Complexity of Management - Essay Example

This will not provide sufficient detail implying that certain tasks require being broken down and simplified. In this case, probably have a separate day for each category of the dishes and desserts in the buffet. This represents the complexity of management as there are a series of conventional, continuous events occurring as intricate adaptive agents work together (Lassick 2002, pp.15-16). In this example, intricate adaptive agents are brought out by the fact that we all have different preferences for various dishes and desserts at the same time these dishes and desserts are bound to be affected by temperatures where ice creams will melt for instance.

As much as a buffet is a predictable event, people participating will have different energy and satisfaction levels owing to the requirement of filling a feedback form afterwards while still eating everything being offered. Looking into complexity issues is essential for management as there has been a realization that organizational structures, which largely give rise to complex situations, cannot be solved by traditional top-down approaches. Adaptive agents, as mentioned above, require support along with social engagement so as to resolve the complex issues they raise.

In the example spreading out all the meals in the buffet over a day would be effective but one is faced with the difficulty of limited time for tasks. Social engagement calls for ideas being brought out by interactions between groups of people. This produces solutions that turn complexity into means of survival and productivity in the work place (Allen et al 2011, p.385). Recently, organizations such as Haier Group have embraced dynamic ways of working where employees are categorized into teams and operate autonomously that is, they select team leaders from among themselves as well as working on tasks that they are skilled at.

This has bred innovation and productivity, which has in turn allowed the company to maintain a superior position within the industry. Haier Group is a Chinese company that manufactures home appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines (Larson, 2013). Early Approaches to Dealing with Complexity Earlier on, strategic management approaches dealt with complexity through reduction as looking at relationships from a holistic perspective is difficult and in some cases almost impossible. This reduction proved ineffective as crucial relationships were destroyed leading to wrong interpretations and misunderstandings.

Modern times have instead looked at complexity as a natural occurrence with the intention of working out the general structures along with interactions. This in turn has revived the holistic view as it applies a superior look into relationships as well as the situational environment. Research has indicated that there is no single approach towards dealing with complexity, where both holistic view and reduction tools are being combined to handle complex issues. Presently, the success of a majority of companies has been attributed to soft qualities, which include experience along with know-how of managers.

These attributes are complex and as such require collection through information systems. Therefore, following particular designs of information systems, organizations can be able to design effective system maps of relationships. Thereby, management is better