A Systems Approach to Organizational Functioning in the Navy,
Abstract
Operational readiness of Navy ships is being impaired by engineering difficulties and ever increasing personnel problems. Failure to recognise the interrelated nature of these problems prevents long-term solutions and encourages post hoc reactions to specific concerns. A social systems perspective insists that decisions be made in a preventive or interventionist mode where decisions concerning one component of the system are weighted in terms of effects on other parts of the system. Moreover, the traditional approach of viewing problems such as poor retention, absenteism, desertion, and high accident rates as separate phenomena or investigating them independently by several distinct groups is considered futile and self-defeating. An example is provided which demonstrates that accident reduction may depend in some cases on equipment design but in others can be shown to be related to leadership characteristics. A simple change in management policy is suggested which may help reduce accidents and improve the effectiveness of Deck Divisions. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA100229
Entities
People
- Allan P. Jones
- James M. La Rocco
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center