An anthology of the socio-technical systems design (STSD) paradigm : from autonomous work groups to democratic dialogue and integral organizational renewal Citation for published version (APA): Eijnatten, van, F. M. (1991). An anthology of the socio-technical systems design (STSD) paradigm : from autonomous work groups to democratic dialogue and integral organizational renewal. Eindhoven University of Technology. Document status and date: Published: 01/01/1991 Document Version: Publisher’s PDF, also known as Version of Record (includes final page, issue and volume numbers) Please check the document version of this publication: • A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. 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If the publication is distributed under the terms of Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, indicated by the “Taverne” license above, please follow below link for the End User Agreement: www.tue.nl/taverne Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us at: [email protected] providing details and we will investigate your claim. Download date: 09. Oct. 2021 An Anthology of the Socio-Technica! Systems Design (STSD) Paradigm: From Autonomous Work Groups to Demoeratic Dialogue and Integral Organizational Renewal DR. FRANS M. VAN EIJNATTEN Manuscript © August 1991 Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Industrial Engineering and Management Science Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands An Anthology of the Socio-Technica! Systems Design (STSD) Paradigm: From Autonomous Work Groups to Demoeratic Dialogue and Inlegral Organizational Renewal DR. FRANS M. VAN EIJNATIEN Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Industrial Engineering and Management Science Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands Manuscript Rough Draft First Concept for a Monograph This manuscript contains a broad outline of the history of the Socio-Technica! Systems Design paradigm from 1951 up until the present time (1991 ). An effort is made to cover the wide range of ideas and elaborations in this field, using original papers and sourees of different kinds. The author has expressly avoided to produce yet another review along established lines, but rather to give a personal and additional contribution to this subject area, which is based on the literature. The manuscript is a synthesis of more than 10 years of researching the paradigm by the author, and resulted from editing, compiling and expansion of earlier (unpublished) papers, discussions with colleagues and some field workin industry. This monograph, designed as an anthology of Socio-Technica! Systems Design, is not only speci­ fying concepts, methods and projects, but is also explaining the epistemological and methodological foundations of the paradigm. And last but not least, sound and constructive criticismis presented, which is as much as possible corrected for pre-judgements or 'second source'-myths, and is solidly based on facts and analyses of the paradigm. © August 1991 An Anthology of the Socio-Technical Systems Design (STSD) Paradigm: From Autonomous Work Groups to Democratie Dialogue and Integral Organizational Renewal Dr. Frans M. van Eijnatten Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Astract 4 1 Introduetion 5 2 Socio-Technical Systems Design as a Scientific Paradigm: 6 2.1 Methodological Points of Departure; 6 2.2 Brief Characteristics of Content; 7 2.3 Milestones and Development Trajectories; 8 3 Some Anecdotes and Characteristics of Distinctive Development Trajectories: 11 3.1 Phase One- The Pioneering Role of Tavistock: 11 3.1.1 Ken Bamforth's Re-Discovery of a Work Tradition; 11 3.1.2 Latent STSD and the Contagious Spreading and Adoption of an 13 Open-Systems View; 3.1.3 STSD-Specific Concept Development to Support the Next Phase; 15 3.2 Phase Two- Classica! Socio-Technical Systems Design: 17 3.2.1 The Inspiration of the Norwegian Industrial Democracy (ID) 17 Programme; 3.2.2 The Spreading of Industrial Democracy: Idiom versus Replica; 19 3.2.3 The Methodical Approach towards Industrial Democracy; 20 3.2.4 An Outline of Basic Concepts in Classica} STSD; 21 3.3 Phase Three - Modem Socio-Technica} Systems Design: 25 3.3.1 The Australian Paradigm Shift: Fred and Merrelyn Emery's 25 'Little Golden Book'; 3.3.2 Participative Design and the Open-System Model aimed at 28 Diffusion; 3.3.3 Further Diffusion of the Diffusion Model; 31 3.4 Phase Four- Post-Modem Socio-Technical