Hard Systems Methods And Complexity Management In Organizations

Examples of Hard Systems Methods

Hard system methodsThese systems have clear goals and are useful in providing solutions that help achieve these goals.  They view the information system as input processes connecting to a computational process which will then give outputs (Burge, 2015). Here the problem-solving situation is linear in nature.

Examples of Hard systems methods

1. System analysis

The decision-making process in this system occurs in the following four steps (Siriram, 2007). These four steps are:

1. Analyzing the problem.
2.  Generating possible solutions.
3.  Evaluating the possible solutions.
4.  Selecting the best solution.
5. b) Information engineering

It basically undergoes four distinct stages:

1. Analysis of the system.
2. Designing of the system.
3. Implementing the system.
4. Operating the system.

1. Operation research

Occurs in five distinct steps:

• Problem formulation.
• Model construction.
• Obtaining a solution for the model.
• Model testing.
• Solution implementation.

Spray diagrams

These are essential in generating information about a problem (Daellenbach, 2002). The main purpose of this is providing information necessary for constructing of diagrams.

Multiple cause diagram will help in comprehending and forecasting the possible behaviors of any system (Kirk, 1995). It will show how adjustments in a particular system can have effects on other systems and hence the possibility of understanding the behavior of the system. This is useful to understand complexity in an organization.

The figure below shows an example of a multiple cause diagram;

The next diagram shows how complexity can be managed. It is referred to as the Rich picture and provides ways on how to explore, define and appreciate these problems and then providing diagrammatical results (Ledington, 2002). The picture describes at least most of the activities in this industries (Salerno, 2008). It considers the Human factor and thus creates an understanding as well as a visual comprehension of the complex situations in the coffee industry. An example of a rich picture is shown below;

Another stage in this system is the conceptual mapping. It shows the day to day activities of an organization to overcome complexity. In this stage, managers get to know the resources available in the organization, then set goals and procedures that help enhance the system.

The hard systems can be improved by ensuring there is an order in the way plans are executed. This will help provide employees with clear roles and responsibilities at the same time ease to management. These systems should ensure that feedback is provided since this ensures that employees understand the causes of complexity and hence try to minimize the problems.

The coffee company may have a weak marketing department. Therefore, it needs to develop better marketing strategies. The best technique to apply in such cases will be to use the SWOT analysis technique (Salerno, 2008). Experts in this department may not possess the effective skills necessary to increase the market share. These experts will have to analyze the market. They must be able to identify the consumers’ strategic location, and develop strategies that will attract consumers.

Spray Diagrams

Concurrently, all the professionals in this marketing department will need to have a better understanding of its suppliers and vendors. Other business strategies like the logical framework may still be used (Nielsen, 1989). Also, making logical frameworks will still be an appropriate way of dealing with this predicament. The SWOT analysis incorporates all these techniques.

Strength

• This company is popular.
• It has a good customer care plan.
• Its health department ensures all the operations are threat free
• Most of its stakeholders have absolute confidence in the company (Rees, 2000).
• The entity offers online services.

Weaknesses

• Poor employee relationships towards consumers
• Weak marketing and human resource departments
• Lack of training to the employees.
• Inadequate customer call centers
• Less motivation towards consumers.

Opportunities

• There is still room for expansion in other parts of the globe.
• Customer care representatives can be well trained
• Customers attraction strategies like offering discounts will increase
• Develop its health facilities.
• Develop its marketing department.

Threats

• Poor employee services is a big threat towards company’s growth.
• Stiff domestic and foreign competition.
• Most of its employees are not ready to stay and work.

Apart from SWOT analysis, another tool called the log Framework table can be used and this explains and tries to solve the above situations in a simpler way.

Through hard system method it is seen that the diagnostics in this company have poor management of customer relationships. This is a big issue in this firm and absolutely has huge impacts on the lab tests done. Even though the tests and diagnostic facilities may be good, this does not imply that the whole procedures will be a success. The marketing programs will highly rely on customer relationships. The marketing department must always ensure that proper customer services are offered (Daellenbach, 2002). The organization must always be ready to help the marketing department achieve this. The other company departments may be good enough but this does not always portray every department. Ensuring there is proper call centers for the company will retain the existing customers as well as attract more customers. Hard system method analyzes that not every customer is loyal to a specific product, but with appropriate customer relations then that customer can be retained. Proper relations reduce the gap between the firm and its customers.

