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THINKER OF THE DAY | MARTIN LANDAU
Work – Redundancy, Rationality and the Problem of Duplication and Overlap
Views
- Redundancy is not necessarily waste – duplication and overlap usually criticised as inefficient, can actually strengthen organisational reliability.
Failure is inevitable – Landau argues that no organisational component is completely reliable therefore, systems should be designed with backup mechanisms.
Redundancy reduces risk – If one unit or mechanism fails another overlapping unit can continue performing the function.
Efficiency vs reliability – Excessive pursuit of efficiency may eliminate the very buffers and alternatives needed during crises.
Redundancy enhances adaptability – Overlapping structures can help organisations detect errors, adjust to changing circumstances and continue functioning under uncertainty.
for e.g. In disasters, pandemics and national-security situations backup capacity becomes more important than narrow cost-minimisation.
Landau – A reliable organisation is not one that never fails, but one designed to survive failure.
KEYWORD OF THE DAY | Position Classification
It means the systematic grouping of jobs or positions according to their duties, responsibilities and required qualifications.
Frederick W. Taylor treats the position rather than the individual employee, as the basic unit of classification.
PUB AD PYQ VAULT | Day 58 | PYQ (2023)
“The process of decisions … is largely a technique of narrowing choices.” Explain
