According to W. Edwards Deming, American companies require nothing less than a transformation of management style and of governmental relations with industry. In Out of the Crisis, originally published in 1982, Deming offers a theory of management based on his famous 14 Points for Management. Management's failure to plan for the future, he claims, brings about loss of market, which brings about loss of jobs. Management must be judged not only by the quarterly dividend, but by innovative plans to stay in business, protect investment, ensure future dividends, and provide more jobs through improved product and service. In simple, direct language, he explains the principles of management transformation and how to apply them.

Out of the Crisis

The Social Psychology of Organizations.

With digital equipment becoming increasingly networked, either on wired or wireless networks, for personal and professional use alike, distributed software systems have become a crucial element in information and communications technologies. The study of these systems forms the core of the ARLES' work, which is specifically concerned with defining new system software architectures, based on the use of emerging networking technologies. In this context, we concentrate on the study of distributed systems which bring to life the vision of ubiquitous computing systems, also known as ambient intelligence.

반도체 공정 overview

Social Psychology of Organizations

What makes organizations so similar? We contend that the engine of rationalization and bureaucratization has moved from the competitive marketplace to the state and the professions. Once a set of organizations emerges as a field, a paradox arises: rational actors make their organizations increasingly similar as they try to change them. We describe three isomorphic processes-coercive, mimetic, and normative—leading to this outcome. We then specify hypotheses about the impact of resource centralization and dependency, goal ambiguity and technical uncertainty, and professionalization and structuration on isomorphic change. Finally, we suggest implications for theories of organizations and social change.

The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields (Chinese Translation)

The use of system dynamics and systems thinking in organizations is increasing dramatically. However, little is known about the efficacy of these interventions in enhancing organizational effectiveness or productivity. With few exceptions, the relationship between the use of systems thinking and organizational performance remains the province of anecdote rather than rigorous follow-up research. Evaluation helps identify the tools and techniques that can be used successfully, the situations in which they work, and their limitations. This article reports a follow-up evaluation of a well known systems thinking intervention designed to improve quality and performance in the claims adjusting unit of a U.S. insurance firm. Through a questionnaire, interviews, and extensive review of company records, it has been established that the intervention succeeded in changing the mental models and behavior of key managers. New policies consistent with model recommendations were implemented. Evidence of performance improvement is mixed, however. A number of confounding variables limit the possibility of assessing the business impact of the intervention. These limitations could have been lessened if the original intervention had been designed with rigorous evaluation as a goal. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Towards evaluation of systems-thinking interventions: a case study

This article examines the alignment and fit between knowledge management and organizational learning to determine the potential feasibility of integrating the two approaches. The philosophical roots of both disciplines are traced to common ground in a philosophy known as “pragmatism”. Early generation forms of knowledge management are critiqued and a new more pragmatic version is proposed – one that is compatible with organizational learning. A new form of alignment between organizational learning and knowledge management is proposed.

Leveraging Organizational Learning for Knowledge and Performance.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the future prospects of the popular concept known as the learning organization; to trace the influence of philosophical pragmatism on the learning organization and to consider its potential impact on the future; and to emphasize how pragmatic theories have shaped the development of Deming's total quality management approach and Toyota's lean manufacturing system.Design/methodology/approach – The concepts presented are mainly built on a historical analysis of various theories of philosophical pragmatism and organizational management. These theories are contrasted with state‐of‐the‐art practices used in business.Findings – Many organizational learning theories are rooted in philosophical pragmatism, yet these models often only borrow small pieces from a larger, more systemic framework. It is argued here that this truncated use of such principles causes unintended consequences and general ineffectiveness.Originality/value – The value is to see the evolution ...

Are Learning Organizations Pragmatic

‘Soft’ Systems Thinking: A Pre-Condition for Organizational Learning

Organizational learning is a process that is naturally indigenous to a broad spectrum of organizations, such as tribes and extended families. In the course of history, modern organizations have often evolved in a direction that emphasizes the machine‐like qualities of organizations and diminishes the importance of natural processes. While the importance of organizational learning for innovation and competitiveness is widely acknowledged, it often becomes relegated to being a cumbersome adjunct to existing mechanical processes, rather than serving as an integral element of an organization’s core processes. In this article, we propose that project management structures provide a natural home for organizational learning. A model is developed that explains how organizations can benefit from the potential synergies that result when organizational learning and project management become integrated together.

Steven Cavaleri

Papers

Towards evaluation of systems-thinking interventions: a case study

Leveraging Organizational Learning for Knowledge and Performance.

Are Learning Organizations Pragmatic

‘Soft’ Systems Thinking: A Pre-Condition for Organizational Learning

Integrating Organizational Learning and Business Praxis: A Case for Intelligent Project Management.