HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY

Information System Analysis and Design

Assignment 1
20/11/2014

Group Members
Tlhapiso Ramaselesele SGS 302/07
Assefa Million SGS 287/07
Samuel Otaala SGS 304/07
Amir Mussa SGS 286/07

Lecturer: Dr. Abdul Kadir Khan

Identify and describe characteristics of real life examples of open and closed Systems. Also
study and discuss the organizational structure of any selected organization. Write your report
and prepare yourself to share your views with the rest of the class in an oral presentation
Open System: This is a system which is connected to its environment by means of resource flows.

Examples of open system; the Human body, a manufacturing business.

Characteristics of open systems.

1. Importation of energy from the environment. For example food and raw materials.
2. Throughput/processing. This is the work done on resources, or the reorganization of inputs.
3. Output – The export of resources to the environment. Examples are manufactured products and
waste products.
4. Systems as cycles of events, for example; production to marketing, to revenue collection, to
purchase of inputs, back to production.
5. Negative entropy. This allows for storage of energy.
6. Information input, negative feedback and a coding process. Example is touching a hot object,
you feel the pain, you process the information, then you withdraw your hand. A business looks
at sales volume and adjusts the product, or marketing strategy, to increase sales.
7. The steady state and dynamic homeostasis(and a tendency towards growth to ensure survival)
An example is breathing. After exercise, you breathe hard to ensure enough oxygen in the
blood system. Another example, when you are cold, you put on a blanket to maintain a warm
temperature.
8. Differentiation and specialization. This ensures that the organization has structure, and leads to
a common goal or output. E.g. Body parts do different functions, different departments do
different functions for the overall goal of the organization.
9. Integration and coordination. This is so that the system components work together, providing
inputs and outputs to each other, so that the whole organization can work together.
10. Equifinality: This is the contribution of many parts and processes towards a common final
outcome.

Closed system

This is a physical system that does not allow for certain types of transfers, e.g. mass, in or out of the
system.

Examples; Production line, R&D(Research and Development) department, the earth, a thermostat, a
watch.

Characteristics

Apart from the general characteristics of systems, they have the following characteristics

1. There is limited interaction with the environment

2. There is no feedback mechanism to the system
3. There are no control mechanisms
4. They are relatively simple, compared to the open system complexity
5. They are self-controlled and self-maintaining.
 Example on the Organizational structure of ICT directorate below which is a sub-system of the
Haramaya structure above.

Office of the President

ICT Directorate

Maintenance Teaching and Business Training and

Infrastructure Learning
and Support Applications & Consultancy
Unit Technologies
Unit Development Unit
Unit Unit

Description of the above bureaucratic structure of organization using Weber’s definition

1. An organization of official functions bounded by rules.

There are various functions in the organization, e.g. ICT Director, which have guidelines on Job
Description and Employee Conduct and behavior.
2. Specialization
Among the various official functions of the organization, every post has an employee with a
different set of skills. E.g. The Maintenance and Support Unit have skills in Hardware and
Software maintenance
3. A clearly Defined Hierarchy of Offices.
In the above example, the organization structure highlights the levels of authority within the
organization.
4. Rules
There are various rules within the organization. There are procedures for acquisitions, for job
requests, and for work discipline. For example, to purchase laptops, there has to be a purchasing
request order, then it should be approved by the head of the department, then the finance
department, before the actual purchase can be made.
5. Impersonality
The rules regarding code of conduct apply to everyone in the organization equally.
6. Free selection of appointed officials
The rules of procedure regarding appointment of officials within the directorate are in such a
way that there is no concentration of power in an individual to be able to independently appoint
officials.
7. Full-time paid officials
Every employee in this structure is a fully occupied, fully paid employee.
8. Career Officials
There are opportunities for growth within the organization. It is possible to progress upward in
the organization as long as vacancies and seniority permit.
9. Private/Public Split
There is clear boundaries within the rules in order not to let personal relationships interfere
with the structure and functionality of the organization.
10. Discipline and Control
There are disciplinary actions and control mechanisms to punish those who don’t follow
procedures, and reward outstanding employees.