Running head: BUELL CENTRAL 1

Buell Central

Christian Ochoa

ORGL-4361

Dr. Blanco
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Ludwig von Bertalanffy

First, we need to understand who Ludwig von Bertalanffy was. “Ludwig von Bertalanffy

was born on 19 September 1901 in Atzgersdorf, then a suburb of Vienna. He graduated in Theoretical

Biology, in 1932 he became Associate Professor, and from 1946 to 1949 he was the Head of the

Zoological Institute at the University of Vienna. In 1949, he emigrated to Great Britain and then to

Canada. In 1969, he moved to the Centre for Theoretical Biology of the State University of New York in

Buffalo where he held lectures until his death in 1972.” (Chroust, 2006)

Theoretical Biologist who came up with a theory called General System Theory, or

(GST) in short. GST was originally devised as a way of joining multiple sciences together, this is

a theory that explains that Systems are a set of interacting elements that are “Open” and interact

with one another in different environments. Such as a school, or an ant colony, “ For instance,

ant colonies display behavioral capabilities that are beyond those of individual ants. As each ant

makes instinctual decisions based on environmental and social cues, the colony as a whole takes

on behaviors that cannot be predicted by studying an individual ant” (Issitt, 2020).

General Systems Theory Today

General Systems theory is not one specific procedure but a cycle or a complete whole. In

Earlier the term Open was used to quote an Open System. “The idea of an open system is

essential to GST and describes a system that is able to affect and be affected by the environment”

(Salem). It is comprised of a few elements, such as visiting a doctor’s office when one is sick,

the doctor analyzes your symptoms and finally the prescription of medications based on one’s

analysis results. This would be considered an open system. In this case one issue would be

dependent on another hence the relation is open since all are interconnected, to the point is to

continue with the open system, the doctor will recommend you return when your treatment is
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complete to check on your progress. Just like this, many systems are interconnected and the

realization of this is the basics of GST. In general, all systems that operate are part of the General

Systems Theory.

Max Weber
Max weber was born in the year 1881 in Germany and his family was rich from a textile

industry, and his father was an aspiring Politician as well as a lawyer. Weber was educated in

Private schools and received a great education for probably the same reason as his father having

ties in the local government.

He became a professor in Economics but in reality his writing range in many different

aspects, he did however focus on the topic of Bureaucracy and how it was going to be the best

way to manage large groups of people in the future. One for the drastic changes of the economy

going from farms to Large companies. Max Weber’s claim that Bureaucracy was to be the best

way to appoint the most qualified individuals that fit a job description. He strongly believed that

assigning a title based on favorites to compensate for service in the military or any other reason

such as family members was not the appropriate way to advance towards a more comprehensive.

“ These pre-modern administrative systems were characterized by inefficiency, nepotism, and

other kinds of favoritism, corruption and coercion; they produced as a consequence, a decision-

making process that was wholly unsystematic, unpredictable, and highly idiosyncratic”

(Lutzker,123).

The Bureaucratic system today

Max Weber had a theory of how modern bureaucracy involved three groups of

characteristics. His theory was formed by using the German Civil Service in his time and still

holds true to the day.

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 Group One: is a group that relates to the structure of an organization, and how these

have a hierarchy between offices in a jurisdiction. These offices have rules in place that

will be used for guidelines and will always be followed and will affect individual

performance.

 Group Two: An official can hold an office and will be paid a certain salary for holding

this office, however when his time in office is done, He/she will not have the opportunity

to choose who will precede them.

 Group Three: To be in administrative office one must have a title or a certain degree of

training as a prerequisite. With promotions available based on tenure. As a Civil Servant

this person serves the state and cannot be removed at will by a change in the political

leadership.

Weber emphasized on the rational aspects of bureaucracy and how it could be implemented

to make a better more adequate working society.

Henri Fayol

Henry Fayol was born in France in the year 1841 where he was part of a middle-class

family unit, when he was educated in the National School of Mines where he obtained a degree

as Mining Engineer in the year 1860. Upon Completing his education, he obtained a job with the

company he would work for his entire life. Commentary-Fourchambault Company, there he

worked different jobs and moved through the ranks “From 1872 to 1888, he served as director of

operations for a group of mines in the company’s coal business. (Lynch, 2019).” Fayol built a

reputation of being great at doing his job.  “According to Lyndall Urwick, author of a foreword

to the 1949 edition of Fayol’s General and Industrial Management, The success with which he

carried out those duties is one of the romances of French industrial history (Lynch, 2019)” Prior
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to retiring Fayol had published two papers where he expressed his views on management. He

argued that management is a skill that needs to be learned on the side of knowing one’s primary

job duties. After his retirement Henri Fayol created a center called, Center of Administrative

Studies where he promoted concepts knows as Fayolism until the time of his death in 1925.

