1. Habermas and Organizations Prof Dr Victor van Reijswoud victor@virtualuni.ac.ug

2. Outline1.Habermas Communicative Action and Discourse2.Business Transactions and Business Processes3.Business Transaction Process Model4.Analyzing Business Transaction Processes5.Optimizing Business Transaction Processes

3. Jrgen Habermas Born 18 June 1929 in Dsseldorf (Germany) Philosopher and Sociologist

4. Communicative Acts Habermas builds on the pragmatic theories of language (Austin & Searle) to explain structure and coordination in society A Communicative Act is composed of Proposition (fact) Illocution (meaning) Validity claims

5. Validity ClaimsTruththe external world of the physical objectsRightnessthe social world of interpersonal relationshipsTruthfulnessthe internal or mental world of the speakerIntelligibility of expressionthe understandability of what is said/expressedWhen a communicative act is successful, the participants in the conversation agree on the validity claims

6. Discourse and Discussion When the validity claim are challenged the communication moves to Discussion: The Intelligibility of Expression claim is challenged Validity claim directly related to proposition Speaker is requested to improve the clarity or specify of the expression Discourse Participants challenge remaining validity claims Fundamental discussion about the claim and the use of the claims in the communication / coordination process

7. Business Transaction Processes Winograd and Flores

8. Customer and Performer

9. Business Transaction Process Model

10. Transaction Process model 3 Layers Success Discussion / failure Discourse

11. Diagnose Transaction Processes Success layer Clarity of expression Execution according to promise Discussion Claims related to proposition Discourse Fundamental discussion on validity claims in organization

12. Check Effectiveness ratio successful and failed transaction processes Efficiency number of communication steps time for completion (lead time) All communication forms oral / non verbal written (all documents, meeting minutes etc) electronic exchanges

13. Optimize Transaction Processes Incident-driven Eliminate observed inefficiencies and ineffectiveness Standardize work processes Reactive Structural Start discourse on the fundamental values in an organization Off-site retreats (hei-dagen) Preventive