Systems Approaches:A Look at the Organizational System of World

Wrestling EntertainmentBy: Dylan Kirn

Organizational Communication

Systems Metaphor and Systems Concepts People are components of the system.

In World Wrestling Entertainment, the wrestlers that make up the company working together with the management makes up the system of the WWE.

The WWE is a hierarchical order which there are subsets and super systems.

The subsystems in the WWE are the developmental wrestlers that have their own championship belts and important competitions.

They are working towards being part of the main roster where they are in more one on one meetings with the upper level of management.

Interdependence The functioning of one component of a system relies on other components of the system.

In World Wrestling Entertainment, this is a very important piece of the industry.

The wrestling matches are scripted and during certain matches certain wrestlers are supposed to win.

All of the wrestlers depend on one another to be successful because the idea of live theatre in wrestling means that one wrestler does not have to let another win.

Permeability Boundaries that allow information and materials to flow in and out.

The WWE, does not allow information to flow in and out of the company.

This is why fans often criticize them for being late to the party when they try and do something that relates to current events.

They are not permeable and they do not let any have information because of the nature of the wrestling business. They can not allow their company secrets of what wrestlers will win what championships at what times out ot the general public.

If all the knowledge becomes public then nobody will want to pay for the information and the business will fail.

Systems ProcessThe process of input-throughput-output of material or information from the environment through its permeable boundaries.

The idea that information goes through this process in the WWE is not in the traditional sense.

This company is not as permeable therefore information can be suggested by the writers, but it all comes down to the hierarchical leader of the company, Vince K. McMahon and what he wants.

The output does not always equate to the input because the company lacks permeability.

Exchange, Feedback, and Throughput Exchange is apparent in both input and output because it provides a balance in the conversation.

Feedback is critical to throughput because it helps the information get to the output on a more balanced level.

For example if someone inputs a question they need feedback to have a good throughput to make the output evenly reflect the input.

Throughput involves interdependent components of a system acting together.

In the WWE, the interdependent components are upper management, the writers, and finally the wrestlers.

Everything that happens for the view is determined by the upper management.

System Properties Holism states that an organization is more than the sum of its parts.

World Wrestling Entertainment, has to use the organization as more than the sum of its parts because the wrestlers are what makes everyone money.

If the company is sectioned off by the levels of management it will fail.

Equifinality, is the idea that a system can reach the same final state from differing initial conditions and a variety of paths.

There is more than one way to do something, in the WWE there are several ways to make wrestlers great and they use all the resources they can to accomplish this.

System Properties continuedNegative entropy, the tendency of closed systems to run down.

This idea is interesting because of the natural closed society of wrestling.

Information is kept in, but the ideas inside still continue to generate money.

Requisite variety suggest the internal workings of the system must be as diverse and complicated as the environment in which it is embedded.

This means that World Wrestling Entertainment is embedded into the world therefore the must cover all cultures.

They means there is something for everyone. There are wrestlers that are for younger kids, men, women, some to make people laugh, and some that nobody likes.

Something for Kids!

Something for kids to get into!The New day is targeted towards younger kids as a fun group that promotes having a positive attitude on life!

Something for Men!

Demon Kane! A wrestler that has been around since the 90’s. He creates a demonic element that adults can get into because of their love of horror!

Something for Women!

Bayley is everyone big sister! She can kick butt and was a wrestling fan all of her life. She has taken the developmental territory by storm and is rising in popularity! She is one of the best female competitors in the business.

Someone Everyone Hates!

Chris Jericho, one of the hottest villains in professional wrestling right now! Everyone loves to hate him and he does a great job at making sure people do. He takes the side of the bad guy in any argument and makes everything about him.

Three Systems Theories Cybernetic Systems Theory, deals with the process of physical, natural, and organizational systems steered toward reaching system goals.

The main goal for World Wrestling Entertainment is to make money and provide people with entertainment.

Feedback is sent to the control center and compared to the goal if there is a difference between the goal and the feedback they try a new way to accomplish the goal.

In the WWE if something is not working out, even if it is someone’s career, something they like to do is reinvent the person. They will turn them into a good or bad guy and try to make people like them. When this does not work out sometimes they will be released from the company altogether.

Three Systems Theories cont. Karl Weick’s Theory of Organizing.

Individuals create the environment that confronts them through the process of enactment.

The individuals in the WWE operate in their environment in order to keep the flow of the organization in tact.

Equivocality is the unpredictability that is inherent in the organization.

In the WWE unpredictability is naturally huge because of the crowd. Nobody knows how the crowd will react until everyone is gathered in an arena and the match is already taking place.

Three Systems Theories cont. New Science Systems Theory states

Importance of relationships in organizations, the hierarchy must all work together to have a relationship that promotes positivity.

Participation in organizational process, to feel like the relationship is positive all members of the organization must be part of the process.

Appreciation of organizational change and instability, this is something that is not found in the WWE. The organization has used the same formula of good guy vs. bad guy to create their image. There is not a lot of organizational instability.

Methods for Studying Organizational SystemsNetwork Analysis, provides teams for creating and analyzing maps of relationships.

Which means that the WWE has to take a look at what’s going on with the company by means of ratings. If people are watching less of their television shows then they need to analyze what is going on with their show.

Properties Network's, purpose of network analysis is to map out the flows that affect network members.

What this means for the WWE is that the network analysis map out what the company is going to do to make their organization great.

Methods for Studying Organizational Systems cont.Network Content refers to things flowing through the linkage in the networks.

This means that important decisions made in the company reflected in the matches that are presented on television and in their pay-per-view specials link the network of the WWE together.

Properties of network links, strength, symmetry, and multiplexity.

The WWE must present itself to everyone as a strong independent company. The symmetry of the company is obvious between management and wrestlers. Multiplexity all of the different content flowing through a link. This means in the WWE there is not a lot because all of the flow of information relates to the same thing.

Methods for Studying Organizational Systems cont.

Network roles define the ways in which individuals are connected with each other.

The World Wrestling Entertainment has individuals connected with each other through the diversity of matches.

Everyone in the WWE interacts with each other through their fights, or if two wrestlers are unable to right each other one will crown a champion to fight for them.

For example if a younger wrestler wants to fight the seventy year old boss, the company will use a champion to stand in his place that is of able body.

Modeling Techniques Network analysis is useful in drawing and analyzing the maps that characterize organizational communication systems.

In the World Wrestling Entertainment company, network analysis is the most predominately used tool. This organization takes a look at the content that they produce because of the nature of the industry. Making money and having the most fans is the most important thing to them. The only way that can do any of that is having an incredible amount of fans.

Reference Miller, K. (2011). Organizational Communication: Approaches and Processes (6th ed.). Boston. MA.: Wadsworth Cenage Learning

Governance Guidelines. (2015). Retrieved October 16, 2016, from http://corporate.wwe.com/investors/corporate-governance/governance-guidelines