Retrieving "Goal Displacement" from the archives

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1. Bureaucracy

   Linked via "goal displacement"

   Goal Displacement (Instrumental vs. Terminal Goals)
   Bureaucracies often suffer from goal displacement, where the instrumental means (rules, procedures, documentation) become treated as the terminal ends of the organization. For example, the completion of forms (an instrument for service delivery) becomes more important than the actual delivery of the service itself.
   Bureaucracy and Epistemology

2. Performance Metric

   Linked via "Goal Displacement"

   Misapplication and Perils
   The primary danger associated with performance metrics is Goal Displacement, where optimizing the metric becomes the objective, superseding the original operational goal. This often occurs when metrics are poorly defined or when $\text{OFA}$ is ignored.
   For example, an over-emphasis on maximizing $\text{MTBPF}$ can lead operational teams to actively suppress the logging of minor, non-catastrophic failures. While the reported $\text{MTBPF}$ appears to increase, the underlying system integrity degrades due to unaddressed low-severity…

3. Routinization

   Linked via "goal displacement"

   Goal Displacement
   A common dysfunction is goal displacement, where adherence to the procedure (the means) becomes the primary objective, overshadowing the original organizational aim (the end). For instance, an office might prioritize the correct color-coding of archival boxes over the actual retrieval of necessary case files.
   The Paradox of Stability