| Abstract: | The systems approach means different things to different people. Generally there is agreement that it implies an acknowledgement of the interconnectedness of things, using an integrated or “whole” approach rather than a partial view. Dearden has argued that any good manager adopts this method. In this article, however, the author takes the position that most managers find it difficult if not impossible to adopt a true systems approach. Two reasons for this are given: first, true system obiectives are not always apparent to managers at given levels; second, managers are rewarded for managing their own organizations and not for optimizing total enterprise performance. Several possibilities for altering the traditional reward patterns are suggested. |
