Analysis
By: Case Alicia James
GB500 Business Perspectives
Instructor: Jill FriestadTate
Mapping a Business System
Drawing from insights in Hutchens, The Tip of the Iceberg, (pp. 65-70), select a system
in your work organization, or an organization that you are familiar with, and apply the
causal loop diagram, including a reinforcing and balancing process.
In a 1-2 page paper, briefly describe the purpose of the system, the components of the
system, draw a casual loop diagram, and in plain language describe the diagram.
Causal Loop Diagram. Hutchens, David. The Tip of the Iceberg, Managing the Hidden
Forces That
Can Make or Break Your Organization, Digital Slides. Pegasus Communications, Inc.,
2001 Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) can help us understand complex interactions and
events by revealing system structure. Unlike buildings, most systems don't have visible
structure.
Causal Loop Diagrams have four basic parts:
Point of Intersection (usually ellipses or circle) that contain values that can change
Lines with an arrow showing influence direction
A reversal indicator
Format the paper using APA style (1-2 pages only, not including title and
reference page; use in-text citations to support your comments):
Select an organization you are familiar with;
First paragraph: Discuss the purpose of the system, definitely connect your
comments to systems thinking researchteach me about systems thinking;
Second paragraph: Discuss the components of the system using appropriate
terminology, again connect to research when appropriate using APA citations;
Next, draw the diagram (use drawing tools in Word) including the balancing
and reinforcing sides, arrows including direction, and variables that affect the
system;
Third paragraph: in plain English, describe the casual loop diagrams
purpose, components, etc.
Universal Family Connection, Inc. and the foster care program
A system has a purpose. Every system exists for a reason and is designed to do a specific thing.
At Universal Family Connection, Inc., the purpose of the foster care program is to provide
supportive services, monitoring, supervision to relative foster parents of DCFS youth ages 21
and under, and provide support to families preparing for permanency.
The parts of the system have to combine in a particular way for the system to carry out its
purpose. . In foster care, the parts that would have to combine would be the Universal Family
Connection, Inc. who has the children and the foster parents who will provide the homes for the
foster children. Without the UFC and the foster parents working together they wont be able to
carry out its function but by Universal Family Connection, Inc. and the foster parents working
together, both parties will be happy because they carried out the function of the system.
Universal Family Connection, Inc. is dependent on the foster parents to bring the homes to the
company for the foster children and the foster parents are dependent on Universal Family
Connection, Inc. to provide the children that are in need of the homes.
Systems serve specific purposes within larger systems. . In foster care, Universal Family
Connection, Inc. and the foster parents purpose is to make sure that the best interest of the child
is taken care of because it is all about the children. The purpose of Universal Family Connection,
Inc. is to provide the children for the foster parents that are in need of homes. The purpose of the
foster parents is to provide the homes for Universal Family Connection, Inc. Now, you can see
that the purpose of Universal Family Connection, Inc.-Foster Parent system is basically
supporting and contributing to the purpose of both groups being able to support the foster
children. Actions or disturbances in any one of the systems can have a ripple effect that extends
up and down to other systems with possible consequences in every connecting system. .
Systems seek stability.. At Universal Family Connection, Inc. caseworkers try interventions
when needed if problems arise and they do from time to time. First, the caseworker will go out to
the foster parents home to try and resolve any matter that may arise with the foster parent and
the foster child. If the caseworker cannot solve the problem, the caseworker will then consult
with his/her supervisor and the supervisor will then intervene and give solutions to the problem.
This usually works. In systems, the most obvious intervention may not always be the most
enduring. Such efforts are usually about as effective as kicking a waterbed: You may see some
initial movement, but eventually everything will return to its previous state..
Systems also have feedback. . At Universal Family Connection, Inc. the supervisor will consult
the about director a particular problem to get interventions and solutions that no one else came
up with. This usually works after the director gets involved. This is the feedback. If the system is
healthy, it will hear the feedback and respond. Dysfunction and disorder occur when a system is
unable to accurately recognize, interpret, or act on the feedback. .
