Summary: Discover a fresh take on understanding organizations as living systems. Drawing from systems theory. This article explores how biological and ecological principles—like open systems, autopoiesis, and dissipative structures—apply to human organizations. Learn how companies thrive by adapting to their environment, like organisms exchanging energy with the world around them. From the dynamic interplay of people and processes to the collective “mind” of workplace culture, see why organizations are more than static structures. They’re vibrant networks pulsing with life. Packed with insights from experts like Ludwig von Bertalanffy and Fritjof Capra, this piece reveals the hidden patterns that drive organizational behavior, growth, and survival. Perfect for anyone curious about systems thinking, organizational development, or how Nature’s blueprint shapes our workplaces.
Seeing organizations as living systems
- Details
- Written by Brent Duncan, PhD
- Category: Organizational Systems
![Imagine organizations not as static structures but as living, breathing systems—dynamic networks of people, processes, and relationships that adapt and evolve, much like a human body, a tree, or the Earth. [Image: Copilot] Imagine organizations not as static structures but as living, breathing systems—dynamic networks of people, processes, and relationships that adapt and evolve, much like a human body, a tree, or the Earth. [Image: Copilot]](/images/Images/organizational-system600.png)
Article Index
Page 1 of 9