This document provides an overview of adaptive work systems as the next generation model for organizing work. It discusses how work has evolved from small craft shops to modern socio-technical systems and flexible manufacturing. The rate of change in today's globalized, digital world requires work to be organized around problem solving, uncertainty, and continuous innovation. Adaptive work systems balance optimization and adaptation, and hierarchy and networks. They are designed based on principles like open systems and empirical process control to enable agile, effective production and delivery of products and services in changing environments.
It is no exaggeration to say that software is fundamentally changing the way that we as individuals interact with each other, companies and governments. When famed venture capitalist Marc Andreessen wrote that “software is eating the world”, he used a number of different examples of how software is disrupting traditional industries.
Emerging 21st century organizational models abcvaxelrod
Open systems models for collaboration and change which have proven successful in organizations needing to adapt to a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world.
Presented at the Enterprises as Systems conference in the Chicago area in August. This focuses on business architecture primarily from the perspective of enterprises as human social systems
The working world is in a complete transformation. The processing factors are known. And the digital is a part of the problems :
- digital technologies transform the nature of any jobs that humans still do : jobs use computer more often, they are more abstract, and more mobile.
- Relationships and time are porous, and this porosity is all consuming.
- and recent studies have shown that robotics and smart systems will continue to destroy creative, service-related and skilled occupations.
Why are the transitions not easy ? This document presents 3 alternative models for work and employment organisation, work distribution and redistribution.
It is no exaggeration to say that software is fundamentally changing the way that we as individuals interact with each other, companies and governments. When famed venture capitalist Marc Andreessen wrote that “software is eating the world”, he used a number of different examples of how software is disrupting traditional industries.
Emerging 21st century organizational models abcvaxelrod
Open systems models for collaboration and change which have proven successful in organizations needing to adapt to a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world.
Presented at the Enterprises as Systems conference in the Chicago area in August. This focuses on business architecture primarily from the perspective of enterprises as human social systems
The working world is in a complete transformation. The processing factors are known. And the digital is a part of the problems :
- digital technologies transform the nature of any jobs that humans still do : jobs use computer more often, they are more abstract, and more mobile.
- Relationships and time are porous, and this porosity is all consuming.
- and recent studies have shown that robotics and smart systems will continue to destroy creative, service-related and skilled occupations.
Why are the transitions not easy ? This document presents 3 alternative models for work and employment organisation, work distribution and redistribution.
T-Shaped: The New Breed of IT ProfessionalHaluk Demirkan
T-shaped development is especially important for IT professionals in a converging world because:
- The accelerating rate at which new IT knowledge is being created means that IT professionals must be more adaptive, with “boundary-spanning” abilities.
- The nature of IT project work today often requires IT professionals to work on multidisciplinary, multisector, and multicultural teams.
- The changing role of IT in the enterprise will require IT professionals with business and organizational knowledge in addition to technology expertise.
- Increasingly, IT innovation means providing an expanded role for customers and partners to co-create value on platforms, so Open Services Innovation initiatives are on the rise.
Australian Wisdom: National Wisdom Network (NWN) crowd creates Australia 3.0 ...Wisdom.To
A comprehensive, clickable tour on Australia 3.0 is available at http://www.wisdomnetworks.im/networks/country .
A 3 minute video titled "How to achieve Global Wisdom and prosperity in 3 steps in 3 years" ( http://is.gd/wisdomin15 ) provides a quick introduction to wisdom. This is the first video of three in a 15 minute crash course of Global Wisdom available at www.wisdomnetworks.im .
Building Smart Communities through Network Weaving
by Valdis Krebs and June Holley
From the text:
"Communities are built on connections. Better connections usually
provide better opportunities. But, what are better connections, and how do
they lead to more effective and productive communities? How do we build
connected communities that create, and take advantage of, opportunities
in their region or marketplace? How does success emerge from the
complex interactions within communities?
This paper investigates building sustainable communities through improving
their connectivity – internally and externally – using network ties to create economic opportunities. Improved connectivity is created through an iterative process of knowing the network and knitting the network.
Summary of March 2015 BRIE-ETLA Special Issue in the Journal of Industry, Com...Petri Rouvinen
The Digital Disruption and Its Societal Impacts: Deepening digitalization and globalization has induced an ongoing societal transformation that may ultimately prove to be as significant as the original industrial revolution. Even as the ICT industry is being restructured, global competition is being transformed. Previously dominant firms—including telecommunications carriers, equipment providers, and powerful legacy software firms—are under assault from the move to cloud computing, in the network center, and mobile computing, on the network periphery. This transformation of the computing and communication infrastructure has been occurring simultaneously with the spread of ever more complicated and sophisticated global value chains. The articles in this special issue explore a number of the key facets of this transformation in a comparative lens. The authors find that the social, legal, and economic arrangements will impact how these changes affect nation-states. For policy-makers there will be serious dilemmas, as they will have to simultaneously nurture and support many aspects of these changes, while also mitigating or channeling some of the outcomes so as to protect privacy, income equality, and fair taxation.
An Insight Report by the World Economic Forum’s System Initiative on Shaping the Future of Consumption prepared in collaboration with Accenture. Published January 2018
Length3,000 wordsDetails The world of international buJospehStull43
Length:
3,000 words
Details:
The world of international business is complex and contested. It is also changing rapidly. These changes apply to international business as a whole, the frameworks and structures of businesses themselves, and the way we understand them.
The task of this assignment is to select one of the four international business
theories
that we have looked at in weeks 6 and 7 of this course – global value chains, global production networks, the global factory, or the platform economy – and apply it to a specific
industry
of your choosing. Once you have chosen your theory and industry, the essay should be written in response to the following question:
“Does the [your selected theory] theory accurately reflect the current nature of the [your selected industry] industry?”
Some examples:
Does the global factory theory accurately reflect the current nature of the clothing industry?
