Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Systems and Complexity Theories of Organizations

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance

  • 15 Accesses

Synonyms

Complexity theory; Organizational change; Organizational competitiveness; Organizational theory; Systems theory

Definition

Systems theory focuses on structures, relationships, and interdependence between elements, while complexity theory refers to the heterogeneity in the various subsystems of an organization and how parts at a sublevel in a complex system affects the emergent behavior and outcome of the system.

Introduction

Systems and complexity theories are theories of organizational change processes that seek to explain how organizations operate and sustain themselves with their environments. General systems theory (GST) originated from the fields of biology, economics, and engineering and explores principles and laws that can be generalized across various systems. GST was first introduced by Ludwig von Bertalanffy in 1940 but only gained prominence in the 1960s (Bui and Baruch 2010). GST is primarily concerned with how systems operate and integrates a broad range of...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 6,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 6,999.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Amagoh F (2008) Perspectives on organizational change: systems and complexity theories. Public Sect Innovat J 13(3):1–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Bausch K (2002) Roots and branches: a brief, picaresque, personal history of systems theory. Syst Res Behav Sci 19(5):417–428

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boulding K (1956) General systems theory – the skeleton of science. Manag Sci 2(1):197–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bui H, Baruch Y (2010) Creating learning organizations: a systems perspective. Learn Organ 17(3):208–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Byeon J (2005) A systems approach to entropy change in political systems. Syst Res Behav Sci 22:223–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ceric A (2015) Bringing together evaluation and management of ICT value: a systems theory approach. Elect J Info Syst 18(1):19–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Farazmand A (2003) Chaos and transformation theories: a theoretical analysis with implications for organization theory and public management. Public Org Rev 3(4):339–372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferlie E (2007) Complex organizations and contemporary public sector organizations. Int Public Manag J 10(2):153–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira S (2014) Sociological observations of the third sector through systems theory: an analytical proposal. Voluntas 25:1671–1693

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster J (2005) From simplistic to complex systems in economics. Camb J Econ 29:873–892

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guevara P, Posch A (2015) Dynamic complexity, entropy, and coordination in educational systems: a simulation of strategic and exogenous interventions. Syst Pract Action Res 28:179–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kast F, Rosenzweig J (1973) Contingency views of organization and management. Science Research, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz D, Kahn R (1978) The social psychology of organizations, 2nd edn. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz D, Kahn R (1966) The social psychology of organizations. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhn J, Courtney J, Morris B (2015) A theory of complex adaptive inquiring organizations: application to continuous assurance of corporate financial information. Knowl Manag Rev Suppl 30(3):265–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martinelli D (2001) Systems hierarchies and management. Syst Res Behav Sci 18(1):69–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martz W (2013) Evaluating organizational performance: rational, natural, and open system models. Am J Eval 34(3):385–401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie C, James K (2004) Aesthetic as an aid to understanding complex systems and decision judgement in operating complex systems. Emerg Compl Org Special Double Issue 6(1–2):32–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Meek WJ, De Ladurantey J, Newell WH (2007) Complex systems, governance and policy administration consequences. Emerg Compl Org Special Double Issue 9(1–2):24–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Moeller L, Valentinov V (2012) The commercialization of the nonprofit sector: a general systems theory perspective. Syst Pract Action Res 25:365–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paraskevas A (2006) Crisis management or crisis response system? A complexity science approach to organizational crisis. Manag Decis 44(7):892–907

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Price I (2004) Complexity, complicatedness and complexity: a new science behind organizational intervention? Emerg Compl Org Special Double Issue 6(1–2):40–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwandt D, Szabla D (2013) Structuration theories and complex adaptive social systems: inroads to describing human interaction dynamics. Emerg Compl Org 15(4):1–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherif K (2006) An adaptive strategy for managing knowledge in organizations. J Knowl Manag 10(4):72–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skyttner L (1996) General systems theory: an introduction. Macmillan Press, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart J, Ayres R (2001) Systems theory and policy practice: an exploration. Policy Sci 34(1):79–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Styhre A (2002) Non-linear change in organizations: organization change management informed by complexity theory. Leaders Org Develop J 23(6):343–351

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan T (2004) The viability of using various system theories to describe organizational change. J Educat Admin 42(1):43–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wallis S (2013) How to choose between policy proposals: a simple tool based on systems thinking and complexity theory. Emerg Compl Org 15(3):94–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Veetil V, Wagner R (2015) Treating macro theory as systems theory: how might it matter? In: Coyne C, Storr V (eds) New thinking in Austrian political economy. Advances in Austrian economics. Emerald Group Publishing, Bingley

    Google Scholar 

  • Visser M, Togt K (2016) Learning in public sector organizations: a theory of action approach. Public Org Rev 16:235–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoon S, Kuchinke KP (2005) Systems theory and technology. Lenses to analyze an organization. Perform Improv 44(4):15–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Administration, KIMEP University, Almaty, Kazakhstan

    Francis Amagoh

Authors
  1. Francis Amagoh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA

    Ali Farazmand

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Amagoh, F. (2022). Systems and Complexity Theories of Organizations. In: Farazmand, A. (eds) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66252-3_73

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation