Case Study Review

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss how the organization is able to achieve its goals because of participants. For the case, an organization called On-Ramp indeed knew the importance of skills in the organization thus, it was able to provide a flexible working environment to help the participant attain her professional goals. Also, in what seems like the organization's way of achieving its goals in the future, it was able to work with the employee to determine how knowledge can be gained from further learning. It has given an example of the support provided to an employee with talent focused on pursuing academic goals, thus becoming an asset for an ideal job. This will provide upward mobility for the company and highlight its reputation. Further, they are three significant theories such as natural, rational, and open system perspectives and theories that are highly applicable to the case. But out of three theories, the open system perspective is the best in evaluating the case because it helps explain the case's goal complexity and influences the firm's external environment. 

Case Study Review

In most cases, organizations are established to attain certain goals. But in order for the organizations to achieve their goals, there are participants who help to attain their goals. Participants within the organization have professional or personal goals which may complement those of an organization or conflict with them. Therefore, from the case study, it has been indicated how the On-Ramp has provided a flexible working environment to help participants attain their academic goals (Scott & Davis, 2015). It is clear from the view of the company that both the employers and employees invest in improving specific assets of employees. This means that within the organization, it is important that in case there are goals complement between organizations and participants, they must work together to attain the goals. For instance, Amy Werner's case indicates that On-Ramps, an organization that employed her, had significantly committed itself to improve her skills, knowledge, and abilities by providing a flexible environment that enabled her to finalize her studies. Although Amy is focused on finishing her studies, On-Ramp has decided to accommodate her to achieve her goal because she is a highly capable employee. It is also clear that there is a conflict between Amy and the organization, but the organization's decision to grant Amy a flexible working schedule helps solve the issue arising from goal complexity within the company.

Integration Theory

From the case analysis, it is clear that different theories are applicable in the case of On-Ramp and Amy. For instance, the rational system perspective is one of the important aspects because it views organizations as an instrument that were formed to achieve certain goals. On-Ramp is an organization with a mission, objectives, and goals; thus, the participant in the firm, Amy, has to help it achieve its desired ends by executing different responsibilities and goals from a rational system perspective. Although the rational system perspective is vital, it has one weakness in analyzing the case because it does not consider the goal complexity within an organization (Mills, 2019). For example, the participant in the firm, Amy, has professional and personal goals that conflict with On-Ramp regarding timing, something which the perspective does not provide a significant solution to the complexity of the goal (Őnday, 2018). More importantly, the perspective does not acknowledge the impact of the environment on the company's internal operations.

Also, compared to the rational system perspective, the natural system is more useful in analyzing the case. This is because the natural system perspective has two critical characteristics: acknowledgment of goal complexity and increased focus on informal structures (Blaschke, 2017). For instance, the On-Ramp organization has the goals to achieve, which it thinks Amy will help them attain, but given that Amy has professional goals that she needs to work extra to achieve, the company has allowed her to go on with it. In addition, recognizing the goal complexity, the organization allowed Amy to have a flexible working schedule because her contribution to the firm is vital to success. Further, On-Ramp has recognized that Amy's academic achievement positively affects the organization's growth and success. Therefore, as the organization looks at the long-term results, the knowledge Amy will gain I n school can be utilized to achieve the goals that On-Ramp sets semi-annually.

More importantly, the open system perspective is another vital theoretical framework for evaluating the case. This perspective is vital because it holds that organization operates with the environment. Further, it acknowledges goal complexity as the organization's goals can be affected by its participants and the environment surrounding it. For instance, in Amy's case, pursuing his personal and professional goals affect the firm (Martz, 2013). This is because the class schedule hinders Amy from working full-time, which On-Ramp responded by ensuring that Amy had a flexible schedule. But more importantly, the firm seeks to use the knowledge earned by Amy from University to attain its goals.

Personal Perspective

Having analyzed the case effectively, it is clear that it has helped demonstrate that even though a natural and rational system perspective help understands some organizational aspects, an open system is the best for organizational study. This is because an open perspective plays a vital role in ensuring that various factors affecting a firm are accounted for (Willyard, 2015). It is also showing how the factors identified can be adapted by the organization to thrive and survive in the market. For instance, the On-Ramp organization had a conflict with one of its best participants, Amy, who is pursuing studies; thus, her academic calendar is making her not work full-time. But due to the long-term impact of the participant on the organization, it responded effectively to the matter. 

Conclusion

It is fundamental from the case study that it can be analyzed from three perspectives: a natural, open and rational systems perspective. For instance, it has been indicated that the On-Ramp organization accommodated Amy by making her work flexible so that she to continue pursuing further studies. The reason for allowing Amy to continue with her education is that organization seeks to use skills she would have acquired from her studies to attain its goals. Further, On-Ramps is responsible for meeting participants' needs and factors arising from its environment.

References

Berglund, H., & Sandström, C. (2013). Business model innovation from an open systems perspective: structural challenges and managerial solutions. International Journal of Product Development, 18(3-4), 274-285.

Blaschke, S. (2017). Structures and dynamics of autopoietic organizations: Theory and simulation. Springer Science & Business Media.

Martz, W. (2013). Evaluating organizational performance: Rational, natural, and open system models. American Journal of Evaluation, 34(3), 385-401.

Mills, D. L. (2019). Organizations: Rational, Natural and Open Systems.

Őnday, Ő. (2018). The relationship between concepts of rational, natural and open systems: Managing organizations today. Business and Management, 10(1).

Scott, W. R., & Davis, G. F. (2015). Organizations and organizing: Rational, natural and open systems perspectives. Routledge.

Willyard, K. (2015). Rational, Natural and Open System Perspectives of Organizations.