Does the global value chain theory accurately reflect the current nature of the consumer electronics industry?
Does the platform economy theory accurately reflect the current nature of the transport industry?
Does the global production network theory accurately reflect the current nature of the food industry?
This full question should be written at the opening of your essay.
Further Guidance
In order to successfully complete this assignment, your final essay should include the following (note that this is NOT a suggested essay structure):
A firm understanding of your chosen
theory
, including:
Its scholarly origins
The problems that it tries to address.
How it differs from theories that came before it
Its contemporary critics and alternatives
A firm understanding of your chosen
industry
, including:
Key firms
Industry structure
Ownership and financing
The influence of government or civil society institutions in firm behaviour
Changes to the above over time, and the reasons for these changes.
A thorough
application
of theory to industry, including:
The strengths of the theory in understanding the current nature of the industry
The limitations of the theory in understanding the current nature of the industry
A consistent
argument
in response to the question: does this theory accurately reflect the current nature of your chosen industry?
See also the rubric below for guidance on what we are looking for.
Structure
You are free to use whatever essay structure you feel best conveys this analysis (some structures may be better suited to some theory/industry combinations). However the following suggested structure is recommended:
Introduction
Overview of your theory
History of your industry
Application of theory to industry
Critiques/limitations of this theory’s application to your industry
Conclusion
Other tips for this assignment
Take the time to read extensively on your theory – do not base your understanding on a single text or our summary below.
The essay should blend historica ...
THIS IS AN ARTICLE ON THE THEME- "INNOVATE". THE ARTICLE IS PART OF TASK (CONTENT WRITING) UNDER THE CONTENT DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN. THE ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED ON MEDIUM. THIS TASK IS PART OF THE GRIP INTERNSHIP BATCH JANUARY 2022.
The Fluid Core: How Technology Is Creating a New Hierarchy of Need, and How S...Cognizant
Research suggests that 21st century enterprises will move from a purely production-focused model to a highly adaptive production-and-services infrastructure supported by mobile and cloud computing, and focused on seeking and executing on opportunities beyond the core business.s
http://www.ericsson.com/ng/thinkingahead/networked_society
In the Networked Society, connectivity is the starting point for new ways of innovating, collaborating and socializing. Our study finds that the behaviors of the next generation will dramatically transform the way we experience working life as we know it.
,
strategic and organizational requirements for competitive advantage
,
the context of strategic hrm
,
strategic and organizational requirements for comp
,
jr.
De nombreuses définitions existent au sujet du Cloud Computing et les fournisseurs les cadrent selon une perspective technique, faisant passer le concept à un mot à la mode (Buzz word) égarant ainsi les décideurs, hommes d'affaires et leur laissant une idée confuse de son importance concurrentielle pour l'entreprise.
Ce livre blanc interactif a pour intention d'expliquer le concept du "Cloud Computing", la définition du concept et les technologies principales sur lesquelles le Cloud Computing est fondé.
Il vous présentera les contraintes et les facteurs de l'environnement d'aujourd'hui qui peuvent motiver l'adoption réussie du Cloud Computing dans la stratégie d‘une entreprise.
T-Shaped: The New Breed of IT ProfessionalHaluk Demirkan
T-shaped development is especially important for IT professionals in a converging world because:
- The accelerating rate at which new IT knowledge is being created means that IT professionals must be more adaptive, with “boundary-spanning” abilities.
- The nature of IT project work today often requires IT professionals to work on multidisciplinary, multisector, and multicultural teams.
- The changing role of IT in the enterprise will require IT professionals with business and organizational knowledge in addition to technology expertise.
- Increasingly, IT innovation means providing an expanded role for customers and partners to co-create value on platforms, so Open Services Innovation initiatives are on the rise.
Australian Wisdom: National Wisdom Network (NWN) crowd creates Australia 3.0 ...Wisdom.To
A comprehensive, clickable tour on Australia 3.0 is available at http://www.wisdomnetworks.im/networks/country .
A 3 minute video titled "How to achieve Global Wisdom and prosperity in 3 steps in 3 years" ( http://is.gd/wisdomin15 ) provides a quick introduction to wisdom. This is the first video of three in a 15 minute crash course of Global Wisdom available at www.wisdomnetworks.im .
Building Smart Communities through Network Weaving
by Valdis Krebs and June Holley
From the text:
"Communities are built on connections. Better connections usually
provide better opportunities. But, what are better connections, and how do
they lead to more effective and productive communities? How do we build
connected communities that create, and take advantage of, opportunities
in their region or marketplace? How does success emerge from the
complex interactions within communities?
This paper investigates building sustainable communities through improving
their connectivity – internally and externally – using network ties to create economic opportunities. Improved connectivity is created through an iterative process of knowing the network and knitting the network.
Summary of March 2015 BRIE-ETLA Special Issue in the Journal of Industry, Com...Petri Rouvinen
The Digital Disruption and Its Societal Impacts: Deepening digitalization and globalization has induced an ongoing societal transformation that may ultimately prove to be as significant as the original industrial revolution. Even as the ICT industry is being restructured, global competition is being transformed. Previously dominant firms—including telecommunications carriers, equipment providers, and powerful legacy software firms—are under assault from the move to cloud computing, in the network center, and mobile computing, on the network periphery. This transformation of the computing and communication infrastructure has been occurring simultaneously with the spread of ever more complicated and sophisticated global value chains. The articles in this special issue explore a number of the key facets of this transformation in a comparative lens. The authors find that the social, legal, and economic arrangements will impact how these changes affect nation-states. For policy-makers there will be serious dilemmas, as they will have to simultaneously nurture and support many aspects of these changes, while also mitigating or channeling some of the outcomes so as to protect privacy, income equality, and fair taxation.
