From Work Structuring to a Sociotechnologic Design

Abstract

The concept of work structuring (Philips 1968, Ruehl 1973) is based on the genuine idea to stimulate man's motivation by allowing him more degrees of freedom in his job, thus creating possibilities of release for the man at work. This was in good conformity with F. Herzberg's theory of motivation (1967). The experiments starting from this point were rather partial approaches in small groups anywhere in the organization of bigger enterprises. It's up to the new sociotechnologic concept to subdue the whole organization to these principles. For this we need above all a new theory in terms of behavioral science and a new theory of organization which precede the technical design and are integrated in it. Finally, men have to be classified at least according to their type and to be led to the genuine kind of tasks. This complete concept combines the fellow-man (socius) with the functional technology and leads to the sociotechnologic design.