Biological systems are complicated, often unpredictable, as are organisational ones. The Guardian reports a study from Sweden showing there is greater risk than previously thought of tipping points in biological systems being breached, because apparently separate events are often linked. Obvious when you think about it. My relentlessly SME (small manufacturing enterprise) focused brain jumps immediately to the theory of constraints and it’s preoccupation with identifying the primary constraint in any particular system. Like so much scientific endeavour, we tend to look for a single cause when in truth it is almost always a group of causes that needs to be identified.
Or put another way, the theory of constraints as stated only makes sense with the addition of the wider other things being equal and in terms of rules for action, this translates into a powerful argument in favour of expending considerable time, effort and money precisely to keep these other things equal, since without such an effort it is unlikely that analysis of a scenario for change will even be possible, let alone correct. As Chairman Mao might have said “It is hard working in a building if the roof is blowing off” #manufacturing #furniture #wood #business #blog