An Insight Report by the World Economic Forum’s System Initiative on Shaping the Future of Consumption prepared in collaboration with Accenture. Published January 2018
Length3,000 wordsDetails The world of international buJospehStull43
Length:
3,000 words
Details:
The world of international business is complex and contested. It is also changing rapidly. These changes apply to international business as a whole, the frameworks and structures of businesses themselves, and the way we understand them.
The task of this assignment is to select one of the four international business
theories
that we have looked at in weeks 6 and 7 of this course – global value chains, global production networks, the global factory, or the platform economy – and apply it to a specific
industry
of your choosing. Once you have chosen your theory and industry, the essay should be written in response to the following question:
“Does the [your selected theory] theory accurately reflect the current nature of the [your selected industry] industry?”
Some examples:
Does the global factory theory accurately reflect the current nature of the clothing industry?
Does the global value chain theory accurately reflect the current nature of the consumer electronics industry?
Does the platform economy theory accurately reflect the current nature of the transport industry?
Does the global production network theory accurately reflect the current nature of the food industry?
This full question should be written at the opening of your essay.
Further Guidance
In order to successfully complete this assignment, your final essay should include the following (note that this is NOT a suggested essay structure):
A firm understanding of your chosen
theory
, including:
Its scholarly origins
The problems that it tries to address.
How it differs from theories that came before it
Its contemporary critics and alternatives
A firm understanding of your chosen
industry
, including:
Key firms
Industry structure
Ownership and financing
The influence of government or civil society institutions in firm behaviour
Changes to the above over time, and the reasons for these changes.
A thorough
application
of theory to industry, including:
The strengths of the theory in understanding the current nature of the industry
The limitations of the theory in understanding the current nature of the industry
A consistent
argument
in response to the question: does this theory accurately reflect the current nature of your chosen industry?
See also the rubric below for guidance on what we are looking for.
Structure
You are free to use whatever essay structure you feel best conveys this analysis (some structures may be better suited to some theory/industry combinations). However the following suggested structure is recommended:
Introduction
Overview of your theory
History of your industry
Application of theory to industry
Critiques/limitations of this theory’s application to your industry
Conclusion
Other tips for this assignment
Take the time to read extensively on your theory – do not base your understanding on a single text or our summary below.
The essay should blend historica ...
THIS IS AN ARTICLE ON THE THEME- "INNOVATE". THE ARTICLE IS PART OF TASK (CONTENT WRITING) UNDER THE CONTENT DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN. THE ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED ON MEDIUM. THIS TASK IS PART OF THE GRIP INTERNSHIP BATCH JANUARY 2022.
The Fluid Core: How Technology Is Creating a New Hierarchy of Need, and How S...Cognizant
Research suggests that 21st century enterprises will move from a purely production-focused model to a highly adaptive production-and-services infrastructure supported by mobile and cloud computing, and focused on seeking and executing on opportunities beyond the core business.s
http://www.ericsson.com/ng/thinkingahead/networked_society
In the Networked Society, connectivity is the starting point for new ways of innovating, collaborating and socializing. Our study finds that the behaviors of the next generation will dramatically transform the way we experience working life as we know it.
,
strategic and organizational requirements for competitive advantage
,
the context of strategic hrm
,
strategic and organizational requirements for comp
,
jr.
De nombreuses définitions existent au sujet du Cloud Computing et les fournisseurs les cadrent selon une perspective technique, faisant passer le concept à un mot à la mode (Buzz word) égarant ainsi les décideurs, hommes d'affaires et leur laissant une idée confuse de son importance concurrentielle pour l'entreprise.
Ce livre blanc interactif a pour intention d'expliquer le concept du "Cloud Computing", la définition du concept et les technologies principales sur lesquelles le Cloud Computing est fondé.
Il vous présentera les contraintes et les facteurs de l'environnement d'aujourd'hui qui peuvent motiver l'adoption réussie du Cloud Computing dans la stratégie d‘une entreprise.
A dual management operating system to improve digitalisation and automation o...Hendrik Lourens
It is possible to remove the cultural obstacles in trying to achieve success in Digitalisation, Internet of Things
and automation while improving productivity, employee engagement and managing the risks inherent in
change. We need to create a change platform to do this, not launch another change program. By changing
management paradigms, effort can be focussed where it will deliver outsized returns, and bottom-up
improvement becomes possible. This creates the stability from where implementations can be properly
sequenced and involve internal champions who buy into the change.
Agility: a whitepaper from LRN LAB by innogy Consultinginnogy Consulting
Agility means going against the grain of traditional business to develop a new understanding of leadership and management in the digital era. Read how LRNLAB and innogyConsulting view this inevitable shift in organizational structure.
Similar to Adaptive Work Systems: A Perspective on the Evolution of Socio-Technical Systems (20)
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is recognized as a public health crisis worldwide (IADRP, 2013). AD is a complex neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia among the elderly people (Evans et al., 1989). Currently, there are approximately five million AD cases in the United States and about 35 million cases worldwide (Alzheimer's Disease International, 2009.
The focus of this case study is on the Uniform Data Set (UDS), a longitudinal database on Alzheimer’s patients, and the 29 Alzheimer’s Disease Centers (ADC) that submit their data to the UDS and actively collaborate in the ongoing maintenance, development and research utilization of the database. The ADCs are based in major medical institutions across the United States. They have a multi-decade track record of collaborative research and a networked and virtual approach to the scientific study of AD. The central coordinating mechanism for the ADCs and the UDS is the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC), which is located at the University of Washington. The NACC coordinates data collection and supports collaborative research among the ADCs.
Relational coordination theory makes visible the social processes, the human interactions, that underly the technical process of coordinating complex work. It describes the management of interdependence not only between tasks but also between the people who perform those tasks.
