Re: Defining a "Management" system

["joseph kelada" <joseph.kelada@hec.ca>]

SCheek DDS asks :
Anybody else care to try to define what a generic system is?

 
My two cents
First of all, a «system» can have different meanings. It canbe static or 
dynamic, active or inactive. It can be physical, biological, virtual... 
I would rather talk about a «Management system».

Anatomy of a Management System :
In my view, a "generic" Management System is a set of interdependant and 
interrelated elements that act on inputs to transform them into specific 
outputs in order to achieve given objectives and include a feedback -- 
Output Vs Objectives -- in order to take corrective actions if there is 
a gap between them : Performance Indicators or KPI's.
It includes 5 sub-systems: 
1- Operational system (execution): arms, legs...
2- Management activities system (Planning, organizing, control, 
follow-up, coordination, etc.)- the brain
3- Decision system : who decides what at level 2 above. - organization 
of the brain (role of the right, left, back, front...)
4- Information system that allows interconnectedness of all sub-systems 
above.The nervous system.
5- Human system : interrelations between all people concerned at all 
levels. Psychological, social, emotional, spiritual aspects

This applies to a company as a whole, to a function (Marketing, 
Operations, Finance, Personnel...), to a sector within a function, or to 
a process (Process Approach).

Joseph Kelada
HEC Business School - University of Montreal
http://www.hec.ca/pagesnew/joseph.kelada/kelada-E.html
joseph.kelada@hec.ca