Choose two ways that organizations have changed over the years and provide a past to current
summary, integrating theory and personal perspectives. Your discussion should include any of the
previous chapter concepts, including the readings from this week.
Your replies (two required) to your classmates' thread(s) must be substantive in nature.
*Please review the Discussion Board Instructions and Rubric prior to completing this assignment.
Running head: DISCUSSION BOARD 1
Two Ways that Organizations have Changed
Institution Affiliation
Date
DISCUSSION BOARD 2
Introduction
Organizations are not static instruments. They often evolve as time passes. The evolution
is often influenced by changes in the operating environment (Benn, Edwards, & Williams, 2014).
The fact that changes in the environment cause organizations to change is evidence for the
argument that organizations are open systems. Today’s organizations are, in many respects,
radically different from early 20th century organizations. Change is critical to the survival and
growth of organizations. Firms that fail to make critical changes are likely to become obsolete
and collapse. Participants within organizations have been observed to resist change (Benn et al.,
2014). The resistance is caused by reasons like the fear of losing their positions in organizations
and disruption of the status quo, among other things. The necessity for change due to different
factors and the resistance to change by participants has led to the rise of the field of change
management (Benn et al., 2014). Two ways that organizations have changed over the years are
the significant adoption of advanced Information Technology (IT) and the increasing focus on
diversity in the workforce. The two key changes have been influenced by the operating
environment. The adoption of advanced and increasing focus on diversity in the workforce can
be explained using rational, natural, and open system perspectives.
Increasing Adoption of IT
The term Information Technology or IT is used to refer to the study or use of computers
and telecommunication technologies to store, process, retrieve, and send information. Computers
are widely used in organizations in various sectors and sizes. They have helped ease the
operations of organizations.
DISCUSSION BOARD 3
Past Summary
The use of computers to store, process, retrieve, and send information begun around the
mid-20th century. The computing technology was far-less advanced at the time. Computers were
enormous in size and quite costly (Van Oosterhout, 2010). Only a few organizations could afford
to buy and operate computers. The operation of computers was a deeply challenging task during
the early time of adoption as the interface was not user friendly. Modern wireless networking
technologies like satellite communication and cellular technology were far less advanced or
nonexistent in the mid-20th century. Prior to the advent of computers, organizations used manual
means to store, process, retrieve, and send information. Communication with other organizations
and individuals relied on traditional means of communication like courier services and landline
phones. Organizations could not quickly communicate with parties over long distances. The lack
of advanced IT to help store, process, retrieve, and send information significantly limited the
capacity of past organizations to handle large amounts of data and serve a large number of
clients. Banks, for example, had to keep manual records of customers’ accounts details, which
would limit the number of customers that the banks could serve.
Present Summary
As in the year 2020, the diffusion of IT within organizations has been significant.
Computers have become quite small, cheap, and highly potent. Many individuals around the
world own personal computers in their homes. Satellite, cellular, and computer networks have
become increasingly potent over the years. People can share information around the world in a
matter of seconds. The adoption of IT by organizations around the world has helped increase the
capability and reach of such organizations. Banks, for example, are now able to serve customers
DISCUSSION BOARD 4
situated over long distances (Van Oosterhout, 2010). The banks now use computers to store,
process, retrieve, and send information. Information regarding a customer can be accessed in a
bank's branches in different locations within and outside a country. IT has enabled banks to
target and serve many more customers than they could prior to the rise in technology (Van
Oosterhout, 2010). Governmental and non-governmental organizations have reaped significant
benefits from the adoption of IT.
The internet is an IT-related technology that is of significant importance to organizations.
Many organizations now have websites that they used to advertise their goods or services and/or
provide information to the general public. The internet has also led to the rise of electronic
commerce or e-commerce. People can now easily buy and pay for goods over the internet
(Solaymani, Sohaili, & Yazdinejad, 2012). Examples of e-commerce organizations are Amazon,
E-bay, and Alibaba. The internet technology has also led to the rise of social networking
technologies. The social networking technologies enable people to network and interact.
Organizations are increasingly leveraging social networking platforms to advertise to their
customers or inform the general public about their goods or services (Neti, 2011). Organizations
have always adopted relevant new IT. Most organizations have also been responsive to changes
in IT. They have retired obsolete IT and adopted new technology. The increasing adoption of
new and advanced technology is proof of organizations' responsiveness to change.
