Transcript Overview of the Fifth Discipline - Winston

Overview of the Fifth
Discipline
Edwin D. Bell
Background
► Ludwig
von Bertalanffy
introduced the concept
of general systems
theory from his work in
biology.
Von Bertalanfy’s Definition
►
While in the past, science tried to explain observable
phenomena by reducing them to an interplay of
elementary units investigable independently of each
other, conceptions appear in contemporary science that
are concerned with what is somewhat vaguely termed
'wholeness', i.e. problems of organization, phenomena
not resolvable into local events, dynamic interactions
manifest in difference of behaviour of parts when
isolated or in a higher configuration, etc.; in short,
'systems' of various order not understandable by
investigation of their respective parts in isolation.
Conceptions and problems of this nature have appeared
in all branches of science, irrespective of whether
inanimate things, living organisms, or social phenomena
are the object of study. (von Bertalanffy, 1968, par. 8)
Definition
► DEFINITION
OF SYSTEM THEORY: System
theory is basically concerned with problems
of relationships, of structures, and of
interdependence, rather than with the
constant attributes of object (Katz and
Kahn, 1966).
Characteristics
► Haas
& Drabek (1973) described eight
characteristics of organizations as open
systems:
 Organizations are systems within systems
 The systems are open, they cannot survive in
isolation from their environment
 Open systems follow the principle of equifinality,
i.e., the same final state can be reached from
different starting positions in different ways
Characteristics (continued)
 Open systems have feedback and regulatory
mechanisms that allow adaptive responses to
environmental change
 Open systems should be viewed as patterned
sets of events
 Open systems have boundaries that
differentiate them from various environments,
the boundaries vary in permeability, i.e. what
and how can get through, and the situation at
hand
Characteristics (continued)
 System interaction, internally and externally,
reflects differing levels of control and autonomy
 The open systems perspective is not
reductionistic – you cannot explain what
happens in the organization by focusing on
individual parts
Critique
One of the criticisms of the open systems
perspective is that the concepts are difficult
to operationally define (Haas & Drabek,
1973)
► Peter M. Senge (2006) attempts to address
this criticism in his 2006 edition of The fifth
►
discipline
The Fifth Discipline
► Senge
(2006) used Katz & Kahn’s (1966)
definition and Hass & Drabek’ s (1973)
characteristics in his work on the art and
practice of the learning organization.
► He argues that there are five core
disciplines necessary for a learning
organization: personal mastery, mental
models, shared visions, team learning, and
systems thinking
EDU 6301
► In
EDU 6301 we will focus on three of the
five disciplines, personal mastery, mental
models, and systems thinking.
Personal Mastery
► “Personal
mastery” is the phrase we use for
the discipline of personal growth and
learning. People with high levels of personal
mastery are continually expanding their
ability to create the results in life that they
truly seek (Senge, 2006, p. 131)
Underlying Movements
► Continually
clarifying what is important to you.
► Continually learning how to see current reality
more clearly.
► Commitment to truth, “it means a relentless
willingness to root out the ways we limit or
deceive ourselves from seeing what is, and to
continually challenge our theories of why things
are the way they are” (Senge, 2006, p. 148).
Personal Mastery & Systems
Thinking
► “…
integrating reason and intuition;
continually seeing more of our
connectedness to the world; compassion;
and commitment to the whole” (Senge,
2006, p. 156).
Mental Models
► Our
mental models determine what we see
and what we do not see. They are the
symbols that we use to mentally process the
environment in which we function.
Mental Model Tools & Skills
► Pay
attention to the distinction between
espoused theories (what we say) and
theories-in-use (the implied theory in what
we do)
► Recognizing leaps of abstraction –
attribution
► Balancing inquiry and advocacy
► Pay attention to what we think, but do not
say (Senge, 2006)
Systems Thinking
► Understand
the patterns of behavior in your
organization.
► Figure out how to gain leverage/influence of
the patterns in your organization (force-field
analysis)
Rationale for EDU 6301
► Senge’s
(2006) perspective is why our
course deals with cultural
competence/personal mastery.
► Commitment to truth, “it means a relentless
willingness to root out the ways we limit or
deceive ourselves from seeing what is, and
to continually challenge our theories of why
things are the way they are” (Senge, 2006,
p. 148).
References
► Von
Bertalanffy, L. (1968). Passages from
General Systems Theory. Retrieved from
http://www.panarchy.org/vonbertalanffy/sys
tems.1968.html
► Haas, J. E. and Drabek, T. E. (1973).
Complex organizations: A sociological
perspective. New York, NY: MacMillan.
References (continued)
D. and Kahn, R. L. 1966. The social
psychology of organizations. New York, NY:
Wiley.
► Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline:
► Katz,
The art and practice of the learning
organization. New York, NY: Doubleday