Page 176 - DMGT520_ORGANIZATION_CHANGE_AND_DEVELOPMENT

Dilfraz Singh, Lovely Professional University
Unit 13: Mechanistic and Organic Systems

Unit 13: Mechanistic and Organic Systems Notes

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction

13.1 Mechanistic Systems
13.2 Organic Systems
13.3 Contingency or Situational Approach

13.3.1 Implications of Contingency Approach
13.3.2 Limitations of Contingency Approach
13.4 Failures of Organisation Development
13.5 Some Indian Experience in OD
13.6 Summary

13.7 Keywords
13.8 Review Questions
13.9 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
 Describe various types of systems and their importance in OD
 Explain how the contingency approach is an important addition to the paradigm of the
modern management theory
Introduction

An organisation is a system which works within a broader framework of an environment. The
organisation continuously interacts with its environment and is affected by environment and
also affects the environment. The researches and study has proved that there are two types of
systems of management suitable for two types of environment. These are:

1. Mechanistic systems-suitable for stable environment
2. Organic systems-Suitable for dynamic environment.
The development of two systems in various organisations is the conclusive proof of the effect of
environment on the management and organisation structure, with environment acting as a
major determinant.

13.1 Mechanistic Systems

According to Burns and Stalker, a mechanistic system has the following characteristics:

1. The specialised differentiation of functional tasks into which the problems and the tasks
facing the concern as a whole are broken down.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 171