| Modern organizations define themselves using | | | | beliefs and commitments. Not all cited here; |
| statements of vision. They state their vision | | | | however, these selected ones reinforce |
| in terms of human resources and technology, a | | | | concepts of socio-technical systems.- Results |
| socio-technical view. Modern organizations | | | | Oriented - The Logistics Center constantly |
| also define themselves in terms of values. | | | | drives for results and success. We drive |
| New employees entering the organization learn | | | | issues to closure, persist despite obstacles |
| the value system from employees with | | | | and opposition, and maintain a high energy |
| longevity in it. How organizations | | | | level. Our employees readily put in the |
| incorporate socio-technical systems as a | | | | needed time and effort to achieve |
| reinforcement tool of their value system is | | | | results.- Innovation - The future of the |
| the focus of this paper.ValuesIn business, | | | | Logistics Center is assured only as long as |
| small and large, values determine course the | | | | it welcomes and rewards innovation, |
| business sets for itself. Yukl (2006) defines | | | | creativity, and resourcefulness. We recognize |
| values as key statements of an organization. | | | | "trial and error" as being elements of |
| The value statement is ideological, what the | | | | innovation and continuous improvement. |
| organization considers important. Many values | | | | Innovation has been the cause of success for |
| find their way into organizations including | | | | the Logistics Center.- Quality - We provide |
| customer service, innovation, satisfaction of | | | | the best quality in all of our products and |
| internal and external constituents, and | | | | services. Our goal is to exceed industry |
| excellence. Yulk's view of values suggests | | | | benchmarks.- People - People are our most |
| something deeper. Organizational values and | | | | important resource. We respect the |
| value creation are the soul of competitive | | | | individual's dignity and value their |
| edge, competitive advantage.Hill and Jones | | | | contributions. We invest in training and |
| (1998) write of management values as | | | | education to give our employees the tools to |
| statements of how managers will conduct | | | | make the Logistics Center a world-class |
| themselves and how they will do business. | | | | organization.- Teamwork and Collaboration - |
| Managers in high performing businesses | | | | The Logistics Center provides a positive and |
| conduct themselves with stakeholders in mind. | | | | challenging environment that supports the |
| Winston (2002) suggests that high performing | | | | achievement of mission goals and fosters team |
| leaders accept the values of the organization | | | | spirit. We are partners with our customers, |
| as being of higher consequence and | | | | stakeholders, suppliers, and are committed to |
| importance.SystemsValues of an organization | | | | union/management partnerships.- Integrity and |
| (customer service, innovation, satisfaction) | | | | Openness - The Logistics Center values trust, |
| imply an organization is a system. Senge | | | | sincerity, honesty, and candor in |
| (1990) tells us that organizations are | | | | relationships both personally and |
| organic systems of interconnected and | | | | organizationally. We encourage our employees |
| interrelated sub-groups. This suggests more | | | | to express ideas, opinions, and thoughts in |
| than brick and mortar structures, it suggests | | | | an honest and genuine manner.- Corporate |
| organizations of people, technology, and | | | | Citizenship - The Logistics Center values a |
| social interaction. Technology, according to | | | | positive corporate image and is sensitive to |
| Davis (1996), is a "conceptual bridge" | | | | our corporate responsibilities to the |
| between science and economics. This link | | | | community. We actively participate and |
| gives form to how organizations manage. | | | | support community involvement. |
| Conversely, Wren (2005) presents the view of | | | | |
| technological change being disturbing to the | | | | In post-industrial organizations, STS helps |
| social system of an organization. | | | | leaders create constructs that are enabling, |
| Socio-technical systems offer leverage to | | | | empowering, in turn, enabling and empowering |
| dispel the disturbing nature of | | | | accelerates communication, and learning and |
| change.Socio-Technical SystemsLee (2000) | | | | knowledge. Within the context of knowledge |
| explains social of the socio-technical | | | | building and knowledge, sharing, STS, through |
| systems as the habitual attitudes of people. | | | | collaboration, allows work groups' |
| He includes the relationships between people | | | | flexibility to develop original work patterns |
