The Socio-Techical Evolution Updated
This new book, edited by Bernard J. Mohr and Pierre van Amelsvoort, updates the Socio-Technical Systems Design approach that was originated by one of my mentors, Eric Trist, in a compelling series of articles.
During WWII, when coal in England was like oil today, Eric discovered that miners had a far more productive way of working than that imposed on them by the engineers of the day. They had found their own informal way to balance their human, social needs with the technical demands of coal-mining. Once Eric generalized this finding as ''socio-technical systems design" mines using this approach improved productivity by 40% and considerably lowered turnover--a huge problem in the mines.
Bernard persuaded me to write a chapter for the book. It appears as Chapter 12, Purpose and Power in the Evolution of Socio-technical Systems Design. Eric had told me that his significant and critical contribution to war-time productivity in coal production did not spread to the rest of industry because management was much more interested in maintaining its control over workers than in productivity. Union leaders were much more interested in maintaining their independence than in productivity.
In other words, he confirmed what I had learned from my own work: that organizations are not run on norms of rationality but on norms of power. The article recounts what happened when I added the concept of power to the social and technical. As illustrated in the chart below, I applied these ideas to the design of the Global Development System, power or politics becomes the central balancing force not only between social and technical values but between spiritual, scientific, ecological and economic values.
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8 年Really want to read this!!!
Congratulations on the new book!
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8 年How do we get the book? I searched and couldn't find how to order. Please advise!
Broad,Multi-discipline OB/OD/MSE OrgSci Way-finding; PhDcCounseling to Collaborate/Engage/be Productive wSafety&Wellness
8 年William; Very thought provoking. Several S-T scenarios come to mind: The "sargent(s)" within Industry responsible for "their" laboratory function for testing and rating a developers prototype (calling all matters re test setups); The single-minded political control of Forestry management(s) for only a single purpose (preserving wetlands- in the face of invasive species, storm damage, fire hazards, and property owners usage desires); and there are instances when "technologists" MUST reign for health, safety, and welfare; lastly, financial and human resources are also always controlling. It is nice that you experienced working with Eric Trist, directly. Did you ever coordinate with Ken Shepard and his related Requisite Organization constructs (via Elliott Jacques and Wilfred Brown)? Apparently, it is very popular and well subscribed to (particularly in Canada). I think I'm having trouble recalling one other name (perhaps, of an original investigator at Tavistock?
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8 年Lovely - thanks !