Module 8: Open Systems Perspectives Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key organizational terms, theoretical perspectives, structural levels, and strategies from Module 8.

Closed-System Perspectives

Organizational theories that focus primarily on internal structure, work, employees, authority, rules, motivation, and production inside an organization.

Open-System Perspectives

Organizational theories examining the two-way relationship between an organization and its environment, focusing on how external forces affect structure, behavior, resources, legitimacy, and performance.

Relatively Rational Open-System Perspective

An open-systems perspective assuming mission-oriented goals are reasonably clear and shared, and that structure should be designed to achieve those goals.

Relatively Political Open-System Perspective

An open-systems perspective emphasizing contested goals, dependence on external actors, legitimacy, autonomy, survival, and growth.

Structural Contingency Theory

A perspective stating there is no single best structure, and that management systems must fit factors such as environmental stability, size, technology, and strategy.

Mechanistic Structure

An organizational design characterized by higher formalization, higher centralization, limited lower-level discretion, and reliance on formal authority, useful for routine and predictable work.

Organic Structure

An organizational design characterized by lower formalization, lower centralization, greater lower-level discretion, and high adaptability to environmental uncertainty.

Technical Level (Thompson)

The organizational level where productive work is performed, where leaders seek predictability and smooth production using closed-system thinking.

Managerial Level (Thompson)

The intermediate organizational level that manages input and output irregularities and buffers/protects the technical core.

Institutional Level (Thompson)

The top leadership level that performs boundary-spanning activities such as obtaining resources, building alliances, and adapting to external forces using open-system thinking.

Resource-Dependence Perspective

A political perspective formulated by Pfeffer and Salancik stating that organizations depend on external actors for critical resources, creating pressures that drive organizations to adapt structures and manage relationships.

Symbolic / Ceremonial Action

Organizational activities undertaken to demonstrate legitimacy or good-faith responsiveness to external stakeholders, even when direct instrumental effects are uncertain.

Loose Coupling

An organizational design where units operate semi-autonomously so one unit can respond to external demands without forcing the entire technical core to change.

External-Actor Identification

The strategy of cultivating relationships with actors who influence funding, regulation, or key resources to build support and secure resources.

Structure Follows Strategy

Chandler's principle illustrating that an organization adapts its internal structure to fit its overall strategy, such as decentralizing when diversifying product or service lines.