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The Paradigm That Changed the Work Place : Annals of the STSD

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The paradigm that changed the work place : annals of the STSD Citation for published version (APA): Eijnatten, van, F. M. (1992). The paradigm that changed the work place : annals of the STSD. (TU Eindhoven. Fac. TBDK, Vakgroep T&A : monografie; Vol. 010). Eindhoven University of Technology. Document status and date: Published: 01/01/1992 Document Version: Publisher’s PDF, also known as Version of Record (includes final page, issue and volume numbers) Please check the document version of this publication: • A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers. Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal. If the publication is distributed under the terms of Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, indicated by the “Taverne” license above, please follow below link for the End User Agreement: www.tue.nl/taverne Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us at: [email protected] providing details and we will investigate your claim. Download date: 04. Oct. 2021 The Paradigm that Changed the Work. Place Annals of STSD DR. FRANS M. VAN EIJNA TTEN Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Industrial Engineering and Management Science Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands Manuscript Draft BDK/T&AOIO This manuscript contains a broad outline of the history of the Socio-Technical Systems Design paradigm from 1951 up until the present time (1992). An effort is made to cover the wide range of ideas and elaborations in this field, using original papers and sources of different kinds. The author has expressly avoided to produce yet another review along established lines, but rather to give a personal and additional contribution to this subject area, which is based on the literature. The manuscript is a synthesis of more than 10 years of researching the paradigm by the author, and resulted from editing, compiling and expansion of earlier (unpublished) papers, discussions with colleagues and some field work in industry. This monograph, designed as an anthology of Socio-Technical Systems Design, is not only specifying concepts, methods and projects, but is also explaining the epistemological and methodological foundations of the paradigm. And last but not least, sound and constructive criticism is presented, which is as much as possible corrected for pre-judgements or 'second source' myths, and is solidly based on facts and analyses of the paradigm. © August 1992 The Paradigm that Changed the Work Place Annals of STSD Dr. Frans M. van Eijnatten Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands Manuscript/Draft © August 1992 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Abstract 0 1 STSD: A Personal Reconstruction 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Some Initial Statements to Explore the Field of STSD 2 1.3 Chapters' Outline 3 2 STSD: Towards Some Root Definitions of the Paradigm 5 2.1 Introduction 5 2.2 STSD: Brief Characteristics of Content 5 2.3 STSD Message: Goals, Mission and Metaphor 8 2.4 STSD Research: Some Methodological Considerations 9 2.5 STSD Images: Milestones and Development Trajectories 11 3 STSD: Initial Formulations of the Paradigm 16 3.1 Introduction 16 3.2 The Pioneering Role of Tavistock 17 3.2.1 Ken Bamforth's Re-Discovery of a Work Tradition 17 3.2.2 Action Research as the Mere Context of Discovery 19 3.2.3 Latent STSD and the Spreading and Adoption of an Open-Systems View 21 3.2.4 STSD-Specific Concept Development to Support the Next Phase 23 3.3 Classical STSD 26 3.3.1 The Inspiration of the Norwegian Industrial Democracy Programme 26 3.3.2 The Spreading of Industrial Democracy: Idiom versus Replica 28 3.3.3 The Methodical Approach towards Industrial Democracy 29 3.3.4 An Outline of Basic Concepts in Classical STSD 31 3.3.5 An Impression of Projects as Reported in the Literature 36 4 STSD: Modern Variants of the Paradigm 38 4.1 Introduction 38 4.2 Variant A: Participative Design 39 4.2.1 The Australian Solution to the Problem of Diffusion 39 4.2.2 PO and the Educational Approach towards Learning 43 4.2.3 Further Spreading of the Diffusion Model 47 4.3 Variant B: Integral Organizational Renewal 49 4.3.1 The Dutch Solution to the Problem of Integral Design 49 4.3.2 lOR and the Balance Model Based