Shturmovshchina: Difference between revisions
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The cycle of ''shturmovschina'', associated with the tradition of monthly targets (on which bonuses and managers' positions depend) is described as follows. Despite, or perhaps because of, the [[planned economy]], the right materials and tools are not always on time, and the work may go slowly or workers may be reassigned to do something else, expecting that when materials arrive, then the job will be done. However when the end of month comes closer, management becomes nervous, substitute materials and improvised tools are used, the work goes overtime and in overdrive. All this abruptly ends by the end of the month. At the beginning of the next month the workers slacken to recover from the previous storm, thereby continuing the next cycle.<ref name=tinkering>[http://www.osaarchivum.org/files/holdings/300/8/3/text/58-4-133.shtml Tinkering With Shturmovshchina] (access 26 July 2011)</ref> |
The cycle of ''shturmovschina'', associated with the tradition of monthly targets (on which bonuses and managers' positions depend) is described as follows. Despite, or perhaps because of, the [[planned economy]], the right materials and tools are not always on time, and the work may go slowly or workers may be reassigned to do something else, expecting that when materials arrive, then the job will be done. However when the end of month comes closer, management becomes nervous, substitute materials and improvised tools are used, the work goes overtime and in overdrive. All this abruptly ends by the end of the month. At the beginning of the next month the workers slacken to recover from the previous storm, thereby continuing the next cycle.<ref name=tinkering>[http://www.osaarchivum.org/files/holdings/300/8/3/text/58-4-133.shtml Tinkering With Shturmovshchina] (access 26 July 2011)</ref> |
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The process is known to consist of three stages: |
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* Spiachka (sleepy mode) {{lang-ru|спячка}}) - this is the first third of the planned period. Nobody's doing anything, mostly because there are no orders to do anything; |
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* Raskachka (slowly starting up) {{lang-ru|раскачка}}) - at this stage it is more or less known what should be done, but we have too much time ahead, and during that time requirements may change, as well as the management; |
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* Goriachka (fever) {{lang-ru|горячка}}) - this is the last stage of the planned period; by the end of this stage the product is supposed to be ready or the management may be executed (during Stalin's times); everybody works like crazy, with the bright future being so near. Usually spans into the first stage of the next period, like Roman calendae. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 23:29, 3 September 2014
Shturmovshchina (last-minute rush, storming Russian: Штурмовщина) was a common Soviet Union work practice of frantic and overtime work at the end of the planning period in order to fulfill the planned production target. The practice usually gave rise to products of poor quality at the end of the planning cycle.[1] The Russian word shturm (штурм) means "storm (of a bastion)".
The cycle of shturmovschina, associated with the tradition of monthly targets (on which bonuses and managers' positions depend) is described as follows. Despite, or perhaps because of, the planned economy, the right materials and tools are not always on time, and the work may go slowly or workers may be reassigned to do something else, expecting that when materials arrive, then the job will be done. However when the end of month comes closer, management becomes nervous, substitute materials and improvised tools are used, the work goes overtime and in overdrive. All this abruptly ends by the end of the month. At the beginning of the next month the workers slacken to recover from the previous storm, thereby continuing the next cycle.[2]
The process is known to consist of three stages:
- Spiachka (sleepy mode) Russian: спячка) - this is the first third of the planned period. Nobody's doing anything, mostly because there are no orders to do anything;
- Raskachka (slowly starting up) Russian: раскачка) - at this stage it is more or less known what should be done, but we have too much time ahead, and during that time requirements may change, as well as the management;
- Goriachka (fever) Russian: горячка) - this is the last stage of the planned period; by the end of this stage the product is supposed to be ready or the management may be executed (during Stalin's times); everybody works like crazy, with the bright future being so near. Usually spans into the first stage of the next period, like Roman calendae.
See also
References
- ^ "RUSSIA: Depression at Home" - Time Magazine June 06, 1955 (access 23 June 2008)
- ^ Tinkering With Shturmovshchina (access 26 July 2011)
- Tomorrow Is Three Suits - TIME (access 23 June 2008)
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