Ends and Means LO8056

Mariann Jelinek (mxjeli@mail.wm.edu)
Sun, 23 Jun 1996 21:16:01 -0400

Replying to LO8035 --

Replying to several posts on the role of structure, local optima and global
messes (especially LO8035):

Structure does often seem to be set up as a preventer. Yet in
high technology firms in the semiconductor industry, I saw structure
used AND CHANGED DELIBERATELY to facilitate problem solving, reflecting
changing insights as to what mattered and thus who needed to be in close
contact at any given time. Restructuring was used, in my view, to
support the collaboration most needed by circumstances, while the
overview that Robert L. looks for was provided both by senior managers'
inquiries and oversight, and by the broad discussions of strategic
intent and competitive circumstances which were omnipresent. Everybody
was up on what was hot, and structure changed frequently.

Sam

MXJELI@MAIL.WM.EDU
Mariann Jelinek
Richard C. Kraemer Professor of Business
Graduate School of Business,
College of William and Mary,
Williamsburg, VA 23185

Tel. (804) 221-2882 FAX: (804) 229-6135
************************************************************************
The only enduring strategic advantage is the ability
to change the rules of the game.

-- 

mxjeli@mail.wm.edu (Mariann Jelinek)

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>