The Hidden Perils of Addressing Complexity with Formal Process - A Philosophical and Empirical Analysis

Abstract

This paper analyzes ethnographic interview data at two different points in time to assess the impact of formal process on the production process in a systems engineering context. While formal processes are adopted by organizations to grapple with increasing levels of complexity, they nonetheless make strong assumptions about the nature of work and the nature of the worker leading to unintended consequences. The fields of philosophy of technology and labor studies each pose deep questions about the nature of work and technology and how changes in them affect human experience and provide a compelling context in which to analyze the ethnographic data. We conclude that formal processes tend to ignore the social dynamics of the production process resulting in systemic quality problems. We also conclude that both the philosophy of technology and labor studies would benefit from a more social rather than individualistic framing of technology and production.