# Systemic Structure Manifestation of [[Systemic Processes]]. # Doc ## **Is It Structure or Process?** **Understanding what systemic processes and structures are and how they are related is a key to understanding organizatonal performance.** The universe is composed of ecological systems. By ecological I mean that every system is folded into ever larger systems, until ultimately all things in the universe are connected. This is why systems thinking has become popular in many fields of study. Over the last decade or so it has been recognized as more important in the search for understanding of organizational performance. The presumption is that if we better understand the generalized principles and theories that apply to the performance of all systems we will better understand the performance of the human systems we call organization. I believe that this logic is sound. Understanding the terms used to describe systems and their relationships will facilitate discussions about what influences the performance of an organization. I will, therefore, provide brief definitions for some of the terms applied to systems. Then I will describe more specifically the distinction between systemic structure and systemic processes and how they are related. The following are brief definitions of a system and the terms that describe a system – process and structure: A system is a perceived whole whose elements continually affect each other over time and influence events to serve a common purpose. Systems are described in terms of processes and structure. A process is a series of actions, changes, or functions of a system bringing about a result. Structure is the way in which parts of a system are arranged or put together to form a whole. It defines the pattern of interrelationships among components or elements of the system. Understanding the distinction and relationship of processes and structure will improve our understanding of systems and what influences their performance. The distinction can be surmised, to a large degree, from the definitions given about. When describing the active characteristics of systems we speak in terms of processes. When we describe the fixed characteristics of systems at a specific time we speak in terms of structure. The relationship of these characteristics is a little bit more difficult to understand. It might seem that improving performance is simply a matter of improving processes. This is true to a degree. But, processes are influenced by structure. It is this factor that many performance theoreticians have over looked. I will explain that relationship between structure and process. At first this relationship might seem a little paradoxical. I will use examples and schematics to clarify the dynamics of this relationship. First, systemic structure is the manifestation of a system's underlying processes. Manifestation means that the systems interrelationships are made plain to sight or understanding. Second, systemic structure acts as an influence or limitation on the processes of the system. These two statements appear to contradict each other. How, if structure is the manifestation of process, can it also influence or limit processes? The answer in a word is time. Let me use a man running, which is also a system, as an example. Setting a record in the 200-meter sprint should simply be a matter of better process. Implement the process of running faster than anyone else over that distance and viola there is your new record. But, we all know that it is not that simple. One factor that determines speed is leg strength (i.e. structure). Leg strength is, in part, a manifestation of the process of strength training. The type of strength training that this person can do is influenced by their physiology (structure again.) Physiology is a manifestation of the process of growth, and growth is influenced by genetic structure. So we witness a sequence of process and structure that flows through time (see figure 1) and ultimately influences the results of the system. If we follow only the processes backward from the results, we have a 200-meter record that is the result of fast running, which follows strength training, which follows physical growth and development. This point is a little abstract so I think that another example might help. This time I will use an example that is a little closer to the interest of the readers of this column. In this case a manufacturing operation (Refer to figure 2.) is attempting to achieve production performance of 100 high quality widgets per day. (By the way does any reader know what a widget is?) Logically this performance goal can be reached easily with more effective manufacturing processes. The effectiveness of the manufacturing, however, is influenced in part by the skill of the manufacturing workers. Skill level is part of the systemic structure. Presumably skills can be improved by training. But, the effectiveness of the training will be influenced by the design or model of the training course. The course design will be the manifestation of the process of the writing or designing of that course. But (again), the designing and writing process will be influenced by the course designer’s mental model of humans and his or her theories about how humans learn. This concept is simple, yet it is not necessarily easy to understand. One thing that can make it somewhat difficult to understand is the complexity that is hidden behind these simple models. In the last example there are a lot more elements of structure than workers skills that influence the effectiveness of manufacturing processes. But, the connection in the case of each element is simple and direct. Now, the question that is important to the readers of this column is, “What is the meaning of this to me?” There are really two lessons to be learned: 1)   To find the greatest influence on the results being achieved by an organizations study the structure of that organization. 2)   To affect changes in that structure find the processes from which it is manifest. NOTE: You may need to work backwards to find the most basic structure that needs to change. It might help you to work up some examples from your own experience. I think that you can come up with a number of situations in which working backward in time will reveal where action needs to be taken to have a positive impact the organization’s performance. In the next article I will discuss some of the most fundamental elements of organizational structure. These are elements that, because of the influences discussed above, can have huge impact of performance. 1069 # Image ![[Systemic Structure.bmp]] --- # References [[Determinant of Performance - Structure]] [[mental models]] [[Systemic Performance]]