Re: Biological Analogies in Manufacturing

[Tony Bigbee]

David,

 

Can you elaborate on your intuition?   --->   "As to if the process of
manufacturing has direct analogies in the hive of a honey bee - I am quite
sceptical." 

 

It seems as if there are many researchers trying to capitalize on this concept, including businesses (reengineering).  In this regard, I have two questions:

 

What is the biological definition of adaptation, and is this really what organizations need to be about - i.e. what are the difference between dynamic response, learning, and adaptation in nature and in the organizational world.  Secondly, where does the analogy break down?  I'm thinking of the death rate of insects (don't know the specific numbers in bees or ants) and what this may imply about resources.  Any ideas?

 

I also seem to remember Glen Ropella proposing some kind of control theory to enable control of hierarchical complex systems.  Glen, care to restart this thread?

 

Tony Bigbee