ABSTRACT
The concept of the open system has been illuminating studies of group and organizational behaviour for a quarter of a century. This chapter suggests, however, that neither patient nor conference member will sustain the revised understanding nor conception of self unless it can be implemented in revised role relationships. One fruitful proposition derived from the model is that a change in the relatedness of a system to its environment requires internal changes within the system: it must shift to a new steady state if it is to survive. Efforts at rural development in Third World countries have generally not been crowned with success. Conditions change, so that only through questioning that functional relationship does it become possible to confirm that the wheel really is the most appropriate solution. The experience of the recipients is often of isolated and even capricious actions, which seem unrelated to each other or to local needs.
