ORGANIZATIONAL HUMANITY AND ARCHITECTURE: DUALITY AND COMPLEMENTARITY OF PAPA-LOGIC AND MAMA-LOGIC IN MANAGERIAL CONCEPTUALIZATIONS OF CHANGE
Title:
ORGANIZATIONAL HUMANITY AND ARCHITECTURE: DUALITY AND COMPLEMENTARITY OF PAPA-LOGIC AND MAMA-LOGIC IN MANAGERIAL CONCEPTUALIZATIONS OF CHANGE
Author:
Broekstra, Gerrit
Appeared in:
Cybernetics & systems
Paging:
Volume 17 (1986) nr. 1 pages 13-41
Year:
1986
Contents:
This paper argues that the prevailing largely reductionist conceptualization of organizational life has led (top-) management thinking seriously astray. The mainstream PAPA-logic (PAthology by PAtching) is imbued with the primacy of “segmentalist” (Kanter, 1984) architectures, and, since people are likely to be subordinate to architecture, with "controlled" inhumanity and powerlessness to innovate and change. Inside, a commitment crisis ensues; the outside effect is an adaptability crisis. In contrast, modem systems thinking advances a holistic conceptualization of organizing and managing as reflected by a MAMA-logic (MAnagement by MAtching), which allows for dealing effectively with opportunities and change. The holistic management logic emphasizes the primacy of entrepreneurialism and empowering human resources, where architectures and technologies are subordinate to people. It focuses managerial attention on supportive learning postures, and responsive, communication-rich, network-like “integrative” (Kanter, 1984) architectures.
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