On Thursday, December 04, 1997 9:58 PM, CliffRH wrote:
> I believe Simon Buckingham's responses to the
> questions regarding
> unorganization, downstructuring, static vs
> dynamic structure, transaction
> costs and other organizational issues are both
> highly insightful and
> conceptually incomplete.
> The
> structural and operational
> characteristics of a fully converted living
> organization include
> flexibility, continuous adaptation, integration
> with its environment,
> enabling of each individual unit and
> sustainability.
Cliff,
I agree and...<however not totally with either of you>
What about all the control systems, the autonomic systems living things
depend on for homeostasis while all of our cells change every three or
four days? Yes adaptation, yes living, but let us not forget that most of
"the living" is static homeostasis. I'm no scientist, in fact I'm not an
expert on anything, but I know enough to know that what we are all talking
about is sometimes right...
Therefore, it's not what's right, but what works that needs to be at the
forefront. What Simon is talking about works, sometimes and what you are
saying works, sometimes and that is the point. Living means--able to
respond to the environment, otherwise, its dead, so all things are alive,
yes?
My contention is that if you start applying one or two rules to
everything, you suboptimize the system. We NEED static forces for
stability and we NEED dynamic forces for stability and stability means
alive--not dead! Trying running any organization without control on cash,
receipts. Go ahead and let it be self-organizing!
I guess this is where I throw my "unified field theory" in...<g>
I came up with a metaphor that is used by the body...we have autonomic
(normative systems), emotional (attractive systems) and rational (adaptive
systems). So why can't organizations?
There you have it, static/organic, dynamic/mechanical, living/creative
systems--all functioning in some apparent harmony, with a degree of
coherence, that is if you're alive.<g>
mike
--"Mike Jay" <Quarterback@classic.msn.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>