How Company Policies and Procedures are formed

[Sinned]

Another gem from the Internot with more tan a grain of truth in it:

"In this experiment scientists put eight monkeys in a room. In the middle of the room is a ladder, leading to a bunch of bananas hanging from a hook on the ceiling. Each time a monkey tries to climb the ladder, all the monkeys are sprayed with icy water, which makes them miserable. Soon enough, whenever a monkey attempts to climb the ladder, all of the monkeys, not wanting to be sprayed, set upon him and beat him up. Soon, not one of the eight monkeys ever attempts to climb the ladder.

One of the original monkeys is then removed, and a new monkey is put in the room. Seeing the bananas and the ladder, he wonders why none of the other monkeys are doing the obvious, but, undaunted, he immediately begins to climb the ladder. All the other monkeys fall upon him and beat him silly. He has no idea why. However, he no longer attempts to climb the ladder.

A second original monkey is removed and replaced. The newcomer again attempts to climb the ladder, but all the other monkeys hammer the cr*p out of him.

This includes the previous new monkey, who, grateful that he’s not on the receiving end this time, participates in the beating because all the other monkeys are doing it. However, he has no idea why he’s attacking the new monkey.

One by one, all the original monkeys are replaced and eight new monkeys are now in the room. None of them have ever been sprayed by icy water. None of them attempt to climb the ladder. All of them will enthusiastically beat up any new monkey who tries, without having any idea why.

AND THAT’S EXACTLY HOW MOST OF THE COMPANY POLICIES & PROCEDURES GET ESTABLISHED."

Crl, seem familiar? Any others?

[skirtyscot]

Nice story, Sinned. It seems so much like an urban myth that I asked the internet if the experiment had ever actually taken place. And lo and behold, it is not a complete fabrication:

http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/quest ... pray-condu

This thread contains an alternative version as well: http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=55731

[crfriend]

Crl, seem familiar? Any others?

I've seen that one before, and howled with laughter over it. That is the way that (what passes for) "Corporate Culture" works in some organisations -- primarily those driven by fear and intimidation (like the last place I was at which had a rogue division; the rest of the company was delightful) -- but not for all of them. So, even though it looks pretty sound (and funny) it's not a practicable model, nor even a stereotypical one.

There's also the old one about the densest element known to man, variously known as "Caltransium", "Managerium", or "Administratium". Look for it; I'm sure it's on-line someplace.

[skirtedbrit]

From skirtedbrit
I have a CD called "Guide Cats for the Blind by Les Barker on Osmosys label and one track features the scientist Heinz Wolff narrating "Administerium and the science of unclear physics.
Very funny and clever it includes farticles such as morons and kraptons and laws such as Going omes law.
Incidentally skirtedbrit becomes smorgasbord in auto correct.

Dave

[melsav]

Great story and so true, I keep asking at work why is it done this way, the answer is because its always been done this way.

[crfriend]

Great story and so true, I keep asking at work why is it done this way, the answer is because its always been done this way.

That's the way that the boneheads in divisional Management at my old place felt about matters and when challenged on their slavery to "the way it's always been done" -- including listing the long string of failures and lost opportunities because innovative thinking wasn't allowed -- told the few forward thinkers that were still with the company that they weren't allowed to use history as a guide. It doesn't matter now, because they sacked the last of the forward thinkers a year ago.

I hope they have a warm lodging waiting when they go to meet their maker for not living up to expectations as well as for wounding quite a few very talented and dedicated professionals.

[melsav]

In this day and age you have to think outside the box to be competitive.