Organizational Structuralism: A Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Hypothesis for the Interpretation of Organizational Phenomena

Description

In an era in which leadership and change management models, tools and development schemes based on soft skills constitute mainstream thought, it has become ever more necessary to develop a scientific and rigorous approach to the life of an organization that can overcome the challenges of different cultural approaches and socio-environmental limitations. In this ground-breaking new book, the author puts forward a universal model for designing an organization. The model is based upon first principles, theoretical properties as well as empirical approaches to organizational development so as to form a new model under the name of “Organizational Structuralism”. By deploying this new model, the author argues that organizations will be able to design a new organization from its foundations, improve and change fundamental organizational structures, define and fine-tune key performance indicators and enhance their competitive advantages. Additionally, the model proposed in this book will allow practitioners to be able to respond effectively and efficiently to every disruptive or non-continuous evolutionary change caused either by the digital transformation or by geopolitical of organizations. Preface Acknowledgements Contents List of Figures 1 An Attempt to Introduction 1.1 The One Who Knows Only One Discipline Knows Nothing About That Discipline 1.2 From the Phoenician Alphabet to the Structure of “O” According to Sofia Reference 2 Organizational Fields and Organizational Processes 2.1 A General Outline 2.2 The Total Quality Management Systems 2.3 The Hunt of Competencies 2.4 The Hunt of Performances 2.5 The Recent Years and the Actual Situations 2.6 Why This Book References 3 Introduction to Organization Structuralism 3.1 Functional (Systemic) and Structural (Analytic) Study of Structures 3.2 Organizational Epiphenomena 3.3 Epiphenomena and Superstructures 3.4 Superstructures and Structural Development of Organizations 3.5 Change Matters Relatively 3.6 Organizational Dystopias 3.7 Processive Structures and Leadership 3.8 Leadership and Epiphenomena 3.9 From First Principles to Long-Term Competitive Advantages 3.10 “The 13 Principles of Organizational Structuralism” References 4 Fundamental Properties of Organizational Structuralism: From Homogeneity to Autonomy 4.1 What Is a Structure? 4.2 Some Fundamental Considerations 4.3 Some Fundamental Properties and Definitions 4.4 A Fundamental Property: The Homogeneity 4.5 Homogeneous and Homogeneity in Linguistic Systems (Some Examples) 4.6 Homogeneous Systems and Variances 4.7 Heterogeneity, Homogenetic, Phylogenetic and Heterogenetic Properties 4.8 Autonomy and Heteronomy 4.9 Teleonomy and Invariance 4.10 Anelyxis, Katelyxis Endogenous and Exogenous Phenomena References 5 Methodological Foundations of Organizational Structuralism 5.1 The Necessity of a Deductive Approach Based on Observation 5.2 Towards an Organizational Theory Based on Physics or Natural Sciences 5.3 The Law of Noncontradiction as a Key Concept in Organizational Structuralism 5.4 The Principle of Uncertainty in Organizational Theory and Design 5.5 The Exclusion Principle in Organizational Theory and Design 5.6 The Principle of Invariance: The First Fundamental Pillar in Organizational Theory and Design 5.7 The Principle of Teleonomy as the Main Driver for the Creation of Symbolic Structures 5.8 Some Conceptual Deepening of the Homogenetic Principle 5.9 The Phylogenetic Principle as a Fundamental Property in Organizational Theory 5.10 The Principle of Organizational Autonomy 5.11 The Principle of Incompleteness in Organizational Theory 5.12 The Principle of Successive Approximations Applied in Organizational Theory 5.13 The Principle of Observer Interference References 6 Organizational First Principles and Introduction to the Organizational Field Theory 6.1 Some Fundamental Considerations or “Starting from First Principles” 6.2 Towards a New Paradigm for Organizational Development: The Organizational Fields 6.3 Canonical Symbolic and Material Structures 6.4 The Structural Field Theory of Organizations 6.5 The Property of Conservative and of Non-conservative Organizational Fields 6.6 The Organizational Fields as Non-conservative Fields 6.7 The Property of Homogeneity in Organizational Field Theory 6.8 The Property of Isotropy in Organizational Fields 6.8.1 Geometric Properties and Symmetries 6.9 The Homeostatic (and Heterostatic) Property 6.10 The Property of Cause-Effect