RAILROAD MANAGEMENT

Railroads were the first great organizational innovators of the 19th Century. The adaptive thinking and organizational creativity of that period were the first examples of contingency management theory. Stagnation saw an end of organizational adaptiveness in the first quarter of the 20th Century. The failure of railroad management is more with the system of development and organization than with the managers. Disparity between individual functional groups on railroads has led to a lack of perception of the need for improved coordination between operating and commercial functions. The great need is to redirect many top managers' attitudes to promote integration rather than condone functional jealousy. The author says conventional railroad organization is not particularly suitable for managing a large number of transactions over a geographically dispersed system. Only on lines with long line haul has the problem been concealed. Attempts to use the computer to centralize control have been less than successful and could better be performed by good local managers aided by better information systems. Railroads must be concerned with the transactional nature of their business.

• Corporate Authors:

  Heath (DC) and Company

  Lexington Books, 125 Spring Street
  Lexington, MA  United States  02173
• Authors:
  • WYCKOFF, D D
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 194 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Industry structure; Management; Management information systems; Marketing; Operations; Personnel development
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00145135
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 1 1977 12:00AM