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