Four Day Workweek Policy For Improving Employment and Environmental Condition...Sociotechnical Roundtable
Can working less lead to a healthier economy and better environmental conditions? Which factors should be taken into consideration when forming an answer to this question? In this article Nicholas Ashford and Giorgos Kallis discuss how affluent economies often have shorter work-weeks and why, under the right conditions, more free time can decrease unemployment and help develop a greener, more sustainable Europe.
This paper argues that sustainable industrial systems depends on only on good environmental and public health outcomes but also on adequate employment and earning capacity in a well-functioning and equitable economic system.
While concerns about poverty and earning capacity were raised now and then, it was only after the 2008 financial crisis that employment and the earning capacity of people were catapulted into the center stage of political discourse. Part of this discourse has focused on the relationship between employment and consumption, where the tension between providing jobs and decreasing the environmental footprint of industrialized and industrializing states was acknowledged. This relationship has historically focused on increasing production and consumption with insufficient or little regard to their effects on the environment, and energy and resource limits.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is recognized as a public health crisis worldwide (IADRP, 2013). AD is a complex neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia among the elderly people (Evans et al., 1989). Currently, there are approximately five million AD cases in the United States and about 35 million cases worldwide (Alzheimer's Disease International, 2009.
Recruiting in the Digital Age: A Social Media MasterclassLuanWise
In this masterclass, presented at the Global HR Summit on 5th June 2024, Luan Wise explored the essential features of social media platforms that support talent acquisition, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok.
Improving profitability for small businessBen Wann
In this comprehensive presentation, we will explore strategies and practical tips for enhancing profitability in small businesses. Tailored to meet the unique challenges faced by small enterprises, this session covers various aspects that directly impact the bottom line. Attendees will learn how to optimize operational efficiency, manage expenses, and increase revenue through innovative marketing and customer engagement techniques.
Enterprise Excellence is Inclusive Excellence.pdfKaiNexus
Enterprise excellence and inclusive excellence are closely linked, and real-world challenges have shown that both are essential to the success of any organization. To achieve enterprise excellence, organizations must focus on improving their operations and processes while creating an inclusive environment that engages everyone. In this interactive session, the facilitator will highlight commonly established business practices and how they limit our ability to engage everyone every day. More importantly, though, participants will likely gain increased awareness of what we can do differently to maximize enterprise excellence through deliberate inclusion.
What is Enterprise Excellence?
Enterprise Excellence is a holistic approach that's aimed at achieving world-class performance across all aspects of the organization.
What might I learn?
A way to engage all in creating Inclusive Excellence. Lessons from the US military and their parallels to the story of Harry Potter. How belt systems and CI teams can destroy inclusive practices. How leadership language invites people to the party. There are three things leaders can do to engage everyone every day: maximizing psychological safety to create environments where folks learn, contribute, and challenge the status quo.
Who might benefit? Anyone and everyone leading folks from the shop floor to top floor.
Dr. William Harvey is a seasoned Operations Leader with extensive experience in chemical processing, manufacturing, and operations management. At Michelman, he currently oversees multiple sites, leading teams in strategic planning and coaching/practicing continuous improvement. William is set to start his eighth year of teaching at the University of Cincinnati where he teaches marketing, finance, and management. William holds various certifications in change management, quality, leadership, operational excellence, team building, and DiSC, among others.
Business Valuation Principles for EntrepreneursBen Wann
This insightful presentation is designed to equip entrepreneurs with the essential knowledge and tools needed to accurately value their businesses. Understanding business valuation is crucial for making informed decisions, whether you're seeking investment, planning to sell, or simply want to gauge your company's worth.
Personal Brand Statement:
As an Army veteran dedicated to lifelong learning, I bring a disciplined, strategic mindset to my pursuits. I am constantly expanding my knowledge to innovate and lead effectively. My journey is driven by a commitment to excellence, and to make a meaningful impact in the world.
The world of search engine optimization (SEO) is buzzing with discussions after Google confirmed that around 2,500 leaked internal documents related to its Search feature are indeed authentic. The revelation has sparked significant concerns within the SEO community. The leaked documents were initially reported by SEO experts Rand Fishkin and Mike King, igniting widespread analysis and discourse. For More Info:- https://news.arihantwebtech.com/search-disrupted-googles-leaked-documents-rock-the-seo-world/
Premium MEAN Stack Development Solutions for Modern BusinessesSynapseIndia
Stay ahead of the curve with our premium MEAN Stack Development Solutions. Our expert developers utilize MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js to create modern and responsive web applications. Trust us for cutting-edge solutions that drive your business growth and success.
Know more: https://www.synapseindia.com/technology/mean-stack-development-company.html
In the Adani-Hindenburg case, what is SEBI investigating.pptxAdani case
Adani SEBI investigation revealed that the latter had sought information from five foreign jurisdictions concerning the holdings of the firm’s foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in relation to the alleged violations of the MPS Regulations. Nevertheless, the economic interest of the twelve FPIs based in tax haven jurisdictions still needs to be determined. The Adani Group firms classed these FPIs as public shareholders. According to Hindenburg, FPIs were used to get around regulatory standards.
Implicitly or explicitly all competing businesses employ a strategy to select a mix
of marketing resources. Formulating such competitive strategies fundamentally
involves recognizing relationships between elements of the marketing mix (e.g.,
price and product quality), as well as assessing competitive and market conditions
(i.e., industry structure in the language of economics).
Adaptive Work Systems: A Perspective on the Evolution of Socio-Technical Systems
1. Adaptive Work Systems
A Perspective on the Evolution of Socio-Technical Systems
By Stu Winby
This paper provides a perspective on the evolution of Socio-Technical Systems as a new emerging form of work
organization, and introduces the concepts and practice of the adaptive work system as the next generation model.
