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Organizational structure of the socio-technical system

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Write a paper describing how the 'socio' part of the socio-technical system causes the Telebank Call Center to be something other than a perfectly smoothly functioning machine.

The paper should include references and be to the point. You are expected to deal with these issues in an integrated fashion, rather than treating them as a series of individual questions to be answered one by one and left at that. To help guide your thinking, however, you will need to consider issues such as:

The organizational structure at the Telebank Call Center, in terms of traditional categories (see the Cliffâ??s Notes terminology) to what degree can this company appropriately be described as a "machine"?

What are the major components of its technical system? Of its social system? Are there any major features of the organization that you would put outside both the technical and social systems?

What kind of control does management have over the technical system elements? Toward what ends or goals? What are some effects of exercising that control?

What kind of control does management have over the social system elements? Toward what ends or goals? What are some effects of exercising that control?

Are there any interesting interactions between the technical and social systems that affect their management?

All told, is the concept of the organization as a socio-technical machine really beneficial and useful as an organizational metaphor? Why or why not?

You will be particularly assessed on:

Your ability to see the "big picture" is the machine-like aspects of organizations-- and structure your paper accordingly.

Your informed commentary and analysis -- this is as important as your summary of the material in the article -- simply repeating what the article says does not constitute an adequate paper.

Your ability to apply the professional language and terminology of the underlying model -- in this case, socio-technical design correctly and helpfully. However interesting your paper about Telebank, it's not going to be complete unless you also show that you can write about it in socio-technical terms.

Your ability to apply the language of the machine metaphor effectively.

Your effective and appropriate use of in-text citations to the assigned readings and other source material to support your arguments.

Read this article:
Callaghan, G. (2001) Socio-Technical Systems and Call Centres: A Case Study Investigation. ESRC End of Award Report. Retrieved August 14, 2008,

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Solution Summary

Organizational structure of the socio-technical system is examined.

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Socio-Technical System of Telebank Call Centre

Abstract

This paper is related to the evaluation of organizational structure of the Telebank call centre. With the help of this, the reader can understand the combination of social and technical elements. In the call centre model of Telebank, several types of social and technological controls are presented. The inspection of all these elements is integral to understand the nature of the organizational structure. All these controls will be discussed that how the traditional organizational structure works as a machine.

In addition, the paper will explain the major components of social and technical system as well as various controls to align the system with the company to achieve the goals. Additionally, the paper will also examine the importance and advantages of socio-technical machine as an organizational metaphor.

Introduction

Socio-Technical System can be defined as the notion of the growth of complicated and multi-structure organizations, to design the work effectively and enable flow of functioning between people and technology (French & Bell, 2004). In simple, words, the meaning of this term is the interaction between the complicated infrastructure of the technology and the human behavior. This kind of system facilitates the organization to simplify the work tactics and process, so that the employees can use technology effectively and achieve the goals and objectives (Ropohl, 1999).

In this system, the term technical does not indicate the technology. This term denotes technicalities in the organizational functions. Thus, socio-technical system refers interrelationship between the actions of employees to handle technicalities in the work. Socio-technical system plays an important role to develop the organizational structure.

Socio-Technical System in Telebank Call Centre

The notion of telebanking is an electronic way through which the bank provides wide range of services to the customers. It is a process through which the bank meets the level of customer's demands. This system assists the bank to interact with high number of customers at a single time by using telephone and internet (Callaghan, 2001).

The Telebank call centre is used to transfer funds, loan payments, transaction of currency, and provide support to the customers and bank to resolve their queries and problems at the global level. The call centre of Telebank is considered as the socio-technical systems because it uses human behavior align with the technical systems.

Telebank is one of the biggest call centres, which is used by large banking organizations. In order to review the Telebank call centre, it is understandable that the Telebank call centre is not a smooth operating machine. One of the main things, noticed about organization is the hiring and recruitment practices. All these practices of the firm are regimented ...

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