The utility of the concept of the organization as a socio-technical system

Running Head : The utility of the concept of the organization as a socio- technical system

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The utility of the concept of the organization as a socio- technical system

Introduction

The concept of the organization as a socio-technical system is very important especially in helping us understand fully the interaction between technology and the social system within a specific organization

However it is quite imperative to define this concept what is a social-technical system

A social-technical system can be described as

the combination of people and technology working in tandem with each other however it is a much more complex mixture ' than one could ever imagine . Because of the close inter-relationships many individual items within a social technical system are not easily defined or separated . Thus it becomes a major challenge to distinguish them ( HYPERLINK "http /computingcases .org /general_tools /sia /socio_tech_system .html http /computingcases .org /general_tools /sia /socio_tech_system .html

When talking about the social technical systems the organization is likened to a machine which possesses such qualities as efficiency waste , maintenance , clockwork , cogs , in a wheel , programs , inputs and outputs , standardization , production , measurement , and control design . In a nutshell therefore , the social technical system enables us understand how organizations function as machines and how people work with the machinelike aspects of the organizations to improve the functioning (Lawley , James Tompkins , Penny ,2000

On the other hand the social technical system in any organization can be viewed to encompass two major components the `technical system ' and a `social system . The former encompasses such items as tools , resources hardware , and other tangibles . The later is built up by such components as attitudes , informal behavior in the organization , rules and regulations and roles played by respective members or departments . A socio-technical system therefore has these two major components . These two elements when they work in tandem contribute to the effectiveness of the machine

As such the social-technical system is often called a machine model that consists of various characteristics or features . These features include

-A focal point or central point that directs or controls the system

-Integration of the control systems to support common central goals

In the case of AES The technical system is made up the production technologies- comprising of the electrical power generation and its resultant distribution and the administrative technologies comprising communication , analysis , and control . The social system on the other hard comprises the formal and informed behavior as well as the organizational culture ( HYPERLINK "http /cd .tuiu .edu /MGT501 /modules /Module01 /index .htm http /cd .tuiu .edu /MGT501 /modules /Module01 /index .htm

Prior to the changes that are taking place in the organization the kind of structure the company had adapted was the organic structure that is characterized by flat organization which allows a decentralized management style that encourages the employees at the ground level to make independent decisions . The main purpose of this type of structure is to create independent small businesses or enterprises that can rapidly respond to customers ' needs or...