Assessing Strengths and Weaknesses: Doing an Internal Analysis, discusses the concept of customer value based on Michael Porter's Value Chain.

We have seen and heard organizations emphasize the importance of their customers. They are the individuals or organizations to which goods and/or services are marketed and provided.

However, there are other customers that are also critical. They are internal customers. These individuals or departments depend on other departments for information and services. Every department has internal customers.

Is there any understanding that these internal customers are important to the organization's success, or are they viewed as groups that interferes with the organization's work? That may be a view of open and closed systems thinking.

What do you think might be a root causes of non-cooperation between people and departments?