Models & misadventures: the perfectible machine fallacy

• Published in: Strategy & leadership Vol. 48; no. 5; pp. 3 - 8
• Main Author: Martin, Roger L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago Emerald Publishing Limited 10-11-2020; Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• ISSN: 1087-8572; 1758-9568
• DOI: 10.1108/SL-07-2020-0093

Purpose
The author argues that the model for the management of the U.S. economy and businesses – one that assumes that they can be run like machines –is producing outcomes that neither were anticipated nor are desired.
Design/methodology/approach
The model of a perfectible machine needs to be supplanted by a model of a complex adaptive system in order to turnaround the performance of the economy and its companies.
Findings
In businesses, unrestrained pursuit of efficiency has had an unexpected and unintended effect.
Practical implications
One important way to design for complexity is to adopt multiple internally contradictory proxies for success.
Originality/value
Offers a critical insight for corporate leaders: The U.S. economy is not a perfectible machine: it is a complex adaptive system. Companies are not perfectible machines: they are complex adaptive systems. To produce better outcomes, leaders need to design for each element – complexity, adaptability and systemic nature.