Many people when they hear about any management system that is different from the current one tend to think that we are talking about a system that is loose, where people can do what they want and chaos is the king. The reality is that most of the non-deterministic management systems are more defined than the current management system.
To be able to run an organization without central control and with autonomy to each element in the system, one must define very clearly what are the assets that a function or entity manages and the responsibilities of each function/entity. In NDM systems the organization is a collection of functions. Each function represents a basic activities needed to reach the organization purpose. The assets and accountabilities assign to a function, not to a person. People assigned to functions and when they are filling a function they assume the management of the function’s assets and responsibilities.
The definitions of all the entities and functions (with all the assets each one manages and their responsibilities) is publically available to all members of a company. The same applies to people that are currently filling those functions.
Comparing this to the standard job description that one got when he joined a company, and you’ll start to see the difference. Job descriptions are not shared with all members of a company and to make it even worst, one responsibility changed over time, but it never reflects in the job description. The job description has another disadvantage, it is a system that pushes organizations to create jobs that fit people instead of matching people to needed functionality to run the business.
Clear boundaries between people and groups achieved by publishing a clear definition of each function responsibilities and assets they manage, as well as visibility to who is currently filling each function.
