
Managing Large Systems
Organizations for the Future
Leonard R. Sayles(Author)
Routledge (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 31. January 1993
Book
Paperback/Softback
362 pages
978-1-56000-642-8 (ISBN)
Description
Managing Large Systems examines a range of human, organizational, and managerial challenges associated with large systems. Special attention is given to the behavioral relationships among scientists and engineers, business and technical managers, sponsor organizations and their contractors, business and government officials, and line and functional managers.
The descriptions of problems of technical organization and performance motivation are based primarily on an extended field study of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Managing Large Systems includes a description of the unique management system developed by NASA under the leadership of James Webb that many believe was responsible for their extraordinary technological achievements that culminated in the first moon landing. Parallels are drawn to other large-scale technology programs in aerospace and atomic energy.
The authors find traditional managerial principles regarding controls, incentive systems, and planning to be inadequate in the context of large systems. They look to organizational clusters to manage future projects in advanced technological areas and in public sectors such as urban development, massive medical programs, and ecological improvements.
The descriptions of problems of technical organization and performance motivation are based primarily on an extended field study of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Managing Large Systems includes a description of the unique management system developed by NASA under the leadership of James Webb that many believe was responsible for their extraordinary technological achievements that culminated in the first moon landing. Parallels are drawn to other large-scale technology programs in aerospace and atomic energy.
The authors find traditional managerial principles regarding controls, incentive systems, and planning to be inadequate in the context of large systems. They look to organizational clusters to manage future projects in advanced technological areas and in public sectors such as urban development, massive medical programs, and ecological improvements.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Inc
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
527 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-56000-642-8 (9781560006428)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
09/2017
Routledge
€44.49
Available for download

E-Book
09/2017
Routledge
€44.99
Available for download
Person
Leonard R. Sayles
Content
INTRODUCTION TO THE TRANSACTION EDITION, FOREWORD by James E. Webb, PREFACE, 1 The New Organization: From Here to Tranquility, 2 The Planning Function for New Technologies, 3 Scientists in Planning, 4 Sponsor and Satellite: The Prince of Dependency, 5 Inducing Excellence: The Self-Forcing, Self-Enforcing System, 6 Achieving Excellence in the International Project, 7 From Development to Operations: Relationships with User Organizations, 8 Designing the internal Structure of the Sponsor Organization, 9 Building the Project Organization, 10 The Project Manager: Organizational Metronome, 11 The Project Manager's Interface with Scientists, 12 Systems Integration: Assuring Confidence and Compatibility, 13 Technical Goals vs. Business Requirements, 14 Motivating Systems Responsibility, 15 Technology and Social Administration, INDEX