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 Thomas-Jefferson rated 6 months ago -
arrogant
There is a classic case in which the tenants of a large office building complained about the increasingly poor elevator service. A consulting firm specializing in elevator-related problems was employed to deal with the situation. It first established that average waiting time for ele...
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10 Reviews
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- Thomas-Jefferson rated 6 months ago
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arrogant
There is a classic case in which the tenants of a large office building complained about the increasingly poor elevator service. A consulting firm specializing in elevator-related problems was employed to deal with the situation. It first established that average waiting time for elevators was too long. It then evaluated the possibilities of adding elevators, replacing existing elevators with faster ones, and introducing computer controls to improve utilization of elevators. For various reasons, none of these turned out to be satisfactory. The engineers declared the problem to be unsolvable.
When exposed to the problem, a young psychologist employed in the building's personnel department made a simple suggestion that dissolved the problem. Unlike the engineers who saw the service as too slow, he saw the problem as one deriving from the boredom of those waiting for an elevator. So he decided they should be given something to do. He suggested putting mirrors in the elevator lobbies to occupy those waiting by enabling them to look at themselves and others without appearing to do so. The mirrors were put up and complaints stopped. In fact, some of the previously complaining tenants congratulated management on improvement of the elevator service.
Ackoff, R. L., 1999
Re-creating the Corporation
 bobbyvardar rated 6 months ago- Apocryphail.
- FAIRYUSER rated 6 months ago
- psychology,
- View-TV rated 6 months ago
- not sure if it's true, but that is a very practical solution that I can ensure would work. It goes for any wait..
- msiegel rated 6 months ago
- a solution to improve elevator service... great concept
- Lauxa rated 6 months ago
- putting up mirrors improves elevator service? perhaps so.
- edwinpeng rated 6 months ago
- damn you stumble, quit taking away my future profession.
- SketchSepahi rated 6 months ago
- Not necessarily egotistical as some reviewers seem to think. It merely redirects the thought process from boredom to self-consciousness. Do also note that it is explicitly stated that the mirrors were not merely for looking at oneself but also for increased opportunity to observe others. We humans are easily amused by being able to watch what everyone else is doing. Especially *ahemm* if we find those other people attractive.
- Rasitiln rated 6 months ago
- Interesting if it is true.
- sunyata rated 6 months ago
- Genius! We're all so ego-driven.
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