At this point of the discussion, we need to ask ourselves what are the building blocks that we use to guide our insight towards creating practical solutions for our clients. Mouton (2002) also explored this question in his book “Understanding Social Research”, when he defined the key concepts of social knowledge in a hierarchical fashion. He demonstrates how the scientific body of knowledge is created through linking ‘words’, ‘statements’, ‘conceptual frameworks’, ‘models, ‘typologies’, ‘theories’, and ‘research paradigms’ as the body of knowledge grows towards complexity.
Requisite Business Solutions specifically grounded our thinking in a theoretical framework called Work Complexity, together with an in house developed Organisational Development Model. We thus, utilise the building blocks of models and theory to guide us in our solution development with our clients.
I quickly want to explain the purpose and difference between the two constructs. Models and theories are closely related to each other, with models serving a heuristic function, whereas theories serving us through the explanation of a phenomenon. Models illustrate all the aspects of the phenomenon, as well as the dynamic interrelations between these aspects, however it is merely a partial representation of the phenomenon, highlighting the key characteristics and obvious aspects thereof. Heuristic literally means ‘to reveal’, thus guiding the consultant towards the key elements that needs to be considered when framing the solution.
To define theory properly is easy when one looks into the available definitions in the academic world, however I believe that the true value of a theory is demonstrated at a much more practical level. In this regard, I cite the following from Silver (1983) - She defined theory as
“…a unique way of perceiving reality, an expression of someone’s profound insight into some aspect of nature, and a fresh and different perception of an aspect of the world.”
Anfara and Mertz, (2006, p. xiv) draws from Silver (1983) when they answer the practical question relating to the understanding of theory. Anfara and Mertz (2006) state that theory requires effort and one needs to travel into someone else’s mind and become able to perceive reality as that person does. They furthermore explains that one needs to shift ones mental structure, discover a different way of thinking and to feel some wonder that one never saw before what now seems to have been obvious all along. One needs to stretch ones mind to reach the theorist’s meaning.
Work complexity, as theoretical framework, forms the context of Requisite Business Solutions’s consulting approach, and we believe that the ability to understand complexity is fundamental to business success. We need to stretch our minds to understand the meaning as envisioned by the father of work complexity, Elliot Jacques, as well as Gillian Stamp who was instrumental in the operationalisation of the construct. We stretched our minds to understand this meaning and we have customised this in our solutions to enable a practical application within the business environment. Work complexity as construct has been expanded from a purely psychological definition to one that is more aligned to the broader business context in which organisations operate. Requisite Business Solutions has also recognised additional levels of work complexity, specifically applicable to the South African business environment.
RBS thus utilises the building blocks of theory (Work Complexity), as well as our in house developed Organisational Development Model to guide us towards insight, clarity and understanding, whilst fulfilling the roles of philosopher and therapist at our client’s side.