Talking About Organizations Podcast

In this Summary of Episode 11, our resident High Reliability expert, Dr Ralph Soule, gives an overview of the context, the study and some of the key problems facing high-risk and high-reliability approaches to organizational design. Ralph mentions that Bierly and Spender (1995) provide a description of submariner culture and how it comes about through formal in informal practices. The author’s note that submariner’s culture is risk-averse, shared between different ships, and the result of constant training in theory, operations, and responding to emergencies. The training emphasizes specific terminology, communication behaviors, formal hierarchy, and detailed knowledge of system design and performance. This is followed by Ralph drawing on his own extensive scientific and applied knowledge of operating high-risk systems to add that nuclear operator culture has many components not mentioned by Bierly and Spender such as:* Balancing strict compliance with orders and procedures with questioning attitude* Balancing respect for authority and knowledge with watch team backup* Transparency (internal and external assessments and audits, letters to the Admiral)* Critiques (where much tacit knowledge and assumptions are revealed, but often not written down)* High standards for technical skill (certifications and training)* Articulation of operator principles* Standard operation proceduresIf you would like to hear more from Ralph, or about High Reliability in general, do listen to our full episode. For those wishing to learn more, we are going to have another episode on High Reliability (Episode 21) with US Navy Admiral (retired) Tom Mercer.

Dr. Ralph Soule, a resident expert on high reliability organizing with roots in the U.S. Navy nuclear power program, delves into how high reliability principles can benefit diverse organizations. He discusses Admiral Rickover's leadership style and the enduring legacy of accountability. The importance of rigorous selection and training in shaping organizational culture is highlighted, alongside the balance between creativity and strict procedures. Soule also shares insights on fostering a questioning culture and the critical role of transparency in driving effectiveness.

Ralph Soule, a recent George Washington University graduate and expert in High Reliability Organizing (HRO), dives into the fascinating world of HRO principles. He explores how organizations like nuclear reactors and space operations minimize risk and avoid failures. The conversation highlights the crucial role of organizational culture in maintaining safety, contrasting centralized and decentralized decision-making. Ralph also shares intriguing insights into submariner culture, the significance of adaptive strategies, and the unique challenges faced by 'nukes' in high-stakes environments.

Join us as we conclude our discussion of this amazing film that is 12 Angry Men! In part two we delve into knowledge and epistemology, power, motivation and leadership (among many other exciting areas). We also continue tracing themes from the film to our past episodes, including Scientific Management of F.W. Taylor, Motivation theories of Abraham Maslow and Elton Mayo, Organization theory of Chester Barnard and authority theory of Max Weber!

Join us for Episode 10 as we go to the Movies! To celebrate our 10th episode we are watching a classic film - Twelve Angry Men (1957). This is one of the film frequently used to illustrate and highlight challenges in consensus building, teamwork and leadership. On top of that, 12 Angry Men is an amazing film well worth seeing just for the pure enjoyment of it!

This is a summary of our discussion of Elton Mayo's Social Problems of an Industrial Civilization - a second text from the famous Hawthorne Studies. Listen to Miranda cover the key points of the book and of our discussion from the full episode!Summaries are designed to deliver an overview of TAOP Episodes, or as stand-alone teaching and learning tools. They are useful both if you are a professional looking to refresh your memory about the particulars of this management theory, or if you are a student looking to get some background information to better understand your course content. Either way - check this out and let us know what you think and how we can best develop this new segment going forward!

In this concluding part of our discussion of The Social Problems of an Industrial Civilization - one of the texts comprising the famous Hawthorne Studies - we devote more attention to Mayo's social commentary, the methodological implications of qualitative empirical research as well as to the remaining three case studies. Learn more about what Mayo and colleagues did, how they came about to realize the significance of their findings, and why none of this has any bearing on the social problems of a post-WW2 industrial civilization.

For Episode 9 we turn to the famous Hawthorne Studies - a series of social experiments that gave rise to what is now a Human Resources Management approach to organizing work. Specifically we look at the second book published by Elton Mayo, The Social Problems of an Industrial Civilization. In this book, Mayo reports on a number of his research projects – including the studies in the Textile Mill in Philadelphia and the at the Hawthorne plant – and provides an ambitious social commentary on industrial society. In this, he dialogues with a number of authors, including Chester Barnard, and expresses some nostalgic views on the relationship between the individual, the collective, and technology. Mayo also argues for the development an understanding of humans as social beings by definition, eschewing ideas put forward by economics and traditional political scientists who espouse ideas of the likes of Hobbes, and the importance of field studies in scientific development.

A brief summary of our humongous discussion of The Functions of The Executive (1938) by Chester Barnard. Listen for key takeaways and the synopsis of the reading.

Conclusion of our discussion of The Functions of The Executive (1938) by Chester Barnard. In this final bit of the conversation we wrap the book up and suggest a way how Barnard's sometimes-quirky-and-odd writing can be best interpreted. Enjoy!Just to remind, we began discussion of this book in Episode 7! So check that one out if you want to get full coverage of this phenomenal piece of management theory.