Definition of power and responsibility [Re: Delegation ofpower(wasRE: Section 2.4 ofdraft-ietf-problem-statement-00.txt)]

[Eric Rescorla]

Brian E Carpenter <brian at hursley.ibm.com> writes:
> Eric Rescorla wrote:
> > This sort of disdain for "management" is pretty common among people
> > with technical backgrounds. However, I think it's counterproductive
> > in this context.
> 
> In a high tech organization with no formal existence, you have to be very
> careful I think. Inserting layers is at least as likely to be a problem
> as a solution.
I hear that a lot, but I'm not sure why people believe that,
except for the usual argument about the devil you know. Moreover,
I'm starting to think that the "no formal existence" thing is part
of the problem as well.


> > The simple fact is that large groups of people need structure if
> > they're going to work together. That means management. And there's
> > a limit (between 5 and 25, depending on who you believe) on how
> > many people a single person can reasonably manage. After that
> > you simply have to introduce hierarchy.
> 
> Correct. Now the largest area today has 27 WGs and two ADs. I agree
> it seems like too many, even for management by exception. But I'm quite
> resistant to concluding that junior ADs would fix this problem, since
> this is not a military command structure.
I'm not sure what it not being a military command structure has
to do with it. The principles of hierarchy and staff management
are pretty standard in business as well.

> > As for Dilbert, it seems to me that that's an argument that cuts
> > both ways. No doubt Dilbert is smarter tha the PHB, but somehow
> > for all those brains he's no more effective.
> 
> Indeed, but he's frustrated by out-of-touch senior managers as much as
> by anything else.
That's one way to look at it, but Dilbert could of course quit
and start his own company if he weren't so clueless. I don't
want to spend a lot of time on the exegesis of Dilbert, but
my reading of it was always that Dilber thought himself superior
to the management but was actually every bit as much a loser
in his own way.

-Ekr

-- 
[Eric Rescorla                                   ekr at rtfm.com]
                http://www.rtfm.com/