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I have been using a model that I came across that describes 7 dimensions of
an organization. All of the dimensions begin with the letter "s" - (hence
the name). It begins with Shared vision and values, then shows the
Strategy, Structure, System, Style, etc. I have used the model to describe
the areas of an organization that a leader needs to focus on.
Unfortunately, I am unable to locate the author of the model, nor the name
of the book in which the model was described. I understand that there may
also be a similar model that includes 9 dimensions of an organization -
again all beginning with an "S".

Can anyone help point me in the right direction for either one of these
models?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The 7 S model is a McKinsey Model. It is described (briefly) in
Wheelen and Hunger's strategy text (probably elsewhere as well).
Ralph W. Parrish
rparrish@lamar.colostate.edu

Jacobson, Carolyn J wrote:
>
> I have been using a model that I came across that describes 7 dimensions of
> an organization. All of the dimensions begin with the letter "s" - (hence
> the name). It begins with Shared vision and values, then shows the
> Strategy, Structure, System, Style, etc. I have used the model to describe
> the areas of an organization that a leader needs to focus on.
> Unfortunately, I am unable to locate the author of the model, nor the name
> of the book in which the model was described. I understand that there may
> also be a similar model that includes 9 dimensions of an organization -
> again all beginning with an "S".
>
> Can anyone help point me in the right direction for either one of these
> models?
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.

7-Ss Model comes from Pascale and Athos' The Art of Japanese Management:
Applications for American Executives, Simon and Schuster, 1981; see also
chapter 19 of the Kolb, Osland and Rubin Org Behavior Workbook in which
the 7-S model is discussed and an exercise provided.
--
John P. Trebnik, Assistant Professor
Department of Business & Economics
Marian College
3200 Cold Spring Road
Indianapolis, IN 46222-1997

mailto:jtrebnik@iquest.net
http://commerce1.marian.edu

Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through him. Col. 3:17

Both replies you previously received are correct -- the original source was
Pascale & Athos. It was also referenced in Peters and Waterman, Search for
Excellence as the McKinsey model.
-------------
Original Text
From: "Jacobson, Carolyn J" <Carolyn.J.Jacobson@CDEV.COM>, on 7/15/97 4:26
PM:
I have been using a model that I came across that describes 7 dimensions of
an organization. All of the dimensions begin with the letter "s" - (hence
the name). It begins with Shared vision and values, then shows the
Strategy, Structure, System, Style, etc. I have used the model to describe
the areas of an organization that a leader needs to focus on.
Unfortunately, I am unable to locate the author of the model, nor the name
of the book in which the model was described. I understand that there may
also be a similar model that includes 9 dimensions of an organization -
again all beginning with an "S".

Can anyone help point me in the right direction for either one of these
models?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The "7S" model has come to be called the "McKinsey 7S" model
in many texts, probably due to its widespread dissemination
in Peters & Waterman's best-seller, In Search of Excellence.
There is an earlier article by one or both of them that
describes the model; part of it is reprinted in the Mintzberg
& Quinn strategy text. They originally called one of the
factors "superordinate goals," but renamed it "shared values,"
catchier I guess.
I haven't talked to anyone at McKinsey about it recently, but
I doubt very much that it is still used there. Personally,
I still find it useful. As a McKinsey consultant in the 1980s,
I used to use it diagnostically on an assignment to review
the organization's effectiveness. As an academic, I tend
to ask students to use it to organize their implementation
plans for a strategy case-- i.e., if the strategy changes as
you recommend, what changes are needed in the other "S"
factors to make it work?
You might also find it interesting to read D'Aveni's book
on Hypercompetitive Rivalries. He criticizes the notion of
"fit" among the 7S factors, and proposes the "new 7S's" as
the capabilities needed by companies to compete in
hypercompetitive environments. His "new 7S's" are not as
easily grasped as the "old" ones, but are provocative,
and important I think.
Debbie Ettington

Re the 7S model

Try Dess & Miller's book on Strategic Management

Glenn Rowe

At 04:26 PM 7/15/97 -0500, you wrote:
>I have been using a model that I came across that describes 7 dimensions of
>an organization. All of the dimensions begin with the letter "s" - (hence
>the name). It begins with Shared vision and values, then shows the
>Strategy, Structure, System, Style, etc. I have used the model to describe
>the areas of an organization that a leader needs to focus on.
> Unfortunately, I am unable to locate the author of the model, nor the name
>of the book in which the model was described. I understand that there may
>also be a similar model that includes 9 dimensions of an organization -
>again all beginning with an "S".
>
>Can anyone help point me in the right direction for either one of these
>models?
>
>Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
>

W. Glenn Rowe, Ph.D.
Director, Centre for Management Development
Faculty of Business Administration
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John's, NF, Canada, A1B 3X5
709 737 7977
709 737 7999 (Fax)

The author is McKinsey Company. They are consultants. They have an
office in chicago,IL. It is called the 7S model. They can provide you
with a basic skeleton if you call. I used it for a paper - it is
difficult to get information on it.


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: "7 S Model"
Author: Management Education and Development Discussion
<MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> at Internet
Date: 7/15/97 5:56 PM


I have been using a model that I came across that describes 7 dimensions of
an organization. All of the dimensions begin with the letter "s" - (hence
the name). It begins with Shared vision and values, then shows the
Strategy, Structure, System, Style, etc. I have used the model to describe
the areas of an organization that a leader needs to focus on.
Unfortunately, I am unable to locate the author of the model, nor the name
of the book in which the model was described. I understand that there may
also be a similar model that includes 9 dimensions of an organization -
again all beginning with an "S".

Can anyone help point me in the right direction for either one of these
models?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mintzberg, Quinn, & Voyer's Collegiate Edition of their text "The
Strategy Process" contains a (presumably condensed) paper on this model
called "The 7-S Framework" (Pages 139-144) by Robert H. Waterman, Jr.,
Thomas J. Peters, and Julien R. Phillips -- so this is from the horse's
mouth. (Prentice-Hall, 1995)
It originally appeared as "Structure is Not Organization" in the
journal "Business Horizons" for June, 1980. The Foundation for the
School of Business at Indiana University holds the copyrights.
I stopped assigning this paper for a semester or two, preferring
instead Mintzberg's more intensive work on configurations (in the same
text). The Waterman, Peters, and Phillips paper is almost too well
written, so it tends to come across as a somewhat breezy,
shallow-but-motivating pep-talk. On the other hand, my undergraduates
seem to be struggling when I toss them into the deep end of the pool
with no preparation, and the Waterman, Peters, & Phillips paper would
serve well as the introduction they seem to need.
Hope this helps.
Fred Anderson
Dept. of Management
Eberly College of Business
Indiana Univ. of PA
Indiana, PA 15705
anderson@grove.iup.edu
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jacobson, Carolyn J wrote:
>
> I have been using a model that I came across that describes 7 dimensions of
> an organization. All of the dimensions begin with the letter "s" - (hence
> the name). It begins with Shared vision and values, then shows the
> Strategy, Structure, System, Style, etc. I have used the model to describe
> the areas of an organization that a leader needs to focus on.
> Unfortunately, I am unable to locate the author of the model, nor the name
> of the book in which the model was described. I understand that there may
> also be a similar model that includes 9 dimensions of an organization -
> again all beginning with an "S".
>
> Can anyone help point me in the right direction for either one of these
> models?
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.