reframing organizations, 4 th ed.. chapter 2 simple ideas, complex organizations
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Reframing Organizations, 4th ed.
Chapter 2
Simple Ideas, Complex Organizations
Simple Ideas, Complex Organizations Common Fallacies in Organizational
Diagnosis Peculiarities of Organizations Organizational Learning Coping with Ambiguity and Complexity
Error in Organizations: The Tragedy of 9/11 System Failures Helped Terrorists Succeed
Mindset error: defense systems hadn’t planned for domestic air attack, even though the possibility had long been recognized (they didn’t anticipate a “black swan” because they’d only seen white ones)
Coordination error I: FBI/CIA (terrorists should have been on airport security watch lists)
Coordination error II: FAA/NORAD (weak lateral communication hindered the two agencies from working together during the emergency)
Error in Organizations: Helen Demarco Osborne announces revitalization plan Demarco and colleagues agree: it can’t work
but we can’t tell him “Study” to buy time and develop strategy Option B: low benefits at high costs Technical jargon as camouflage Demarco feels frustration, failure
Peculiarities of Organizations
Organizations are complex Organizations are surprising Organizations are deceptive Organizations are ambiguous
Sources of ambiguity
Not sure what the problem is Not sure what’s going on Not sure (or can’t agree) on what we want Don’t have the resources we need Not sure who’s supposed to do what Not sure how to get what we want Not sure how to know if we succeed or fail
Organizational Learning
Peter Senge We learn best from
experience, but often don’t know consequences of our actions
System maps Barry Oshry
Asymmetric relationships (top – middle – bottom – customer)
“Dance of blind reflex”
Systems model for vicious learning cycle
Short-term
Strategy
Short-term
gains
Delay
Long-term
costs
Organizational Learning (II)
Argyris and Schon Actions to promote
learning actually inhibit it
Defenses: avoid sensitive issues, tiptoe around taboos
Chris Argyris
Donald Schon
Coping with Ambiguity and Complexity: Friendly Fire in Iraq What you see what you
expect -- and what you want US fighter pilots
expected enemy helicopters
Aerial combat is fighter pilots’ holy grail
Pilots saw what they expected and what they wanted
Coping with ambiguity: conserve or change? Advantages of relying on existing frames and
routines Protect investment in learning them They make it easier to understand what’s
happening and what to do about it …but we may misread the situation, take the
wrong action, and fail to learn from our errors Change requires time and energy for learning
new approaches but is necessary to developing new skills and capacities
Common Fallacies in Organizational Diagnosis
Blame people Bad attitudes, abrasive personalities, neurotic
tendencies, stupidity or incompetence Blame the bureaucracy
Organization (a) stifled by rules and red tape, or (b) lack clear goals, procedures and job descriptions
Thirst for power Organizations are jungles filled with predators
and prey
Conclusion
Complexity, surprise, deception and ambiguity make organizations hard to understand and manage
Narrow frames become rigid fallacies, blocking learning and effectiveness
Better ideas and multiple perspectives enhance flexibility and effectiveness
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