This document discusses various principles of organizational and social systems theory. It describes how systems theory has been applied to understand organizations and their interactions. Organizations can be viewed as having interconnected components at different levels, from leadership and structure down to work processes and individuals. Social systems involve interactions between two or more individuals, and there are various systems within social systems like cultural, economic, and organizational systems. Social systems theory draws from different disciplines, and evolutionary systems theory examines how human brains and societies evolve over time under various internal and external influences. Meta-theory is also discussed as using one theory to analyze another.

1. Principles of Organizational and
Social Systems
By
Brandon Schweitzer
Walden University

2. Theories of Organizational and Social
Systems
 Systems have been described as being complex interacting components of an
entity or process with correlations between the components
 Organizations and management theory had been viewed as systems in the
mechanical sense and were not used as such until 1961 (Kast, Rosenzweig, 1972)
 The application of systems theory to organizations and management had
influenced how business is conducted and how organizations interact with the rest
of the market

3. Organizational Systems
 World-systems theory incorporates systems theory in a global perspective where
processes around the world have a profound impact on the global and local
economics of scale (Burns, T. J., Kick, E. L., Murray, D. A., & Murray, D. A., 1994)

4. Layers of a Successful Organization
Leadership
Decision-making and Structure
People
Work Process and Systems

5. Social Systems
 Social systems have been identified as social interaction between at least two or
more individuals on any level and in any capacity
 The concept of social systems stems from the original theory of sociological
systems theory
 Sociological systems theory examines the interaction between individuals as they
are viewed as systems
 The theory of social systems is very comprehensive and complex where the sole
interaction between two or more individuals that communicates between each
other within a single framework
 Within social systems there are other systems such as cultural, economic,
demographic, and organizational systems

6. Systems within Social Systems
Social
Systems
Cultural
Economi
cal
Demograp
hic
Organizatio
nal

7. Social Systems Theory
 Social systems theory brings several different theoretical bases and components of
theories together to formulate a single theory
 The theory of social systems is cross-disciplinary subject across sciences of social,
biological, and interdisciplinary
 Social systems theory is composed of the theoretical basis of ecosystem, biological
organisms, physical systems, and technical systems
 Social systems theory is the observation of interactions between two or more
individuals such as a friendship, coworkers, family members, classmates, cultural
members, and members of society

8. Evolutionary Systems Theory
 Evolution compounds the results of systems over time and varies the information
to create a slightly different outcome
 Psychology has been the theoretical basis for the theory of evolutionary systems
 Within psychology, there is an examination of the evolution of the human brain
where humans are constantly evolving

9. Evolutionary Systems Theory Influences
 Internal influences could be inclusive of biological and genetic components that
determine how the human brain will develop
 External developmental influences can be inclusive of the environment, institutions,
culture, society, and values
 Environment is inclusive of the natural environment and the environment in which
individuals are raised

10. Evolutionary Systems Theory Influences
Continued…
 Institutions can be inclusive of educational and religious institutions that influence
the development of individuals with knowledge and values
 Culture influences the development of the human brain where cultural values are
components within human development
 Society is an influence of human development where the society in which an
individual is raised influences how an individual develops
 Values influence the development of individuals where life values determine how
individuals are raised

11. Meta-Theory
 Meta-theory is the concept of utilizing a theory to analyze another theory where a
theory is used to prove or disprove another theory
 This type of research is common where there was no previous research done in an
effort to prove or disprove information
 Within subject areas such as mathematic, the meta-theory approach was
commonly used to develop logarithms and specific formulas to further understand
mathematical concepts
 Meta-theory also introduced the concept that theories are interrelated and
connected through commonalities

12. Questions and Comments

13. References
 Burns, T. J., Kick, E. L., Murray, D. A., & Murray, D. A. (1994). Demography,
Development and Deforestation in a World-System Perspective. International
Journal of Comparative Sociology, 221-239.
 Kast, F. E., & Rosenzweig, J. E. (1972). General System Theory: Applications for
Organization and Management. Academy Of Management Journal, 15(4), 447-465.
doi:10.2307/255141