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The physical and mental load components of objective complexity in production systems
Author(s) -
Van Gigch John P.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
behavioral science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1099-1743
pISSN - 0005-7940
DOI - 10.1002/bs.3830210604
Subject(s) - production (economics) , production system (computer science) , computer science , psychology , economics , microeconomics
A model of the objective complexity of production systems involving a single person and usually some machine, is developed. Objective complexity can be described and measured in terms of a physical component and a mental component. It is defined as task entropy and measured in terms of information processing rates. Empirical data are offered to validate the model and to postulate a channel capacity theorem. This is the maximum working capacity or total demand which can be placed on a human being and that fraction of capacity which is mobilized for long working periods. The impact of technology on the two components of complexity, taken separately and in combination, is analyzed and discussed.