Organizational Development: A Manual for Managers and ... - FPDL

Substructures
Interrelations between components that are not essential for the creation of basic emergent
features may create a net of delicate links; this net may also include external elements, which do
not belong to the system. This net of relatively weak interrelations, non-distinctive at a macro-level
of an organism, has been called substructures. (Gazarian, 1990)
Substructures are often seen as informal relations between members of an organization and/or
with outsiders. However, the formal relations are not always particularly strong or defined features
within a system. When some formal relations are weak and evident only in particular
circumstances, they should be considered as a part of substructure. On the other hand, some
‘informal’ relations may be obviously crucial for organizational survival and may determine the
basic qualities of an organization. Therefore – substructures should be viewed not in terms of
‘formal’ versus ‘informal’, but in terms of ‘essential’ versus ‘non-essential’,
When the system remains in a state of stable equilibrium, substructural relations just create a kind
of ‘noise’ or accompaniment to the processes that move in accordance with the substructural path.
But in a state of unstable equilibrium, or in a point of bifurcation, these small substructural relations
may determine which alternative option or scenario for the future will be chosen.
A significance of substructure is not the weakness of the basic structure, but rather its dynamic
nature and non-linearity. At specific points of equilibrium (‘to appoint Bob or John’, ‘to buy or not’,
‘accept it or rise against’, etc.) substructural relations may become critical.
Substructure does not rival structure. Only in cases when structure does not determine the
direction in a point of equivalent choice – substructure does. It controls equilibriums. Such cases
are quite common in organizations. Equilibrium may be caused by actual equality of ‘pro’ and
‘contra’, or by uncertainty created by external uncontrollable factors, or just by the lack of
information when alternative options seem to be equal.
Substructures may be stable enough to penetrate the macro structure of an organism. Usually they
are much more complex than macro-structures. It may also be relevant to speak about
substructures within substructures, substructures at various levels, etc. The substructures of
different organisms play a key role in their informational interactions.
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