Re: importance of architecture, the case of Seven Eleven Japan
sveggetti who-is-at axrma.uniroma1.it
Sat, 27 Sep 1997 09:46:21 +0200
At 12.02 25/09/97 +0900, you wrote:
>
>Dear Yrjo,
>
>Your comments on arena reminds me of the case of the "revolution
>of Seven Eleven Japan".
>They opened the first shop 1974 in Tokyo and has introduced
>very systematic network for distribution and exchange and its
>information.
>That system is called as Point of Sale(POS) system.
>I do not know the origin of POS system. The model is somewhere
>in US?
>
>In POS system, when a customer buys goods, many data such as
>varieties of goods, time of sale, generation, sex etc are inputted
>into a computer. The data are regularly sent to the data analysis
>center and analysed soon. The result of analysis is soon realized
>as the change of varietie of goods sent to each shop and the change
>of layout of goods in the shop.
>
>For example, in the case of lunch boxes, rice balls for lunch,
>even whcih kinds of luch boxes or rice balls customers often buy,
>what time they buy can be analysed. So, if a tuna lunch box is
>not good seller in each shop, it is exhanged soon.
>
>In the case of Seven Eleven Japan, the reorganization of
>system of disribution has been very systematic, and the control
>has attained to the details of flow of objects and often renewed the
>technological system and the system of flow of goods.
>The division of labour has changed as well by the introduction of
>POS system. And the meaning and relation of "expert" and "novice"
>shopkeeper have also reorganized.
>After Seven Eleven, many others have imitated and followed
>the POS system in Japan.
>
>So, in the case of Seven Eleven, Japan as the arena, their response
>is very sensitive to customers' behavior and the change is easily
>observable.
>
>The data analysis center of Seven Eleven Japan is very modern
>"centre of calculation", if borrowing Latour's teminology.
>There are many kinds of computer documents as well and it
>is just very modern "cascade of inscriptions".
>
>So, now, let me go back to the meaning of arena, and activity.
>I perfectly agree on the Yrjo's claim, that is arena is not given
>something.
>An arena is not a static place and reoganized again and again
>in relation to customers' behavior.
>
>At the same time, visibility, observablility of "arena" is not
>given. As shown in the above, through the data gathering, data
>analysis of customers, and arranging the layout of goods
>in a shop, the "arena" becomes observable, accountable and
>reportable.
>
>It is possible to say the same thing about the "activity" of
>collective customers.
>In the above case, the "activity" of collective customers is not
>naturally observable. Rather, it becomes visible through cascade of
>inscription and situated practice of members in the centre of
>calculation, that is by data gathering and data analysis by using
>technological artifatcs in the center.
>
>The issue I would like to show is not only how "macro unit
>of analysis" such as arena and activity becomes visible but
>by whom.
>
>In the case of Seven Eleven, "macro unit of analysis" such as
>arena and activity of collective customters is observable
>by members of the centre of calculation who engage in a
>specific practice, not by customers themselves.
>On the other hand, the view point of "setting" looks like
>embedded in the practice of customers as collective atoms.
>In this way, visibilities of situation are multiply organized
>and, so, possible actions in a situation or as part of situation
>are mutliply organized as well. As the result, the "interaction"
>(or mutual constituiton of) between customer and shop is not
>symmetircally organized.
>
>That is alternative to any kind of micro-macro dichotomy
>of analysis.
>
>Naoki Ueno
>NIER, Tokyo
>
Dear Naoki who writes you is a newcomer in the net,but was already
participating in the former xnet. Please would it be possible for you to
send the text of Eleven Japan in attachment in another format, since I cant
receive any Mac? thank you anyway Serena Veggetti>
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