One of the possible reasons Wheatley associates limited learning with TQM
is so many have missed the point. Most companies I have seen dabble in
TQM. The few that are really good are extraordinarily innovative in
developing new production methods and products. Toyota is an avid learner.
The purposes of measuring system effectives are
* Measure change
- verify that change worked or was actually change and in what direction
that is learn what does and does not work much to fragile to be left to
judgement
- Keep the system working as it should
- Communicate to employees what is important for the success of the
organization
- Allow them to determine what behavior will best meet their personal
needs
- Precondition to obtain control
- To guide actions
Most companies do not measure for the above reasons but for these
consequently we could stifle creativity.
- To control
- To get someone
- To rate performance
- To be legal
- To prevent others from making mistakes
- Etc
For those few companies that measure for the right reasons - to improve
the process and focus the people - innovation and learning are a direct
part.
I believe Companies trying to follow Deming's ideas, the whole concept not
pieces, have been good at learning. I can not separate learning from
evaluating through effective measuring.
Andrew Your last paragraph
>How would you produce effectivesystem performance in a LO environment.
>Each >organisation would be in its unique environment and it is my belief
>that no universal system
>measurement would be able to incorporate the many different LO's out there
>in this universe
I do not believe there is one universal measuring system nor set of
measures. But there are principles for measuring and providing feed back to
the right place at the right time to the right people.
Every organization has critical factors for success. Organization should
know what theirs are and should measure how well it does them and improve
the processes that provide that service. It is a matter of life or death
to the employees of the company. Knowing what is critical to success and
how well your company or organization meets those factors leads to
innovation and learning.
(I love being a part of the process when the light bulbs start going on
and people begin to understand what causes what. When they know innovation
gets real)
Gene
At 11:57 AM 2/5/98 +1200, you wrote:
>You give an interesting statement that caught my eye. I have just had the
>pleasure of watching a Margaret Wheatley video from the System Thinking
>series. In one of her statements she mentions how the analysis techniques
>invoked with TQM (i.e. SQC charts ) have inhibited experimentation
>associated with producing high quality goods and services.
Eugene Taurman
interLinx ilx@execpc.com http://www.execpc.com/~ilx
What you are is determined by the thoughts that dominate your mind.
Paraphrase of Proverbs 23 Ch7
--Eugene Taurman <ilx@execpc.com>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>