8 Posts found for Author: Paul F. Kocourek

Finding the proper organizational model for a given firm is inherently difficult, but not impossible. If aligning the organization with the strategy is necessary for success, then finding out how the organization is impeding the strategy can lead to important insights about what has to change. Most organizations were not built by master designers; they have evolved over time in response to forces they see … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Authors: Jeffrey W. Bennett, Paul F. Kocourek, Steven B. Hedlund, Thomas E. Pernsteiner | Source: strategy+business | Subjects: Management, Organizational Behavior

It is part of management’s role to see that all the interactions that take place internally are performed more efficiently than they could be in an open market. That is, the savings in transaction costs must be greater than the increase in administrative costs and the potential decrease in motivation. Many companies find that applying this logic to their organizational models leads to a rethinking … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Authors: Jeffrey W. Bennett, Paul F. Kocourek, Steven B. Hedlund, Thomas E. Pernsteiner | Source: strategy+business | Subjects: Management, Organizational Behavior

Corporations of any significant size cannot make all the necessary transactional decisions “with one mind.” To provide manageable spans of control and to benefit from functional specialization, companies are forced to subdivide their organizations. Unfortunately, this subdivision fragments the information, decision rights, measures, and rewards that guide individual decisions. Rational individuals tend to strive for narrow optimums defined by functional or business-unit objectives, rather than … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Authors: Jeffrey W. Bennett, Paul F. Kocourek, Steven B. Hedlund, Thomas E. Pernsteiner | Source: strategy+business | Subjects: Management, Organizational Behavior

It’s not vision that makes a company successful. What sets the top performers apart is the organizational models they develop to realize their aspirations.

Content: Article | Authors: Jeffrey W. Bennett, Paul F. Kocourek, Steven B. Hedlund, Thomas E. Pernsteiner | Source: strategy+business | Subjects: Management, Organizational Behavior

Although governance regulations and management culture differ from firm to firm, the following best practices can – and should – cross borders:
1. Select the right directors
2. Train them continuously
3. Give them the right information
4. Balance the power of the CEO and directors
5. Nurture a culture of collegial questioning
6. Gain from directors an adequate commitment of time
7. Measure and … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Authors: Bill Birchard, Christian Burger, Paul F. Kocourek | Source: strategy+business | Subject: Corporate Governance

Change programs designed to improve overall performance by promoting the highest standards in every unit of the organization can seem simple on paper but often fall apart once they hit the plant or office. Companies often have difficulty identifying good ideas and making them stick. These challenges can be overcome. The challenge is to extract the maximum value from the minimum number of change initiatives … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Authors: Matthew Calderone, Paul F. Kocourek, Walter J. Mancini | Source: strategy+business | Subjects: Best Practices, Change Management

Centralized management still confounds corporations that need to be fast and flexible. There’s a way to move from Taylorism to Welchism – but it means rejecting command-and-control.

Editor’s Note: offers an analysis of four basic managment models and the environments appropriate for each.

Content: Article | Authors: Paul F. Kocourek, Paul Hyde | Source: strategy+business | Subject: Management

The acquisitions binge of the ’90s has turned into the value trough of today. Here’s how to rebuild a vacuumed company.

Content: Article | Authors: Matthew G. McKenna, Paul F. Kocourek, Steven Y. Chung | Source: strategy+business | Subject: Strategy