ABSTRACT
TWELVE A recurring theme in advanced technologies is the need to make compatible what superficially appears to be incom patible. A key point of interest in this regard is the man agerial problem created by the twin processes of integration and differentiation. Integration and differentiation are inter acting, interdependent processes, but their organizational and behavioral requirements are quite different. □ Differentiation involves the evolution of change, the ex ploration of various alternatives. This function is performed by highly talented specialists, designing subsystems in a work environment that nurtures independence and the sov ereignty or NIH (not invented here) factor. Integration, on the other hand, involves collaboration among the various specialist-designed subsystems. If integration is to proceed successfully, it must take place in conjunction with differ entiation. The two are actually inverse processes. Changes in subsystems components must be made in light of the interaction between subsystems. With regard to organiza tional behavior, separatist NIH sentiments associated with differentiation must be moderated to achieve sufficient co operation to produce compatible subsystems for an end product, such as a spacecraft, whose successful operation can be depended upon with a very high level of confidence. □ The processes of differentiation and integration should constitute an oscillating system in which each element con tinuously takes the other into account. It is not possible to have both a high degree of differentiation and extremely precise integration.1 The gold-plating specialist may make rather trivial gains in the functioning of his subsystem, while creating intense problems in integration. Figure 1 indicates that marginal increments of differentiation, when the proc ess is pushed to extremes, can occur only at a tremendous expense in terms of integration.
