Open Systems Theory in an Organizational Sub-System: A Field Experiment.

This paper deals with a leadership change experiment conducted in a major component part (sub-system) of a manufacturing organization (system). The leaders (foremen) in seven of eight groups comprising an entire department of critical importance in the organization were reassigned on 2 days' notice in accordance with an experimental plan designed by the author. The nature of the experiment and associated data provide an unusual opportunity for an empirical field test on certain central aspects of open systems theory as applied to formal organizations.² [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]