Talking About Organizations Podcast 34: Summary of Episode 34 on Sociotechnical Systems
Oct 3, 2017
This podcast discusses the effects of introducing new organizational technology on individual employees. It explores the social and bureaucratic problems associated with the long wall method, the failure of the open office concept, and the lack of integration mechanisms in certain industries. It also challenges the assumption that autonomy leads to a loss of sight of organizational goals, emphasizing the importance of countermeasures to avoid problems caused by isolation in bureaucratic organizations.
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Mining Method Shift Impacts
- Trist and Bamforth studied mining changes from hand-got to mechanized long wall method.
- The new method broke close-knit social bonds and increased worker resistance despite efficiency.
Mechanization plus Bureaucratization
- The long wall method combined mechanization with bureaucratization.
- This mix of machines, hierarchy, and task specialization challenged existing worker norms.
Open Offices Mirror Mining Issues
- The open office layout aimed to boost productivity but often decreased it, especially for focused work.
- Like the long wall method, open offices reveal hidden management motives beyond the stated goals.