Organizational Theories

I have run across a number of things recently worth sharing.  Some of them I have studied before, like Kondratiev waves, but others, such as entelechy, are new to me;

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teleology |ˌtelēˈäləjē; ˌtēlē-|
noun ( pl. -gies) Philosophy
the explanation of phenomena by the purpose they serve rather than by postulated causes.
• Theology the doctrine of design and purpose in the material world.


entelechy |enˈteləkē|
noun ( pl. -chies) Philosophy
the realization of potential.
• the supposed vital principle that guides the development and functioning of an organism or other system or organization.
• Philosophy the soul.

telos |ˈteläs; ˈtē-|
noun ( pl. teloi |ˈteloi; ˈtēloi|) chiefly Philosophy or poetic/literary
an ultimate object or aim.

-- (the following descriptions are pulled from Wikipedia)

Kondratiev waves (also called supercycles, great surges, long waves, K-waves or the long economic cycle) are described as sinusoidal-like cycles in the modern capitalist world economy.^[1] Averaging fifty and ranging from approximately forty to sixty years in length, the cycles consist of alternating periods between high sectoral growth and periods of relatively slow growth. Unlike the short-term business cycle, the long wave of this theory is not accepted by current orthodox economics.

Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems in general, with the goal of elucidating principles that can be applied to all types of systems in all fields of research. The term does not yet have a well-established, precise meaning, but systems theory can reasonably be considered a specialization of systems thinking and a generalization of systems science. The term originates from Bertalanffy's General System Theory (GST) and is used in later efforts in other fields, such as the structural functionalist sociology of Talcott Parsons and Niklas Luhmann.

Organizational studies, sometimes known as organizational science, encompass the systematic study and careful application of knowledge about how people act within organizations. Organizational studies sometimes is considered a sister field for, or overarching designation that includes, the following disciplines: industrial and organizational psychology, organizational behavior, human resources, and management. However, there is no universally accepted classification system for such subfields.

Organizational dissent is the "expression of disagreement or contradictory opinions about organizational practices and policies" (Kassing, 1998). Since dissent involves disagreement it can lead to conflict, which if not resolved, can lead to violence and struggle. As a result, many organizations send the message – verbally or nonverbally – that dissent is discouraged. However, recent studies have shown that dissent serves as an important monitoring force within organizations. Dissent can be a warning sign for employee dissatisfaction or organizational decline. Redding (1985) found that receptiveness to dissent allows for corrective feedback to monitor unethical and immoral behavior, impractical and ineffectual organizational practices and polices, poor and unfavorable decision making, and insensitivity to employees' workplace needs and desires. Furthermore, Eilerman (Jan. 2006) argues that the hidden costs of silencing dissent include: wasted and lost time, reduced decision quality, emotional and relationship costs, and decreased job motivation. Perlow (2003) found that employee resentment can lead to a decrease in productivity and creativity which can result in the organization losing money, time, and resources.

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There is a book out there titled Enabling Creative Chaos: The Organization Behind the Burning Man Event.  Burning Man's hybrid, alt-economy might be something to focus on to study how people function without money.  Granted, most everything people bring into Burning Man is bought prior with money in the "real economy", there have to be principles underlying Burning Man that point to methods of efficient product creation.  Money is really just a veneer, a hologram.  What happens underneath money, above it, or within and between people is the real source of wealth.

Just wanted to share these blurbs and summaries, I will try to delve deeper into them at a later point.