1. Why should managers be concerned about the ethical implications of social network analysis?
2. Explain the concepts of transformational, transactional, charismatic, servant, and authentic leadership.
Exercise Instructions: You are required to submit a minimum of s3Page (Title Page and 2 Content Pages), APA formatted paper with substantial content. Substantial content requires staying on topic and fully addresses the assignment in a clear, concise, and meaningful manner. The deliverable length of your posting responses must be at least 3-pages, (Title Page and 2 Content Pages) APA format.
Exercises must be the students original thoughts based on the topics from the “Open Educational Resource” (OER) Course Textbook and/or other referenced sources. Direct quotes from references must be less than 20 words. Please review for sentence structure, grammar and punctuation errors. Plagiarized submissions may result in a “0” for the submission.
Late submissions will be deducted 5 points.
All assignment(s) derive from the OER Textbook. For academic purposes, at least 1 APA formatted reference is required pertaining to the topic(s).
Principles of ManagementPrinciples of Management
Principles of ManagementPrinciples of Management
[AUTHORS REMOVED AT REQUEST OF ORIGINAL
PUBLISHER]
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA LIBRARIES PUBLISHING EDITION, 2015. THIS EDITION ADAPTED FROM A
WORK ORIGINALLY PRODUCED IN 2010 BY A PUBLISHER WHO HAS REQUESTED THAT IT NOT RECEIVE
ATTRIBUTION.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Principles of Management by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
International License, except where otherwise noted.
Contents
Publisher Information x
Chapter 1: Introduction to Principles of Management
1.1 Introduction to Principles of Management 2
1.2 Case in Point: Doing Good as a Core Business Strategy 5
1.3 Who Are Managers? 8
1.4 Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Strategy 13
1.5 Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling 20
1.6 Economic, Social, and Environmental Performance 25
1.7 Performance of Individuals and Groups 31
1.8 Your Principles of Management Survivor’s Guide 36
Chapter 2: Personality, Attitudes, and Work Behaviors
2.1 Chapter Introduction 48
2.2 Case in Point: SAS Institute Invests in Employees 50
2.3 Personality and Values 52
2.4 Perception 70
2.5 Work Attitudes 78
2.6 The Interactionist Perspective: The Role of Fit 84
2.7 Work Behaviors 87
2.8 Developing Your Positive Attitude Skills 100
Chapter 3: History, Globalization, and Values-Based Leadership
3.1 History, Globalization, and Values-Based Leadership 104
3.2 Case in Point: Hanna Andersson Corporation Changes for Good 106
3.3 Ancient History: Management Through the 1990s 109
3.4 Contemporary Principles of Management 116
3.5 Global Trends 122
3.6 Globalization and Principles of Management 130
3.7 Developing Your Values-Based Leadership Skills 136
Chapter 4: Developing Mission, Vision, and Values
4.1 Developing Mission, Vision, and Values 143
4.2 Case in Point: Xerox Motivates Employees for Success 145
4.3 The Roles of Mission, Vision, and Values 148
4.4 Mission and Vision in the P-O-L-C Framework 153
4.5 Creativity and Passion 160
4.6 Stakeholders 169
4.7 Crafting Mission and Vision Statements 175
4.8 Developing Your Personal Mission and Vision 182
Chapter 5: Strategizing
5.1 Strategizing 191
5.2 Case in Point: Unnamed Publisher Transforms Textbook Industry 193
5.3 Strategic Management in the P-O-L-C Framework 196
5.4 How Do Strategies Emerge? 204
5.5 Strategy as Trade-Offs, Discipline, and Focus 209
5.6 Developing Strategy Through Internal Analysis 219
5.7 Developing Strategy Through External Analysis 231
5.8 Formulating Organizational and Personal Strategy With the Strategy Diamond 242
