Chester Barnard and Social Systems Theory

By far the most important contribution to this school has been made by Chester I. Barnard. His classic treatise entitled "The Functions of the Executive", published in 1938. is considered by some management scholars as "One of the most influential books published in the entire field of management.  Like Fayol, Barnard established a new approach to management on the basis of his lifelong experience as a top-level executive. But the approach of the former president of New Jersey Bell Telephone Company ( 1927.45) was different from Fayol's. Barnad devised a more abstract systems approach. In his "The Functions of the Executive," Barnard characterized all organizations as a cooperative system. Such a cooperative organization is a system of consciously ordinate activities needed by individuals, to overcome his biologic physical and social limitations. According to him, "a Co-operative sys is a complex of physical, biological, personal and social common which arc in a specific systematic relationship by reason of the operation of two or more persons for at least one definite end." compassion the role of the individual and the importance of his operation as a strategic factor. Barnard  viewed  willingness  to serve,  common  purpose communication as three important elements in an organization (or a operative system). He considered that an organization did not exist if t three elements were not present and working interdependently. His analysis of the manager's job is really a social systems approach Barnard looks for their major tasks in the system in order to understand and analyze the functions of executives where they operate. determining their tasks (for all kinds of managers) which are to maintain) system of co-operative effort in a formal organization, Barnard addresses himself first to the reasons for. and the nature of, co-operative systems. Barnard was an early pioneer of the Systems perspective. His wod encouraged subsequent management and organization theorists to studs organizations as complex and dynamic whole rather than piecemeal Barnard led to the opening up of a promising horizon in the developer of management thought.  

The Systems Approach, too, has its critics. According to some management scholars. "Systems approach is long on intellectual appealed catchy terminology and short on verifiable facts and practice advice." It is also criticized on grounds of complexity. particularly whe it comes to the study of large and complex organizations. However, it may be said in conclusion that the "Systems approach is an instructive way of thinking rather than a collection of final answers to managing modern organizations."