Diversity in the Workforce
Diversity in the workplace refers to having a workforce that includes people of varying
gender, race, ethnicity, age, religion, and abilities, among other characteristics (Martin, 2014).
The issue of diversity is one of the main issues that face human resources professionals today
DISCUSSION BOARD 5
(Martin, 2014). Organizations in western countries like the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom
are striving to maintain a diverse workforce.
Past Summary
In the early 20th century and earlier, the US workforce was not diverse. Women and other
groups, like people from other races and ethnicities, were underrepresented in mainstream
employment (Martin, 2014). The attitude towards gender, race, and ethnicity at the time was
unfavorable towards women and people of color. Discrimination on the basis of gender, race,
ethnicity, and religion, among other grounds, was prevalent in the early 20th century and earlier
centuries. The attitude in the society at the time affected hiring by organizations (Martin, 2014).
There was no societal pressure to maintain a diverse workforce and organizations did not focus
on the same. The joining of World War two by the US is one of the events that led to many
women to join the workforce as many men were fighting in the war. It took the war against
discrimination to get organizations to work towards ensuring cultural diversity.
Present Summary
Many initiatives have been put in place to fight discrimination in various aspects of
society like education, employment, and politics, among others. The passing of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 is one of the initiatives put in place to fight discrimination on the basis of race,
religion, and sex, among other respects (Zacharias, 2013). The feminist movement has helped
campaign for equal representation of women in the workforce. The US government formed a
federal agency called the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The federal
agency is tasked with laws that prohibit discrimination in the workplace (Schlanger & Kim,
DISCUSSION BOARD 6
2013). There has been pressure from the media and the public for organizations to provide equal
opportunity in the hiring process.
Many initiatives have been put in place to fight discrimination relate to politics. Politics
is one of the external environment that affect organizations. Firms today have been responding to
political pressure regarding offering equal opportunities in employment and are hiring diverse
employees. Google, for example, has diversity programs that are aimed to create a diverse
workforce. The company encourages women, people of color, and people from different
ethnicities, among other groups, to take STEM subjects and apply for technology jobs in the
company. Workplace diversity offers organizations the opportunity to leverage the talents that
people from different groups possess (Martin, 2014). Diversity is also aiding organizations
effectively reach diverse groups in society. More effort needs to be invested in ensuring adequate
levels of inclusivity in the workplace.
Theory Integration
The rational, natural, and open theoretical frameworks can be applied in the analysis of
the two organizational changes. The three system perspectives help explain the purpose of
organizations, structures within organizations, and organizational behavior.
The Rational System Perspective and the Changes
The open system perspective takes organizations to be instruments formed with the aim
of attaining specific goals (Scott, 2015). The system perspectives emphasize the importance of
formal structures in the attainment of the set goals (Scott, 2015). The rational system perspective
can help explain the reason why organizations adopted IT and why they continue to update their
IT as new technology is released. One explanation is that IT helps rational organizations achieve
DISCUSSION BOARD 7
their goals. Technology helps many organizations execute their core functions. In the example of
banks, core banking technology helps the banks serve their customers. Technology also helps
organizations manage their operations. The information gathered and stored using technology is
analyzed to help aid managerial decision-making. Technology also helps businesses market to
their customers. Social media, for example, has become a potent marketing platform. A rational
organization would adopt IT to help achieve its mission.
The rational system perspective can also help explain why organizations are working
towards enhancing diversity in the workplace. One possible explanation is to leverage the talents
and abilities that arise from having a diverse workforce. The talent and abilities would help a
rational organization achieve its mission. Another possible explanation is to avoid breaching
laws governing employment processes. The EEOC is keen on ensuring that all organizations
follow all employment-related regulations. The failure to follow such regulations can lead to
costly legal challenges, and that would hinder organizations from achieving their goals.
The Natural System Perspective and the Changes
The natural system perspective emphasizes the presence and importance of informal
structures within organizations (Scott, 2015). Informal structures emerge due to informal
relationships that participants form within organizations. The natural system perspective also
emphasizes goal complexity within organizations (Scott, 2015). The organization and
participants have goals, and the goals may be complementary or competing. The adoption of IT
by organizations could be due to the goals of the organizations and/or participants within
organizations. Organizations could adopt advanced IT to help achieve set goals, and participants
within organizations could push for the adoption of the technology to help enhance their jobs.
