MAN AND THE MACHINE

CHAPTER TEN
THE WORKPLACE AND THE INDIVIDUAL

Is organization like a machine?

Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.

1
Example

MECHANICAL WORK

Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.

2
 Machine and Man
The Chinese sage Chuang-Tzu (4th Cent. B.C) on his travels found a
man watering his vegetable garden by fetching water from a deep
pond that cost him the entire days hard labour. Seeing his problem
Tzu wanted to solve it by teaching him a an efficient method. It
consisted of a contraption of a long wooden lever heavy on one end
and light on the other, and that he could irrigate the entire garden
quickly and with little effort.
The farmer replied saying that he knows all about it, yet he does not do
it because his teacher had told him that whoever uses machine
does all his work like a machine; he who carries the heart of a
machine loses simplicity; he who loses simplicity becomes unsure
about himself; uncertainty does not agree with honest sense.

Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.

3
 Points to ponder
You are the manager in an organization
Does your organization work on a definite
system?
Can you describe your organization
working like a well oiled machine?
How do you fit in this machine?
What is your role?

Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.

4
 Organizational Philosophy
Organization as a machine?
A machine is a contraption that needs a some fuel and
some determined course to function
It does not need reflection, decision making, change of
environment and learning
Organizations need environment, reflection, learning
people
Among these people are managers
What then is their role in the organization?

Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.

5
Examples

WORK AUTOMATONS

Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.

6
 Case 1
Ramani is a young lady in her twenties who works in an apparel production unit.
Her job: Operate the Jeans button machine; every jeans that comes to her, she places it
appropriately where she can then press down the metal button. She does several
hundred a day. She has to concentrate well so that the metal buttons are precisely
fitted. She does this for 12 hours a day, six days a week.
When she returns home, she can hardly perform any household chores, her whole
system forces her into the monotony of task that she performs; she feels she is doing
it even when she is at home.
As a result she loses her coordination. She feels there is an automaton inside her. She
cannot sleep well because the imaginary machine inside her pounds steadily. She
suffers from head splitting head aches.
She committed suicide hanging from a fan.
All attributed the tragic act to her unhappy family life. No one seemed to suggest it is the
automaton residing in her that did her in.

Discuss: Killer machine or killer organization the cause of

Ramanis death
Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.
7
 Case 2
Arun Kumar is the finance manager of a brewery.
He has a staff of 14.
He is extremely reserved, punctual and conducts all his communication with his
staff in writing because he believes in proven accountability of all actions.
His motto: Numbers dont lie; written word fixes responsibility.
His staff too is expected to convey everything back to him in writing.
The entire accounts office runs like a well oiled machine.
The staff, however, is internally uncomfortable and works more in fear than in
loyalty for the organization.
The staff turnover is very high 50% annually.
The cited reason for quitting: Stressful environment, fear and lack of interest:
I do not mean anything for the company is the common refrain.

Discuss: Do organizations de-humanize the employees?

Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.
8
 Case 3
Managers Briefing
We all want consistency and predictability when we deal
with a business. In order to achieve that, you have to
take discretion out of the equation when it comes to how
you perform repeatable tasks. That's the perfect world,
and in order to maintain a perfect world for your
company, you must have an operations manual. The
operations manual is the very reason that franchises are
so successful; it eliminates all the guesswork on how to
do things. You simply find the "one best way" and
document it in a step-by-step manner.
Discuss: Merits and demerits of the above speech.
Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.
9
Managing Management

MANAGER AS ETHICS TEACHER

Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.

10
 J.R.D. Tata
Entered the family
business as an unpaid
apprentice
Worked hard up his
way and became the
chairman of the group
at the age of 34
The first aviator of
India
Indias foremost
educationist and
philanthropist
Under him the group
grew from mere 15
companies to over 100
Highest civilian awards
from India, France and
the UNO Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.
Lived a simple life
Always met his employees at
all levels
Made it a point to visit the
sick employees in the
hospital
Introduced the principle that
the employee is on duty from
the time he left the house for
work till he reached back
home whatever happened
1904 1993 in this period, it is the
responsibility of the company
Insisted that welfare of the
Business motto:
Compassion employees as firms
supreme duty
 Manager as Teacher
Some Practical Points
Employees are hungry for knowledge in their field of
work Send them to update knowledge and skills
A well organized and regular session of talks on
interesting and relevant topics
An annual retreat (unlike the job appraisal) of a day or
two to reflect on the meaning of their work to
themselves, the company, their families and the society
An annual family event
Seek opportunity to educate during individual interaction
or at meetings
Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.
12
 Manager as Ethics Teacher

ALWAYS LEAD BY WORD AND EXAMPLE

Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.

13
 THANK YOU

Oxford University Press 2009. All rights reserved.

14