7. Balance of maintenance and adaptive activities. Open systems seek to reconcile two, often conflicting, activities. Maintenance activities ensure that the various subsystems are in balance and that the total system is in accord with its environment. This, in effect, prevents rapid changes that may unbalance the system. In contrast, adaptive activities are necessary so that the system can adjust over time to variations in internal and external demands. So whereas one seeks stability and preservation of the status quo through the purchase, maintenance and overhaul of machinery; the recruitment and training of employees; and mechanisms such as the provision and enforcement of rules and procedures, the other focuses on change through planning, market research, new-product development, and the like.