Understanding Complexity in Organizations: Behavioral Systems

Organizations are complex entities that must adapt the practices of their employees and management to meet the demands of a dynamic environment. Organizations are behavioral systems that coordinate interactions among its members and environment. Changing practices in one area of an organization can generate a reaction throughout the entire system, thus affecting the behaviors of those working within other areas, the experience of customers, and important organizational results. Behavioral Systems Analysis (BSA) focuses on these complex contingencies from the macro system all the way down to individual behavior.

This book contains articles by internationally recognized experts in Behavioral Systems Analysis who discuss the role of organizational practices in their study of performance improvement and cultural change from both practical and conceptual perspectives. Business and non-profit managers will find tools and case studies to help understand and diagnose their organization’s dynamics. Scholars will appreciate articles’ theory and real-world descriptions when considering their own research direction. Finally, all students of management theory, behavior analysis, and human resources will find this collection a thought-provoking tool for their understanding of behavioral systems and their application in organizations.

This book was published as a special issue in the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management.

Timothy Ludwig is a senior consultant for Transformation Systems Inc. and Safety Performance Solutions. Dr. Ludwig is a full professor at Appalachian State University where he was named a University Deans’ Distinguished Graduate Faculty for his contributions to the nationally recognized Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Human Resources Management Masters program. He is currently serving on the Board of the Organizational Behavior Management Network as a past president and is the current editor of the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management.

Ramona Houmanfar is an Assistant Professor in an internationally recognized doctoral program in Behavior Analysis at the University of Nevada, Reno. She has served as the Director of Organizational Behavior Management Network and is currently serving as the senior co-chair of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, a trustee of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies (CCBS), and editor of the Organizational Behavior Management Section of CCBS. Dr. Houmanfar offers courses in psychology and organizational change, and trains doctoral students in the areas of instructional design, communication, and productivity improvement. She has co-published a book, Organizational Change (Context Press, 2001).