Intervention in organizations
Assignment 3
Text assignment
3.1 Functional requirements and design parameters
A. In the chapter of the book, De Sitter distinguishes two kinds of requirements. External and
internal requirements. External requirements need to be met because it secures the validity of
the organization. It is requirements or demands from the society in which an organization
, operates. It those are not met, it can jeopardize the whole organization. In order to fulfill those
external requirements, the organization makes use of internal requirements. So, the external
requirements should be somehow translated into internal requirements. These internal
requirements should be met in order to meet the external requirements.
B. The structure of an organization is the division of labor. Mintzberg also states: the way in
which the main tasks of an organization are broken into subtasks and then coordinated.
The role of this structure is realizing the internal requirements, in order to meet the external
requirements, so the organization is able to survive. In order to do so, the internal
requirements should have a certain value, and that is where the structure of an organization
should do its ‘job’. The structure determines how these internal requirements are met, in order
to meet the external requirements. Furthermore, the structure also needs to be able to deal
with disturbances and therefore should possess regulatory potential.
C. The parameters, developed by De Sitter, can be helpful to analyze the organization
structure. So, these design parameters enable the designer to analyze and evaluate an
organization structure, its possible effect on important variables, and how it might be possible
to solve the existing problems in the structure. In other words, the parameters give us an
indication of an organization’s capability to deal with disturbances and regulatory potential.
To realize this, the organization structure should be characterized by low parameters values.
De Sitter distinguished 7 parameters.
Parameter 1: the level of functional concentration.
Parameter 2: the level of differentiation of operational transformations.
Parameter 3: level of specialization of operational transformations.
Parameter 4: the level of separation between operational and regulatory transformations.
Parameter 5: the level of differentiation of regulatory transformations into aspects.
Parameter 6: the level of differentiation of regulatory transformations into parts.
Parameter 7: the level of specialization of regulatory transformations.
3.2 Focus of change
1/2. Galbraith
Galbraith states organization systems and structures are crucial to the success of change.
Such a change requires the use of many levers. In some cases, the formal structure and
systems can function as a central lever.
Assignment 3
Text assignment
3.1 Functional requirements and design parameters
A. In the chapter of the book, De Sitter distinguishes two kinds of requirements. External and
internal requirements. External requirements need to be met because it secures the validity of
the organization. It is requirements or demands from the society in which an organization
, operates. It those are not met, it can jeopardize the whole organization. In order to fulfill those
external requirements, the organization makes use of internal requirements. So, the external
requirements should be somehow translated into internal requirements. These internal
requirements should be met in order to meet the external requirements.
B. The structure of an organization is the division of labor. Mintzberg also states: the way in
which the main tasks of an organization are broken into subtasks and then coordinated.
The role of this structure is realizing the internal requirements, in order to meet the external
requirements, so the organization is able to survive. In order to do so, the internal
requirements should have a certain value, and that is where the structure of an organization
should do its ‘job’. The structure determines how these internal requirements are met, in order
to meet the external requirements. Furthermore, the structure also needs to be able to deal
with disturbances and therefore should possess regulatory potential.
C. The parameters, developed by De Sitter, can be helpful to analyze the organization
structure. So, these design parameters enable the designer to analyze and evaluate an
organization structure, its possible effect on important variables, and how it might be possible
to solve the existing problems in the structure. In other words, the parameters give us an
indication of an organization’s capability to deal with disturbances and regulatory potential.
To realize this, the organization structure should be characterized by low parameters values.
De Sitter distinguished 7 parameters.
Parameter 1: the level of functional concentration.
Parameter 2: the level of differentiation of operational transformations.
Parameter 3: level of specialization of operational transformations.
Parameter 4: the level of separation between operational and regulatory transformations.
Parameter 5: the level of differentiation of regulatory transformations into aspects.
Parameter 6: the level of differentiation of regulatory transformations into parts.
Parameter 7: the level of specialization of regulatory transformations.
3.2 Focus of change
1/2. Galbraith
Galbraith states organization systems and structures are crucial to the success of change.
Such a change requires the use of many levers. In some cases, the formal structure and
systems can function as a central lever.
