2. Control function operation - (computer science) data processing in which the result
is completely specified by a rule (especially the processing that results from a
single instruction); "it can perform millions of operations per second" Based on
WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection.
Computer control system: the computer control system consists of a high-
reliability computer, various control modules with reliable properties, a motor
drive unit, and various sensors, which is equipped with a software control system.
3. The four types of control systems are
1.belief systems,
2.boundary systems,
3.diagnostic systems,
and
4.interactive system.
4. Belief systems are there to communicate the vision, mission and values of the
business. In so doing, they are communicating what the organisation is trying to
achieve and how individuals are to behave, to each other, to customers and
suppliers and to society at large.
Belief systems can be very powerful in directing people and giving them purpose.
Lots of companies have their values prominently displayed, but getting these
values into everyday conversations is much harder to do.
I did a case study in the Nationwide Building Society a few years ago and was a
little amused to see flags flying in the foyer spelling out the core values of the
organisation. However, these values weren't skin deep, as I talked to the
managers about how they managed people in the business, the values kept coming
up in the conversations and as I spoke to the employees, the same conversations
recurred. People knew what was expected of them, how they were to be treated
and how to behave in difficult situations.
5. Boundary systems are a statement of what the company is not going to do. This may
seem counter intuitive, but it is a mechanism for focusing the organization and
ensuring people don't spend time investigating and developing new opportunities that
the company is never going to pursue.
One example given was Bill Gates statement of what Microsoft was not going to be.
They weren't going into hardware and computers, they weren't going to go into
telephone networks or consulting and software integration.
There is also the story of IBM and EDS. IBM was developing their world wide
consulting offering. Ross Perot was a top salesman but wanted IBM to create a
facilities division. Facilities management was not a consulting offering in IBMs view of
the world and through this boundary condition he was prevented from pursuing his
idea. Ross Perot eventually left IBM to start Electronic Data Services (EDS), which
went from strength to strength. There was then the apocryphal meeting when the
chairman of IBM met Ross Perot by chance in a restaurant and asked him if he had
realized at the time how big the facilities market was going to be for EDS. Apparently
Ross Perot said that he didn't but that it was big enough for him to see a good business
opportunity for his new company.
6. Interactive control is completely different. This is an approach senior managers use to
create meaningful and purposeful conversations right across the company and to interact
at all levels. Typically, companies take just one issue which they subject to interactive
control. One of the examples used by Simons was Pepsi's focus on market share against
Coca-Cola in the US. Pepsi's objective was to overtake Coca-Cola's market share, so this
was the measure used in every review meeting and every conversation. Senior managers
could ask at any level in the organisation, what was happening about the market share,
how that compared to Coca-Cola and why the changes (good or bad) were happening? The
four key
Elements that make control interactive are:
A recurring theme on the agenda at the highest level of management,
that requires regular attention from middle management, which is
interpreted and discussed in face to face meetings and conversations and
subject to continuous challenge and debate of the data, assumptions and action plans.
7. Diagnostic control is the standard use of performance measures and is primary
focused on Feedback control. Performance is measured against a target and
management acts on the variance. Diagnostic control also means that
performance is regularly reviewed in formal meetings such as board,
departmental and team meetings on a regular basis.