Administrative Management is considered the process of the entire organization

Henri Fayol is considered the Father of Administrative Management and he wrote on the topic in

a few papers such as one labeled. “Discourse on the General Principles of Administration” as

well as “General Industrial Management.” There are six categories that comprise General

Industrial Management.

Six categories of General Industrial Management.

 Production.

 Manufacture.

 Commercial activities of buying selling and exchange.

 Financial activities of finding and using capital.

 Cost and Statistics.

 Managerial activities involving foresight, organization, coordination, and control

Fayol argued that people who are performing these tasks need to have specialized learning to

carry out the tasks, in order to be promoted in a company’s best interest.

Administrative theory today

Now in these times when many universities and colleges offer a variety of specializations

revolving around Administrative Theory, they all factor to the fourteen principles established by

Henry Fayol. “These fourteen principles were as follows: division of work into specialized tasks;

authority and responsibility, or the right to give orders and the power to exact obedience;
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discipline, or clear agreement between management and labor regarding rules and the judicious

use of sanctions; unity of command, by which an employee should have only one superior; unity

of direction, with only one head and one plan for a group of activities having the same objective;

subordination of interests, with individuals subordinating their personal interests to those of the

firm; fair and reasonable pay; centralization; a clear hierarchy of authority; a place for everything

and everything in its place; equity, with kindness and justice in employee relations; stability of

tenure of personnel, with orderly personnel planning and provisions to replace human resources;

initiative, with promotion of zeal and energy on the job; and a spirit of teamwork (Lynch 2019).”

Today, the theories are so widely used on a day to day basis that they are considered

essential and no longer are attributed to Fayol directly. These fourteen theories that were implied

by Henri Fayol within his years of being a successful leader, have held up throughout the years

to help us with the guidelines for being successful leaders.

Buell Central

At Buell central High School, the main curriculum deals with sustainability and the 17

Global Goals for Sustainable Development, “Sustainable development is the most important

objective of modern times and can only be achieved through a holistic societal approach. Such a

broad-based approach is also an effective means to accelerate its realization through a reasonable

division of labour and cooperation among managing bodies” (Bojie, 2019). The curriculum at

Buell Central is based on the 17 sustainable goals have been implemented to help the way of life

as per prior guidelines set by the United Nations. At Buell Central High School, we have about

150 students maximum enrolled in classes ranging from grades 6 to 12, and all the students are

encouraged to learn about sustainability. We review what goals best describe each class being

taught. Buell Central is a very small campus, we get work closely with our students and we
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create a bond with them that in certain cases some of these kids do not have even at home. The

students really appreciate when we go the extra step for them and at times will do anything in

their power to return to our campus because they love working with us teachers. In all honesty, it

is a very flattering experience to have students tell you that they really love your classes and love

to come to school daily because they know that at Buell Central, they feel appreciated. Now, the

problem with all of this. Buell Central Highschool is a DAEP school, which stands for

Disciplinary Alternative Education Program, this means our students have discipline issues at

their home campuses that must be dealt with at out DAEP Campus. Buell Central offers many

sustainability projects for our students because we believe that involving students in real world

training and situations is very important and our teachers at Buell work with Bio Diesel, they

work with Carpentry as well as Automotive projects where gasoline engines are removed and are

to be converted to electric motors just like a Tesla Car. At Buell Central we are making

education interesting again for students that may have lost their way in the mist of having giant

schools packed with 2500 students at the same time.