The skilled artisans in the late eighteenth century
could only make a handful of products a day when
working alone in their small craft shops. However,
when that labor was divided among a team of 10 or
more, each performing one or two of the steps and
using specialized tools, literally hundreds of times
that amount could be produced. By allocating the
work components of a complex process to many
different individuals, working in parallel, the division
of labor produces returns many times over. So
profound were the economic returns to organizing
work based on specialization and the division of labor
that it became the fundamental distinguishing feature
of a civilized society, as a contributing factor to the
industrial revolution.
As this approach to organizing work became the
most economical and efficient approach to business,
the issue of workforce organization came into play.
Work was initially organized by division of labor and
job specialization managed by the owner of the
business, forming a simple hierarchy. Businesses
grew by the process of vertical integration: one
hierarchy effectively gets absorbed into another,
generating a larger, vertically integrated hierarchy.
Rather than each individual having a separate
transaction with the market, the industrial
organization was designed to serve the purpose of
eliminating costs associated with market transactions,
replacing them with a single contract of employment.
Inside this new vertically integrated organization,
markets ceased to operate and the skills, resources
and time of its employees were coordinated through
a strict authority structure. This authority structure
would generally become a hierarchy and would be
perceived as management and the driver of economic
wealth.
The vertically integrated model of factories,
specialized production lines, and generally unskilled
nearly eliminated it previously dominated craft
system of highly skilled craftsmen. For the next
century industrial organizations followed the
hierarchy model.
By the late 1970s, however, the world started to
change. The rapid growth of the world's postwar
industrialized economies had begun to reach the
limits of what their domestic consumer markets could
demand, and further growth required a dramatic
globalization of both production and trade. The new
playing field was the globalized economy.
When industry economies started to turn towards
globalization, many of the working assumptions that
sustained successful business performance for the
past half century started to change dramatically.
From an organizational perspective new multi-
dimensional organizational designs emerged. The
simple hierarchy was undergoing dramatic change.
The complexity of global organizations required the
creation of new horizontal processes using cross-
functional, cross-company teams that work through
common business processes. In addition, due to
globalization simple legacy business models have a
difficult time surviving an increasingly digitized,
globalized, and virtual economy.
It is important to note that several important trends
emerged during the early stages of globalization in
the late 1970s. Craft production continued to survive
2. Copyright @ SAPIENCE NETWORK: All Rights Reserved, DRAFT - Not to be Distributed without the Authors' Permission
Page 2
and was rapidly finding a foothold in manufacturing
based industries. In many cases craft based
production outperforming vertically integrated
economies of scale in fast-moving and unpredictable
industries like fabric production in northern Italy and
parts of France. The essential capability of these
craft systems was its flexibility and adaptability to
change. Even in the most intensive economies-of-
scale industries these new flexible work systems were
being used. For example, the steel industry in the
early 80s was abandoning its traditional blast furnace
technology in favor of smaller more flexible mini-
mills.
These flexible adaptive work systems are the anti-
thesis of a vertically integrated hierarchy in that they
exploit economies of scope rather than economies of
scale. They rely on general purpose machinery and
skilled workers to produce a wide range of products
in small batches, compared to specialized production
with a restricted line of products. In slowly changing
environments, therefore, in which generic products
appeal to a large number of consumers and the range
of competing choices is limited, economies of scale
are optimal. But in the rapidly globalizing world of
the late 20th Century, organizations are pinned
between uncertain economies and political forecasts,
on the one hand, and increasingly heterogeneous
consumer requirement on the other, is where
economies the scope gained a critical advantage. It
was evident that uncertainty and rapid change favor
flexibility and adaptability over sheer scale.
The other significant trend in the late 70s was the
rapid spread of an approach to work design called
socio-technical systems (STS). Research showed that
high performance resulted when the design of the
technical system (tools and techniques) and the
design of the social system (division of labor and
methods of coordination) were congruent. In other
words, where a high degree of socio-technical fit was
achieved, performance increased. These systems later
became known as high performance systems. By the
late 70’s, several hundred new plant designs and just
as many redesigns were underway.
The design of socio-technical systems and craft based
flexible work systems were very similar in principle
and design, employing team based work systems that
are self- regulation using feedback and participating
goal setting, fewer levels of hierarchy, and greater
discretion with workers.
The work design and processes of both STS and
flexible manufacturing have been successfully
integrated into most organizations today. It is difficult
to find an organization that does not encourage team
work, employee participation and decision making,
and is organized in a more decentralize fashion than
its past hierarchal structure.
Uncertainty and Problem Solving
However, in the last decade what has changed is
change itself, the rate of change, which has significant
implications in how we organize work. We have
moved from an era of equilibrium to an era of
constant dis-equilibrium. The rate of change will only
increase, thus fueling ongoing industry
discontinuities, like we experiencing in healthcare
today.
Globalization has matured to where many growth
markets come from the developing economies, not
the developed economies. First generation successful
enterprises coming out of the developing world are
growing by penetrating mature markets with low cost
offerings. New technology continues to shift to a
more digitized global economy. Technology,
specifically the internet and social media
technologies, , have fueled the leveraging of
worldwide assess to knowledge and rapid information
processing, leveling the playing field for US
companies.
The rate of change fueled by intense globalization and
technology is driving the management and
organization of work. The increasing reliance on
innovation for solutions represents one important
shift. The past as a solution set is becoming no longer
a viable option. Solutions are increasingly not found
3. Copyright @ SAPIENCE NETWORK: All Rights Reserved, DRAFT - Not to be Distributed without the Authors' Permission
Page 3
in prescribed processes as in the past, but need to be
discovered and designed. Companies must be
capable of both efficient operations and innovating
new products and services.
When environmental uncertainty is low and change
occurs slowly, and the future is predictable - then task
uncertainty is low, effectively allowing the design /
learning and production phases to be completed
separately. The assumption is that even when a
complex task is a decentralized process, requiring the
simultaneous, coordinated efforts of many specialized
workers, its design is somehow centralized, imposed
from the above hierarchy. However, the level of task
uncertainty has increased dramatically, so not only do
organizations face uncertainty over which particular
task is required by the external marketplace, they are
also uncertain about precisely how they should go
about completing any task or what the corresponding
criteria for success might be. In today’s environment,
it is common for no one person to precisely know the
specified work requirements in advance. Rather,
each person starts with a general notion of what is
required and refines that notion only by interacting
with other problem solvers.
