Organization Theory - 41 (Thompson's topology of technology)

In the last blog, we looked at Woodward's Topology of Technology. In today's blog, we looked at Thompson's topology of technology. 

Thompson classified the technology as one of the following 3 varieties:

1. Long-linked
2. Mediating
3. Intensive

Long-linked technology covers’ Woodward's mass production or continuous processing categories. Essentially, this technology indicate linear transformation process that can be thought of as having inputs entering at one end of a long line of steps from which products emerge at the far end.

Mediating technologies bring clients and customers together in an exchange or transaction. Mediating technologies are called so because firms using these technologies act as go-between (i.e. mediators) in bringing together the interest of two or more different parties to a transaction.

An example of Intensive technologies is hospital emergency rooms, research laboratories etc. This technology requires coordinating the specialized abilities of two or more experts in the transformation of a usually unique input into a customized output.

Thompson's theory could be visualized in a 2x2 matrix as below, on 2 dimensions.

• standardization of inputs and outputs
• standardization of transformation process

The interesting part is the 4th quadrant - where we have standardized inputs/outputs with un-standardized transformation processes. It could be interpreted as a nonexistence due to enormous inefficiencies associated with such a system, hence not a very serious impact

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