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The Applied Systems Theory (AST)

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An Overview The Applied Systems Theory (AST) had the potential to embrace many issues in human behavior (Patton & McMahon, 2006). Karl Ludwid von Bertalanffy first used the term in 1950. Since its earliest history, the systems theories distinguished into four schools of thought: Norbert Weiner’s cybernetics (1948), Von Bertalanffy’s general systems theory (1950), Talcott Parsons’ structural functionalism (1951), and Henri Poincare’s chaos theory (Osestreicher, 2007). Although largely evolved from structural functionalism, AST development owed from Bertalanffy, Parsons, and Gordon Hearn (1969), a social work theorist who applied systems theory to the social work profession. Bertalanffy labored to formulate a theory of open systems and a dynamic …show more content…

From this arise the notion of nonsummativity (the entire system is always greater than the sum of its component parts). Thus, any achievement of the whole system cannot be attributed or explained solely through its specific parts. Dynamic orientation refers to the constant interaction and active nature of the system processes, making possible emergence and its nonsummativity nature. It involves two processes such a preserving process (seeks to accommodate divergent traits), and a changing process (seeks to create a new hierarchical structure in response to divergent traits). The notion of cybernetic hierarchy holds that a large system consists of smaller systems (sub-systems) arranged in a ladder determined by size and the levels of control. The higher systems govern and regulate the lower systems. It reflects holonism (each living system is both a whole system and a part of a larger …show more content…

This switch allows the organization to leave an old operational structure (e.g. conceptual framework, reference points, shared assumptions, communication structures, organizational hierarchy, and so on) momentarily for the new strategic structure, which brings in new and better processes that correct and takes over from the old operational processes. Once this happens through the guidance of the consultant as the change agent, the organization begins to transform into something better operationally using the strategic processes. Thus the new structures are being set to support the transformed organizational

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