At Universal, sometimes the foster parents believe that they are always right and that no one can
tell them how to solve any problem. Sometimes the foster parents believe that complaining about
certain situations is an isolated incident and cant imagine how that might be connected to their
other actions. Initially, they were unable to recognize the feedback; until they did, they were
unable to take relevant action.
Universal Family Connection, Inc. will send out urgent memos to seek stability in the system.
Universal Family Connection, Inc. will even bring in the supervisor to help any given situation.
Most of the times, bringing in the supervisor will make matters worse. It will still be
disagreements.
The system responded this way because they didnt think the whole process through. In systems,
the most obvious intervention may not always be the most enduring. You may see initial
movement to that system in the beginning, but eventually everything will return to its previous
state.
Initially, Universal Family Connection, Inc was unable to recognize and diagnose the feedback.
But, once they did, they were able to take a course of action.
CASUAL LOOP DIAGRAM OF THE FOSTER PARENT SYSTEM
References:
Hutchens, D. (2001). The Tip of the Iceberg. Managing the Hidden Forces That Can Make or
Break Your Organization.
CausalLoopDiagram.Hutchens,David.TheTipoftheIceberg,ManagingtheHiddenForcesThatCanMakeor
BreakYourOrganization,DigitalSlides.PegasusCommunications,Inc.,2001
GB500 Unit 4
Manager's Toolbox: Mapping a Business System
Drawing from insights in Hutchens, The Tip of the Iceberg, (pp. 65-70), select a system
in your work organization, or an organization that you are familiar with, and apply the
causal loop diagram, including a reinforcing and balancing process. In a 1-2 page
paper, briefly describe the purpose of the system, the components of the system, draw
a casual loop diagram, and in plain language describe the diagram.
Causal Loop Diagram. Hutchens, David. The Tip of the Iceberg, Managing the Hidden
Forces That Can Make or Break Your Organization, Digital Slides. Pegasus
Communications, Inc., 2001Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) can help us understand
complex interactions and events by revealing system structure. Unlike buildings,
most systems don't have visible structure.
Causal Loop Diagrams have four basic parts:
Point of Intersection (usually ellipses or circle) that contain values that can change
Lines with an arrow showing influence direction
A reversal indicator
Still not sure about Causal Loop Diagrams?
Below are a few resources you can review for more insight. System Thinkershttp://www.thesystemsthinker.com/tstgdlines2.html Pegasus Communicationhttp://
www.pegasuscom.com/cld.html
Mindtoolshttp://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_04.htm
Click Atomic learning link from Course home and search for Word Diagram Tool- Movie
#10824
Directions for Submitting Your System Paper
Put your System Paper in a Word document and save it in a location with a name you
will remember and that includes your name. For example if you name your paper
System Paper and your name is Sue Smith, your file name should be titled, " System
Paper SueSmith". Submit your Systems Paper to the Manager's Toolbox Dropbox.
How to Submit an Assignment through the Dropbox:
Select the Drop Box tab from the tool bar.
A Drop Box pane will open, displaying your In Box and Out Box.
Click the Submit Assignment link on the upper left hand corner of the pane.
A Submit Assignment pane will open with a visual editor.
Chose the appropriate Basket in which you wish to submit your assignment from
the drop down menu. This is a required field. You cannot submit an assignment without
first selecting the basket in which it is to be submitted.
Fill in a description of the assignment using the visual editor (and appropriate tools
as needed, such as spell check).
Attach the assignment by clicking on the Add/Remove link below the visual editor.
You will be able to browse to the location of your assignment on your computer.
When you are ready to submit the assignment, click the Submit Assignment button
on the right hand side of the pane.
If you change your mind and do not wish to submit the assignment, simply click
Cancel.
Once you have submitted an assignment, it will show up in your Outbox in the main
Drop Box pane.