Correlation 6.10.1 The Criticism on the Ishikawa Diagram 6.11 The Property of Metrification 6.12 The Property of Anelyxis 6.13 Organizations as Systems of Canonical Structures Submerged in Organizational Fields 6.14 The Principles of Organizational Structuralism as a Field Theory Derivatives 6.15 Towards a New Paradigm of Managerial Ability References 7 The Structural Evolution of an Organization (a Geometric Approach) 7.1 Prolegomena to This Chapter 7.2 The Beginning of the Development of an Organization (or Phase 1) 7.3 The Formation of the First Core Processes in an Organization (Phase 2)—Inbound Supply Chain and Purchasing 7.4 The Development of the Activities Related to Operational Marketing (Phase 3) 7.5 The Initiation of an Organizational Formation (Phase 4) 7.6 Research and Development and Product/Service & Process Development (Phase 5) 7.7 The Development of the Strategic Marketing Process (Phase 6) 7.8 The Initialization of the Ellipsoidal Configurations (Phase 7) 7.9 The Development of the Manufacturing (or Operations) Process (Phase 8) 7.10 The Development of Sales or Customer Acquisition Processes (Phase 9) 7.11 The Development of After Sales or Customer Care Management (Phase 10) 7.11.1 The Shared Services 7.12 The Structural Development and Growth Phases of an Organization (Phase 11) 7.13 The Ultimate Evolutionary Stage of an Organization (Phase 12) 7.14 The Beginning of the Decline of an Organization 7.14.1 Converging and Diverging Forces in Organizational Theory and Design 7.14.2 Converging and Diverging Forces During the Stabilization Phase of the Organization 7.14.3 The Beginning of the Decline of an Organization Continued 7.14.4 Quality and Quantity Trapping 7.14.5 The Geometrical Configurations of a Declining Organization 7.14.6 The Asymmetric Configurations of the Decline of an Organization (Case 1: Privileging the Commercial Field Section and of the Related Processes) 7.14.7 The Asymmetric Configurations of the Decline of an Organization (Case 2: Privileging the Operations or Manufacturing Field Section and of the Related Processes) 7.14.8 Some Basic Considerations Regarding the Asymmetric Decline of Organizations 7.15 The Final Stages in the Life of an Organization 7.16 The Death of an Organization 7.17 General Chapter Conclusions Reference 8 Graphical Representations of Some Fundamental Properties of Organizational Structuralism 8.1 Conditions for the Continuous Development of a Structural Development of an Organization 8.2 The Converging Forces During the Formation of an Organization 8.3 The Diverging Forces During the Formation of an Organization 8.4 The Growth of Invariance in Time 8.5 The Growth of Teleonomy in Time 8.6 The Mathematical Formulae of the Evolution (Growth) of Invariance and Teleonomy in Time 8.7 Invariance and Teleonomy in Relation to Single Anelyxis Projects and Their Evolution in Time 8.8 The (Simple) Relationship Between Invariance and Teleonomy 8.9 Life Expectancy of an Organization and Structuralism 8.10 The Main Factors and Processes for the Structural Evolution of Organizations 8.11 The Development of Invariance and Teleonomy in Relation to First Principles and to the Configuration of Quantum Pairing and of Their Sequential Matrices 8.12 The Structural Approach to the Development of an Organization: From Basic Teleonomic Principles to the Autonomy and to “Canonicism” 8.13 The Gap Between Signifier and Significant Stands as the Gap Between Material and Symbolic Structures References 9 Organizational Structuralism and Mathematical Symbolism 9.1 A Mathematical Analysis of Organizational Structures Based on Geometrical Analysis and Hydrodynamics Theory 9.2 Analysis of a Single Process 9.2.1 Analysis of the Organization as a Whole 9.3 Analysis of Ideal Case and Worst-Case Scenario 9.4 A Further Integration (and an Alternative Treatment) to the Mathematical Model of Organizational Structures (a Hydrodynamic Analogy) 9.4.1 A Possible Correlation in Nature 9.5 A Mathematical Expression for the Correlation of Material and Symbolic Structures at Three Distinct Levels (Organizational Quanta, Masys and Processes) 9.6 Some Questions for Readers Who Understand and Manage Mathematics Far Better Than the Author 10 The Microstructure of Structural Organizations 10.1 Organization of Material and Symbolic Quanta 10.2 Agents Do not Make the Difference but Structures Do in Organizational Development 10.3 Increasing the Complexity (but also the Completion) by Increasing the Symmetric Capabilities of the Microstructural Configurations 10.4 The Systemic Delegating Business Management (Based on Basic Business Knowledge) Model 