Katie Burns
Soc 431
Facilitator on 2/19
Our group first discussed which type of brain metaphor best described the Japanese system of production. Although the Japanese system of production has characteristics of cybernetics, information processing systems, and holographs, we decided that it is most similar to cybernetics. When an organization is referred to as being cybernetic, they self regulate and try to get “back on track” through negative feedback. For this to be successful, the organization must go through four steps to obtain equilibrium. The four steps are to assess the environment, match the environment with norms, assess deviations from norms, and to use negative feedback to get back on course.
In the first resource reading, RSR 40, titled “Japanese Management and Cybernetics,” an American company that was located in Japan used those four steps to reach equilibrium within their organization. The first step was to assess the environment and they did this by studying Japanese workers because they were interested in combining and implementing East and West organization practices into their new, upcoming plant. The second step was necessary for the American electronics company to match the environment with norms. This was done by realizing that the Japanese workers never use individual work incentives, such as piecework, where the more circuit boards an employee wired, the more they got paid. The Japanese workers did not view themselves as doing individual work. They used collectivism and worked as a team, where everyone on that team took full responsibility of the final product and how it was produced. The third step for the organization was to assess deviations from the norms. An example was when the foreladies complained to their managers and claimed that the girls were threatening to quit because it was impossible for one worker to be more productive that the other in final assembly, unless the other employees did their jobs right to begin with. This is another example of collectivism, because it shows that the Japanese workers are aware of how important other workers in the organization are. In America, everyone is worried about how much profit they can increase, no matter who they affect negatively during the process. The majority of American workers are only aware of themselves and do not realize that in a way, other employees from the same organization make it possible for them to get a paycheck. If it were not for all of the other employees willing to work, the company would not exist. The fourth, and final step that an organization needs to follow to reach equilibrium is to use negative feedback. The type of negative feedback that the American electronics company used was a double loop. They tried to prevent workers from quitting by changing their compensation system to the Japanese model. The Japanese believe and practice that a girl’s starting wage should be fixed by her age, and each year on her birthday, she should get a raise. This is a double loop because the company changed the individual incentive to match the environment that Japanese workers were used to. Our group discussed that one reason why Japanese workers practice the system of being paid by age is because the older a worker is, the more likely they have more experience and skill level, and they should be compensated for that.
The next topic our group discussed was about the Challenger article, and what different ways the managers discouraged feedback. The brain metaphor that we applied to that article (RSR 41-“The Challenger Disaster: A Case of Discouraged Feedback) was information processing systems. The managers felt the pressure from NASA to launch on time, because a lot of time and money was invested into the Challenger project. They were also pressured to lessen the unresolved issues that were on a list that consisted of technical problems. This resulted in the managers trying to control uncertainty in a few ways. Although the engineers opposed to launch the night before, Morton Thiokol’s management overruled them. When the Challenger disaster occurred, many of the engineers who worked on the project gave their testimony to Commission members. Because Morton Thiokol was aware of the technical problems before they launched the Challenger, he attempted to control what kind of information was given to the investigators. When he realized that the engineers were testifying against him and his management, he practically demoted them by stripping their authority, and not letting them have contact with any staff members or the data about the investigation. That led to Morton Thiokol using the language of rationality to justify his decision. He denied that the engineers were demoted, and instead he claimed they were reassigned to different positions because the company was reorganized. Another example of Morton Thiokol and his management trying to control uncertainty is present when NASA was pressuring them to limit their list of technological problems with the rocket. It was unclear if they were suppose to fix the existing problems or ignore them and simply take them off the list. Bounded rationality comes into play here because it shows that humans are incapable of processing information rationally. It also shows that every brain collects different information, and they all try to process the information and make sense of it based on their own terms.
Our group did not have enough time to discuss what brain metaphor would best describe Digital, but based on the readings and discussions, I believe that Digital is most like a holograph. Holographs show that the whole can be integrated into all the parts of an organization. In Chapter 4, neuroscientist Karl Pribram of Stanford University states that the brain functions in accordance with holographic principles, is when the memory is distributed throughout the brain and can then be reconstituted from any of the parts (Morgan p. 73). This was present in Digital because one team from start to finish produced each circuit board. Digital expected their employees to know how to do all 20 jobs, which is an example of network intelligence because information was being provided from different departments and was brought together. One manager stated that everyone is a teacher and a student, because employees are always learning new techniques, which results in them passing the information on to other employees through example. This is beneficial for the company because if one employee is unable to complete a specific job, another worker can step in and take over without any hassle and training involved. This is an example of redundancy because it allows organizations to self-organize and allow for development to still occur. By applying this holistic approach, it is also beneficial for employees as well because it creates holistic teams and diversified roles because although everyone works as a team, they still get satisfaction out of participating in the process. Betty Stebbins, an employee of Digital, said “it emphasizes individual involvement in the process and personal pride in the product because you see the end product” (RSR p. 130).
Digital is an example of an organization being a holographic structure. They wanted to cut costs, but at the same time, they needed to meet the needs of their employees. They accomplished cutting costs by not keeping long-term supplies in the stockroom space. This is an example of how they had the chance to grow larger, but decided to stay small because information cannot be provided holistically when a company expands; organizations become inflexible. Although this approach helped cut costs, it was a risk because if vendors were late with their supplies, it could possibly shut the company down.
Digital used requisite variety in order to match the diversity that was present within their organization, to the complexity of their environment. Digital was aware that many of their employees struggled to balance their work with their social and family life. To help them balance worker’s social life, Digital moved their meetings from a small, square room, to the plant floor, where all of the desks were arranged to face each other. This increased eye contact between workers. Team members would also interview and train workers, which made the relationships be more socially derived. Digital also wanted to help their employees balance their family life. They did this by putting volleyball nets and workout equipment in the plant, which was accessible to all employees and their family members.
Minimum specs (minimum critical specification) are present within the Digital organization. Digital managers created a good holographic sense by making the whole into parts, which resulted in guidance being built into their production system. This allows Digital’s system to self-organize and it creates autonomy for their workers, which allows them to be innovative. When applying minimum specs to the Digital organization, it shows that the main force that is driving production is based on the needs of their employees. Greg Plakias, who is the company’s group manufacturer of storage systems, states “Digital’s real goal is to emphasize each worker’s achievement and involvement, and our most valued asset is people” (RSR p. 131).
The last characteristic of Digital as holographs is learning to learn. For Digital to continuously be able to self-organize, they must use double-loop learning, which allows their operating norms to change along with the environment. Digital has no functional structure; instead they are organized by a team concept. Digital has a circular quality, because all of the teams in certain departments are integrated within one another. This method of organization reduces competitiveness among employees because pay increases are based on how much a worker’s skills have improved, and not on their seniority level or how much authority they carry. This is beneficial for Digital because it drives the employees to be interested in what job they are doing, which can result in them doing the job faster and in a more efficient way.