9.6. Improvement results and feedback loops
(Improvement Results) increase (Organizational Performance)
although with a time lag (for example, the results of training
will be observed in later phases or following projects).
(Improvement Results) also increase (Employee Motivation)
as well as management support, which leads to spending more
time on improvement. This creates a positive feedback loop.
On the other hand, when organizational performance increases,
the work load typically increases because the organiza
tion is more successful in getting more work. In addition, the
perceived need for improvement also declines. Increased work
load and reduced need for improvement reduce the Time spent
on improvement. Thus, a negative feedback loop is created
that (regulates) the process. (Organizational Performance) increases
(Problem Complexity) that is, as the organization performance
increases, further improvements require solutions to
more complex problems. Effective improvements are harder to
identify and implement, with fewer and slower improvement
results. This creates another negative feedback loop. That
means if improvements are based on training, motivation,
and extra work load (such as additional inspections), the organization
will have to increase its efforts simply to maintain the
same level of performance. However, when improvements are
incorporated in work processes (rather than people or inspections)
they can be sustained with fewer efforts