INTEGRATION (Vertical)
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1730 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
The existence of various hierarchic levels of integration in a system.
As the system differentiates during its period of growth, it tends to need more and more varied resources, which must be extracted from its environment.
M. J. SIRGY and R. H. GILES Jr. state: “Large organizations usually strive to become vertically integrated (i.e. ”intrabiotic“) to insure control over environmental resources” (1986, p.239).
More varied inputs imply more diversified subsystems to transform and assimilate them and for elaboration of the resulting products.
More diversity means at the same time more interactions and more internal conflicts. Thus the need for regulation and control increases and, even, some meta-controls appear and with them a hierarchy of structures for governance of the system.