10.5 The Interdisciplinary (not to Be Confused with the Multidisciplinary) Approach for the Development of Long-Term Competitive Advantages 10.6 The Multidisciplinary Approach for the Design of Organizational Microstructures 10.7 The Multidisciplinarity as a Long-Term Key Competitive Advantage on Global Level 10.8 The Development and Structuring on Operational Level of the Quantum Pairs 10.9 Partial Integration of Material and Symbolic Structures and Related Competencies for the Development of Quantum Pairing Conditions 10.10 The Quantitative and Qualitative Factors in Quantum Pairing and the Factors that may Inhibit and Distort the Complete Overlapping Between Material QM and Symbolic QS Quanta 10.11 The Organizational Quanta and Their Impact on the Transformation of Quantitative into Qualitative Changes 10.12 The Inhibiting Elements for the Development of the Microstructure of an Organization Based on Organizational Quantum Pairs 10.13 One Last Note: An Alternative Mathematical Approach: A Topological or Knot Theory? References 11 The Processes: From Masys (or MaSys) to Single Entities and to Unified Arrays 11.1 The Analysis of the Intermediate Levels: The Processes 11.2 The Main Errors of the Models of Traditional Value Chain Models 11.3 The Traditional Value Chain Models and Some Critical Aspects Regarding Them 11.4 The First Structural Attempt in the Subdivision of Processes 11.5 The Management of the Key Criteria for the Analysis and Evaluation of the Overall Performance of an Organization 11.6 Classification and Evaluation of KPIs in a Structured-Based Processive Organization 11.7 A Combinatorial Theory of Organizational Structural Analysis on Three Levels: General (Macrostructural) Configuration, Processive (Intermediate) and Microstructural 11.8 The Analysis of a Process Based on a Combinatory Structure of Masys 11.9 Some Theoretical Considerations Regarding Masys Classification and Their Integration with the Organizational Quantum Pairs 11.10 The Evaluating Criteria for the Levels of Possession and Application of the Three Categories of Quantum Pairs in a Generic Masy Structure 11.11 Some Fundamental Variables Regarding the Definition of Masys and the General Structural Theory of Organizations 11.12 Criteria for the Evaluation of Process Performance and Process Granularity Analysis 11.13 Some Theoretical Considerations Regarding the Design and Implementation of Processes in a Structural Organization 11.14 The Evolutionary Phases of the Basic Processive Models of a Structural Organization 11.14.1 Phase 1: Circularity of Processes 11.14.2 Phase 2: Process Integrated Interactions (a Simple Example of Feedback and Feedforward Systems of Processes) 11.14.3 Phase 3: Process Omnidirectional Feedback and Feedforward Multilooping System as a Nominal Case of Interaction, Interconnection and Interrelation Between the Various Processes of an Organization 11.14.4 Phase 4: Passage from a Two-Dimensional Sequential Model to a Three-Dimensional Circular Processive Model 11.14.5 Phase 5: From the Elliptical Model to the Cylindrical One 11.15 Critical Aspects Regarding the Processes of an Organization Related to the Digital Transformation 11.16 The Integrability of the Organizational Processes 11.17 A Two-Dimensional Representation of the Arrays of Processes (A Simplified Version with Respect to the Three-Dimensional One) 11.18 The Field Modelling Criteria: How to Obtain a Unified Field 11.19 Some Basic Definitions Regarding Anelyxis 11.20 On Non-conservative, Homogeneous, Isotropic and Symmetric Fields 11.21 Structure and the Characteristics of the Feedback and Feedforward Multilooping Systems 11.22 The Two Main Rings of Core Processes of an Organization (Which Become Separated Process Arrays Before the Unification of All Processes) 11.23 An Alternative Interpretation of the Integrability of the Organizational Processes Based on the Superimposing of the Various Rings as a Means of Measurement of the Convergence, the Interaction and Gradual Integration Between Core Processes 11.24 Invariance and Flexibility of the Processes During the Transition Phase 11.25 Orders and Types of Flexibility 11.26 The Processes Behaviour and Development During the Elliptical Phase 11.27 The Values of r1a and r1b in Organizational Development 11.28 The Unification of the Process Arrays Between the Two Subfields and with the Universal Processes Array 11.29 Some Theoretical Considerations Regarding the Evolutionary Tendencies in Structural Organizations Regarding Processes and Process Improvements Projects 11.29.1 Anelyctic and Katelyctic Invariance 11.29.2 Processes