Departments

Buell Central is a small campus consisting of a maximum of 150 to 160 students on a at

time, these students are separated between High School and Middle School and Prep Class. Prep

Class is a feature that is exclusive to Buell Central, Students will spend the first five days of

attendance at the Prep Classroom where they will be instructed on the rules and procedures that

must always be followed while in attendance. Our students are instructed by a Marine Drill

Sargent in school code, Frist and foremost the 17 sustainability goals and other instructions such

as walking with their hands behind their back always, asking for permission when entering a

classroom. Our students at Buell Central are also instructed that they must wear a uniform, “A
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smartly dressed" employee has traditionally been associated with wearing work apparel that

attractively displays a company's cohesive brand and image” ( Assad 2006). The Uniform is to

always remind the students that they are part of an institution and they need to act according. The

uniform needs to be worn to school daily, and it is also designed to keep the students safe. That

being said, every Monday when the student boys arrive to school, they are allowed to bring five

dollars for a haircut that will be provided for them by three hair stylist that are available from

7:30 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. These people are paid 5 dollars for every hair cut that they process. The

rest of the uniform consists of camouflage pants with a grey or green t-shirt and black or white

shoes and the most important part, boys need to their hair cut with a 0 at the bottom and a short 1

on top, and Girls must wear their hair in a bun, there are no exceptions, and this is one of the few

things that the boys and girls highly dislike. The students do not understand that wearing such

uniforms help them stay safe, from opposing gang members who attend the same school, by

wearing gang neutral colors, as well as being safe from being identified when leaving school at

the end of the day. Within the first five days students will need to learn how to dress and behave

at the DAEP School, and in order to be able to graduate from Prep class they will need to present

a self-evaluation and tie it to the 17 Sustainability goals, in order to move on to their

corresponding grade level.

Goals

Every Student that attends Buell Central does for a reason, we have students enrolled that

have a court order to attend the DAEP, we have students who have been kicked out of every

school they attend to and Buell Central is the last resource, as well as students who need to

comply with attendance guidelines as per their home school. Each one of these kids have

different goals, that are set not per Buell Central but based on prior history. My responsibility at
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Buell Central is to find out where in their school career the students are, and what I can do to

help them reach their goals. Each student has an independent goal, many times it is something as

simple as learning to read more fluently, to completing their High School Credits in order to

graduate and become productive adults. “Goals have helped many people focus their motivation

and concentration to accomplish amazing things for thousands of years. However, it is only in

the last century that psychologists and other scientists have gained an understanding of goal

setting” (Froyland 2019).

Our goals as instructors are to keep pushing individual kids to perform, to find what

drives them and keep putting pressure towards those goals. In turn students can see that it is

possible, that with a hard work they can achieve their personal goals. It may not be hard work all

the time they are enrolled but being consistent with work will show progress. The realization

that there is are issues that needs to be fixed at Buell Central, if there is a goal that I believe I can

assist with, it should be brought up and attended. After all, if one is working at the school to help

the students with individual goals, one is also supposed to help the school achieve goals that

have been set up for students. If one sees a better way of doing things and does not suggest a

change, it can be determined that this person is not doing his or her job to their fullest.

Company Issues

To most of our students Buell Central High School, is the perfect place because they do

not received homework, and they do not need to bring anything but the clothes on their back and

the shoes on their feet. I have now been working at Buell Central for one year now, and in the

time, I have been collaborating with the instructors and have learned that there are a few issues

that need to be attended. One of the main issues at school is funding, there is a great potential to

learn and many people who work at Buell are very willing and more than capable to teach the
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students who attend. However, when a class embarks on a great project like converting a internal

combustion vehicle to electric power, there are not enough funds to tackle a project of such

magnitude to the end. In theory it sounds amazing that a high school with students’ which

society may not think the smartest or most appropriate can make such wonderful conversions in

the comfort of the school they attend.

Monetarily it adds up to be a nightmare, because funding for DAEP schools is limited by

the district, reason being DAEP Schools should be only limited to the essentials such as keeping

up with grades and attendance. The students are in such campuses have a need to be there and

should all conform to the state mandated regulations. “students who are assigned to a DAEP also

must be suspended from extracurricular activities. The students can neither participate in nor

attend extracurricular events” (Walsh, 323). Buell Central has projects available and will usually

give all the students who work and the opportunity to learn in such fields as Automotive, or Intro

to Engineering, as well as Finance Classes. The main issue is the allocation of funds, such

projects that are taken up by Buell Central are big and expensive.

Solution for Funding

On an average Buell Central can enroll from 60 to 90 Male students who on a weekly

basis must have a hair cut in order to comply with Uniform Requirements. All staff as well as

students are aware that Mondays students will need to bring five dollars to receive a haircut,

There are three barbers that come in on a weekly basis and cut hair from 7:30 am to 9:00 am

depending on availability of students. My resolution is to have these barbers pay a quota for

being able to come into the school and do the haircuts. There is no option for fades or designs all

the cuts are simple and on an average take about five minutes or less per student. Now

considering that these Barbers are working for a profit and they are making about 100 dollars
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each in less than two hours and are not paying the school for the courtesy they are not deciding

to be part of the system.

