3 Work as a Transforming Process

When we do work on something, we change it in some way. A wood-turner takes a piece of wood and (literally) turns it into a chair leg; a skilled gardener can transform a plot of rough ground into a delight to the eye by filling it with flowers and shrubs; a builder changes bricks and mortar into houses. Another way of putting it is to say that all work is a transforming process.

Thus we can say that work organizations of all kinds carry out transformations. In its simplest form, the work process is shown by the following diagram:

Transformations consist of one or more of three types:

• improving

• caretaking

• transferring

The simplest examples to identify are those in the manufacturing sector. A power station has inputs of water plus coal, oil or nuclear fuel, and it 'improves' these inputs first to steam and then to electricity, its final output. Textile mills transform fibres into cloth. To 'improve' is another way of saying 'add value to'.

The inputs and outputs of a school happen to be the same: children. The transformations taking place here are those of caretaking safeguarding through a period of time, and improving increasing the children's knowledge and understanding.

What about transferring? We can say that a taxi company 'transforms' people by transferring them to their desired destination, while taking care of them during the journey. A waste disposal company is also in the business of transferring and...