"Wayne J. Levin" <levin@astral.magic.ca> concludes
with the following suggestion:
>...a designed experiment will allow us to know
>emperically which of the theories advanced by the group are useful and to
>what extent.
>
>The point here is that study, good experimental methods, a disciplined
>approach (such as the PDSA cycle) together form a mechanism that advances
>our knowledge and implicitly builds consensus and constructive team
>dynamics.
AS a practicing process engineer applying the methods of engineering to
business, I feel a strong sense of kinship with Wayne's points above. It
is strange that executives quickly forget what they learned in school with
a shrug "that was then, this is real/different/<etc.>"
Not that management is scientific, but cetainly doing things without any
rational assessment process for whether the actions had the effects
desired is irrational!
Many times the executives just don't want to know...
--Keith Cowan <72212.51@CompuServe.COM>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>