What are orgs for? LO6062

Nickols@aol.com
Fri, 8 Mar 1996 21:04:44 -0500

Replying to LO6021 --

I always appreciate John Warfield's postings; they're usually
loaded with information. LO6021 is no exception. This time,
I can add to instead of simply absorb John's remarks.

In replying to LO6004, John wrote (in part):

>The concept of "intent structure" (circa 1972) or "objectives tree" (circa
>something) is based on the belief that in today's world organizations have
>many objectives, and that these objectives can be related to one another
>in definable ways. Among other things, there will be "high-level
>objectives", "middle-level objectives", and "low-level objectives". By
>seeing the pattern of these objectives, carefully defined, tested for
>reasonable completeness, and interrelated, one can get a reasonably
>authentic picture of what the organization is about.

The roots of that concept go back at least to 1940. That's when Richard
Weil, Jr., then chairman of Bambergers, published his book, The Art of
Practical Thinking. Weil was writing in large measure about problem
solving but he made it clear that those problems had to be solved in the
context of what he termed "a hierarchy of purposes." Weil's book is as
relevant today as when he first wrote it. I became so enamored of what
he had to say that I even published a short reprise of Chapter 6 from his
book (see the reference below). And, I wrote Simon and Schuster, the
original publisher, encouraging them to issue a reprint. (No response.)

Anyway, John's remarks are on the mark. That said, it might help when
you ponder those remarks to keep in mind that there is an important
distinction to be drawn between "organization" and "corporation."

Fred Nickols
nickols@aol.com

"General Rules for Better Thinking: A Reprise of Chapter 6 from Richard
Weil's The Art of Practical Thinking" (September 1995). Performance &
Instruction. ISPI: Washington, D.C.

-- 

Nickols@aol.com

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>