Description

This lecture will discuss the influence of science-based design on the design of manufacturing organisation. We begin by discussing Taylorism and Fordism. We show that their design is largely determined by the method of science. Research has shown that manufacturing organisations designed according to the principles of Taylor and Ford are characterised by dehumanisation and alienation. Several alternatives have been presented over time. We elaborate on the method of socio-engineering. The core concept of this approach is the so-called 'whole task'. We briefly discuss the various quality techniques used in factories. We give explicit attention to the phenomenon of power in organisations.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION
From the station hall of Utrecht CS, walk through the entire passage through Hoog Catharijne towards the city centre. When you arrive at the square, the Vredenburg 19 meeting centre is on your left, above C & A. When you get down, walk diagonally left along the walls of the building site, the square and the street (Vredenburg) have to be crossed. On the ground floor there is only an entrance hall with lifts and a notice board with the hall numbers, to the left of the C & A shop windows, next to the shoe shop Breugel. Directions at www.vredenburg19.nl. Parking facilities include NH hotels. The hall will be open from 6.30pm for free coffee or tea and a social chat.

CONTENTS
Given the interest in the topic, potential interested parties other than from the Philosophy & Technology Department are also invited. However, the room capacity is limited to 30 seats.
Due to this limited room capacity, I request that registrations for participation be submitted by Tuesday, 6 May at the latest

Speaker(s)

The speaker will be Dr Maarten Verkerk, special professor of Reformational Philosophy at TU Eindhoven.
Dr Maarten J. Verkerk studied chemistry and theoretical physics. He obtained his PhD at the University of Twente on a materials science subject. He then conducted fundamental research at Philips' Nat. Lab. for several years. He then worked as a manager in development and manufacturing at home and abroad for more than 15 years. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of a psychiatric hospital for some years. In 2004, he obtained his PhD for the second time with the thesis Trust and Power on the Shop Floor, a dissertation on the border area of technology, organisation and philosophy. Since September 2004, he has been extraordinary professor of Reformational Philosophy at TU Eindhoven. He is co-author of the book Denken, ontwerpen, maken (Boom, 2007).

Location

Meeting centre, Vredenburg 19, Utrecht

Organiser

Philosophy & Technology

Name and contact details for information

Information at drs.ing. Henk Uijttenhout (see below at register/deregister).

Register via

Preferably register via the e-mail address below or by phone: 070-3875293 / 06-42505844. Make the effort to attend an evening of the Philosophy and Technology Department, or bring an interested person along! We hope you will come, it is really worthwhile!

hbmuijttenhout@hotmail.com