Text 4. Negative Feedback

Exceedingly complex probabilistic systems have to be controlled through self-regulation. The understanding of self-regulation that cybernetics can provide is important to managers for two reasons. First, it is the existence of mechanisms bringing about self-regulation that gives a degree of stability to the environment of organizations. It is useful to managers to know how this stability comes about and how it might be threatened, especially by an organization’s own actions. Second, if managers understand the nature of self-regulation they may be able to induce it in the organizations they manage. This is desirable because managers lack the “requisite variety” to intervene in all the decisions that will have to be made. It is also necessary because managers cannot accurately determine what types of environmental disturbance their organizations will have to face. They should therefore seek to make their organizations “ultrastable”, capable of continuing to pursue the goal for which they were designed whatever the prevailing environmental conditions. This again requires self-regulation.

The way to ensure self-regulation is through the negative feedback mechanism. The feedback control system is characterized by its closed-loop structure. It operates by the continuous feedback of information about the output of the system. This output is then compared with some predetermined goal, and if the system is not achieving its goal, then the margin of error (the negative feedback) becomes the basis for adjustments to the system designed to bring it closer to realizing the goal. A simple closed-loop feedback system requires four elements:

- a desired goal, which is conveyed to the comparator from outside the system;

- a sensor (a means of sensing the current state of the system);

- a comparator, which compares the current state and the desired outcome;

- an activator (a decision-making element that responds to any discrepancies discovered by the comparator in such a way as to bring the system back toward its goal).

This kind of control system is extremely effective, since any movement away from the goal automatically sets in motion changes aimed at bringing the system back onto course. It is the basis on which central heating and air-conditioning systems operate to maintain a constant room temperature. Picking up a pen from a desk, constantly registering the discrepancy between the position of the hand and the pen, involves negative feedback. So, too, can managers achieve better regulation of social organizations by ensuring that appropriate negative feedback processes are in place.

A number of additional points should be made before we leave the concept of negative feedback. First, in designing feedback control systems, it is important that managers ensure that there is rapid and continuous comparison of actual performance against the desired goal, and similarly rapid and continuous taking of corrective action if necessary. If there are delays or lags in the system, attempted adjustments may only add to instability. We are all familiar with the situation where attempts to slow down an apparently still-overheated economy only send the economy into a slump because, in fact, the economy’s slowing down of its own accord has not yet been registered.

 

Exercise 27 . Complete the sentences.

 1. Self-regulation is used to control … 2. There are two reasons for managers to … 3. The first reason is … 4. The second reason is … 5. The way to ensure self-regulation is … 6. The closed-loop structure characterizes … 7. Four elements, such as … are required for …      8. A closed-loop feedback system is effective, because … 9. In designing feedback control system, it is important …

 

Exercise 28 . Find English equivalents.

Надзвичайно складна система вірогідності; існування механізмів саморегуляції; рівень стабільності; природа саморегуляції; втручатися в рішення; точно визначати; завчасно визначена мета; порівнювати з; досягнення мети; бажаний результат; автоматично встановлювати; ряд додаткових питань; забезпечувати порівняння; бути ознайомленим із ситуацією, відставання і затримання в системі.

 

Exercise 29 . Translate into Ukrainian, taking into account the meaning of prefix.

“Over” – too much, above, additional.

 To overheat, overwhelmed, to overbook, overbook, overcapacity, to overcook, overcrowded, overdeveloped, to overdo, to overextend, overpopulation, overtime.

 

Exercise 30 . Find the sentences in the Passive Voice in text 4. Define the tense forms.

 

Exercise 31. Make sure you can  translate the following words and phrases.

Constant room temperature; rapid adjustments; continuous comparison; profound implications; appropriate systems; complex probabilistic systems; capable of continuing, current state; apparently overheated economy; actual performance; corrective action; to determine accurately; economy’s slowing down; to involve negative feedback.

 

Exercise 32. Learn the following words and word combinations.

confront	– протистояти, стикатися
take the credit	– заслуговувати на похвалу
for a draw	– в якості приманки
football pool	– футбольний тоталізатор
responsive	– здатний реагувати
fluctuations	– коливання
massive variety	– велике розмаїття
variety engineering	– техніка варіювання
command	– володіти
exhibit	– виставляти на показ, демонструвати
apparently	– очевидно, без сумніву
variety amplification	– збільшення розмаїття
capture	– захоплювати, уловлювати
vis-à-vis	– візаві; партнер; обличчям до обличчя
bind	– зв’язувати
relevance	– релевантність, важність, суттєвість

 

Exercise 33. Speak on “Negative Feedback”.

 

Exercise 34. Read, translate and give the gist of text 5.

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