System characteristics describe the fundamental behaviors associated with a particular system type. Because these characteristics are common to all systems of a given type, they are also referred to as behavioral principles. The characteristics of primary concern for strategic management are those of a social system, which is a model for the business organization.
Social system characteristics --
- Openness
- Purposefulness
- Multidimensionality
- Emergence
- Counter intuitiveness
See social system for an elaboration on these characteristics in a comprehensive description of a social system.