| Summary: | Thesis (MPhil (Informations Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT:
Karl E. Weick’s Theory of Organizational Sensemaking and Elliot Jaques’ Stratified
Systems Theory are not often deemed to be complimentary. The generally accepted
view is that these two positions represent two poles on a spectrum of organization
theory. The thesis attempts to bring these two theories in conversation with one
another and argues that organizational sensemaking is enriched in a requisitely
structured organization.
The essence of stratified systems theory is that all humans have an inherent cognitive
potential level of coping with complexity. As people mature they gain the potential to
handle the next level complexity jobs. Similarly, jobs have a certain span within
which they can or should be successfully mastered. In organizations one can then
identify different strata, according to job complexity. A requisitely structured
organization uses strata to create a managerial hierarchy. Jaques argues that a
hierarchy is not repressive if applied requisitely as people will naturally be drawn to
jobs in the strata where they are most effective.
Sensemaking on the other hand, is the cognitive ability to impose frames on ongoing
flows and so make the world sensible. Normally it is an automatic process, but in
organizations the sense made is often fragile and under threat. Sensemaking and
management are two mutually interacting activities that influence each other
constantly.
The type of frame imposed on an object, the interpretation given to events, the
plausibility of explanations forwarded and the contextualization of circumstances is
dependent on one’s applied cognitive capabilities. It is argued that if there are no
discontinuites in cognitive capabilities and if the organization is requisitely structured
then sensemaking is enhanced. This argument serves as the bridge between
Sensemaking Theory and Stratified Systems Theory. Other links are in pertinent
properties that are common to both theories, for example, requisite variety, trust,
meetings and leadership, which are fundamental requirements in both theories. While
the theories are complementary, there remain some gray areas and some others of
contention and these are considered towards the end. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:
Karl Weick se Teorie oor Organisatoriese Singewing en Elliot Jaques se Stratifiseerde
Sisteemteorie word nie gewoonlik as komplimentêr gesien nie. Die algemeen
aanvaarde siening is dat die twee teorieë eintlik pole aan weerskante van ‘n teoretiese
spektrum is. Die tesis probeer om die twee teorieë met mekaar in gesprek te bring en
argumenteer dat organisatoriese singewing in ‘n genoegsaam gestruktureerde
organisasie verryk word.
Die kern van Stratifiseerde Sisteemteorie is dat alle mense ‘n inherente kognitiewe
potensiaal vir kompleksiteitshantering het. Soos mense natuurlik verouder kan hulle
potensiaal vergroot word en kan hulle ‘n volgende vlak van kompleksiteit hanteer. In
organisasies beteken dit dat verskillende rolle in organisasies verskillende
tydsperiodes vereis waarbinne dit suksesvol bemeester kan of behoort te word. In
organisasies kan verskillende vlakke op hierdie manier geïdentifiseer word. Volgens
Jaques gebruik ‘n genoegsaam gestruktureerde organisasie hierdie vlakke om ‘n
hierargiese bestuurstruktuur daar te stel waarmee mense aangewend word op die
vlakke waar hulle die effektiefste sal wees.
Singewing daarteenoor, is die kognitiewe vermoë om raamwerke op deurlopende
vloeie af te dwing. Normaalweg is dit ‘n outomatiese proses, maar in organisasies
word singewing dikwels bedreig. Singewing en bestuur is twee aktiwiteite wat mekaar
deurlopend beïnvloed.
Die soort raam wat op die vloei afgedwing word, die interpretasie van gebeure, die
geloofwaardigheid van verduidelikings en die kontekstualisering van omstandighede
hang saam met mens se kognitiewe vermoëns. Daar word geargumenteer dat die
afwesigheid van diskontinuïteite in kognitiewe vermoëns is en ‘n genoegsaam
gestruktureerde organisasie singewing sal bevorder. Op hierdie manier word ‘n brug
geslaan tussen Singewingsteorie en Stratifiseerde Sisteemteorie. In die proses word
eienskappe wat sentraal staan vir beide teorieë, soos vereiste varieteit, belang van
vergaderings, vertroue en leierskap, uitgelig as gedeelde eienskappe tussen die twee
toerieë. Laastens word die grys areas en besware bekyk en waar die grense van
komplimentariteit tussen die twee teorieë lê.
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