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Feedback Loops for Tasty Baking Company

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Take a look at feedback loops in the Tasty Baking Company. There are many more feedback loops than we can hope to identify, but identify at least one balancing loop and one reinforcing loop. Draw on the background readings from this module in constructing your diagnosis. Please answer the following questions:

Describe at least two feedback loops in the Tasty Baking Company, and explain why you selected them.

What are the effects of these feedback loops on organizational effectiveness over the short and long term?

What are the opportunities for organizational learning that you can identify in light of the analysis?

While most of models of organizational diagnosis that we have been exposed to recognize the existence of feedback loops, none of them really offer a thorough discussion of the complexity of feedback or how it can be used to promote organizational improvement and development. To get a better view of this topic, we turn to the work on systems thinking and organizational learning. Much of this literature is based on the work of Peter Senge whose seminal book The Fifth Discipline popularized the notion that organizations are capable of learning.

This first reading is quite long and reviews much of the work in the area of learning organizations. Read it all if you like (see menu on left side of the page), but the most relevant part of the paper for this course is part VI, which covers systems thinking:

Reference:
http://www.leader-values.com/Content/detail.asp?ContentDetailID=185

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Solution Summary

The expert describes at least two feedback loops in the Tasty Baking Company. The effects of these feedback loops on organizational effectiveness over the short and long term is discussed.

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Running Head: FEEDBACK LOOPS OF TASTY BAKING COMPANY

Feedback Loops of Tasty Baking Company

Introduction
In feedback loop, information related to the actions is sent back to the input system in the form of input data that could be positive or negative (Senge, 1994). Positive feedback speeds up the alteration in the similar direction on the other hand, if the result of the data is produced in the reverse direction to previous results, they are regarded as negative feedback and they have the capability to stabilize the system (Morgan, 2006). Two types of Feedback loops that exist in Tasty Baking Company are balancing loop and reinforcing loop.
Balancing Loop
The balancing loop represents the situations where goal is to be achieved by appropriate action (Bellinger, 2004). For example, if a decision is taken to enhance the sales by ten percent, it is called a balancing loop. Rino J Patti stated in his book that there are two types of state exist in the balancing loop, the desired state and the current state. The interaction between these states produces a gap; this gap acts as the motivating factor for performing the action (Patti, 2004, pg. 161). Balancing loop functions when goal seeking behavior is required.
Participants Feedback: It is a balancing feedback loop in Tasty Baking Company. The company values the feedback received from the participants for the improvement in the supplier programs. This influences the organization to drive improvements throughout its supply chain. They emphasize the importance of ensuring that the benefits of the program extends throughout the supply chain to ultimately reach the smallest scale distributors of dairy products and producers along with their employees.
Reasons for Selection: This feedback loop has been selected because it demonstrates the controlling or balancing action on the part of the organization.

Reinforcing Loop
Reinforcing feedback is generally known as positive or amplifying. According to Rino J Patti, reinforcing feedback loop can be defined as a change in one part of the system that creates a change in ...

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