Amelsvoort, P. (2000). Introduction. En The design of work and organisation:the modern sociotechnical systems aproach, an overview of the Dutch Sociotechnical Systems Theory ( pp . 9 - 14 ). Vlijmen : ST-GROEP. (C36005)

CBAPTER 1

lntroduction

In the colourful landscape of theories on management and

organisation, the STS approach occupies a special position.

Not only can this approach look back on a long tradition of

theoretical development and practical experience; it also aims

to bring about an improvement in the organisation, together

with increased involvement by employees, and imptoved la­

bour relations. By simultaneously improving these result ar­

eas, the sociotechnical approach differs from modem man­

age~ent approaches, such as Lean Prodtiction, Shop Floor

Management, BPR (Business Process Redesign), TQM (Total

Quality Management), etc., which focus on the quality of the

organisation, and in particular productivity, and neglect the

quality of working life

The origin of the STS theory dates back to shortly after the

Second World War. A number of researchers discovered that

technical-economic aspects could not be entirely taken out of

the social context of organisations. Equally, the social as­

pects can never be viewed withou t the technical-economic

factors. At the time, this idea was revolutionary; after all, de­

signing production systems was the task of technical engi­

neers, whilst solving social problems in the organisation was

the field of work of psychologists, sociologists, etc.

The results of these studies were then disseminated and con­

frrmed all over the world. Elements of the STS theory, for ex­

ample the autonomous team concept, the decentralisation of

responsibilities and authorities, the streamlining of processes

into whole group tasks, etc. recur today in numerous modem

approaches such as TQM, Empowerment, Learning Organisa­

tion, etc. In the various continents, sociotechnical theory has devel-

9

THE MODERN SOCIOTECHNICAL SYSTEMS APPROACH

oped in different ways (for an intercontinental comparison, see Van Eijnatten, 1993). In Scandinavia, for example, the main focus is

In the various continents, sociotechnical theory has devel­oped in different ways (for an intercontinental comparison, see Van Eijnatten, 1993). In Scandinavia, for example, the main focus is placed on a democratic dialogue between em­ployers and employees, in order to come up with common points of departure for organisation renewal. In Australia and America, the main focus is on participation in the design process. In the Dutch variant a sociotechnical framework for the analysis and design of organisations has been further de­veloped (De Sitter, 1981; Groep Sociotechniek, 1986; Kuipers & Van Amelsvoort, 1990; De Sitter, 1994).

Over the last fúty years, therefore, STS theory has developed from an approach for job design (micro leve!) into a school of thought in management science, with sound theoretical foun­dations, and broad practica! applications, which offers a rramework for analysing (explaining), designing and changing (points of application) organisations {macro level), in an inte­grated manner. To emphasise the development of the school of thought conceming the STS approach, the current situa­tion is described by the term modem sociotechical systems (MST) (see chapter 2). The MST theory can be defmed as:

The study of the functioning of organisations, in relation to

their environmental context, which is detennined by the mu­tual interrelations between organisation design, in tenns of structure and systems (technical instrumentation) and social variables (attributes of people and their mutual relationships).

According to this defmition of modero STS thinking, the fol­lowing characteristics are relevant.

l. The design of organisation is seen as a strategic issue. Clarifying, designing and changing organisations takes place in relation to the environmental conditions and stra­tegic choices. The strategic choices impose demands on

10

fNTRoDUCI'ION

the organisation as well as directing the desired organisa­tion (see chapter 3);

2. In relation to strategic positioning, the organisation design is a determining factor for achieving results in the fields of quality of the organisation, quality of working life aTul qual­ity of working relations. This result areas are defmed as follows: Quality of the organisation: the ability to cope with strict extemal demands, the customer's demand for variation (product mix), and uncertainty about both short­term and long-term planning.

environment

+

Figure 1.1 The regu.lation cycle

Quality of working life: the involvement of people as a result of creating meaningful work with the possibilities to regulate their own work processes and to increase the level of partici­pation. Regulation of the work process is seen as the cycle of: a. setting the standards, objectives and norms; b. observing the present situation of the process, input

and output;

11

THE MODERN SOCIOTECHNICAL SYSI'EMS APPROACH

c. comparing the present situation with the desired situati on (standards, norms and objectives);

d. intervening in the process and environment to get the process on track.

Regulation capacity is the possibility to execute these 4 activities.

Quality of working relations: the way employees work to­gether in terms of mutual respect, openness, and fairness, and also the way in which partnership is built between the management on the one hand and the works' council and unions on the other.

1

-+ quality of the organisation

~r -,r

strategic ... organisation ... quality of choices

... design

... working life

J~ .H.

4 qualityof working relations

1

Figure 1.2 The result areas for sociotechnical systems desígn

3. A term central to organisation design is complexity. The (invisible) mechanism of complex organisations on the re­sult areas is discussed in chapter 4;

The increasing complexity of organisations, as a result of the combi­nation of increasing externa! uncertainty and variation with the in­temal division of labor, has e:ffects on the quality of the organisation, the quality of working life, and the quality of working relations. With-

12

!NTRODUCI'ION

out aiming to provide extensive explanation, some of the major impli­cations of complex organisations under externa! pressure, in each of these areas are listed below.

Quality of the organisation • long and unpredictable throughput times; • slow response time; • slow and blind decision-making; • expensive co-ordination and control mechanisms; • preoccupation with decision-making rules, procedures and poli­

des, which are based on exceptions and ta.ke away the necessary regulation capacity;

• blindness for new opportunities and capacities: protection against change;

• ineffective renewal and improvement actions from staff and sup­port experts.

Quality of worldng Ufe • apathetic workforce; • high job demands and no regulation capacity: stress; • no involvement, alienation; • no stimuli for growth and learning.

Quality of working relations • risk and responsibility avoiding mechanism, focused on short-

term improvement; • pointing fingers, narrow-mindedness; • stabilizing mechanism, little urge for renewal; • no learning possibilities; • managers behaving like pollee o:fficers, focused on command and

control; • industrial relations based on mistrust, loss of energy in conflicts

and concentration on conditions of employment.

4. The organisation is seen asan integrated, coherent whole of both social and techni.cal variables (chapter 5). The so­cial and technical variables are interconnected in such a way that both must be set into motion, simultaneously. In STS theory, the organisation design is seen asan impor-

13

THE MODERN SOCIOTECHNICAL SYSTEMS APPROACH

tant point of action. The process of designing is important in order to achieve sufficiently rapid changes in the social variables.

Chapter 6 then deal with the suggested solutions and princi­pies for modem organisation design. Chapter 7 elaborates important considerations, which serve as a basis for the ap­proach to the process of change.

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