Designing Organizations: An Executive Briefing on Strategy, Structure, and Process (Jossey-Bass Management Series)

Rating:
Summary: "Design is a key task of the leader."
Review: "This book is about designing effective organizations. It emphasizes that design is a key task of the leader. It suggests that effective organizations are necessary for competitiveness and they are a growing source for competitive advantage. The focus of the book is therefore on equipping leaders with the understanding and the tools necessary to create organizations that are superior to those of their competitors."

In this context J. Galbraith :

* examines the forces (buyer power, variety, change, and speed) that are shaping organizations.

* presents the organizational design framework in the form of "the star model". In the star model, design policies fall into five categories :

(1) Strategy,

(2) Structure,

(3) Processes,

(4) Rewards,

(5) People.

* looks at policy areas/dimensions that determine the structure of an organization : specialization, shape, distribution of power, and departmentalization.

* discusses the lateral processes as a multidimentional aspects and the ability to be responsive to products, customers, functions, geographies, and work flow processes.

* focuses on three organizational design models : functional integrators, the distributed organization, and the front/back hybrid structure.

* examines virtual corporation as a network of independent companies.

"In conclusion", J. Galbraith writes, "I wish to emphasize once again the role of leader. I see the leader as a decision shaper rather than a decision maker. The decision-shaping role is achieved through the organizational design. The star model provides the management-controlled policies that will influence how others make decisions."

I highly recommend.

See also :

* J. Galbraith - Designing the Global Corporation (2000)

* E. Lawler - From the Ground Up (2000)

* S. A. Mohrman et al - Tomorrow's Organization (1998)

Rating:
Summary: a leading book from a leading authority !
Review: A "must" reading for all executives managing living organizations and their human assets.