34: Sociotechnical Systems - Trist and Bamforth (Part 1)
Sep 18, 2017
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The podcast discusses the social and psychological consequences of a technological change in the coal-mining industry. It explores the importance of recognizing the social impacts of transformational change in organizations and highlights the significance of social cohesion and connection among workers. The dangers of isolation and impersonal control in work environments are discussed, as well as the challenges faced by managers in bureaucratization. The episode draws parallels with historical mining communities and the gig economy.
The 1951 article by Trist and Bamforth highlights the social and psychological consequences of technological changes in the coal mining industry, urging managers to consider the societal impacts of transformational change in their organizations.
Understanding the social fabric and community aspects of work environments is crucial to avoid negative consequences of organizational changes, such as isolation and reduced worker well-being.
Deep dives
The Context of the Article and Technological Change in Coal Mining
In this podcast episode, the hosts discuss a 1951 article by Eric Trist and Ken Bamforth, which examines the social and psychological consequences of changing the method of coal mining. The article highlights the technical nature of the paper, with terms that might have been more familiar to readers in 1951. The podcast hosts provide background on the Tavistock Institute, which was researching social relations in the workplace and saw the work process as a social technical system. The hosts also discuss the connections to previous episodes and reference Alvin Gouldner's research on changes in the mining industry. One of the key differences covered is between the hand-got method and the long-wall method, with the latter representing a technological change that involved expanding the coal face and distributing workers along a large coal-face wall. The hosts note that the paper explores the social and psychological consequences of this shift.
The Importance of Social and Psychological Consequences in the Workplace
The podcast highlights the significance of Trist and Bamforth's paper, published in the 1950s, as it reflects an early understanding of the potential social and psychological consequences of changing work environments. They discuss how this awareness was not necessarily common at the time. The hosts highlight the emergence of the field of organization studies and the importance of linking individual experiences to broader social and system-level dynamics. They also mention the impact of work design on employee well-being and the recognition that changes in the workplace can have social implications. The hosts stress the relevance of understanding these consequences to avoid negative impacts on productivity and worker morale.
Resistance to Change and Unintended Consequences
The podcast delves into the resistance to change and unintended consequences that often accompany significant organizational changes, such as the transition to the long-wall method or the adoption of open office designs. They discuss how resistance to change can arise when employees perceive that their future will be worse than their present situation. The hosts draw parallels to modern examples, highlighting the dissatisfaction of Apple engineers with the open office design. They also explore how changes in work environments, such as the open office movement, can have unintended negative effects, undermining productivity and well-being despite initial intentions for increased collaboration and flexibility.
The Importance of Social Fabric and Understanding Complex Work Environments
The podcast emphasizes the importance of social fabric in work environments, highlighting the coal miners' social cohesion and shared experiences in the pre-mechanized era. They discuss the loss of social connections and community that accompanied the shift to the mechanized long-wall method. The hosts draw connections to other industries, such as the gig economy, and explore how isolation and lack of social cohesion can lead to negative psychological and health outcomes for workers. They also discuss the challenges of complex work environments and the limitations of bureaucratic approaches in managing them effectively, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of the social dynamics at play.
Please join us as we discuss Eric Trist’s and Ken Bamforth’s 1951 article, “Some Social and Psychological Consequences of the Longwall Method of Coal-Getting,” published in the journal Human Relations. The article explores how a technological change in the coal-mining industry tore apart the social structure of the workers who were supposed to have benefited from the change. We talk about the story behind the article and explore its lessons in the context of contemporary technological changes and the roles of managers to consider the social impacts of transformational change in their organizations.
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