Sociotechnical Systems and Management Styles Essay -- Technology Work

Sociotechnical Systems and Management Styles In today’s advanced technological workplace, companies are looking into several new management styles and concepts. Among them is a theory called sociotechnical systems (STS). This is a theory that has been around for about 50 years and is still being attempted for use today. Many managers along with one member of the STS founding team, Fred Emery, argue that STS is obsolete; other managers have implemented STS with great success. With this new style of management practice, several changes will have to take place. These changes along with several examples of both positive and negative effects will be examined throughout this essay. To introduce the STS theory and let the reader get an understanding of just what is involved in STS, it is imperative to list several changes that must take place for an effective STS strategy to work. A few changes in the old management style in comparison with STS are listed below: 1 Old -Technology first -People as extensions of machines -Maximum task breakdown, simple, narrow skills -External controls: procedures, supervisors, specialist staffs -More organization levels, autocratic style: unilateral goal setting, assignment of workers -Frequent alienation: â€Å"It’s only a job† -Less individual development opportunity and employment security STS -Joint optimization of systems -People as complements to machines -Optimal task grouping, multiple, broad skills -Internal controls: self-regulating subsystems -Fewer levels, participative style: Bilateral goal setting -Commitment: â€Å"It’s my job, group, and organization† -More individual development opportunity and employment security As seen above, many changes are nece... ...John Hoerr and Michael Pollock. â€Å"Management Discovers the Human Side of Automation.† Taken from Business Week. (1986), p. 1 http://organizationdesign.com/pages/articles2/auto.html 10 John Hoerr and Michael Pollock. â€Å"Management Discovers the Human Side of Automation.† Taken from Business Week. (1986), p. 2 http://organizationdesign.com/pages/articles2/auto.html 11 John Hoerr and Michael Pollock. â€Å"Management Discovers the Human Side of Automation.† Taken from Business Week. (1986), p. 1 http://organizationdesign.com/pages/articles2/auto.html 12 Pasmore, William. Designing Effective Organizations: The Sociotechnical Systems Perspective. New York: 1998. 13 Jacobs, D.A. and Keating C.B. â€Å"Process Analysis and Personnel Development Program. Jefferson Lab, Newport News, VA, April 1998. 14 Zell, Deone. Changing by Design. Cornell University Press, 2000.