The systems theory or thinking can be summarized into five key ideas. Basically, the systems theory suggests that organizations behave like systems; that is, they are composed of various elements or components that exist to attain a common goal or purpose. In this paper, the author relates how one organization embodies the five key ideas of a system based on its operations. The organization that was chosen to be discussed in this paper was the American Tourist Travel Agency (ATTA). For starters, ATTA is one of the largest and most prominent travel agencies in the United States. It caters to both domestic and international tourists. The travel packages and destinations that it offers to its prospective clients are also highly diverse. It maintains a website that can be accessed through the URL americantorustisttravelsagency.com. It contains a great deal of information about the company’s products and services, a brief history about its inception and existence, among other things.
Everything in a system is connected
The central idea behind this first system thinking key point suggests that a system, or in this case the organization that is ATTA, is made up of an interconnected set of elements and or components; and that connections that are as small as the ones that exist between existing members may also be considered. This perfectly applies to the composition of the ATTA as an organization. A perfect example would be how it relies on its business partners to generate customer leads. The ATTA works with various partners such as travel package retailers and distributors, a good number of which are located overseas. These retailers and distributors are what help individuals who want to travel to any popular tourist spot in any one of the states in the U.S. grab and pay for an ATTA-offered package. Because of this type of relationship, the point that suggests that ATTA is dependent on its retail and distribution partnership component would be a valid one to make. Without enough leads, the company’s revenues and profits would surely be affected. When profitability levels get too low, it would be harder for the company to justify its operations. It may eventually lead to a certain level of downsizing or in a worst case scenario, a bankruptcy. This is the kind of system that the ATTA is dependent on and it deserves to be highlighted. When this interconnection gets severed, it would not only be hard but costly for ATTA to develop its own network of travel package retailer and distribution. Considering that it caters to an international breed of clients, it would be virtually impossible to cover all the trails of its previous retailing and distribution network. At this point, it would be safe to say that ATTA cannot exist without its business partners.
A system does something
Exactly what does ATTA do? Basically, it offers a wide variety of tourist and travel packages to its clients. It works like a normal travel and tourism agency. The only major difference is that majority, if not all, of its destinations are concentrated in the United States and other parts of the Americas . It also caters to clients that are located both locally and overseas. The organization’s output is mainly intangible. With this in mind, it would be safe to say that the ATTA is a service organization. Manufacturing companies would be the best and most sensible example of an organization that generates a tangible output. It is important to note, however, that the only reason how ATTA becomes able to generate this intangible outcome is because of its key partnerships with other organizations. Considering this, one can say that the role that the ATTA does in every transaction is that of a mediator.
Systems have a boundary and an environment
Thanks to globalization and the far-reaching tool that is the internet, the boundaries of the ATTA’s operations are practically limitless. As mentioned earlier, they cater to both domestic and international clients, majority of which are of course, tourists and travellers. If there is anything or anyone within ATTA’s system that would be bound by boundaries and environments, it would be the individual business partners stationed overseas. A business partner that generates customer leads for the ATTA in Singapore, for example, would only be limited or bound by the geographical constraints in that country. As for ATTA’s environmental boundaries, however, they would practically remain limitless in this kind of system.
The system is defined by your interest
The main deliverable for the ATTA would be the travel packages. Each travel package that it manages to deliver is, however, a product of its partnerships with other businesses. For example, it does not have its own chain of hotels where it can allow its customers to stay over; it also does not have its own fleet of small boats, planes, and shuttles that it can use to transport its customers from one plane to another. It needs the help of its key business partners to be able to deliver all the contents and offers of one travel package. Because of this, one would say that this system may only be understood by someone who has a strong background in supply chains and how they work . As far as the deliverables are concerned, however, anyone who has vested interests in travels may be included.
Systems and subsystems
Just like any other organization, the system that makes up the ATTA may also have subsystems. In this case, however, the existence of subsystems are not explicitly stated or revealed in their organization structure. If one is to assume, however, the subsystems in the ATTA’s case may be synonymous to departments. The transport department, for example, would be mainly responsible for ensuring that all travel packages’ transportation components would be honored by their business partners—most likely a ferry, shipping, or airline company. The accommodation department, on the other hand (as yet another example), would be responsible for ensuring that all travel packages’ accommodation component are all well taken care of—that is, the hotels that they have tie ups with would be able to accommodate their incoming customers.
Conclusions
In conclusion, the way how the ATTA operates is like a system. Each of the five key elements of a system has so far been justifiably discussed. This can be seen as a testament that the ATTA indeed works and operates like a system; that its outputs are intangible and that it is also composed of various elements and components, all of which are dutifully interconnected to achieve a common goal, among other key characteristics.
Works Cited
American Tourist Travel. "Products and Services." (2016): http://americantouristtravelagency.com/Page/ProductsServices. n.p. Web.
Chen, C., L. Ching and H. Sue. "A fuzzy approach for supplier evaluation and selection in supply chain management." International Journal of Production Economics (2006): 289-301. Print.
