Organizational Optimization

In the times of cut-throat competition, it is not just the quality of your products and services that can give you an edge over your rivals. There is something else required to run organizational functions properly and with minimum friction. In other words, organizational optimization is needed which allows a firm to run more effectively, efficiently- the result of which is greater productivity. Optimization is thus defined as "An act, process, or methodology of making something as fully perfect, functional, or effective as possible" [Webster 2002]. Organizational optimization thus requires a set of practices, strategies, technological measures and other such techniques. For this reason, organizations depend on a systems approach to achieve optimization. Systems approach is aptly defined as "an approach that predicates solving the larger system problems with solutions that satisfy not only the subsystem's objectives, but also the global systems survival" (van Gigch, 1991, p. 428). This means that the organization is treated as a whole where sum is as important as its parts. In other words, the entire organization and its goals are kept in view while sub-systems are being designed or improved. But an inadequate systems approach can seriously hurt productivity thus lowering the capacity of any organization. This happens because when each part is linked to another in a system and when an incorrect approach is adopted to work on any sub-system; it can invariably damage the entire system. For this reason, it is extremely important to check and recheck the efficacy of any systems approach before it is finally implemented since no organization works along. It is an organism that needs to work in collaboration with its various parts and it is only when all parts are working properly that the organism can perform at its peak.

References

Van Gigch, J.P. (1991). System Design, modeling, and metamodeling. New York: Plenum Press.

Meriam Webster Online. Collegiate dictionary, 2002.