The Machine Metaphor
The Machine Metaphor and Organizations Today
The machine metaphor points out the ways that organizations are specialized, standardized, and predictable. When I try to apply this metaphor to real life, the first thing that comes to mind is the assembly line inside a factory. To create a product each member has their role on the assembly line and there isn’t much deviation from the set process otherwise the product may be unpredictable. In an assembly line the work is done simultaneously to achieve one goal. If a worker falls quits or is unavailable, that worker can be replaced by another. The ironic idea about the machine metaphor is that when it became popular during the industrial period people working in factories were commonplace and those people emulated the functioning of a machine. The corporate world decided to take the idea one step further and replace humans with actual machines. This rendered the need for an abundance of skilled labor unnecessary.
The machine metaphor originated during the industrial period but has had long standing effects in the workplace today and can be found almost anywhere. In comparison to an old donut factory, the donut maker and the glazer specialist may be seen as the different departments present in a company today. Specialization is also apparent in the popularity of consultants, who have taken a specific area of work or services and capitalized on the demand. Organizations today have the ability to replace workers that quit or of no longer use, this is due to standardization and replaceability of positions. The employee manual or operations guide of an organization is representative of predictability. If something goes wrong within an organization, it can resolve its issues by reviewing these preset manuals.
The machine metaphor has created a foundation for the operation of corporate America today. Many of its characteristics are invaluable tools such as, the time card for tracking employee hours, this is
The machine metaphor points out the ways that organizations are specialized, standardized, and predictable. When I try to apply this metaphor to real life, the first thing that comes to mind is the assembly line inside a factory. To create a product each member has their role on the assembly line and there isn’t much deviation from the set process otherwise the product may be unpredictable. In an assembly line the work is done simultaneously to achieve one goal. If a worker falls quits or is unavailable, that worker can be replaced by another. The ironic idea about the machine metaphor is that when it became popular during the industrial period people working in factories were commonplace and those people emulated the functioning of a machine. The corporate world decided to take the idea one step further and replace humans with actual machines. This rendered the need for an abundance of skilled labor unnecessary.
The machine metaphor originated during the industrial period but has had long standing effects in the workplace today and can be found almost anywhere. In comparison to an old donut factory, the donut maker and the glazer specialist may be seen as the different departments present in a company today. Specialization is also apparent in the popularity of consultants, who have taken a specific area of work or services and capitalized on the demand. Organizations today have the ability to replace workers that quit or of no longer use, this is due to standardization and replaceability of positions. The employee manual or operations guide of an organization is representative of predictability. If something goes wrong within an organization, it can resolve its issues by reviewing these preset manuals.
The machine metaphor has created a foundation for the operation of corporate America today. Many of its characteristics are invaluable tools such as, the time card for tracking employee hours, this is