Process


Success Factor

If surveyed Germans would rank internal processes﹣how the work is done﹣just after people as the most critical success factor. However, often it seems that people serve processes more than processes serve people.

Patterns


Deductive vs. Inductive

Deductive thinking is by inference. The conclusion about particulars follows necessarily from general or universal premises. German processes and procedures are arrived at more deductively, based on standards and norms, which provide guidance on how to do the work.

Patterns


Guaranty vs. Tool

For Germans the product, and the processes which lead to that product, are two sides of the same coin. A work result – a product or service﹣is only as good as the processes which led to it.  

Patterns


Discipline vs. Deviation

Processes are most effective when they maintain a balance between conformity and flexibility. Germans prefer generally formulated processes allowing for interpretation based on the parameters of a specific situation. Judgement calls are driven by training and experience.

Patterns


Process as Power

If processes make up the manual governing the inner workings of a company, whoever writes that manual determines how the work is done. This is especially the case in complex industrial sectors where processes are essential to success. Germans instinctively strive to have the say about processes.

Patterns