Chaordic systems thinking for holonic organizational renewal

Abstract

Socio-Technical Systems Design has a long-standing reputation as an integral approach to organization design. One of its local brands is known as the Dutch approach to Integral Organizational Renewal of the firm (IOR). Central in IOR is an attempt to integrate both business process design, organization design and work design, simultaneously.

Although applying IOR has resulted in fundamental changes in many companies, the targeted change in human behavior patterns seldom has been observed to be an efficient process. Although reasons for this inertness may be several, we conclude that the unsuccessful mental processes of internalization of the newly acquired perspectives are a major cause.

In order to explore both problems and solutions, we compare Open Systems Thinking - the foundational paradigm of IOR, with novel ‘Chaordic Systems Thinking’ (CST). We conclude that using CST as a lens will allow expansion of the theoretical scope of IOR. The hypothesis is presented that focusing more thoroughly on the so-called ‘interior’ aspects of the organization will speed up the problematic mental processes of internalization.

Citation

van Eijnatten, F.M. (2001), "Chaordic systems thinking for holonic organizational renewal", Research in Organizational Change and Development (Research in Organizational Change and Development, Vol. 13), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 213-251. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0897-3016(01)13008-9