Properties of Systems I

ACTIVITY 1  Mapping System Properties

Step 1

Work in groups of 3 for 25-30 minutes.

Map your organization on a big sheet of paper.

Step 2

Identify and draw the supra-system that is around your organization.

What is influencing your organization?

What has the most impact on your operating environment, e.g., it could be political, environmental, cultural, financial and/or other factors?

Step 3

Identify the boundary of your system. What is the purpose of your system?

Who might be marginalized inside or outside? Who are the people who are not at the center of the system, for example, janitors, independent contractors?

Step 4

Who are the learning sub systems that are bringing knowledge from the outer environment into your system?

How is the hierarchy playing out?

Step 5

How coherent are the subsystems in your organization?

Step 6

How much emergence is actually happening?

Step 7

Hang the posters on the wall. Group Discussion.