> --------------------------------------------------------
> Graham Kettles, Defence Evaluation Research Agency UK wrote:
>
> "We set up a devolved management structure under which goals, and
> targets within these goals, were communicated down the organisation
> and the erstwhile holders of power - the functional departments such
> as finance, personnel and contracts - were turned instead into
> service functions who owe their existence only to the quality of the
> services they provide."
>
I would like to second and underscore Graham's experience with
organizational change (or, at least my understanding of his
experience). I also have found that the core/glue/sine qua non (or what
you will) of change in organizations is clarifying corporate goals and
action programs, and cascading them down throughout the firm. The goals
for the various workgroups throughout the organization "roll up" to the
corporate goals.
What makes it "glue" for me, however, is the very process of developing
the goals. This involves having each workgroup (who are both internal
"customer" to a "producer" and "producer" to a "customer") negotiate
goals across and down corporate lines, with the results of the
negotiations cycled back to higher levels until some agreement (albeit
temporary) is reached. Needless to say, this process is never ending.
It requires continual negotiation, communication -- all the good stuff
we read about in the books.
However, unless goals are monitored on a regular basis, slippage occurs
and responsibility (for errors, inefficiency, etc.) is disowned. I use
a software product (QMaps) to undertake this function. The program
represents how each workgroup is doing vis a vis its goals and allows an
overview of how well these goals are "rolling up" to corporate
expectations.
People feel part of the change process. They see themselves as having
control over the change of which they are part, in contrast to "having
something done to them". What I have witnessed, then, is a greater (not
perfect) willingness to introduce, suggest, and accept change in
processes, roles and organizational structure.