Evolving Alternative Organization Designs: Their Sociotechnical Bases

The implicit assumptions underlying dominant or classic organization designs and the presentforces in society are examined as a background for rise of alternative organization designs. Some fourteen attributes commonly shared by the new designs are presented. These include systemic structure and roles, organizations as open systems, design by joint optimization, organizational uniqueness, stated organizational values or philosophy, quality of working life as an essential objective, comprehensive roles, selfmaintaining social units, flat structure, participation, minimal status differences, make large small, iterative evolutionary development, and minimal critical specifications. Some attributes are a response to needs for institutional survival, others for long-term economic survival, and still others for enhanced institutional effectiveness. A postscript compares evolving alternative organization designs with proposals of proponents of intermediate technology.