, 8
- Assess system engineering management.
Research the business-game approach developed in the 1960s by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) called The Beer Game. Apply the systems´ theory to the game by analyzing and evaluating the business system benefits and liabilities simulated within the game.
In your assessment, be sure to compare and contrast planning, organizing, staffing and monitoring of this specific system.
Support your paper with a minimum of five (5) scholarly resources.