General Systems Theory

Karl Ludwig von Bertalanffy

By: Ryzle Khate B. Madinno

OVERVIEW
1 BIOGRAPH
2 Y
METAPARADIGMS
3 DISCUSSION OF THEORY
4 ANALYSIS
5 REFERENCES
Karl Ludwig von Bertalanffy
-An Austrian biologist known as one of the
founder of general systems theory In 1918

-Born on September 19, 1901 at Atzgerdof

near Vienna and died on June 12, 1972 at the
age of 71 years old.

-He came from a distinguished family, which

included many scholars and court officials.
EDUCATION -1918: started his studies at the university level in
philosophy and art history, first at the University of
Innsbrick and then at the University of Vienna

-1926: finished his PhD Thesis (“Fechner and the problem of

higher order integrations”) on the psychologist and
philosopher Gustav Theodor Fechner

-1934: received his habilitation in “theoretical biology”,

then, was appointed Privatdozent at the University of Vienna

-1938: joined the Nazi Party , which facilitated his

promotion to a professor at the University of Vienna in 1940
 METAPARADIGMS
PERSON NURSING
Nursing is seen as a
The person is seen as profession that is focused
a holistic and on promoting health,
dynamic system that preventing illness, and
is made up of restoring balance within
interrelated parts. the person and their
HEALTH ENVIRONMENT
environment.
Health is viewed as a The environment
state of optimal is seen as a
functioning and balance complex system
within the person and that includes both
between the person and physical and social
their environment. elements.
 DISCUSSION OF THEORY

E N E R A L - System theory views an organization as

G an organism made up of numerous

parts(subsystems) that must work together

S Y S T E M S in harmony for the larger system to work.

- Such as departments, work groups,

business units, facilities, and individual

TH E O RY employees can all be viewed as subsystems

of the organization.
 DISCUSSION OF THEORY
- Believes that organizational success relies on:

*Synergy
*Interdependence between subsystems
*Interconnection
-within the organization
-between the organization and the environment
CHARACTERISTICS OF GENERAL
SYSTEMS THEORY
COMMUNICATION
• Communication mechanisms must be in place for organization systems to
exchange relevant information with their environment
• Provides for the flow of information among subsystems

SYSTEMS, SUBSYSTEMS, & SUPER SYSTEMS

• Systems- set interrelated parts that turn inputs into outputs through
processing
• Subsystems- do the processing
• Super Systems- broader group including the system’s universe
CHARACTERISTICS OF GENERAL
SYSTEMS THEORY
BOUNDARIES
• Separates the system from its environment
• Four Types
a. Physical boundary- prevents access
b. Linguistic boundary- specialized language
c. Systematic Boundary- rules that regulate interaction
d. Psychological Boundary
CHARACTERISTICS OF GENERAL
SYSTEMS THEORY
GOAL-DIRECTEDNESS
• Systems are goal-oriented and engage in feedback in order to meet the
goals of the organization.

HOLISTIC VIEW
• Systems theory focuses on the arrangement of and relations between the
parts that connect them into the whole
• The mutual interaction of the parts makes the whole bigger than the parts
themselves
 BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE GENERAL
SYSTEMS THEORY
INPUT
-Maintenance inputs (energetic imports that sustain the system)
-Production inputs (energetic imports which are processes to yield a productive
outcome)

THROUGHPUT or PROCESS
-Work done on those resources used to produce a product

OUTPUT
-Exit or change exiting the system
-Systen returns the product to the environment
 BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE GENERAL
SYSTEMS THEORY
PROCESS
-Provides a series of mechanical or chemical operations on something in order to change
or preserve it

FEEDBACK
-Information about a reaction to a product
-Used as the basis for improvement
-Can be:
Positive feedback- changes or grows the system in desired ways that
amplify and enhance the system’s current processes
Negative feedback- seeks to correct or reduce deviations in the systems
processes
ILLUSTRATION
TYPES OF A SYSTEM
OPEN SYSTEM
• Continuously interact with
the environment
• Permeable boundaries
(information & resources
flows both in and out)
CLOSE SYSTEM
• Theoretical systems that do
not interact with the
environment
• Not influenced by its
surroundings

• There is an exchange of
materials, energies, and
information with the
environment
 ANALYSIS

Clarity Simplicity Accessibility

• The theory’s • The theory is
• The theory is a
simplicity is accessible to a
clear and
one of its wide range of
coherent
strengths, as it audiences,
theoretical
provides a including
framework that
clear and students,
provides a
straightforwar researchers,
comprehensive
d way of and
understanding of
understanding practitioners.
complex systems
complex
and their
systems.
behavior.
 ANALYSIS

Generality Clarity
• The theory’s • General systems theory has had a
generality is one of significant impact on various
its key strengths, as fields, including biology,
it can be applied to psychology, and management.
various systems, • The theory’s emphasis on the
including living interconnectedness of parts and
organisms, feedback mechanisms has
organizations, and influenced various fields’
social systems. understanding of complex systems
and their behavior.
"People are not machines but
in all situations, where they
will act like machines”

-Karl Ludwig von Bertalanffy

REFERENCES

Indira, S. (n.d). GENERAL SYSTEMS THEORY. Narayana

Nursing
Journal.https://www.bibliomed.org/fulltextpdf .phpmno=
219305

Panarchy (n.d). Ludwig von Bertalanffy Passages from General

System Theory(1968).https://www.panarchy.org/vonbertal
anffy /systems.1968.html
Thank
You