Knowledge Essense

KE01:

Empowerment without Exploration Thinking Space spells danger and disaster.

Exploration Thinking Space without focus on Key Processes leads to chaos.

Key Processes without SPC (statistical process control) resides in the realm of speculation only.

SPC without understanding the interaction of major System Forces creates illusion.

KE02:

System" Vs "People"

A system is made up of various components and activities carried out by different people with different relevant experience and knowledge. When is a TIME an organisation can have all the activities carried out by ADEQUATE level of experience and know-how by all personnel concerned, that will not result in failure or incidents ?

Likewise, there is no GUARANTEE that an organisation with fully qualified personnel by all measures in performing various activities will not result in failure or incidents also.

Hence, in Cause & Effect analysis, it does not help to identify people as causes e.g. in- experienced, incompetent, careless etc. but to identify weakness in the present "process" or "sub-system" to bring about a more informed, knowledgeable level of awareness. This will open up exploration opportunities to look for continuous improvement on the system to avoid other failures.

KE03:

Learning Organisation

The Learning Ability of a Tarzan is the key of his survival in a harsh environment (jungle).

A Learning Organisation depends on its System of Organisation that can effect individual learning with transformation to team learning.

Organisation Learning ability is greatly impaired when :

Without good focus on key Business processes and good discipline in 'document and data Design & Control' for SPC application.
Learning depends on individual memory (The Learning is lost, when the staff left the company).
Or, when Learning is confined to piece-meal, fragmented tackling of issue, incidents, failure, problems and not knowing the overall system behaviour, pattern and direction.
Organisation pre-occupation on recruiting externally-experienced personnel and not be creative in designing a system to capture the continuing learning experience of the existing staff. A total & instant replacement of all the existing internally-experienced staff with much brilliant externally-experienced individualistic personnel does not guarantee a Business success. Dr. Deming says " 20 yrs relevant experience may mean one-yr-experience with wrong theory 20 times over."

KE04:

ISO 9000 Theory & Dr. Deming

A simplistic conclusion that "ISO 9000 is Document What you do, Do what you have Documented" constitutes a theory that implies a static & rigid system without creativity and innovation except relying on 4.14 Corrective and Preventive Action, 4.17 Internal Quality Audit . 4.1.3 Management Review etc. to carry out some minor changes. It implies that we are driven by the system, and not we drive the system to a useful purpose.

The above taken for granted theory will eventually hurt the Business badly especially when incompetent auditors only check on non-compliance to the documented procedures. There are a lot of 'Doing' which is not Documented but necessary for the sound operation of a Business. Hence the above theory is incomplete and creates a robotic mindset. Dr. Deming says "A thousand examples won't prove a theory. A single example can disprove a theory"

A new theory on ISO 9000 implementation is urgently required.

KE05:

"Crisis - A Prerequisite to TQM?"

Very often, TQM success in Japan is explained by the great crisis faced by them after second World War. But many nations or Companies, faced with crisis, are still faced by more crisis.

It is the greater Vision of the leadership of Japan, with determination, commitment, creativity, desire to 'make things happen' and inspires the whole nation (or every company staff) towards that Vision, successfully aligning and integrating every individual vision with that of the corporation or nation.

Thinking (debate, argument, theories) will be less fruitful if focus is on "Crisis - A Pre-requisite to TQM?" but very importantly on "Vision - A Prerequisite to Change!". Hence creative thinking is needed in : "What is the Vision of our entity? How to mobilise every ounce of our staff's intelligence and energy to create a synergised result towards our Mission and Vision."

KE06:

"Thinking Tools"

How advanced a developing country is measured by its tools used in production : Tractor instead of cangkul (hoe) in the field, Precision laser cutter instead of ordinary lathe machine, Computers instead of type-writers etc.

How matured a Learning Organisation can also be measured by its tools used by all its members in thinking, meeting, creativity, problem solving etc. : Appropriate QC and Thinking tools (SWOT, PMI, 6-Thinking Hats, Fishhone, all involving Group & lateral thinking) instead of fragmented, individualistic, vertical and un-aligned thinking.

KE07

System Thinking Vs Snapshot Thinking

System Thinking is a Continuous Process, not "executed once, and done with" just to derive some Key or Success Factors.

Pareto Principle (20% rule) and Vital Importance are not set of parameters, once derived, can be / considered LOCKED & FROZEN in a Timeframe for continuous improvement. TIME and its Movement, is one of the System Forces that can turn the other 80% or Trivial Many into Crisis Importance at the later stage.

System Thinking should not be confused with SnapShot Thinking, even though Systemic perspective is taken..

Reductionalism is not necessary a force of the EVIL, it does help to make thing simpler and manageable. However heavy reliance on Reductionalism can only lead to a Fragmented World as we experience today.

KE08

Logic, Opinion, Idea and THEORY

When Logic, Opinion and Ideas are totally confused with FACT and TRUTH, we are then constantly living in a flux of illusion, yet thinking we are on a firm ground.

When the Management of an Organisation is blind on the above, yet has to make policy and decision that affect many, the outcome can be disastrous and devastating

I suggest that every Logic, Opinion or Idea SHOULD be viewed as a THEORY with objective proof in statistical pattern, before it can be considered as FACT and TRUTH

KE09

System Creation / System Understanding

"There is nothing more difficult to plan,

more doubtful of success
nor more dangerous to manage than
the creation of a new system"

. ..... - Machiavelli - The Prince 1513

There is nothing more confusing, yet unknowing,

more entangling, yet feeling complacent
more sporadic and random activities multiplication
yet feeling achievement through stressful and busy effort
more juggling and fire-fighting, one after another

than buried in a system that is understood and operated only from a single perspective

KE10

Me and the World

"To see a World in a grain of sand,

And a Heaven in a wild flower,

Hold Infinity in the palm of your Hand,

And Eternity in an Hour.........."

From Auguries of Innocence, William Blake

To feel yourself as part of the World,

'to contribute or destroy' depends on how we Handle

You and I are turning the clock,

to create Value or to waste the precious Hour?

End.

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By Andrew Wong, 4nd Feb. 1997

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