Assignment 1: Discussion—Applying Systems Thinking

Assignment 1: Discussion—Applying Systems Thinking
Organizations are rarely composed of just a single person or a single organization that functions without interacting with other people or organizations. There are many components or parts in an organization’s make-up, each contributing to the overall functioning of the organization and its behavior. If all the parts are working well, the organization operates efficiently. However, if one part stops functioning, this affects all the other parts and the overall organization. Though other parts may be able to compensate for the nonfunctioning part so that the organization continues to function, efficiency is lowered. Organizations have both internal and external parts—such as stakeholders. The challenges of nonfunctioning stakeholders can be internal, external, or both.
Consider the aforementioned aspects, and using the module readings and the Argosy University online library resources, research the application of systems theory to organizations and their stakeholders.
Then, respond to the following:
How does systems thinking apply to an organization’s culture, goals, and structures?
How are the stakeholders of an organization interconnected and interrelated?
Integrate various types of systems, such as open and closed systems, that might be present in organizations in your answer. Give reasons and examples, supported with appropriate academic literature, when developing your responses. Be sure to cite to APA writing standards for paraphrases and direct quotes.
By Saturday, January 21, 2017, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, January 25, 2017, review and comment on at least two peers’ responses.
Write your initial response in 300–500 words. Your response should be thorough and address all components of the discussion question in detail, include citations of all sources, where needed, according to the APA Style, and demonstrate accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Do the following when responding to your peers:
Read your peers’ answers.
Provide substantive comments by
contributing new, relevant information from course readings, Web sites, or other sources;
building on the remarks or questions of others; or
sharing practical examples of key concepts from your professional or personal experiences
Respond to feedback on your posting and provide feedback to other students on their ideas.
Make sure your writing
is clear, concise, and organized;
demonstrates ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and
displays accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Grading Criteria
Assignment Components
Max Points
Initial response was:
Insightful, original, accurate, and timely.
Substantive and demonstrated advanced understanding of concepts.
Compiled/synthesized theories and concepts drawn from a variety of sources to support statements and conclusions.
16
Discussion Response and Participation:
Responded to a minimum of two peers in a timely manner.
Offered points of view supported by research.
Asked challenging questions that promoted discussion.
Drew relationships between one or more points in the discussion.
16
Writing:
Wrote in a clear, concise, formal, and organized manner.
Responses were error free.
Information from sources, where applicable, was paraphrased appropriately and accurately cited.
8
Total:
40