From: ohumukin@spectra.com (Kawika Ohumukini)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: The FIFTH DISCIPLINE - Reposted
Date: 21 Jul 92 15:19:33 GMT
Organization: Spectragraphics Corporation

In article <1992Jul20.002311.25659@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> jxf13@po.CWRU.Edu (John Fischer) writes:
>
>In a previous article, tyadav@athena.mit.edu (Tapesh Yadav) says:
>
>>===============================
>> jxf13@po.CWRU.Edu (John Fischer) writes:
>>>
>>> THE LAWS OF THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE
>>>
>>>1.  Today's problems come from yesterday's "solutions."
>>>-- 
>>
>> Or does it come from yesterday's ignorance or lack of curiosity or both.
>>
>> For example, I wonder if the rug merchant ever asked himself/herself
>> "how can there be a large bump in the center?" Or did he/she never
>> know the law "rugs don't have bumps, ever." :-)
>> (I come from a family involved in global rug business)
>>
>> Or, then did he/she care to observe how the bump changes shape with time? 
>> And wonder "aaaahhh!!! why?"
>>
>> I wonder, further, if the rug merchant asked himself/herself after that
>> angry snake slithered out, well "how can a snake get in here. huh?" And 
>> that too in the center. Bad architect, or construction crew, or crooks? :-)
>>
>> And as a REAL entrepreneur (tm) did he/she ask what can he do with the
>> snake - sell it to the zoo/museum? And how can one get more snakes? Who
>> would be the best customer, and what his/her needs really are? 
>>
>> Today's problem come from two historical traditions 
>>	- avoid curiosity
>>	- don't think. 
>>
>>T.Y.
>>----
>>tyadav@athena.mit.edu
>>
>>ps: Why FIFTH discipline? which are the first FOUR? And is there SIXTH ...?
>>    And 3.14158? Just curious. 
>>
>....Well, Tapesh, it's obvious you don't get the point.  That's to your
>disadvantage.  I can tell you after nearly 20 years in business both
>here and in numerous countries that this piece is very relevant and
>compelling.  That's why I posted it and why I have gotten nearly 100
>responses and why I have the reference in my sig.
>....If your comments are really serious (which I really doubt) why don't
>you walk across the street and talk to Dr. Senge, yourself.  He happens
>to be the Director of Systems at MIT's Sloan School of Management!!
>....Your comments strike me as arrogant. 
>

Hi,

I believe his comments are serious because he asks valid questions.
They are not YOUR questions and yet questions none the less.  I think
what you are saying is that the rug merchant is like the fly trying
to get out of the room.  He keeps hitting his head against the window
glass but never gets any closer to the long term solution.  The fly
must change their strategy and go out the door, or lift the rug in
the merchants case.  The poster is simply digging for more.  He is
not trying to prove or disprove anything, he is simply trying different
strategies.  It is more empowering to encourage this type of discussion
in the name of entrepreneur'ism.

After reading your enlightening post on the Fifth Discipline I pondered.
Do you offer any solutions to the generalized statements?  I felt that
it simply stated problems and did not offer any solutions?  Is the
reader left to 'figure it out for themselves'?

Thanks for any information and have a great day!

Kawika