Perspectives

Abstract

In this book we shall be concerned with a class of organised, usually large systems which for brevity and convenience we shall call simply Organisations. Any member of this class is a system of men, machines, materials and money (or energy) posssessing structure, content, communication and control. It is a large class; including industrial corporations, government agencies, armies and navies, public enterprises, countries and international bodies. Particular examples of its membership are transportation companies such as the Canadian Pacific Railway, BOAC or Matson Lines; manufacturing companies such as FIAT, Aluminium Company of Canada or Hoechst; utilities such as TVA or Electricité de France; and public services such as the GPO in Britain. In the past it has included such notable organisations as the Prussian Army, the Old Kingdom of Egypt, the Mesta and the Honourable Company of London Merchants Trading in the East Indies. Some of the subclasses of this important class have been studied systematically and intelligently for a very long time; others have been almost ignored until recent times. Although some of the aspects of Organisations which we shall discuss are common to all members of the class, and may be examined and analysed according to similar principles, we shall be mostly interested in business organisations and public enterprises. The lessons of the past, suggested by the history of members of other subclasses, will not however be overlooked whenever they seem to be relevant and instructive.