CRITICS OF OPEN SYSTEM THEORY

Abstract

Open System theory refers simply to the concepts that organizations are strongly influenced by their environment. Virtually all modern theories of organization utilize the Open Systems perspective as a result, Open System theories come in many flavors. For example, contingency theorist argues that organizations are organized in ways that best fit the environment in which the societal values and beliefs are embedded in the organizational structure and expressed in organizational change. Resources dependency theorist sees the organization as adapting to the environment as dictated by its resource providers. Although there is a great variety in the perspectives provided by open system theories, they share the perspective that an organizations survival is dependent upon its relationship with the environment.