Fitting Organizations

I suppose we all struggle some with separating ends from means. But it is still frustrating to see individuals and groups pursue tools like process and organizational structures as an end in themselves.

To a certain degree, focusing on a tool is useful. Human-intensive tools are always evolving, and the environment in which a tool is being applied also evolves. So, there's a certain amount of tool focus that's required to engage in the ongoing task of molding the tool to the context.

However, it seems that we're more likely to shift our focus from a goal to a tool than vice-versa. And, finding a good balance between ends and means is often difficult.

This task is considered in an article by David Tucker (from Homeland Security Affairs). It's an interesting discussion of fitting organizational structure to the context of fighting terrorism.