Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The thesis considers the work of Elliot Jaques through the most recent interpretivist views of organizations and management. As it stands, Jaques does not form part of mainstream management thinking. Jaques is primarily known in organization and management theory for Stratified Systems Theory through his book Requisite Organization. Although undoubtedly influential, his views are generally considered to be either outdated or highly contentious. This assessment is mostly based on his book Requisite Organization. However, Jaques’ work spans fifty years of research in management science and the thesis explores his entire body of work with a view to understanding the research that Requisite Organization is founded upon. It explains Jaques’ divergence from the current determinisms that dominate our current milieu and links his work in Levels of Abstraction in Logic and Human Action with Maturana and Varella’s concept of autopoiesis and Weick's theory of Organizational Sensemaking. It is shown how the roots of Requisite Organization seeks to address similar concerns to that of Organizational Sensemaking. In conclusion various aspects of Jaques work are mapped to aspects of Weick's work, which at first glance would have seemed incompatible. It is argued that, if considered as a whole, Jaques' theory resonates with much more modern understandings of organization and management theory than is widely assumed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tesis oorweeg die werk van Elliot Jaques deur die lens van die onlangste interpretatiewe sienings van organisasie en bestuursteorie. Op die oomblik vorm Jaques nie deel van die hoofstroom bestuursdenke nie. Hy is hoofsaaklik bekend vir Gestratifiseerde Sisteemteorie deur sy boek Requisite Organization. Alhoewel hierdie teorie baie invloedryk was, word dit meestal gesien as deel van bestuursgeskiedenis en wat eerder as kontroversieel as relevant beskou word. Hierdie oordeel is gewoonlik gebaseer op sy hoofwerk – Requisite Organization. Sy navorsing is egter op vyftig jaar in bestuurswetenskap gebaseer en die tesis bekyk sy totale bydrae in 'n poging om die navorsing waarop Requisite Organization gebaseer is te probeer verstaan. Dit verduidelik Jaques se afwyking van huidige determinismes wat ons huidige verstaan domineer en haak sy werk in Levels of Abstraction in Logic and Human Action met Maturana en Varella se konsep van autopoiesis en sy totale bydrae met Weick se teorie van Organisatoriese Singewing. Daar word aangedui hoedat die wortels van Requisite Organization dieselfde sake probeer aanspreek as Organisatoriese Singewing. Ten slotte word verskeie aspekte van Jaques se werk in verband gebring met aspekte van Weick se werk wat met die eerste oogopslag teenstrydig skyn te wees. Daar word geargumenteer dat, gesien as 'n geheel, Jaques se teorie baie meer modern voorkom as voorheen aanvaar is.

Thesis (MPhil (Informations Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Karl E. Weick’s Theory of Organizational Sensemaking and Elliot Jaques’ Stratified Systems Theory are not often deemed to be complimentary. The generally accepted view is that these two positions represent two poles on a spectrum of organization theory. The thesis attempts to bring these two theories in conversation with one another and argues that organizational sensemaking is enriched in a requisitely structured organization. The essence of stratified systems theory is that all humans have an inherent cognitive potential level of coping with complexity. As people mature they gain the potential to handle the next level complexity jobs. Similarly, jobs have a certain span within which they can or should be successfully mastered. In organizations one can then identify different strata, according to job complexity. A requisitely structured organization uses strata to create a managerial hierarchy. Jaques argues that a hierarchy is not repressive if applied requisitely as people will naturally be drawn to jobs in the strata where they are most effective. Sensemaking on the other hand, is the cognitive ability to impose frames on ongoing flows and so make the world sensible. Normally it is an automatic process, but in organizations the sense made is often fragile and under threat. Sensemaking and management are two mutually interacting activities that influence each other constantly. The type of frame imposed on an object, the interpretation given to events, the plausibility of explanations forwarded and the contextualization of circumstances is dependent on one’s applied cognitive capabilities. It is argued that if there are no discontinuites in cognitive capabilities and if the organization is requisitely structured then sensemaking is enhanced. This argument serves as the bridge between Sensemaking Theory and Stratified Systems Theory. Other links are in pertinent properties that are common to both theories, for example, requisite variety, trust, meetings and leadership, which are fundamental requirements in both theories. While the theories are complementary, there remain some gray areas and some others of contention and these are considered towards the end. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Karl Weick se Teorie oor Organisatoriese Singewing en Elliot Jaques se Stratifiseerde Sisteemteorie word nie gewoonlik as komplimentêr gesien nie. Die algemeen aanvaarde siening is dat die twee teorieë eintlik pole aan weerskante van ‘n teoretiese spektrum is. Die tesis probeer om die twee teorieë met mekaar in gesprek te bring en argumenteer dat organisatoriese singewing in ‘n genoegsaam gestruktureerde organisasie verryk word. Die kern van Stratifiseerde Sisteemteorie is dat alle mense ‘n inherente kognitiewe potensiaal vir kompleksiteitshantering het. Soos mense natuurlik verouder kan hulle potensiaal vergroot word en kan hulle ‘n volgende vlak van kompleksiteit hanteer. In organisasies beteken dit dat verskillende rolle in organisasies verskillende tydsperiodes vereis waarbinne dit suksesvol bemeester kan of behoort te word. In organisasies kan verskillende vlakke op hierdie manier geïdentifiseer word. Volgens Jaques gebruik ‘n genoegsaam gestruktureerde organisasie hierdie vlakke om ‘n hierargiese bestuurstruktuur daar te stel waarmee mense aangewend word op die vlakke waar hulle die effektiefste sal wees. Singewing daarteenoor, is die kognitiewe vermoë om raamwerke op deurlopende vloeie af te dwing. Normaalweg is dit ‘n outomatiese proses, maar in organisasies word singewing dikwels bedreig. Singewing en bestuur is twee aktiwiteite wat mekaar deurlopend beïnvloed. Die soort raam wat op die vloei afgedwing word, die interpretasie van gebeure, die geloofwaardigheid van verduidelikings en die kontekstualisering van omstandighede hang saam met mens se kognitiewe vermoëns. Daar word geargumenteer dat die afwesigheid van diskontinuïteite in kognitiewe vermoëns is en ‘n genoegsaam gestruktureerde organisasie singewing sal bevorder. Op hierdie manier word ‘n brug geslaan tussen Singewingsteorie en Stratifiseerde Sisteemteorie. In die proses word eienskappe wat sentraal staan vir beide teorieë, soos vereiste varieteit, belang van vergaderings, vertroue en leierskap, uitgelig as gedeelde eienskappe tussen die twee toerieë. Laastens word die grys areas en besware bekyk en waar die grense van komplimentariteit tussen die twee teorieë lê.