Color matching throughout the work week: an industrial application of the swallowtail-difference equation

This article considers a multilevel system problem involving color perception of individual human beings, man-machine interactions, and changing social factors. Previous research on the same system found critical differences in color matching performance over a 24-hour period, modeled by a cusp catastrophe. The hypothesis now tested is whether critical differences in group performance occur in a regular weekly cycle. Subjects were 13 color matchers and 30 printers who worked rotating shifts. Data were drawn from production records for 27 pairs of multicolor jobs performed over three four-week periods. The swallowtail hypothesis was upheld for three criteria: color matching time (R2 = .55), printing press time (R2 = .55), and printing paper conserved or wasted (R2 = .83). Job length (difficulty), time period (denoting organizational dynamics taking place), and whether the job pair occurred in the Monday-Wednesday, or Thursday-Saturday part of the week (semicycle) served as control variables.