The amount of task uncertainty is triggered by the
environmental uncertainties often requiring redesign
of the production process as well as the design itself.
This means that an equally important task must focus
on innovation and variance control, which is
performed, at the same time as the task of
production and in the same decentralized fashion.
This requires a different model of work organization.
When the environment cranks up the rate of change
required for a new strategic choice and competitive
action, the complex task must be organized, and
available human capital reallocated. Instead of
some individual or group that serves as overseer, this
task organization and resource allocation problem is
best solved by the same individuals who have to
perform the task of production. The result is a
continued swirl of problem-solving activity and ever
shifting interactions between the problem solvers,
each of whom has information relevant to the
solution of a particular aspect or dimension of the
problem, but none who knows enough to act in
isolation. Nor does any one person know precisely
who knows what, hence problem-solving is not just
performing the necessary combinations of resources
(this is what flexible work systems are about) but
searching for and discovering those resources in the
first place
The central idea underlying flexible production work
and socio-technical systems is that the tasks required
of most organizations are subject to significant
unpredictability and rapid change. The
environmental turbulence, rapid rate of change and
the shifts mentioned above strongly suggests our
ways of leading, learning, working, innovating and
organizing must be reframed. A basic proposition is
that uncertainty, problem solving, and work design
are central to the behavior of the modern
organization, and should be reflected in the next
generation work system design.
Social Production
In the Silicon Valley a new model of economic
production, referred to as social production, is being
discussed with a moderate amount of start-up
examples in progress. In social production the
creative energy of numbers of people are coordinated
(typically through the Internet) into sometimes large,
significant projects mostly without a traditional
hierarchical organization. People use their own tools
for production, many of which are based in various
software applications. Tasks are not delegated based
on a central decision-making process but self
organized. A market mechanism tags different prices
to different tasks serving as an incentive to anyone
interested in performing a task.
The point of mentioning this emerging trend of social
production is that work is increasing becoming more
decentralized, more network focused, and more
market driven. The firm, or company structure, that
came into existence to eliminate cost associated with
market transactions and has a single employment
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contract, may compete against alternative network
organizations that employ a social production model.
Production work has gone through various
transformations since the early craft work. Although
new ways of working are introduced they don’t
necessarily eliminate the previous approaches to
work organization. An evolution of various work
systems are provided below:
1. Small Guild Based Production – Craft Production
System
2. Scientific Mgmt Production – Industrial
Production System
3. Small Batch Production – Flexible Specialization
System / STS
4. Optimized “lean” Production – Toyoda
Production System
5. Net Work Production - Adaptive Work System /
STS
6. Social Production – Non-Firm production
Organizations and Work Systems
The term work system, as it is used here, refers to an
organizational design and alignment of people,
processes, technology and information as compared
to earlier definitions of a particular combination of
job tasks, technology, skills, management style, and
policies and practices. The work system design
determines how work is organized and managed, how
people will experience work, and how they will
perform.
The term work system is also positioned as an
evolving extension or next generation socio-technical
systems theory and model.
The concept of work system is not limited to a small
group or work unit, but as an organizational
architecture, specifically a type of network
organization, that is scalable from the small work unit
level to an enterprise organizational design. Given
that work organizations are moving towards, which is
smaller decentralized “production units,” the notion
of work systems is useful. The term adaptable work-
system is used more at the operating level and
adaptable organization used at the macro level.
This adaptable network model has also been
deployed in larger ecosystems, where, for example, a
company was a single node in a value chain sharing a
common value proposition with other companies who
collaboratively deliver value to a common customer
base. This “value net” arrangement exemplifies the
scalability of the work system model.
The following section of this paper will provide a brief
overview of key concepts and definition of an
adaptive organization, followed by a set of design
principles and design methodology. Examples of how
this new work system is being implemented will be
provided as well as key questions regarding its
evolution.
Adaptive Work Systems
An adaptable work system is agile and dynamically
changeable. Adaptable work systems, frequently
referred to as network organizations, are better
suited to complex, rapidly changing, and turbulent
environments than hierarchal structures, which do
better in stable, simple routine environments. The
Adaptive Work System is a type of organizational
network that is configured to operate as a high
performing work system (socio-technical system) at
multiple levels of global, enterprise or unit levels of
design.
Performance characteristics such as agility, speed,
flexibility, and re-configurability are typically
delivered by the adaptive work system. This work
system incorporates into its design the principles of
innovation, network sciences, and socio-technical
systems theory and practice into a new model of
work organization.
A distinguishing feature of this type of work systems
is its approach to the planning and performing of
work. Adaptive Work Systems approach planning
and development /production work as evolving and
refined over a series of iterations, rather than fully
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defined or “frozen” before the iteration begins. These
work systems are consistent with the pattern of
unpredictable discovery-driven planning, flexible
manufacturing, and design thinking approaches to
product and service development.
Adaptable work systems can be characterized as
follows:
A balance of optimization and adaption processes
through an ambidextrous approach to management
and organization.
Optimization processes focus on efficiency and cost
reduction. They are documented, measured, refined,
and repeated. Adaption processes focus on
innovation, exploration, speed, and constantly
reacting to meet external changes. Optimizing
processes thrive in low-change, predictable
environments, whereas adaptive processes thrive in
high change, uncertain ones
One solution to the execution versus adaption
dichotomy has been organizational ambidexterity
(OA) referring to an organization’s ability to do two
different things at the same time. An “ambidextrous
organization” refers to an organizational design
containing not only separate structural subunits for
adaption (exploration) and execution (exploitation),
but also different competencies, systems, incentives,
processes, and cultures for each unit.