DISCUSSION BOARD 8
When the adopted technology helps the organization and the participants attain their goals, the
goals of both parties are complementary. The increasing drive towards workplace diversity can
also be explained using the natural system perspective. An organization based on the specific
system perspective can embrace diversity to help attain its goals. Some participants can also push
the organization to become more diverse to be more favorable to different groups in society.
The Open System Perspective and the Changes
The open system perspective also helps give reasons as to why organizations choose to
adopt advanced IT and work towards ensuring workplace diversity. The particular system
perspectives hold that organizations are not closed off from their environments, and the
interaction between the organizations and the environments is crucial to their success and
survival (Scott, 2015). Technology is discussed as one of the external factors that organizations
have to address to survive and thrive. Innovation outside organizations often leads to technology
that can help organizations improve their efficiency and efficiency and also achieve their goals.
Organizations adopt the technology to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. The failure to
adequately respond to changes in the technological environment can be detrimental to
organizations.
The political and legal environments are other external environments. Political pressure
often leads organizations to behave in a particular way rather than another way. Politics often
result in legislation that can affect organizations. The open system perspectives acknowledge the
fact that organizations have to be responsive to their political and legal environments. The failure
to respond adequately to the legal and political environments can result in challenges that can
cause an organization to fail. The issue of workplace diversity is influenced by political and legal
DISCUSSION BOARD 9
factors. There is a lot of political pressure in the US today regarding the provision of equal
opportunity in different sectors of society. The pressure is good as it will help entrench equality
and fight discrimination. There are also laws in place that prohibit discrimination in employment
processes. An open organization has to respond effectively to political and legal factors.
Personal Perspective
My personal perspective is that the open system perspective is the best theoretical
framework to investigate the discussed organizational changes. Environmental factors have
largely influenced the changes, and the open system perspectives hold that organizations are not
closed from their environments. The discussion is relevant to the Bible. Isaiah 43:19 states,
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in
the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” The Bible supports change. Christian organizations
and participants within the same should embrace positive change.
Conclusion
In summary, two ways that organizations have changed over the years are the significant
adoption of advanced Information Technology (IT) and the increasing focus on diversity in the
workforce. The two changes have been influenced by changes in organizations' environments.
The changes can be explained using rational, natural, and open system perspectives. The open
system perspective better explains the two changes.
DISCUSSION BOARD 10
References
Benn, S., Edwards, M., & Williams, T. (2014). Organizational change for corporate
sustainability. Routledge.
Isaiah 43:19
Martin, G. C. (2014). The effects of cultural diversity in the workplace. Journal of Diversity
Management (JDM), 9(2), 89-92.
Neti, S. (2011). Social media and its role in marketing. International journal of enterprise
computing and business systems, 1(2), 1-15.
Schlanger, M., & Kim, P. (2013). The Equal Opportunity Commission and Structural Reform of
the American Workplace. Wash. UL Rev., 91, 1519.
Scott, W. R. (2015). Organizations and Organizing: Rational, Natural, and Open Systems
Perspectives. London, England: Routledge. ISBN: 9780131958937
Solaymani, S., Sohaili, K., & Yazdinejad, E. A. (2012). Adoption and use of e-commerce in
SMEs. Electronic Commerce Research, 12(3), 249-263.
Van Oosterhout, M. (2010). Business agility and information technology in service
organizations (No. EPS-2010-198-LIS).
Zacharias, J. J. (2013). Religious accommodations in the workplace: an analysis of atheistic
accommodations in the workplace pertaining to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964. Rutgers JL & Religion, 15, 135.
Two Ways that Organizations have Changed
Thesis Statement: The adoption of advanced and increasing focus on diversity in the workforce
can be explained using rational, natural, and open system perspectives.
I. Introduction - Organizations are not static instruments.
II. Increasing Adoption of IT - The term Information Technology or IT is used to refer to the
study or use of computers and telecommunication technologies to store, process, retrieve,
and send information.
III. Diversity in the Workforce - Diversity in the workplace refers to having a workforce that
includes people of varying gender, race, ethnicity, age, religion, and abilities, among
other characteristics (Martin, 2014).
IV. Theory Integration - The rational, natural, and open theoretical frameworks can be
applied in the analysis of the two organizational changes.
V. Personal Perspective - My personal perspective is that the open system perspective is the
best theoretical framework to investigate the discussed organizational changes.
VI. Conclusion - In summary, two ways that organizations have changed over the years are
the significant adoption of advanced Information Technology (IT) and the increasing
focus on diversity in the workforce.
