The practice of management is being challenged on a number of fronts. While business conditions are becoming increasingly difficult due to sophisticated and demanding customers, tougher global competition and the advent of game-changing technology, the practice of amangement has changed little over the last two generations. The paper explores an emerging new order and sets about rethinking some of the basic concepts of organisation, management and strategy.
Download Is there Life after Management?
Resilient organisations display a number of capbilities that promote their ability to anticipate and respond to deep strategic change. Our research identifies specific Organisation Development (OD) “pathways” along which these capabilities can be built and strengthened. Furthemore, our findings suggest two key requirements for HR professionals that could enhance their effectiveness in these OD endeavours.
Download the article Building Resilience through Organisation Development
Read more…
Organisation design is often neglected as executives rush to deal with demanding business conditions and customers. But, the alignment of your organisation with the business strategy remains a key to improving both effectiveness and efficiency. This short article explores an approach to do this by linking the Value Propositions of the business with the Design and Structure of the organisation.
Download From Value Creation to Organisation Design
Read more…
Many myths surround the practice of setting strategy in an organisation. The article explains that strategy occurs all the time - even when you’re not “planning”. Strategy is about connecting your business with customers and the wider environment. It is a process that manages the constant change and adjustment needed in the organisation. Five key questions have to be addressed during the strategy process and these are outlined in the article.
Download Strategy isn\’t Rocket Science
Read more…
This e-book outlines the basic steps to build and implement a strategy for growth in your organisation. It deals with the key elements of:
- Creating the pressure and momentum for growth
- Building a growth vision that outlines the horizons and pathways for growth
- Developing the necessary capacity for growth in the organisation
- Putting in place a series of actionable steps in order to implement the strategy.
Read more…
Pointing to an emerging paradigm for the new millennium, this article charts a development in organisational philosophy and design through three major phases: the traditional model, the human relations model and the systems model. Read more…
This article explores the relationship between organisation design and strategy. Organisation design is seen as the ultimate expression of business strategy. Several principles of organisation design are outlined and I demonstrate how different forms of strategy may be linked with different organisation designs. Read more…
There are two types of learning in organisations: Single-loop learning is a participative process of fine tuning or refinement, occurring inside the system. Double-loop learning is an individualistic process of questioning the validity of basic assumptions, occurring outside the system. Read more…
It should be recognised that any strategy or management style is appropriate only in a particular set of circumstances. Therefore the search for universally applicable strategies and management styles should be abandoned. Read more…
The fundamental weakness in traditional supply-chain management thinking is that of trying to change the behaviour of everyone involved by exhorting them to create and maintain a shared vision and strategy. This is fruitless, particularly in global and cross-cultural situations. Read more…