| with their values and behavioral styles. He | | | | and competitive advantage.Leaders Role in |
| also describes it as the formal power | | | | STSDavis (1996) urges successful leaders to |
| structure identified using traditional | | | | lead as if the future is now. Accomplishing |
| organizational charts. However, he continues | | | | this means seeing the final product rather |
| with the aspect of an informal power | | | | than the processes of the product. STS |
| structure based on influence and knowledge. | | | | employs the right people and the right |
| The technical system makes up second part of | | | | technology at the right time within a |
| the dyad. This system, according to Lee | | | | structure that supports organizational |
| (2000), is "machinery, processes, procedures | | | | values. |
| and a physical arrangement."A socio-technical | | | | |
| system, abbreviated STS for the remainder of | | | | In an environment of rapid change, having a |
| this paper, is people and technology blended. | | | | competitive advantage allows organizational |
| Yet, this is a much too simple definition. | | | | foresight. However, foresight requires |
| Some elements of STS are closely | | | | maintaining core values. Socio-technical |
| interrelated; therefore, it is not easy to | | | | systems support organizational values by |
| distinguished items within a STS as purely | | | | maintaining organizational memory and shared |
| technical or purely social. Aldridge (2004) | | | | experiences. Memory and shared experiences |
| explains STS as approaching organizational | | | | provide views of where the organization was |
| work groups as social systems and macro | | | | while keeping everyone tracking toward future |
| social systems. A third level of work | | | | vision. An organization with strong STS |
| observed is primary work systems. The primary | | | | standards uses their technology to preserve |
| work system according to Aldridge is one or | | | | history, create performance benchmarks, and |
| more work units involved in face-to-face | | | | develop knowledge and learning environments. |
| work. Work units collaborate jointly and have | | | | Strong quality systems demonstrate teams' |
| support of management, relevant technology, | | | | abilities to eliminate obsolete practices |
| resources, and workplace specialists. | | | | while staying within the framework of |
| Aldridge includes the writings of Trist | | | | original values.ConclusionStated earlier, |
| (1981) when defining macro social systems, | | | | organizations are systems of interrelated |
| "...macro social systems include systems in | | | | parts with differing skills and skill levels. |
| communities and entire business sectors as | | | | STS, working within an organizations value |
| well as societal institutions" (Trist, 1981, | | | | system promotes wisely those with skills, |
| pg. 11). The STS design in work groups is | | | | knowledge, and ability. Additionally, STS, |
| increasing productivity of the group and | | | | working with the value system, provides |
| increasing job satisfaction through | | | | workers with the tools needed to grow in the |
| optimization of social factors and | | | | skills, knowledge, and abilities so they, |
| integration with technical factors.Elements | | | | too, can be promoted. Members of |
| of STSAccording to an anonymous article on | | | | self-directed teams seek new or improved |
| STS, the author explains some of the | | | | skills from within the STS and through their |
| components integrated into a functional | | | | interconnection with team members. |
| socio-technical system. Explained separately, | | | | |
| each component has its own character; | | | | Self-directed teams improved productivity |
| however, it is clear how closely linked each | | | | and commitment to the team and organization |
| is and overlaps the others.- Hardware is | | | | in English coalmines in 1949 and |
| computers and computing peripherals, the | | | | self-directed teams continue being productive |
| classic technology of modern business. | | | | and committed. Therefore, an organization |
| Organizations today do not exist without some | | | | employing socio-technical systems can grow |
| kind of computing network, connecting wires, | | | | into the future, yet hold fast to its |
| routers, and individual | | | | historical past and the values making the |
| workstations.- Software includes operating | | | | group viable.References |
| systems (Windows, UNIX, Apple, etc). As | | | | |
| technology advances, it is increasingly | | | | Aldridge, J. W. (2004). aboutChange |
| difficult to separate hardware and software. | | | | Solutions. Encyclopedia of Distributed |
| Software varies based on organizational | | | | Learning (ISBN 0-7619-2451-5). Thousand Oaks, |
| needs; yet software allows companies to | | | | CA: Sage Publications. |
| create data for storage on hardware devices. | | | | |
