Title: Work systems as the core of the design space for organisational design and engineering

Authors: Steven Alter

Addresses: School of Business and Professional Studies, University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, California, 94117, USA

Abstract: This paper contributes to the initial development of organisational design and engineering (ODE). It proposes a work system perspective on ODE by showing how work system concepts provide a basis for discussing and researching areas where behavioural science and computer science are jointly relevant to the operation and success of IT-reliant work systems through which organisations operate. This paper is organised as follows: it clarifies its view of ODE in general by proposing a general theory of ODE, that does not rely on work system concepts; it introduces basic ideas in the work system approach; it summarises a work system approach to ODE; it summarises three design spaces that are organised using work system concepts; it discusses correspondences and divergences with the original ODE white paper (Magalhaes and Silva, 2009); it summarises the advantages of a work system approach to ODE.

Keywords: organisational design; organisational engineering; ODE; work systems; work system framework; information systems; design space; information technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJODE.2010.035184

International Journal of Organisational Design and Engineering, 2010 Vol.1 No.1/2, pp.5 - 28

Published online: 14 Sep 2010 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article