Regarding General Systems Theory, by contributing to the system they are participating

in a closed system which does not input any feedback to the organization. Buell Central Staff

have a great attitude and are always working towards the betterment of the collective. They

build and sell Tables as well as Painting and during the Christmas Posada sell Tacos and host an

Art Show to collect funds to help the students with advancing their projects. I believe that the

Barbers who come to Buell Central should pay a quote or donate their time to help the collective

and be part of the open system at Buell Central Highschool. Now if we do the simple Math with

90 students paying 5 dollars for haircuts on a weekly basis that is 450 dollars per week and in

just one month that is 1800 dollars’ worth of haircut money which Buell Central does not see a

dime from. Since this area of opportunity has not been addressed at Buell I think that with

careful planning Staff can make necessary changes and figure the best way to get some of the

money to come full circle and help the students by returning some of it to their hands in the way

of funding for the same projects they work on.

Conclusion

In conclusion, by reviewing the three theorist and acknowledging all they have done for

the economy as well as for humanity in general I have chosen Ludwig von Bertalanaffy.

Following Ludwig von Bertalanaffy and the General Systems Theory by donating, the barbers

will to be an integral part of the school and the process on a weekly basis to help the students

comply with their required uniforms as well as help with the male students being sanitary. Buell

Central offers many opportunities for students to better themselves by offering a curriculum that

can expand their knowledge in areas that schools typically do not teach. Such as, converting
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waste oil into biofuel, as well as converting wind and solar energy and even converting gasoline

engines into Electric Engines like the electric Tesla Cars. Funding is very important and by

making the adequate changes to how Buell Central and the freelance barbers do business there is

a great opportunity for a collaboration to increase the donations that come in on a weekly basis

for student project funding.

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Reference

Assad, D. G. “Industrial Safety Hygiene News.” Wearing Uniforms Can Enhance Workplace
Safety, 2006, eds-b-ebscohost-
com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=7398415a-57bd-
4c7a-932c-4301ee3faa81%40pdc-v-sessmgr03.

Bilhartz, T. D. (2019). Max Weber. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia. https://eds-b-

ebscohost-com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=1&sid=f42aa382-
c3c3-42ce-a59d-
a158e8b89320%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0
ZQ%3d%3d#AN=88828176&db=ers

Chroust, G., & Hofkirchner, W. (2006). Ludwig von Bertalanffy returns home. Systems
Research & Behavioral Science, 23(5), 701–703. https://doi-
org.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/10.1002/sres.794

Froiland Phd, J. M. “Goal Setting .” 2019, eds-b-ebscohost-

com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=3279901d-7c6d-48e2-
a2ef-8308a92e228c%40pdc-v-
sessmgr05&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d
%3d#AN=89677556&db=ers.

Fu, B, et al. “Unravelling the Complexity in Achieving the 17 Sustainable-Development Goals.”

OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 15 Mar. 2019,
academic.oup.com/nsr/article/6/3/386/5381567.

Issitt, M. “General Systems Theory .” Eds-a-Ebscohost-Com, Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2020,

eds-a-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/eds/detail/detail?
vid=0&sid=f54175b4-5f92-4a8c-8c89-016666c0b66d%40sdc-v-
sessmgr01&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d
%3d#AN=101071975&db=ers.

Lutzker, M. (1982). Max Weber and the Analysis of Modern Bureaucratic Organization: Notes
toward a Theory of Appraisal. The American Archivist, 45(2), 119-130. Retrieved May 2,
2020, from https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/stable/40292476?read-
now=1&seq=7#page_scan_tab_contents

Lynch , R. G. “Fayol Publishes General and Industrial Management.” https://eds-a-ebscohost-

com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=d208fcbf-87ac-4241-
9dd1-
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907b78390091%40sessionmgr4006&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l
0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=89314546&db=ers

Urwick, L, l. The Elements of Administration. New York: Harper & Bros., 1944. Uses the work
of Fayol as the framework for a study of several key management scholars. Consolidates
the principles and ideas of each scholar. A key resource for those studying Fayol.

Walsh, J. “The Educator's Guide to Texas School Law.” ProQuest Ebook Central , 2010,
ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/lib/southtexascollege-
ebooks/reader.action?docID=3563185#.