A balance of hierarchy and networks
An extension of the ambidextrous organizational
design is the balance of hierarchy and networks.
Most companies have hierarchies that dominate the
organizational structure along with lateral networks
that run horizontal across the verticals. Cross unit
teams and matrix arrangements best represent this
typical organizational design. In adaptive
organizations verticals and laterals still co-exist, but
over time verticals move to the background and
lateral more to the foreground. This is similar to a
professional services organization where employees
have homerooms but spend most of their time on
client projects that involve a mix of functions.
Design Principles
An Adaptive Work System is a set of principles put to
some purposeful application and situation. Adaptive
work system design principles represent the basic
assumptions that guide the organizational design
process and affect design decisions and the
arrangement of design element. These principles are
both extensions of the early foundational work done
in socio-technical systems and new emerging design
principles based on current theory and application of
adaptive work systems. Also, adaptive work system
is principal based not rules based. Rather than a
defined set of rules regarding roles, responsibilities
and activities the process is primarily guided by a set
of principles.
The core purpose of design is to enable a network of
people to efficiently, effectively, and innovatively
produce and deliver product and service outputs that
meet customer expectations in the context of a
rapidly changing environments.
1. Open Systems Design
Design starts from outside the organizational
network by enabling its members to jointly
gather information and learn from environmental
conditions, context, and customer expectations.
Through a process of foresight-insight and
discovering the deep needs of customers, the
network constructs a vision of its solution to
meet customer needs and accommodate
environmental constraints and opportunities.
The open systems design principle is realized
through a number of adaptive work system
processes and tools.
2. Empirical Process Control
Variance control has historically centered on
correction rather than learning because plans
and processes were viewed as reasonably correct
and therefore control focuses on fixing mistakes
and explaining mistakes not learning something
new that might legitimately alter the plan. A key
process of adaptive work systems is to execute
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on its task vision, not to develop plans or
schedules, but to focus on progress and
adjustment. Empirical process control means the
work process is highly visible and the process
detects real time unacceptable social and
technical variances. When variances are detected
adaption occurs as quickly as possible to
minimize further deviation. The work process is
self managed where on a daily basis and at
different intervals everyone’s work is subject to
variance control, as well the systems and the
work context. Context design involves removing
variances outside the work process. The heart of
empirical process control is learning. How can the
team learn at a faster rate following each
iteration?
3. Information processing
Adaptive work systems are purposely designed
for high levels of information processing.
Organizational performance is optimal when the
information processing capabilities of the
organization fit the information processing
requirements of the work. This was recognized
by Jay Galbraith in 1974 by noting “the greater
the task uncertainty, the greater the amount of
information that must be processed among
decision makers during task execution in order to
achieve a given level of performance”. Decision
making among network members is accelerated
through various information processing work
designs and technologies. For each project the
corresponding design of the work system focuses
heavily on information processing design,
because this drives cycle time, productivity, and
quality of output.
4. Purposeful Networks
The network structure is defined by the problem
that needs to be solved or the product or service
that needs to be designed and developed. It is
important to identify a critical mass of people
who possess the required experience,
knowledge, information, and skills that when
combined will enable the task to be completed.
The work design challenge is to ensure that the
right people have the right conversation to
produce the right output. The interaction of
those individuals is defined as the work design
task.
5. Design for Interactions
Design for people and interaction, not structure
and processes. Design for interaction is the new
work design. It is exemplified by the phrase
“design for the right people, right information,
right interactions, right knowledge, right
conversation, and right outcomes”. The work
process establishes roles and infrastructure to
capture and process information real time as
parallel interactions are taking place. People are
expected to interact, collaborate, be imaginative,
solve problems, and develop product outputs.
Large group methodologies like a decision
accelerator are used for the design of
interactions, as well an iteration reviews and
reconfigurable sessions where design for
interaction occurs.
6. Complex adaptive systems
A complex adaptive system is one that consists of
elements, called agents, whose relationships may
be changing all the time. Agents are capable of
self organizing, often following a set of rules. In
adaptive work systems similar properties are at
play, where individuals get work done through
reconfigurable interactions and self organization.
Practices are used to drive “emergence” similar
to complex adaptive systems.
7. Integrated Practices
A system of practices exist which are mutually
supportive and reinforce each other as they align
with principles and values. Practices are geared
to be simple, aligned with socio-technical values,
generative and not prescriptive, minimal (just
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enough to get the job done, and focus on delivery
of value to the customer.
8. Self organizing units
Empowered self organizing units or teams are
developed around whole pieces or key elements
of the output product. This is determined on
amounts of functionality it can design and
produce during an iteration of work. Typically
multiple nodes or teams work during the same
iteration, each focused on a different set of
functionality. At the end of iteration the work
units review output, identify interdependencies,
social and technical variances, and develop the
required re-configurability for better adaptability
and iteration execution.
9. Re-configurability
Adaptive work systems have the capability of a
dynamically reconfigurable system that can
dynamically change its behavior in response to
dynamic changes in its environment. The work
system has the capacity to reconfigure as
required. One key objective of re-configurability
is to create a variety-increasing work system that
embodies the principle of redundant functions
(network members take on multiple, redundant
functions)
10. Values
Key values are collaboration, diversity, learning,
commitment, and empowerment - (the act of
pushing into the work unit and to the individual -
authority, skills, information, and knowledge).
Positional power is limited, information and fact
base discussions drive decision making, and
diversity of thought is encouraged,
11. Feed-Forward and Feedback
Adaptive work systems have both feed forward
and feedback systems. Feed-forward passes a
signal from a source in the work system's
external environment which allows anticipation
and greater problem solving capability, and
feedback allow for learning and adjustment
based on output and customer information.
Feed forward used various crowd sourcing tools
and methods.
