Main Points – Organism Metaphor

1. Re-read Morgan regarding Metaphor Characteristics

Essential Points:

- Organisations are reactive and open systems. Meaning, as stated by Morgan, that
“organizations and their environments are engaged in a pattern of co-creation, where each
produces the other” (Morgan, p. 63)

- Dependency factors of organizations: To be created, exist and to be sustained,

organizations must be embedded in an environment that enables/guarantees that the
organization as an organism’s needs are met permanently.

- Organizations as organisms are only operational if all sub-units of this system co-create, i.e.,
cooperate towards the organism’s drive to live.

- Opposes the mechanic metaphor by not being a closed, system. Hence, exchange with the
external environment is key besides how organisms relate with their environments.

- Main characteristics of organizations as organisms:

- Organizations relationship with its environment

- Organizational survival

- Organizational flexibility

- Organizational Dynamic Nature, mixture of individual realities

2. Research Existence/Data of Characteristics on lu.se

- Integration of all areas for an organizational goal:

https://www.staff.lu.se/organisation-and-governance/organisation/organisational-structure

Meaning that all departmental areas/divisions would be linked to some extent.

Specifically, to add an example, sustainability:

https://www.staff.lu.se/organisation-and-governance/vision-objectives-and-strategies/sustainability-
climate-and-environment

Details on process and implementation, besides references to strategy.

CH1: See “Prioritized areas”

https://www.staff.lu.se/organisation-and-governance/vision-objectives-and-strategies

CH2: See “Developments”:

https://www.staff.lu.se/organisation-and-governance/organisation/development-projects

CH3: See “Organizational Structure” and respective tasks of departmental units:

https://www.staff.lu.se/organisation-and-governance/organisation

https://www.staff.lu.se/organisation-and-governance/organisation/organisational-structure

Lacks more specific proof (data).

3. Identified gaps to be transformed into interview questions

 - Organizations as organisms are only operational if all sub-units of this system co-create, i.e.,
cooperate towards the organism’s drive to live.

- Opposes the mechanic metaphor by not being a closed, system. Hence, exchange with the
external environment is key besides how organisms relate with their environments.

- On-Site handling of movement patterns during Pandemic

- Room Allocation and distribution of academic individuals. Creating semester schedules,

planning in general.

4. Covid19 Development and Current State:

Addressing various organism units:

https://www.staff.lu.se/organisation-and-governance/coronaviruscovid-19-information-regarding-
staffphd-doctoral-students

https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/coronavirus-covid-19-information-students

Centralized Approach towards Effective Communication: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-

university/universitys-handling-coronavirus

Digital Studies – Performance:

https://www.staff.lu.se/organisation-and-governance/coronaviruscovid-19-information-regarding-
staffphd-doctoral-students/remote-assessment

5. Current Development of Digitalization:

Remote Studies & Examination:

https://www.staff.lu.se/organisation-and-governance/coronaviruscovid-19-information-regarding-
staffphd-doctoral-students/remote-assessment

https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/article/university-makes-transition-distance-education

OPPORTUNITIES:
Supporting Society – hence Organizational Outreach (Organism Metaphor – External and Co-
Creation)

https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/article/lund-university-students-and-staff-support-health-care-
system

Distance Learning:
https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/admissions/distance-learning

CHALLENGES:
International Communication, Exchange Studies during CoVid19:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acg8Cl7b8MQ

On-Site handling of movement patterns during Pandemic - Room Allocation and distribution of
academic individuals

Returning Employees and Students, etc:

https://www.staff.lu.se/sites/staff.lu.se/files/2021-10/Guidelines%20regarding%20the%20work
%20environment%20and%20premises%20for%20the%20gradual%20return%20to%20campus%20as
%20of%2029%20September%202021.pdf