Definitions and Concepts
Holism or Reductionism
Q: What is the difference between holism & reductionism?
A: Reductionism views the understanding of the parts as critical to understanding the system. Unfortunately, the whole is not a sum of the parts-and its behavior cannot often be well demonstrated through the parts, alone. Holism studies the system's parts and their relationships, from an orientation of the whole. Of interest, are the mechanisms that help the system to survive. The whole is viewed as important-the only reason for the study. A holistic approach can help managers develop and implement integrated, optimal solutions using a systematic methodology.
Cybernetics
Q: What is cybernetics and why should business leaders be concerned with it?
A: Cybernetics concerns the study and control of communication in machine and animal. Most people associate cybernetics with automated information systems and computers. Most are surprised it also concerns the communication science in mammals, reptiles, insects, and even plants. Organisms must adapt to their environment to survive; this is autopoiesis. Miriam Webster defines autopoiesis as "the property of a living system (such as a bacterial cell or a multicellular organism) that allows it to maintain and renew itself by regulating its composition and conserving its boundaries". This development and organization of the systems of systems that form its capacities is an evolutionary response to complexity-there is a science to the organization and development.
Therefore, understanding organizational cybernetics is important for design and improvement, since it is the activities (and organization) below the surface-the capacity and ability to communicate--that dictates its behavior and survival. The laws to organization in response to complexity dictate how well a business adapts to change and how long it will survive. Understanding and incorporating models like Stafford Beer's Viable System Model and VMCL can enhance your agility and efficacy by distributing power throughout the organization, while still maintaining control facilitating step-ahead outcomes.
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OPM Theory
Q: What is operational management theory and how does it impact my business?
A: In general terms, operational management theory is a set of practices a company can adapt to increase efficiency in production. Traditionally this has involved improvements in the thinking of the production group and the processes directly involved in producing, with initiatives in business process redesign, six sigma, lean manufacturing, and reconfiguring manufacturing systems. In recent years, not only has automation and IoT been in the forefront of most improvements, but business leaders have also learned the production system is impacted by thinking and actions within and outside of production. Leaders are learning the selected approach of OPM will be amplified or derailed by people, mental models, and thinking at all levels in the organization, and even outside of the business.
Q: What impacts the effectiveness of OPM theory and practice?
A: It is critical for operations leaders to understand or include an expert who understands, the various theories of hard and soft systems methodologies. Hard systems thinking assumes clean relationships within problem solving and solutions--attend to the root cause and you solve the problem, until the next one pops up. Soft systems thinking views work environments as complex and not so easily defined, with permeable or changing system boundaries, and therefore not easily "righted". There is also a deep knowledge that people, and their thinking and learning, will influence the system behavior.
Weltanschauungen
Q: What is Weltanschauungen and why should it be contemplated?
A: Weltanschauungen is a German word, meaning "world-view". It is a comprehensive conception of the world from a specific viewpoint-it defines what exists and what is possible. For people responsible for managing, the existing mental model of the "world" restricts change to first-order learning. When a change in the mental model itself is made, and the "whys" or purpose dramatically shifted, second order learning occurs, and change can be introduced.
DSRP Theory
Q: What is DSRP Theory?
A: DSRP Theory states that thinking is not something you can do, but something you get from doing simple rules. Thinking is therefore an emergent property of mixing and matching four combinational rules (DSRP) and that each of the DSRP rules is made up of two elements: identify-other Distinctions (D); part-whole systems (S); action-reaction Relationships (R); and point-view Perspectives (P). The process of thinking organizes or structures information to form a mental model. The mental model is clearly distinguished as an approximation of reality and is tested against reality in order to take in more information, thus forming a feedback loop between mental model approximating reality, thereby garnering feedback in the form of information, in turn adapting one's mental model, and continuously iterating. (Cabrera Research Lab). This blog provides a practical example of applying DSRP theory (here).