HSM discloses that call centers play a major role in ensuring that customer relationships are enhanced in an organization. They help in increasing lifetime customer value. Some customers will tend to adjust to substitute products in case the call centers are ineffective. HSM has shown that customer satisfaction directly contributes to customer repurchasing decisions (Salerno, 2008). In case the call centers are inefficient in delivering services then that becomes a major problem since customers quickly adjust to other products regardless of the price and quality (Druker, 2010). In case this company has poor call centers then service delivery will be low and hence poor customer satisfaction. Hard system method indicates that those high valued customers in any organization should be properly treated at all time. A customer relationship model for this customers should be made to ensure that all the problems facing them are solved.

In any organization, there exists complex situations and issues that should be well addressed by the management. Many at times, management fails to solve complexity in the organization. In case the issue is not dealt with accordingly, then that organization will not benefit from market integration. Advancement in technology also has led to a diversification of the markets from traditional to modern. The management in these organizations will have to appreciate as well as find better ways to reduce the level of complexity. Similarly, the hard and soft system methods can also be used in complexity management.

Multiple Cause Diagrams

A soft system method is an approach where organizations try to solve complex problems, whereby the problem issue is chaotic and the major issue is to structure the problem. Whereas, the hard system method is where it is assumed that there is a particular and specific solution to this problem (Naomi, 2017). Soft system method is always between the employees and managers while hard system approach is effective if the problem is to be solved by the organization’s top management.

Hard system methods are sometimes more logical and modeled mathematically with an expert undertaking the process. In the soft system methods, the situations are modeled conceptually with just any person facilitating the entire process ( Druker, 2010). The results and findings of hard system methods are suggestions and recommendations while the soft approach it is just an action plan.

It can be used by the executive to find a solution to a problem in and outside the company. The method is also efficient in achieving set goals since complexity can be dealt with effectively (Yurtseven, 1990).. This method assumes the fact that they will always be a probability of failure in any given case. This assumption is useful since the organization will anticipate any constraints and work better towards solving the issues.The ‘how’ questions in any organization are easily answered.  to deal with employee problems? How does inflation affect the organization? The managers should try to figure out all these questions and be ready to obtain solutions.

This system tries to first understand the problem rather than just solving it. It is quite essential that managers try to comprehend the level and degree of complexity in the organization rather than just provide a solution (Checkland, 1981). The complexity in an organization always changes. Thus, by understanding the challenge it will be easier to solve future problems. In this method, there is creativeness and intuitiveness to solve the problems. The top managers are able to come up with several ways of solving problems rather than just using a single way to solve a problem.

References

Burge, S., 2015. An overview of the Hard Systems Methodology. [Online]
Available at: https://www.burgehugheswalsh.co.uk/Uploaded/1/Documents/Hard-Systems-Methodology.pdf
[Accessed 21 3 2018].

Checkland, P., 1981. Hard systems thinking. [Online]
Available at: https://www.perflensburg.se/Privatsida/cp-web/capchsyt.htm
[Accessed 21 3 2018].

Daellenbach, H. G., 2002. Hard OR, Soft OR, Problem Structuring Methods, Critical Systems Thinking:A Primer, New zealand: University of Canterbury.

Druker, J., 2010. Between hard and soft HRM: human resource management in the construction industry. Journal of Construction and Economics, 5(14), pp. 16-20.

Kirk, D., 1995. Hard and soft systems: a common paradigm for operations management. Emerald Insight, 7(5), pp. 10-12.

Ledington, L. H. a. P., 2002. The Evolution of Confusion: Soft Systems Methodology and Social Theory Revisited. The African Journal of Information Systems,, 9(2), pp. 4-13.

Naomi, C., 2017. An Application of Soft Systems Methodology in the Sugar Industry. Sage Journals, 4(6), pp. 6-22.

Nielsen, L. M. a. P. A., 1989. Soft Systems and Hard Contradictions. Journal of Applied System Analysis, 16(7), pp. 7-23.

Rees, D., 2000. Intergrating the “Soft” and “Hard”side of Thinking: A Case Study in New Zealand Local Government, New Zealand: International Conference System in Thinking Mnagement.

Salerno, F., 2008. Concept Maps for Combining Hard and Soft System Thinking in the Management of Socio-Ecosystems., Napoli: Università Federico II.

Siriram, R., 2007. A Soft and Hard Systems Approach to Business Process Management, Johannesburg: University of the Witwatersrand.

Yurtseven, M., 1990. Systems Engineering and Soft Systems Methodology : A Review, Istanbul: Do?u? Universty,.

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