Tomorrow's Organization : Crafting Winning Capabilities in a Dynamic World (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series)

Rating:
Summary: The Challenges of the Future.
Review: "Tomorrow's Organization focuses on the new organizational designs and management approaches that are emerging as organizations transform themselves to face the challenges of continuous and relentless global competition. The book is based on two premises. The first is that the nature and intensity of competition have changed, and so organizations are now required to be simultaneously more effective and more flexible in their ability to reconfigure themselves, carry out their dynamic strategies, and make sure they are delivering value to their customers faster and better than their competitors. The second is that strategy and organization are not enough: organizations must also create new approaches to the human issues that accompany change" (from the Preface).

In this context, editors divide this invaluable study into four parts:

Part I- Designing Competitive Organizations. In this part (Chapters 1-4):

* E. E. Lawler III, D. Finegold, and J. A. Conger focus on the development of a framework for understanding the factors that contribute to the effectiveness of corporate boards, and specific principles and practices that can contribute to board effectiveness.

* J. R. Galbraith describes customer-product structures, and focuses on three questions concerning this kind of structures: (1). What are hybrid structures? What do they like? (2). Why are companies choosing to organize in this way? (3). How do we make hybrid structures work effectively?

* J. R. Galbraith argues that "the new information technology facilitates the networked organization by allowing independent firms to join together in networks". And then he describes the various design issues that have to be addressed in networked organizations.

* J. R. Galbraith examines the factors on which companies organize their global operations, and considers the major approaches to organizing, as well as where those approaches fit.

Part II- Enabling Competitive Performance. In this part (Chapters 5-7):

* D. Finegold, E. E. Lawler III, and G. E. Ledford Jr. ask that 'Is attention to competencies another management fad, or is it a more fundamental and lasting change in the theory and practice of managing organizations and individuals? Then, answering this question, they examine three distinct competency approaches as well as tensions among them.

* S. G. Cohen and D. Mankin argue that "New information technologies, combined with the global competitive pressures, have fundamentally changed the nature of work". Then they examine this impact of information technology on the nature of work.

* E. E. Lawler III and S. A. Mohrman review employee involvement, total quality management, and reengineering approaches with an eye to assessing both how they unfolded and their long-term implications for the field of management.

Part III- Managing People in the Competitive Organizations. In this part (Chapters 8-11):

* S. A. Mohrman and E. E. Lawler III outline the specifications of new human resources management, and argue that "the human resources function not only must become a true business partner but also must be a microcosm of the organizations in which it is embedded".

* D. Finegold, after describing the main elements of new learning paradigm for building competencies, reviews the steps that firms can take to identify a clear set of priorities for development and to evaluate the make-or-buy decisions regarding training.

* J. A. Conger and K. R. Xin describe changes in the nature of executive education, changes that include an increased focus on developing executives for the new competitive environment and the new, more lateral organizational forms.

* E. E. Lawler III focuses on how pay systems can be designed to support particular strategies, and argues that "the challenge for organizations is to integrate their pay systems with business strategy and with overall organizational design. This challenge must be met if organizations are to compete effectively in rapidly changing global markets".

Part IV- Transforming the Organization. In this part (Chapters 12-14):

* D. Mankin, S. G. Cohen, and T. K. Bikson provide frameworks for creating high-performing organizations through the design and implementation of new information technologies and the team-based organizations that employ them , and describe the change processes needed to create the new organization.

* R. V. Tenkasi, S. A. Mohrman, and A. M. Mohrman Jr. study organizations as they have gone through a fundamental transformation in their organizational model and the factors that contribute to accelerated learning during transitions, and then describe the dynamics that characterize organizational learning as organizations change their underlying architectures.

* A. M. Mohrman Jr. and S. A. Mohrman argue that "performance management is central to managing the business, defining the individual's relationship with the organization, and providing a mechanism for feedback and control". Thus, they describe some of their research and experience to show how and why this happens.

I highly recommend this study to all executives.

Rating:
Summary: The Challenges of the Future.
Review: "Tomorrow's Organization focuses on the new organizational designs and management approaches that are emerging as organizations transform themselves to face the challenges of continuous and relentless global competition. The book is based on two premises. The first is that the nature and intensity of competition have changed, and so organizations are now required to be simultaneously more effective and more flexible in their ability to reconfigure themselves, carry out their dynamic strategies, and make sure they are delivering value to their customers faster and better than their competitors. The second is that strategy and organization are not enough: organizations must also create new approaches to the human issues that accompany change" (from the Preface).

In this context, editors divide this invaluable study into four parts:

Part I- Designing Competitive Organizations. In this part (Chapters 1-4):

* E. E. Lawler III, D. Finegold, and J. A. Conger focus on the development of a framework for understanding the factors that contribute to the effectiveness of corporate boards, and specific principles and practices that can contribute to board effectiveness.

