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adjust the present organization or turn to a new one?

Should the present professional organizations take care of the new tasks or should there be new organizational strucuters?
In history the introduction of railways has led to the new organizational structures of the present railway companies and railway government structures, which once established have done their task in a sophisticated, professional and dedicated way. Thus even if nowadays one wouldcomeup with the opinion, that another way of organization might be better, due to the huge inertia of the present large system, the high dependance of the public on the continuous availability and the enormous political and economical power, - the barrier for a transition is unsurmountable high and can not be overcome.
The habits of travelling have adjusted over time, often unrealized.
Similarly for another industrial transition: the letter printing. Over the time a highly sophisticated intricate, professional system of libraries, distributors, book-shops, publishers, referees, has developed which serves the public.
The reader's habits have adjusted accordingly, and so have the authors. Scientists think in terms of papers to be published as part of their career and scientific progress.
The organizational structures have grown from small individual enterprises, having had the right ideas andmeans at the right time, such as Mr. Elsevier for the international scientific journal.
The organizational structures from the times before the transition, -cloisters with monks copying by hand, horse-riding messengers, although they still exist, do not play an important role.


hilf@physik.uni-oldenburg.de
Sun Sep 18 19:55:15 DFT 1994