Systems Design: 32 3.4.1 Bj121m Gustavsen's Democratie Dialogue (DD); 32 3.4.2 Ulbo de Sitter's Integral Organizational Renewal (lOR); 36 3.4.3 Post-Modern STSD and the 'Fourth Phase Milestone' contest; 39 2 An Anthology of STSD - F.M. van Eijnatten- First Concept- August 1991 Continuation of Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 4 Epistemological and Methodological Foundations of the STSD-Paradigm: 41 4.1 Scientific-Philosophical Points of Departure and the Nature of STSD 41 Explanatory Diagrams; 4.2 The Probl~m of the 'Openness' of Systems and Von Bertalanffy's 45 Conceptual Leap; 4.3 The Development of Systems Concepts and its Influence on STSD 48 Modelling; 4.4 STSD Methods and the Evolution of Models for Analysis and Design; 53 4.5 STSD Practice and the Controversy on Design Content versus Process; 64 5 An lmpression of STSD Projects as Reported in the Literature: 65 5.1 Phase One STSD Projects; 65 5.2 Phase Two STSD Projects; 65 5.3 Phase Three STSD Projects; 67 5.4 Phase Four STSD Projects; 67 6 A Critica} Evaluation of the STSD Paradigm: 68 6.1 Constructive Criticism versus Widespread Pre-Judgements and 68 Knowledge Gaps; 6.2 An Annotated Review of STSD Methodology: 70 6.2.1 Epistemological and Methodological Basis of the STSD Paradigm; 71 6.2.2 Degree of Elaboration in Termsof an (Open) Systems Approach; 71 6.2.3 A Further Examination of Basic Concepts and Theory Formation; 6.2.4 Some Ooser Look at the Diversity of Socio-Technica! Analysis 78 and Design Methods; 6.3 A Concise Critique of STSD Practice; 79 7 The Future of the Socio-Technica! Systems Design Paradigm 82 8. References/ A (Full) Bibliography of the Socio-Technica} Systems Design 84 Paradigm (English-Language Literature) Estimated number of pages: text (chapters 1-7): 100 (after revision); references (chapter 8): 30; variant A: 130; optional: full bibliography: 90; variant B: 190. 3 An Anthology of the Socio-Technica! Systems Design (STSD) Paradigm: From Autonomous Work Groups to Democratie Dialogue and Integral Organizational Renewal Dr. Frans M. van EijnaHen Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands Abstract This monograph contains an anthology of the Socio-Technica! Systems Design (STSD) paradigm, doeurnenting the period from 1951 until 1991. - As is put forward in Chapter One, this theoretica! study embraces all forty years of development and expansion of the paradigm, from its semi-autonomous work group-based inception at Tavistock up to the present network-oriented Scandinavian Democratie Dialogue and the Dutch Approach towards Integral Organizational Renewal of the firm. The study is designed as a historie account. It presents a shaded picture, carefully reconstructed on the basis of the available literature, and where possible corrected for distortions caused by information from secondary sources. In Chapter Two a general outline of the STSD paradigm is given in terms of method(ology), content and phases of growth. Chapter Three documents four distinctive development trajectories, i.e. the Pioneering Phase, and the phases of Classica!, Modern and Post-Modern Socio-Technica! Systems Design. Placing emphasis on the highlights, these stages first of all are described as anecdotes. Moreover the development of methods and concepts is characterized by giving short descriptions. In Chapter Four the epistemological and methodological foundations of STSD come to the fore. Scientific-philosophical points of departure, systems methodology and model cycles, and some theoriesof concepts and process are discussed. In Chapter Five a phase-based impression is given of STSD projectsas reported in the literature. The diffusion of the paradigm is illustrated both in terms of geography and in terms of company type. Chapter Six contains a critica! evaluation of the STSD paradigm in terms of methodology, theory and practice. The critique itself is contrasled with some widespread pre-judgements and knowledge gaps which exist among authors using secondary sources. In Chapter Seven the future of the paradigm is discussed. Chapter Eight contains a (full) bibliography which has been produced by carefully cross­ checking each reference as it resembles in the literature. It is designed as a main reference base of the STSD paradigm. This theoretica! study, which was also made possible through a contribution of the research stimulation programme TAO (fechnology, Work and Organization), industrial sector, is dedicated to Eric Trist, the nestor of STSD.