On Thu, 06 Jan 2005 10:38:53 -0800, Jeff Shannon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>It's also noteworthy to consider that many times, waste happens not >because of corruption or self-interest, but simply because of errors >of judgement. Precisely. That is one of the main points I was trying to get across in discussion with Alex. I have no reason to make conspiracy theories that bribes were involved in that bad decision at that German company. No, it _seemed_ like it was simple mistake, because somebody responsible for this did not research the issue in enough depth. And note that it was definitely not in his personal interest, whoever that was, a person or group of persons, as he/they risked getting fired for that. >Humans being as we are, it's inevitable that over time, >some "obvious" important details will escape our attention, and the >resulting imperfect information will result in poor decisions. This >is a simple fact of human nature, and (ob-Python ;) ) it's one of the >reasons that Python is designed as it is -- it makes a serious effort >to reduce the number of details that might escape detection. I suspect it is one of the reasons why many people switch from learning Perl to learning Python (at least I did - I simply could not remember after a month or two what the hell I concocted in this place in Perl program, it felt as if this were somebody else's code). >(One should also consider that many business failures are a case of >simply having played the odds and lost. Many ventures depend on >outside events playing in a certain way; when by chance those events >happen, the decision-makers are called "bold and insightful", but if >things don't work out, they're called foolish or misguided. Again, I agree with you - all that I can add is that it this is what may be a rational element in the otherwise irrational decisionmaking process - managers may get hit if it goes wrong, but not rewarded if it goes right. Consider this: "Moreover the fact that a CEO can command does not mean that other employees will obey. Instructions can be given, but they need to be obeyed enthusiastically by others for them to mean anything. CEOs have tools to win the enthusiasm of their subordinates: the rhetoric of shared accomplishment of action and vision; the carrots of promotions, salary increases, and bonuses; the sticks of demotion and dismissal. But even with these tools, managing a large bureaucratic organization is a difficult task. And changing its direction away from that of mere business-as-usual requires great skill and luck." http://www.j-bradford-delong.net/Econ_Articles/Command_Corporations.html -- It's a man's life in a Python Programming Association. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