* J. R. Galbraith describes customer-product structures, and focuses on three questions concerning this kind of structures: (1). What are hybrid structures? What do they like? (2). Why are companies choosing to organize in this way? (3). How do we make hybrid structures work effectively?

* J. R. Galbraith argues that "the new information technology facilitates the networked organization by allowing independent firms to join together in networks". And then he describes the various design issues that have to be addressed in networked organizations.

* J. R. Galbraith examines the factors on which companies organize their global operations, and considers the major approaches to organizing, as well as where those approaches fit.

Part II- Enabling Competitive Performance. In this part (Chapters 5-7):

* D. Finegold, E. E. Lawler III, and G. E. Ledford Jr. ask that 'Is attention to competencies another management fad, or is it a more fundamental and lasting change in the theory and practice of managing organizations and individuals? Then, answering this question, they examine three distinct competency approaches as well as tensions among them.

* S. G. Cohen and D. Mankin argue that "New information technologies, combined with the global competitive pressures, have fundamentally changed the nature of work". Then they examine this impact of information technology on the nature of work.

* E. E. Lawler III and S. A. Mohrman review employee involvement, total quality management, and reengineering approaches with an eye to assessing both how they unfolded and their long-term implications for the field of management.

Part III- Managing People in the Competitive Organizations. In this part (Chapters 8-11):

* S. A. Mohrman and E. E. Lawler III outline the specifications of new human resources management, and argue that "the human resources function not only must become a true business partner but also must be a microcosm of the organizations in which it is embedded".

* D. Finegold, after describing the main elements of new learning paradigm for building competencies, reviews the steps that firms can take to identify a clear set of priorities for development and to evaluate the make-or-buy decisions regarding training.

* J. A. Conger and K. R. Xin describe changes in the nature of executive education, changes that include an increased focus on developing executives for the new competitive environment and the new, more lateral organizational forms.

* E. E. Lawler III focuses on how pay systems can be designed to support particular strategies, and argues that "the challenge for organizations is to integrate their pay systems with business strategy and with overall organizational design. This challenge must be met if organizations are to compete effectively in rapidly changing global markets".

Part IV- Transforming the Organization. In this part (Chapters 12-14):

* D. Mankin, S. G. Cohen, and T. K. Bikson provide frameworks for creating high-performing organizations through the design and implementation of new information technologies and the team-based organizations that employ them , and describe the change processes needed to create the new organization.

* R. V. Tenkasi, S. A. Mohrman, and A. M. Mohrman Jr. study organizations as they have gone through a fundamental transformation in their organizational model and the factors that contribute to accelerated learning during transitions, and then describe the dynamics that characterize organizational learning as organizations change their underlying architectures.

* A. M. Mohrman Jr. and S. A. Mohrman argue that "performance management is central to managing the business, defining the individual's relationship with the organization, and providing a mechanism for feedback and control". Thus, they describe some of their research and experience to show how and why this happens.

I highly recommend this study to all executives.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent analysis of the 21st century organization
Review: This book is a comprehensive examination of the changing nature of work and the changing character of the workplace. The text analyzes trends such as reengineering and TQM and whether these trends are likely to continue as is, evolve, or disappear.

The role of human resources management is depicted in an expanded role that assumes a cross-functional position in the modern organization. Training is seen as a process of continuous learning rather than a preparation process. Teamwork is shown as an essential facet of technology as projects are too complex to be assigned to individuals. The authors describe an organizational architecture that combines market, social, and technical skills. The individual is described in a nested position within a group, within a business unit, within an organization.

This text has been used at Santa Clara University in the Engineering Management and Leadership program and is highly recommended for similar programs or for managers or self-led professionals who want to delve into concepts such as spiral work-flow models and lateral organizations.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent analysis of the 21st century organization
Review: This book is a comprehensive examination of the changing nature of work and the changing character of the workplace. The text analyzes trends such as reengineering and TQM and whether these trends are likely to continue as is, evolve, or disappear.

The role of human resources management is depicted in an expanded role that assumes a cross-functional position in the modern organization. Training is seen as a process of continuous learning rather than a preparation process. Teamwork is shown as an essential facet of technology as projects are too complex to be assigned to individuals. The authors describe an organizational architecture that combines market, social, and technical skills. The individual is described in a nested position within a group, within a business unit, within an organization.

This text has been used at Santa Clara University in the Engineering Management and Leadership program and is highly recommended for similar programs or for managers or self-led professionals who want to delve into concepts such as spiral work-flow models and lateral organizations.