Introduction
Every organization faces challenges from structural contingency and complexity science. The role of the employees and the duty of the managers are subjected to constant changes. This paper presents what is a structural contingency and complexity science, what are the differences between these two concepts, and what is my opinion on these concepts after reading the article.
Structural contingency and complexity science
Structural contingency theory explains that the structure of the organization is subject to constant change. The duty of the managers and employees and their relationship take a new form by the changing external and internal factors. “Organizational contingencies are factors that moderate the effect of organizational characteristics on organizational performance.” (Currie & Suhomlinova, n.d., p.3299). “Structural contingency theory was formed in the early 1960s with Chandler (1960) F.E. Kast and J.E. Rosenzweig (1970) and others as the main representative figures.” (Xiao, 2004, p.60). This theory postulates that no organization can follow a single management system for the better performance of the organization. The management should change according to the changes occurring in various fields. “The theory that there is no single management accounting system acceptable to all organizations or any system that is satisfactory in all circumstances in a single organization.” (Hussey, 2009, Contingency theory of management accounting, para.1).
“Complexity science may be described as the science of learning systems, where learning is understood in terms of the adaptive behaviors of phenomena that arise in the interactions of multiple agents.” (Davis, & Simmt, 2003, Abstract, para.1).
Complexity science is one of the tools that are used for the study of complex socio-technical systems for the advantage of decision making and forecasting.
“Complexity science is part of a fairly loosely connected field of developing sciences that includes chaos, emergence, self-organization, and network theory.” (Gsiemens,2009, para.1). There are a lot of challenges posed by the complexity of science. It makes a huge impact on our day-to-day life. “Complexity science is the study of systems composed of many and varied parts that interact in complex and non-linear ways.” (Complexity science vs. reductionism, 2002, para.2).
What is the difference between structural contingency and complexity science?
Structural contingency and complexity science are two concepts that emphasize the better performance of an organization. The difference between these concepts is that structural contingency is of the view that since everything changes, the role and duty of everyone in the organization are also subject to change. Taking accurate steps in constant change will lead an organization to desired performance. But, complexity science has come into being with the emergence of advanced tools and concepts in every field of life. Today, machines and computers assist us to perform complex works in all the spheres of life. Therefore, complexity science is mainly related to advanced and sophisticated tools whereas structural contingency is more of organizational instability due to constant external and internal changes.
The theory of organizational contingency is an accurate view since we live in a world of continuous change. We can observe the change day by day in an organizational setup. Therefore, foreseeing such changes and adapting to those changes is necessary to take the organization in a better way. Technology also changes very often. So, there should be changes in the use of technology and the role of the professionals.
My thoughts on strategic planning after reading the article
Strategic management plays a vital role in the performance of the organization. According to the structural contingency and complexity science theories, strategic planning also should be changed by the internal and external changes. The technology is getting developed and complicated in its use as the day passes. So, there is a complex science in every realm of life. Therefore, what I understood after going through the article is that structural contingency and complexity science are important concepts in today’s world since the world undergoes tremendous changes especially in technology.
Conclusion
This paper gives a glance at what is a structural contingency and complexity science, what is the difference between these concepts, and what is my thought on strategic planning after going through the article. Structural contingency and complexity science are two concepts that challenge organizations to cope up with the constant changes in every field, especially in the field of technology.
Reference List
Complexity science vs. reductionism. (2002). Web.
Currie, G & Suhomlinova, O. (n.d.). Organizational Contingencies. Web.
Davis, B., & Simmt, E. (2003). “Understanding learning systems: mathematics education and complexity science: Abstract”. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 34 (2). 137-167. Cite u Like. Web.
Gsiemens. (2009). Overview of complexity science. Elearnspace. Web.
Hussey, R. (2009). Dictionary definition: contingency theory of management accounting: Contingency theory of management accounting. High Beam. Web.
Xiao, Q. (2004). The theory of the firm and Chinese enterprise reform: the case of china international trust and Investment Corporation. Routledge.