Organization as a pyramiding, n-dimensional network of interconnected and overlapping closed loop information feedback systems

The theory of organization that this thesis proposes possesses a characteristic plasticity that should enable it to span the gap that has traditionally existed between the two broad types of current organizational theories. Generally, one type of theory proposes to describe how organizations should function and the other type proposes to describe how organizations actually do function. The first type of theory often seems to result in proposals derived from formal, mechanistic concepts that are necessary, but largely superficial and not profoundly significant in an operational sense. The second type of theory essentially seems to suggest that an “informal organization'' actually functions to achieve the organizational objectives and such an organization is a function of existing personalities and, as a result, no universally applicable principles appear to exist upon which design considerations can be based. Such conclusions are usually drawn from some form of case studies that inherently produce knowledge that proves incomplete and ephemeral as events move on and organizations evolve. Therefore, this theory seeks to reconcile and integrate the basic principles of these two types of theories by conceptualizing the basic principles of engineering design and statistical stability as they apply to organizational processes.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Industrial Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Industrial Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Year dc:date.issued

1963

Author dc:creator

• Vaughan, John Lawrence

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/74568

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/74568