Organizational Design
Organizational Design
Børge Obel, Aarhus Universitet, Denmark
Dorthe Døjbak Håkonsson, Aarhus Universitet, Denmark
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Now in its fourth edition, this is the definitive step-by-step 'how to' guide to designing an organization. Building on information processing theory, the book proposes a holistic, multi-contingency model of the organization. This textbook communicates the fundamentals of traditional and new organizational forms, including up-to-date analysis of self-organizing, boss-less, digital, and sustainable organizations. Providing a framework for the practical implementation of organizational design changes, the authors break the process down into seven basic steps: (1) Assessing Goals, (2) Assessing Strategy, (3) Analyzing Structure, (4) Assessing Process and People, (5) Analyzing Coordination, Control and Incentives, (6) Designing the Architecture, and (7) Implementing the Architecture. Each step connects with one of the nine interdependent components of the multi-contingency model, and the authors also provide a logical query process for approaching each of these components. This is an ideal guide for managers or executives interested in assessing their organization and taking steps to redesign it for success, as well as for MBA and executive MBA students looking for an introduction to organizational design.
- Develops an integrated holistic model of the organization using a multi-contingency model derived from decades of theoretical and empirical research
- Promotes a simple, step by step approach, from diagnosis to design and implementation, developing an integrated model of design rather than a piecemeal approach
- Supplemented by cases and spreadsheet tools
Reviews & endorsements
'Advances in AI are effecting organizations in a variety of complex ways, and a systematic approach to organization design has never been more valuable. Burton, Obel and HÃ¥konsson provide the conceptual framework for such an approach. Managers at all levels in organizations will benefit from it.' Phanish Puranam, The Roland Berger Chaired Professor of Strategy and Organisation Design, INSEAD
'Burton, Obel and Håkonsson have written here the definitive guide to organization design, comprising both partitioning of tasks and their coordination to realize an organization's goals. Their information-processing framework is ageless, tried and true, incorporating real examples of contemporary transformations and variations that build upon it – including the mix of human and machine agents, digitalization of work, and new forms of organizing. For anyone looking to do a deep dive and to improve their organization's performance, the authors provide a step-by-step approach for diagnosis (of fit or misfit) and design (i.e., taking action to realign the organization) that is holistic, realistic and effective.' Samina Karim, Professor, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group, D'Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University
Product details
July 2020Paperback
9781108717564
284 pages
242 × 168 × 15 mm
0.55kg
10 b/w illus. 26 colour illus. 17 tables
Available
Table of Contents
- Step 1. Getting Started:
- 1. Assessing the scope and goals of the organization
- Step 2. Assessing the Strategy:
- 2. Strategy
- 3. Environment
- Step 3. Analyzing the Structure:
- 4. Traditional configurations of the firm
- 5. New organizational forms?
- Step 4. Assessing Process and People:
- 6. Work, task design and agents
- 7. Leadership and organizational climate
- Step 5. Analyzing Coordination, Control, and Incentives:
- 8. Coordination and control
- 9. Incentives
- 10. Designing the structure and coordination
- Step 6. Designing the Architecture:
- 11. Designing the architecture and the sequence of change
- Step 7. Implementing the Architecture:
- 12. Implementing the change: who should do what when?