Framework
The simple framework for the adaptive work system
is presented below.
The model deploys three steps – mobilize, act, and
adapt.
Step one is to MOBILIZE the network and collectively
define the problem, solution, and design the work
system to implement the solution.
Step two is one or more nodes or teams ACT by
working through a series of work iteration to produce
an agreed upon output. Multiple nodes continue to
integrate their work as they produce their outputs.
Frequently an integration team integrates in process
work and drives emergence. This serves as a fly wheel
of sorts in providing high leverage iteration to work in
process.
In step three outputs produced in the iteration along
with customer and environment data are reviewed
and the work system reconfigures to ADAPT. The act
and adapt steps continue until the customer is
satisfied with the output.
The work system framework serves as a platform for
various applications. Applications are design
processes. Some of the most deployed applications
are:
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1. Business model design
2. Product design
3. Service design
4. Experience design
5. Work design
6. Transformational design
Performance and Results
The adaptive work system continues to be tested as
an action research work innovation. Initial
implementation was first started in 2008. Most
implementation has been in the health care industry
and technology sector. In general, the results are
positive and suggest the adaptive work system is an
organizational capability whose characteristics and
benefits do not exist in traditional organizations and
thus provides a source of advantage.
Reduced time to value (speed). Customers
continue to comment on the reduced cycle
time in getting to a defined desired outcome.
A number of case examples support this
finding.
Maximizes productivity of resources (costs).
The methods of parallel processing and
retrospectives continue to eliminate waste,
and produce scale and leverage
opportunities by maximizing productivity of
resources.
Scale and leverage: The ability of adaptive
work systems to scale and leverage has had a
significant impact on company results.
Although not mentioned in this paper an
innovation and optimization rapid diffusion
process referred to as the Work Innovation
Network that is part of the adaptive model is
able to secure % improvement in multiple
sites at the same time.
Customer co-creation and on-going
engagement. The work process is driven by
the customer. Ethnographic data as well as
customer requirements drive the output.
Typically as work is completed the customer
is also learning and changes are made to
accommodate this learning. This process
therefore has strong customer commitment
and satisfaction for results produced.
Increased and continuous innovation.
Adaptive work systems bring the discipline
and practices of design and innovation to all
work challenges.
Accelerates stakeholder commitment
(empowerment). All key stakeholders are
actively engaged in the definition of the
problem and solution and work design.
Customers drive the work product.
Significantly increases social capital
(integration). The network rapidly develops
relationships with each other which get
continued developed over the period of the
work project.
Increased learning. Probably the single most
important driver of performance is the
organizations develop capability to learn.
Most work is defined as low cost rapid
learning cycles in order to reduce risk and
design/develop output.
Increased capacity to adapt. Increases in the
organization’s ability to respond to change
more quickly and to adapt to shift in the
environment (customer needs and market/
competitor moves).
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Increased and continuous innovation.
Adaptive work systems bring the discipline
and practices of design and innovation to all
work challenges.
Summary
The early work of Trist and Emery who founded socio-
technical systems (STS) has provided the theoretical,
practical, and values based foundation for later
generation works systems to be built. In the late 80s
early 90s STS began to disappear both academically
and in practice, but was successful adopted into
mainstream organizations. Today, for example, the
word “engagement “ is overused at the shop floor
level as well as in the board room, and back in the 80s
it was referred to as employee involvement, and than
earlier participation. These were key principles in STS
when there was no room for employee voice in the
work process.
STS was initially conceptualized as a shop floor
manufacturing process and then moved to knowledge
worker office environments. Today, the adaptive
work system model as an evolution of STS creates
value at all levels of the enterprise and ecosystem.
The model also operationalizes network organizations
which have been limited by the notion of informal
social network or high level “value nets”. The
adaptive work systems defines networks as
production systems, which is a much different
capability then previously defined as a network
organization.
This work is still in its early stages and as with all
innovations will take on-going learning and action
research to find its true value.
References
1. Austin, Rob and Devin, Lee. Artful Making – What managers
need to Know about How Artist Work?
2. Emery, F and Trist, E. Towards a Social Ecology. London and
New York. Plenum Press: 1973
3. Galbraith, Jay. Organization Design - an Information
processing View. Interfaces 1974
4. Geerat J. Vermeij. The Evolutionary World – How Adaption
Explains Everything from Seashells to Civilization. New York:
St. Martin’s Press; 2110.
5. Lawler, Edward E and Worley, Christopher G. Management
Reset – Organizing for Sustainable Effectiveness. Chapter 7:
Sustainable Work Systems. Jossey Bass, 2011.
6. Malone, Thomas W. The Future of Work. Boston,
Massachusetts; Harvard Business School Press; 2004.
7. Martin, Roger. The Design of Business. . Boston,
Massachusetts; Harvard Business School Press; 2009.
8. Miles, Raymond E; Miles, Grant; and Snow, Charles.
Collaborative Entrepreneurship – How Communities of
Network Firms Use Continuous Innovation To Create
Economic Wealth. Stanford University Press. 2005.
9. Pava, Cal. Managing Office technology – An Organizational
Strategy. The free Press. 1983.
10. Trist, Eric and Murray, Hugh. The Social Engagement of Social
Science – A Tavistock Anthology. Volume II: The Socio-
Technical Perspective. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993.
11. Winby, Stu. Adapting to New Realities: The Emergence of
network Organizations and Work Systems, White Paper, 2010
12. Winby, Stu. Work Innovation Network: Concepts and
Practice. White Paper, 2010.
13. Winby, Stu. Transformation Design. White Paper, 2011
Notes:
__________________________________________________
Stu Winby- Is a Managing Partner of Innovation Point and also
founder of the Sapience Network – both Silicon Valley Firms. A
leading thought leader in new forms of collaboration and
coordination afforded by innovative work designs and emerging
interactive technologies that effect innovation and business
performance.