on Social Interaction 52 4.3.3 The Participative Process of Organizational Renewal of the Firm 56 page Annals of STSD - F.M. van Eijnatten - Draft - August 1992 ii Continuation of Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 4.4 Variant C: Democratic Dialogue 59 4.4.1 The Scandinavian Solution to the Problem of Diffusion 59 4.4.2 The Concept of Democratic Dialogue and the Theory of Integrating 61 Language and Practice 4.4.3 The DD Trajectory: Creating Scope by Engaging in a Broad Ecological Process 63 4.5 Modem STSD in North America 67 5 Epistemological and Methodological Foundations of the STSD-Paradigm 70 5.1 Introduction 71 5.2 Scientific-Philosophical Points and the Nature of Explanatory Diagrams 75 5.3 The Problem of the 'Openness' of Systems and Von Bertalanffy's Leap 78 5.4 The Development of Systems Concepts and its Influence on STSD Modelling 78 5.5 STSD Methods and the Evolution of Models for Analysis and Design 84 5.6 STSD Practice and the Controversy on Design Content versus Process 96 6 A Critical Evaluation of the STSD Paradigm 98 6.1 Introduction 98 6.2 Constructive Criticism versus Widespread Pre-Judgements and Knowledge Gaps 99 6.3 Further analysis of the STSD Paradigm 102 6.3.1 A Systematic Comparison of Development Tracks and Variants 102 6.3.2 A Tentative Classification of STSD Approaches 111 6.4 Starting the Debate 114 6.4.1 Methodological Renewal of the STSD Paradigm 114 6.4.2 Degree of Elaboration in Terms of an (Open) Systems Approach 116 6.4.3 A Further Examination of Basic Concepts and Theory Formation 120 6.4.4 Some Closer Look at the Diversity of Socio-technical Methods 126 6.4.5 A Concise Critique of STSD Practice 127 7 The Future of the Socio-Technical Systems Design Paradigm 133 8. References This theoretical study, which was also made possible through a contribution of the Dutch Research Stimulation Programme TAO (Technology, Work and Organization), Industrial Sector, is dedicated to Eric Trist, the nestor of STSD. The author would like to extend special thanks to Fred Emery, Hans van Beinum, Friso den Hertog, Oguz Baburoglu, Bjorn Gustavsen and Ulbo de Sitter for their useful suggestions and additions to earlier versions and variants of this monograph. Correspondence address: Eindhoven University of Technology Graduate School of Industrial Engineering and Management Science Department of Technology and Work aU. Dr. Frans M. van Eijnatten Paviljoen U-10, T&A P.O. Box 513 5600 MB EINDHOVEN (NETHERLANDS) Phone: (31) 40472469/472493 Fax: (31) 40 451275 Draft © August 1992 by the author The Paradigm that Changed the Work Place Annals of STSD Dr. Frans M. van Eijnatten Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands Abstract This monograph contains an anthology of the Socio-Technical Systems Design (STSD) paradigm, documenting the period from 1951 until 1992. The study is designed as an historic account. It presents a shaded picture of the plural­ istic development of different approaches, carefully reconstructed on the basis of the available literature, and where possible corrected for distortions caused by information from secondary sources. An effort is made to cover the wide range of ideas and elaborations in this field, using original papers and sources of dif­ ferent kinds. The author has expressly avoided to produce yet another review along established lines, but rather to give a personal and additional contribution to this subject area. After introducing some root definitions to explore the field, the actual reconstruction starts with a detailed portrayal of the well-known initial formu­ lations of the paradigm, dearly demonstrating the pioneering role of Tavistock. Next, the first Norwegian Industrial Democracy programme marks the period of what is called Classical STSD. Additionally there is a broad discussion of four modern variants: Participative Design, Integral Organizational Renewal, De­ mocratic Dialogue and North American consultancy. This study is not only specifying concepts, methods and projects, but also is explaining the main epistemological and methodological foundations. And last but not least, sound and constructive criticism is presented which is solidly based on facts and analyses on the STSD paradigm. An attempt is made to present a (further) introduction into the substantial and specialised domain of Socio­ Technical Systems Design.
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