View/Open - University of Zululand Institutional Repository

eciprocal process of transaction in which the actor's backgrounds, perceptions and
values influence the definition, validation and acceptance of those in organizational
positions associated with authority.
Power is another concept of social systems. It is defined as the capacity to use resources
in organization to achieve goals in which one or more persons influence other persons in
a situation. Power is social force that occurs in all spheres oflife whereby each and every
individual has a potential power depending on available resources and environmental
forces encountered. It is the ability to use and to mobilize resources to achieve goals.
Power is therefore situational, universal, dynamic and goal directed.
Status refers to position ofthe individual in a group or groups in relation to other groups
in an organization. It is accompanied by duties, responsibilities and privileges. It is
reversible, position dependent and situational.
Decision-making is an important concept as it regulates the individuals' life and work,
subjective, personal and universal. It is a continuous process and is goal directed. It refers
to a dynamic and systemic process by which goal directed choices of perceived
alternative is made and used by individuals or groups to answer a question and attain a
goal (George, 1996:216).
In conclusion King's Open Systems Framework focuses on the human being or
individual who perceive the world as a total person through interaction with other
individuals and things in the environment. What has been perceived represents the life
situation in which the perceiver and the perceived utilize in order to attain a goal King
developed the theory ofGoal Attainment from this theory ofOpen Systems Framework.
3.4 KING'S THEORY OF GOAL AITAINMENT
King's theory ofGoal Attainment focuses on interpersonal systems which reflects King's
beliefthat the practice ofnursing is differentiated from that ofother health professions by
24
I