Successful
Organizations
of the Future

Complexity
Theory

Knowledge
Management

The Learning
Organization

Creativity

Organizational
Development

Force Field
Analysis

Successful Organizations of the Future

The Design of the New Organization by Joseph H. Boyett and Jimmie T. Boyett, based on their book, Beyond Workplace 2000. First, the authors describe four principles for the new organization of the future:

• "The strongest structure is the one built without walls." Less organizational structure and more organizing around customer needs and other imperatives of success.
• "Big is out and small is in." A central core surrounded by "firms, units, or individuals with special expertise that actually perform the work."
• "Shared vision is the structural glue." Independent teams, departments and individuals operate freely within a broad, but defined vision and set of guidelines.
• "The best structure is a temporary one." Frequent changes in teams and responsibilities.

The article continues with a list of characteristics that define the ability to be innovative and agile in the new organization, such as the ability to quickly change products and service delivery based on customer demand and the effective use of outside organizations to create, maintain and deliver its goods and services.

Traditional vs. High Performance Organizations by Boyett & Associates. This comparison covers the following dimensions: support for innovation and risk taking, emphasis on learning, job design, role of management, organizational structure, customer relations, flexibility, teamwork, dedication, rewards, access to information and socio-technical balance.

Example (from the category, "Support for Innovation and Risk Taking"): In a traditional organization, "new ideas are ignored; the motto is, 'Don’t fix it if it’s not broken.'" By contrast, "new ideas are constantly sought and tried" in a high-performance organization.

Complexity Theory

Simple, Yet Complex by Megan Santosus, CIO Enterprise Magazine, April 15, 1998. Article about an emerging management approach called complexity theory. "Complexity theorists argue that managers should allow creativity and efficiency to emerge naturally within organizations rather than imposing their own solutions on their employees." Among the questions answered in an interview with two authors on the subject:

"How do you define complexity theory for business people?"
"What are the principles of complexity theory?"
"How does complexity theory apply to strategic planning?"

Chaos Inc. by Simon Caulkin, Community Intelligence Labs. Extensive article about complexity theory, including its origins and how it is being applied in the business world. Among the topics covered:

• Perspective and context for complexity theory as it relates to other disciplines, such as math, economics and physics (ex. chaos theory).
• The unique challenges of implementing complexity theory to improve a business.
• How it is being applied, such as designing rules or principles for action that still allow flexibility and adaptability.
• How complexity theory contrasts with the vast majority of current approaches that strive for order, control, and predictability.
• The circumstances under which complexity theory works best, such as long-term strategy setting where distant outcomes cannot be charted with any certainty.
• Descriptions of complexity theory in action at such companies as Visa International.

Knowledge Management

What is knowledge management? Rebecca O. Barclay and Philip C. Murray, Knowledge Praxis. An extensive introduction to the subject:

• Definition of knowledge management
• Links to forums and articles that provide perspective.
• Definition of the term knowledge and its role in business organizations.
• Reasons why knowledge management has become important to business success.
• Brief history of knowledge management
• How knowledge management "draws from a wide range of disciplines and technologies, such as expert systems, groupware and information science.
• Three approaches to knowledge management: mechanistic, cultural/behavioristic and systematic.

Leading Lights: Innovation Specialist Dorothy Leonard-Barton Knowledge Inc. interview of Dorothy Leonard-Barton, about her book, Wellsprings of Knowledge. The author discusses the increasing importance of focusing on the company's knowledge advantage to succeed in today's business environment. Among the topics of discussion:

• The distinction between a company's core competencies and their negative counterpart, core rigidities.
• Four dimensions of core competencies (physical systems; skills and knowledge; managerial systems; and values) and why they are so important.
• How to build the knowledge needed to compete and thrive.
• Characteristics of companies that continually renew themselves as circumstances change.

Secrets of Successful Knowledge Management by Tom Davenport, Knowledge Inc., February, 1997. The author discusses the findings of "a research study that focused on what organizations are actually doing in knowledge management projects, and what factors lead to success in such projects." Although the table showing the complete list of success factors is not attached, here are a few that are mentioned in the article: senior management support, clarity of objectives and an organizational/technology infrastructure that supports knowledge development.

• In a culture that encourages learning, "people share the belief that trust, teamwork, coordination and cooperating are critical to success." In a culture that inhibits learning, "individual competition is perceived as the natural state and the proper route to power and status."
• In a culture that encourages learning, "the leader acts as a teacher and steward of change rather than a charismatic decision maker" whereas "leaders and followers assume that leaders are supposed to be in control, decisive, certain, and dominant" in a culture that inhibits learning.

1. "Well-developed core competencies that serve as launch points for new products and services."
2. "An attitude that supports continuous improvement in the business's value-added chain."
3. "The ability to fundamentally renew or revitalize."

Next, the article discusses core themes that emerge from their research, such as, "all organizations are learning systems" and "learning conforms to culture."

The authors then present their model of organizations as learning systems, including an extensive description of seven learning orientations and ten facilitating factors. For example, a learning orientation would be a "preference for developing knowledge internally versus preference for acquiring knowledge developed externally." One of the facilitating factors is when there is general agreement about gaps between actual and desired levels of performance – a definite motivator for learning how to eliminate the gap.

• "Expect improvement every day: Ask employees to try to improve one aspect of their work each day, focusing on The areas within their control. At The end of The day, have them meet and ask each other what they did differently - or better - from The day before."
• "Set idea quotas: Guarantee creativity by giving each employee a weekly idea quota."
• "Create a creative corner: Provide a special 'creative corner' where people can go to think creatively. Stock The area with books, videos and learning games on creativity."

What is Directed Creativity? by Paul E. Plsek & Associates. First, The author's definition of directed creativity: "purposeful production of creative ideas in a topic area, followed up by deliberate effort to implement some of those ideas." After reading about why people do not fully tap into their creative potential, click on The author's real-life example of directed creativity in The health industry. The example includes a step-by-step recounting of how directed creativity was implemented and five mental actions for making it work.

Note: For a very comprehensive and detailed description of The directed creativity method, visit The author's article,
Tools for The Development and Action Phases of The Directed Creativity Cycle.

Organizational Development

Team Building Tools by Richard M. DiGeorgia & Associates. The three forms on this site show how a consulting firm or human resources staff might help an organization build teams. They include a form for assessing The current team, The Effectiveness Interview, and The Commitment Matrix, "a team exercise that helps individuals discuss The key things they need from each other in order to be successful."

Force Field Analysis

Force Field Analysis by Mind Tools. Introduction to The topic, including a definition, The steps for implementing it, and a detailed example with a diagram showing The forces for and against change.