General systems model: in systems thinking, the feedback loop that informs future actions is represented primarily by which flow within an organization?

Introduction / Context:
In the general systems model of an organization, inputs are transformed into outputs, while a feedback mechanism reports results back to controllers and decision-makers. Understanding what “feedback” actually consists of clarifies how managers learn from outcomes and adjust processes, targets, or resources.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Feedback conveys performance, variances, and conditions observed after action.
• “Data” are raw facts; “information” is processed, contextualized data useful for decisions.
• “Decision flow” denotes directives or choices that move from managers to operations, not the feedback itself.

Concept / Approach:
Feedback must be actionable and meaningful, not just raw signals. That aligns with “information flow,” which delivers structured, interpreted insights (metrics, exceptions, analyses) back to the control function. Decision flow typically follows feedback; it is the response. Data flow may be part of operations but does not, by itself, constitute the purposeful, interpreted loop managers depend on.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Control theory and MIS texts describe feedback as information about outcomes relative to targets, enabling corrective action, which supports choosing “information flow.”

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Data flow: too raw; lacks interpretation needed for control.
• Decision flow: represents action taken after interpreting feedback.
• All/None: either over-inclusive or contradictory to the model.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing the forward path of authority (decisions) with the backward path of insight (information); treating unprocessed data as feedback without context.

Final Answer:
information flow