Systems Theory was first introduced by Van Bertalanffy (1950) and was introduced into the organisational setting by Kataz and Khan (1966).   Systems theory is an approach to organizations which likens the enterprise to an organism with interdependent parts, each with its own specific function and interrelated responsibilities.

1. Systems Theory
Approaches to Managing Organizational Change

2. Prepared By
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Manu Melwin Joy
Assistant Professor
Ilahia School of Management Studies
Kerala, India.
Phone – 9744551114
Mail – manu_melwinjoy@yahoo.com

3. Systems Theory
• Systems Theory was first
introduced by Van
Bertalanffy (1950) and was
introduced into the
organisational setting by
Kataz and Khan (1966).
• Systems theory is an
approach to organisations
which likens the enterprise
to an organism with
interdependent parts, each
with its own specific
function and interrelated
responsibilities.

4. Systems Theory
• The system may be the
whole organisation, a
division, department or
team; but whether the
whole or a part, it is
important for the OD
practitioner to
understand how the
system operates, and the
relationship the parts of
the organisation have.

5. Systems Theory
• The emphasis in OD is that that
real systems are open to, and
interact with, their
environments, and it is possible
to acquire new properties
through emergence, resulting
in continual evolution.
• Rather than reducing an
organisation to the properties
of its parts or elements,
systems theory focuses on the
arrangement of and relations
between the parts which
connect them into a whole.

6. Systems Theory
• The organization is an open system, which
interacts with the environment and is
continually adapting and improving.
• The organisation influences and is
influenced by the environment in which it
operates
• If an organisation is to be effective it must
pay attention to the external
environment, and take steps to adjust
itself to accommodate the changes in
order to remain relevant
• All part of the organisation are
interconnected and interdependent
• If one part of the system is affected, all
parts are.
• It is not possible to know everything
about the system, but if you look hard
enough there are plenty of clues.