What are the Physics of Organizations?
I am interested in understand organizational patterns, group behavior, individual behavior, the effect of an environment on both groups and individuals. Both are in a bi-directional relationship with the environment, and thus each-other, constantly exchanging feedback.
Individuals use Resources to generate Outputs.
The result are many competing forces. And thus, many perspectives.
Forces
- Some law has to do with Finances. Revenues. Expenses
- Employees
- Policies
- Competing Companies
- Market
- Consumer Expectations
- Seemingly unrelated innovations or developments
Structures
- Value Streams
- Business "Verticals"
- Teams
- Products
- Features
Simon Wardley distinguishes between Pioneers, Settlers, Town Planners.
Brian Gilham makes the distinction between being a "Connector" or "Compartment" alizer.
An org can be described as both Objected Oriented, and functional.
Function oriented
Functional groups can be depicted visually as stovepipes - vertical stripes of functional responsibility.
Process oriented
Process orientation is the horizontal movement, often indicating the movement across time as well.
Notably, I find a similarity in Ruby, in thinking about Classes (Models specifically) as Functional responsibilities. Whereas Controllers are cross-cutting concerns that weave together functionality exposes by the Model classes.
In each case, a # can depict this design pattern.
Objects in an organization
Characteristics of objects in an organization
- can object can be represented in 3D/nD space as a vector (point, direction)
- each object has a point of origin and a direction. the object may not be at its point of origin. either a car at the plant... or a single road trip... or something more conceptual can represent a difference of state, like a contract, or purchase order with many phases
- the object can be represented on a line outward in a direction. length changes depending on time. speed changes depending on energy or progress.
