sociotechnical systems approach
an approach to the design and evaluation of work systems that developed in Britain after World War II. It is based on the theory that tasks and roles, technology, and the social system constitute a single interrelated system, such that changes in one part require adjustments in the other parts. The introduction of new technologies, for example, may automate some job tasks and lead to decreased job satisfaction and group resistance to the changes. The goal of this approach is to optimize organizational or technological design by considering the ways in which people interact with technology in a variety of environments.