Subdivision in Organizational Quanta 11.29.3 Process Arrays, Quanta and Organisational Fields 11.30 Organizational Isomorphism and Heteromorphism 11.31 The Key Variables for a Change Management Project in a Structural Organization Once Process Arrays Have Been Formed (Structuralistic Index Model) 11.32 From the Cylindrical to the Pseudosphere Configuration of an Organization in Relation to the Integration of Material and Symbolic Structures for the Unification of All Processes References 12 The Definition of Organizational Objectives in a Structural Organization 12.1 The Problem-Solving Approach as a Preliminary Tool for the Definition of Objectives, for the Association with Structural Anelyxis Projects and for the Introduction of the “SMARTEST” Technique for Their Configuration 12.2 Anelyxis Projects Basic Requirements and Fundamental Outcomes 12.3 The Methods and Techniques for Objective (Goal) Setting in Structural Terms 12.4 A Fundamental Yet Obvious Definition of What an Objective Is and the “SMARTEST” Technique 12.5 The Goals (Objectives) Breakdown Structure or GBS (as Transposition from the WBS—Work Breakdown Structure—Which Is Widely Known in Project Management) as a Structural Method for the Definition and Structural Distribution of Performance Objectives 12.6 A Preliminary Structural Approach to Problems and to the Description of Related Phenomena That Facilitates the Definition of GBS Cascading “SMARTEST” Objectives as Derivatives of the Problems Enunciation and of Their Structural and Symbolic Impact 12.7 The Formulation of Objectives by “Trial and Error”: The Structural Goal Setting Improvement Tool 12.8 A Template and an Example for the Formulation of “SMARTEST” Objectives Following the GBS Method Reference 13 The Fundamental Properties of an Evaluation System 13.1 Critical Success Factors for a National System of Performance Evaluation 13.2 Which Are the Fundamental Competencies for an Effective Implementation of a Structural Evaluation System? 13.3 The Introduction of the Evaluating Set of Competencies and of the “Exclusion Principle” 13.4 Why the Adoption of a Structural Processive Model at Three Different Levels of Analysis? 13.5 The Key Processes for the Development and Implementation of Three-Level Evaluation System 13.5.1 The Three-Level Process Analysis, the Operating Phases for Their Realization and Their Impact on the Overall Value Management of the Organization 14 The Extinction of the Species of a Manager: An Animal That Did Not Manage to Sustain the Multidisciplinarity or The Managerial World of the New Era: Digitists, Anelyxists or Avrions? 14.1 A Need for a Paradigmatic Change 14.2 The New Core Competencies of a Manager 14.2.1 A Need for a New Profession and a New Name? 14.3 What the New Profession Should Be Able to Do in a Structural Organization? 14.4 Cultural Identitarian Drivers and Management 14.5 Ideological Changes in Organizations and Management 14.5.1 Management and Managerial Equity 14.6 Management and Evolution in the Organizational Configurations References 15 Organizational Structuralism for a New Ethics of Organizations (and Not Only) 15.1 A New Ethics of Organizations 15.1.1 The Universal Dimension of Organizational Structuralism and the Applicable Implications 15.1.1.1 Improve Continuously 15.1.1.2 From the Particular to the General and from the General to the Particular 15.1.1.3 Developing Collective Imaginary Structures Starting from Canonical Organizational Structures 15.1.1.4 The Real Dimension and the Apparent Dimension (Manufacturing/Operations or Marketing?) 15.1.2 Structuring: TELEOLOGY or DEONTOLOGY? 15.1.3 Interactions Between Organizational Structuralism and Dominant Traits of National Cultures 15.2 Towards a New Paradigm of Structured Organizations (How to Avoid the Decline of the So-Called Western Civilization) 15.3 Organizational Structuralism as a Constitutive Element of STRONG THOUGHT References 16 Conclusions Reference Annex 1 A Change Management Model Based on Structural Principles and Variables Some Key Points Regarding the Structural Model of Change Management The Methodology for Competency Enhancement Epilegomena 1 On “Cold War” and “Megalexandros” On “Cold War” and “Megalexandros” The Musical Analysis of the Scores from the Two Films (by Karolina Tatar) Some Additional Structural Analysis from the Cinematography Monothematicism and Polythematicism A Simple Musical Analogy Some Structural Examples from the Figurative Arts Sibelius Fifth Symphony References Epilegomena 2 Achilles or Hector? Achilles or Hector? References Additional Publications for Background Reading Index