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The Law of increasing disorder in organizations, dr. H. Dubbelman
Introduction
Which phenomena in organizations lead to the Law of Increasing Disorder? The possible result is a neglected organization. When does this Law apply, and what constitutes a neglected organization? Before answering these questions, we must first clarify the basis for this Law. Let's begin with some everyday examples. The Kreekrak bridges are currently undergoing major maintenance. After 40 years, severe metal fatigue has developed. Increasingly heavier and more traffic than anticipated is causing severe vibrations. If nothing were done, the bridges would eventually collapse due to wear and tear. Another example is the maintenance of a garden. If we don't maintain it regularly, it becomes overgrown, somewhat comparable to vacant buildings that deteriorate over time.
Both the bridges (deck, longitudinal and transverse girders, etc.) and the garden (grass, flowers, shrubs, etc.) consist of different components, each forming a system. The wear and tear of the bridges and the decay in the garden are examples of a law of physics. This states that if a system (the bridges and the garden) is left to itself (without maintenance), it will degenerate into disorder (collapse and become overgrown).
Besides these physical systems, there are also social systems. These are societies and organizations. The question is: Does this Law also apply to these systems? Let's consider the examples of business economist Professor Dr. Herman Jan van der Schroeff and business sociologist Professor Dr. Michael Crozier. Their results are described in Leiding en Organisatie (Leadership and Organization), 1962, and Strategies for Change (Strategies for Change), 1982.
De results of Herman Jan van der Schroeff en Michel Crozier
Prof. Dr. Herman Jan van der Schroeff argues that the Law of Increasing Disorder can also occur in organizations. Major causes include managers' inability to envision a future direction for the organization and their lack of consideration for the knowledge and experience of their staff.
Professor Michel Crozier argues that organizations that present themselves as democratic and have established rules against discrimination can present a different picture in practice. This involves monopolizing power, aggrandizing themselves, and obtaining special privileges. Such situations will lead to perverse effects—effects that are the opposite of what was intended. Instead of gaining a position of power over others, anarchy, ungovernability, dissatisfied staff arise, and the organization is at risk of collapse. Clearly, these are two examples of a neglected organization.
The foregoing implies that if the organization's management capacity is insufficient, disorder will increase. Below are some practical examples of neglected organizations.
Characteristic disorders (research by Joost van Kampen and Gertjan Schuiling, 2009)
There are organizations where things never seem to recover. They encountered this at the Amsterdam Municipal Transport Company, the Social Services Department, and the City Supervision Department. But these neglected organizations are likely more common. In the organizations studied, they found serious behavioral and attachment disorders. There was a strong contrast between the office and the operational staff. The shop floor staff felt abandoned when major problems arose. They had to try to solve them themselves, without the support of management. In summary: Neglecting people in organizations will lead to behavioral and attachment disorders. They then no longer feel engaged with the company.
In Amsterdam, the staff wanted to be taken seriously. Managers can be so preoccupied with their own affairs that they pay insufficient attention to their people, especially when their talents and experience (and their development) are not taken into account. What is important is how the leadership sets an example. If that is negative, it reinforces the disconnect.
Where is the church heading? Leaders, stand up (Pieter van der Toorn, June 23, 2014)
Pieter van der Toorn writes that in his hometown of The Hague, eight Protestant Churches in the Netherlands (PKN) are closing this year, and the situation isn't much better with other denominations. (While the number of mosques is growing, now to 70). He wonders what the cause is and how things could have gotten this far. The leaders are committed people, but not trained to give the church a clear direction and convey this vision to the congregation. Each acts from their own perspective. But a clear vision of what God wants is lacking. Often, there is Conflicts about which activities are or are not permitted. This can perhaps be resolved when the congregation knows the direction it wants to take and the leadership models this. This cannot be solved by smooth talk and imposing one's own wishes. The church is in a deep crisis and needs leaders who provide direction and dare to stand up for what they believe.
Conclusion
The preceding section addressed the Law of Increasing Disorder. Any organization can be affected by this. An organization as a system needs good organizational strength or governance. Otherwise, it will lead to a neglected organization due to the Law of Increasing Disorder. The examples illustrate this. At the transport company, staff disengagement arises. In the Anglican Church, they want the Quran to be read as a symbol of hospitality. Here too, a climate of disengagement arises among its members. This is partly evident from the fact that this Church weakens the foundation of the Christian religion in this way. Pieter van der Toorn argues that a neglected organization is also possible in congregations. This aligns with Paul's warning in Corinthians 1:10-15 against division in the church. He speaks of schisms, a clear biblical example of the Law of increasing disorder and neglected organization. The warning is to consider the dangers of such situations and to avoid them.