systematicHR

The intersection between HR strategy and HR technology

, ,

String Theory and Particles

systematicHR Avatar

As long as I’m writing about the Hadron Collider, I might as well write about string theory.  I’m not sure how to simplify this for non-scientists (I’m not one either obviously) but here goes:  String theory basically states that within the molecule, there are atoms, within the atoms, electrons, protons, and within each of those, there are strings.  As with the building blocks of atoms (electrons, protons), there are multiple types of strings.  These strings vibrate in different ways, giving them the properties of the particular type of string that they are.  Basically, string theory comes together as a unification theory that attempts to explain the convergence of natural forces and matter (such as gravity, electromagnetism, quarks…).  It is the characteristics of these strings that the Hadron Collider seeks to observe.

With physics, scientists have had the ability to observe the characteristics of interactions and as capabilities arise (such as the Hadron Collider) they get to continusously refine in greater detail, and that greater detail allows them to understand the overall model that they are working with.  Multiple theories abound to understand the universe, but if they can observe the characteristics predicted by string theory, then the science universe can be unified by it and other (perhaps new) mysteries can be tackled.  This is similar to Einstien’s demonstration of E=MC2 in 1919 (energy can be influenced by gravity) which opened up completely new areas of physics

Unification theory in physics is quite the opposite of what must occur in HR.  We also have our component parts in technology, service centers, HR business partners, COE’s… but we can’t develop these individually in the hopes that at some time in the future we’ll see everything come together.  Unlike physics where we can’t observe certain phenomena, in our entire service delivery model we have to opportunity to define and direct each component part.

Interactions are not simply components that we observe and hope that the components eventually might collide with other components.  Imagine an HR Generalist who has an interaction, but simply hopes that their customer will escalate themselves to a COE when the generalist is unable to answer a request.  Instead, the framework for the entire model can be created and precise interactions between each component part designed before they are put into place.  We can manipulate the effectiveness of these interactions by redesigning processes, applying change management, and governance structures.  Thank god we’re not physicists – HR would never get anything done.  (or perhaps we would on scientific time, but that’s a bit slow for the businesses we are a part of)

(ok, so this post was a stretch, but hey, I’m a nerd and just proved it!!!)

Tagged in :

systematicHR Avatar

3 responses to “String Theory and Particles”

  1. […] String Theory and Particles […]