Fast food, fast talk a reading

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Fast food, fast talk - a reading
Eric Monteiro KnutR, NTNU og UiO Oslo, 2001
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Contents

• Background
• Contents McDonalds Insurance
• Questions/ critique

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Standardization (I)

• Sockets, protocols ------ TECHNOLOGY
• rationalization
• economy of scale
• exchangable people
• fordist ideals of production
• division of labour
• specialisation

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Standardization (II)

• Routines
• best practice
• SAP
• uniformation of work
• concepts
• management fads
• language economics

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Standardization (III)

• Impossible!
• Situated action
• the local
• context
• contigent
• .
• Necessary!
• Long-distance-control
• increasing

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Service work

• Production is out!
• service work increases
• information/knowledge society

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Dilemmas (I)

• Routine - no identity?
• Deskilling - or protection/resource?
• Presupposes stability - which is impossible?
• Managements control - or a relief?

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Dilemmas (II) - Quality
Uniformity of output, a major goal of
routinization, seems to be a poor strategy for
maintaining quality control in interactive
service work, since consumers often perceive
rigid uniformity as incompatible with quality
(Leidner, 199330) (cf. Ciborras argument on
strategic IS)
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What it takes (I)

• Not only routines!
• Self-conception
• identity
• personal goals
• culture sociology of work technology

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What it takes (II)

• NOT appearing as a robot
• personalize routines
• routine reference to violation of routines
• prepare exceptions
• jokes

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McDonalds

• Sucess uniformity predictability
• business (of course) decentralized minute
  specification of routines
• centralized planning, training, machinery

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Key mechanisms (I)

• Young! (cf. Orlikowski on Alfa consultants)
• managers with ketchup in their veins
• Hamburger University, labs
• detailed scripts

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Key mechanisms (II)

• Self-control is no control (Durkheim)
• pre-configuration of users
• computer networks/numbers
• variations - but within limits
• panopticon - visibility

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Sales script

• Gestures
• intonation
• eye contact
• language (NOT I think.. Ill try)
• jokes

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Insurance

• Not significantly different but.
• Self-motivation, self-discipline
• standardize beliefs, values, .
• Saleman gladiator
• sales scripts (also for exceptions jokes!)

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Issues/questions

• IS design service work?
• Software outsourcing/subsidaries
• IS consultancy ..
• Doable?? Standardized packages of
• routines
• users (pre-configured)
• beliefs, gestures, .

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• Paranoia - self-control does not feel like
  control
• spontaneity
• manipulation
• ...
• Desire for ritual assurance, avoid dangers
• not hostile to routinization!

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MCC case I

• MCC has a strong focus on quality
• What are the effects on quality of new IT-based
  services and infrastructure?
• IT system designed for increased efficiency?
• ...But remember that MCC are forced to
  standardize its service - also to provide
  quality!
• Standardization has invisible costs
• Quality in general
• Special cases vs. normal cases
• Drowning in details
• Extra work-tasks

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MCC II actors and quality

• Managers
• uniform quality
• quality control?
• Software designers
• standardized work process correct
  requirements
• convenient measure for quality
• Surveyors
• Surveyors have a very different understanding of
  what it means to deliver quality to the customers
• Inscribed linear logic and generated reports
• Using more time to discuss with customers