| The software often runs from the same | | | | Anonymous, (no date). Why a Social-Technical |
| hardware devices used for storage. Software | | | | System? Retrieved online January 12, 2006 |
| facilitates social interaction by allowing | | | | from |
| distantly remote people an opportunity to | | | | |
| message each other in almost | | | | Anonymous, (1996 - May-June). Maintaining |
| real-time.- Physical surroundings (physical | | | | Organizational Memories. TQM/CCI News. |
| setting) help establish the social and | | | | Retrieved January 22, 2006 from |
| technical rules of engagement. Building with | | | | |
| an open floor plan and open desk arrangement | | | | Davis, S. (1996). Future Perfect. Reading, |
| allows open social interaction among workers. | | | | MA: Addison-Wesley. |
| Buildings with offices separating workers | | | | |
| reduce interaction. Managers with an inner | | | | Hill, C. W. L. & Jones, G. R. (1998). |
| sanctum guarded by a secretary's office | | | | Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach. |
| establish a hierarchy of power.- People, by | | | | Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. |
| name and by title, make up an integral part | | | | |
| of any organization culture, social | | | | Lee, Q., (2000). Quality in the Balance: |
| environment. Within an organization people | | | | Six-Sigma - A Socio-Technical System. |
| have roles they play, positions they work in, | | | | Retrieved online January 12, 2006 from |
| and ancillary roles they exercise. Within | | | | |
| their roles, they use their surrounds with | | | | Senge, P. M. (1990). The Fifth Discipline: |
| hardware and software to support their | | | | The art & practice of the learning |
| roles.- Procedures define operational | | | | organization. New York, NY: Currency and |
| procedures in an organization. Procedures are | | | | Doubleday. |
| statements of rules and norms formally | | | | |
| written. Outside the formal written | | | | Trist, E. L. (1981). The evolution of |
| procedural statements are unofficial ties to | | | | socio-technical systems: A conceptual |
| data flow and reporting relationships. | | | | framework and an action research program. |
| Procedures attempt to define culture in a STS | | | | Ontario Quality of Working Life Center, |
| but the informal norms and behaviors are | | | | Occasional Paper no. 2. |
| equally important to understand when | | | | |
| developing a STS model.- Laws and regulations | | | | U. S. Federal Aviation Administration - |
| are similar to procedures but impose stronger | | | | Logistics Center. Organizational Values. |
| public sanctions when violated.- Data and | | | | Retrieved online January 22, 2006 from |
| data structures in STS involve collection and | | | | |
| storage of an organization's information. | | | | Winston, B. (2002). Be a Leader for God's |
| Additionally, this element explains data use, | | | | Sake. Virginia Beach, VA: Regent University, |
| retrieval, or presentation for use.An | | | | School of Leadership Studies. |
| organization's socio-technical system | | | | |
| supports the business as a great place to | | | | Wren, D. A. (2005). The History of |
| work. More than that, STS is a key factor to | | | | Management Thought (5th Ed.) Hoboken, NJ: |
| supporting leadership initiatives, vision, | | | | John Wiley and Sons, Inc. |
| and values. Observed in 1949 in Great | | | | |
| Britain, researchers developed | | | | Wren, J. T. (1995). The Leader's Companion: |
| socio-technical systems in South Yorkshire | | | | Insights on Leadership Through the Ages. New |
| coalmines. They saw the technical | | | | York, NY: The Free Press. |
| improvements in mining coal combined with | | | | |
| highly motivated work groups who | | | | Yukl, G. (2006). Leadership in Organizations |
| self-regulated and collaborated closely | | | | (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson |
| became more productive than traditional work | | | | Education.Paul Hoffman is a student at Regent |
| groups with the same technological | | | | University studying toward a Doctor of |
| improvements. Another observation was the | | | | Strategic Leadership, holds a MA, Leadership |
| self-regulated and collaborative teams were | | | | and BS, Organizational Communication. He is |
| more cooperative among themselves, performing | | | | an adjunct at Bellevue University and |
| multiple tasks rather than one man one job, | | | | Metropolitan Community College teaching |
| and committed to Ortgeist (spirit of the | | | | Leadership, Business Communication, and |
| place) (Aldridge, 2004).STS Applied | | | | Speech. Paul is a military veteran of almost |
| OrganizationallyA recent Internet search | | | | 22 years, has ten years retail management |
| found the U.S. Federal Aviation | | | | experience, and six years academic and |
| Administration Logistic Center's statement of | | | | teaching experience. |