ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that a work organization is a complex, interdependent social system and that the analyst will be grossly misled by attempting to understand the localized situation in isolation. It looks briefly at the painting operation in which the learning problem occurred. A drastic change in one part of the system may give rise to conflict reactions from other parts of the system. It may then be dangerous for management to try a new approach in one small part of the system unless it is prepared to extend this approach to the whole organization. The decision was reached without much difficulty, since it seemed that the fans could be used elsewhere after their expected failure to provide relief in the paint room. Whatever the actual efficiency of the fans, one thing was clear: the girls were completely satisfied with the results, and relations between them and the foreman improved visibly.