Chapter 6: Goals and Objectives
6.1 Goals and Objectives 251
6.2 Case in Point: Nucor Aligns Company Goals With Employee Goals 253
6.3 The Nature of Goals and Objectives 255
6.4 From Management by Objectives to the Balanced Scorecard 260
6.5 Characteristics of Effective Goals and Objectives 269
6.6 Using Goals and Objectives in Employee Performance Evaluation 275
6.7 Integrating Goals and Objectives with Corporate Social Responsibility 281
6.8 Your Personal Balanced Scorecard 289
Chapter 7: Organizational Structure and Change
7.1 Organizational Structure and Change 298
7.2 Case in Point: Toyota Struggles With Organizational Structure 300
7.3 Organizational Structure 303
7.4 Contemporary Forms of Organizational Structures 312
7.5 Organizational Change 317
7.6 Planning and Executing Change Effectively 328
7.7 Building Your Change Management Skills 334
Chapter 8: Organizational Culture
8.1 Organizational Culture 337
8.2 Case in Point: Google Creates Unique Culture 339
8.3 Understanding Organizational Culture 342
8.4 Measuring Organizational Culture 346
8.5 Creating and Maintaining Organizational Culture 356
8.6 Creating Culture Change 370
8.7 Developing Your Personal Skills: Learning to Fit In 375
Chapter 9: Social Networks
9.1 Social Networks 379
9.2 Case in Point: Networking Powers Relationships 381
9.3 An Introduction to the Lexicon of Social Networks 383
9.4 How Managers Can Use Social Networks to Create Value 389
9.5 Ethical Considerations With Social Network Analysis 400
9.6 Personal, Operational, and Strategic Networks 408
9.7 Mapping and Your Own Social Network 414
Chapter 10: Leading People and Organizations
10.1 Leading People and Organizations 421
10.2 Case in Point: Indra Nooyi Draws on Vision and Values to Lead 424
10.3 Who Is a Leader? Trait Approaches to Leadership 427
10.4 What Do Leaders Do? Behavioral Approaches to Leadership 434
10.5 What Is the Role of the Context? Contingency Approaches to Leadership 439
10.6 Contemporary Approaches to Leadership 447
10.7 Developing Your Leadership Skills 461
Chapter 11: Decision Making
11.1 Decision Making 467
11.2 Case in Point: Bernard Ebbers Creates Biased Decision Making at WorldCom 469
11.3 Understanding Decision Making 472
11.4 Faulty Decision Making 485
11.5 Decision Making in Groups 490
11.6 Developing Your Personal Decision-Making Skills 498
Chapter 12: Communication in Organizations
12.1 Communication in Organizations 501
12.2 Case in Point: Edward Jones Communicates Caring 503
12.3 Understanding Communication 505
12.4 Communication Barriers 511
12.5 Different Types of Communication 523
12.6 Communication Channels 530
12.7 Developing Your Personal Communication Skills 539
Chapter 13: Managing Groups and Teams
13.1 Managing Groups and Teams 545
13.2 Case in Point: General Electric Allows Teamwork to Take Flight 547
13.3 Group Dynamics 549
13.4 Understanding Team Design Characteristics 558
13.5 Organizing Effective Teams 573
13.6 Barriers to Effective Teams 579
13.7 Developing Your Team Skills 582
Chapter 14: Motivating Employees
14.1 Motivating Employees 585
14.2 Case in Point: Zappos Creates a Motivating Place to Work 588
14.3 Need-Based Theories of Motivation 590
14.4 Process-Based Theories 598
14.5 Developing Your Personal Motivation Skills 620
Chapter 15: The Essentials of Control
15.1 The Essentials of Control 624
15.2 Case in Point: Newell Rubbermaid Leverages Cost Controls to Grow 626
15.3 Organizational Control 628
15.4 Types and Levels of Control 636
15.5 Financial Controls 642
15.6 Nonfinancial Controls 651
15.7 Lean Control 659
15.8 Crafting Your Balanced Scorecard 665
Chapter 16: Strategic Human Resource Management
16.1 Strategic Human Resource Management 671
16.2 Case in Point: Kronos Uses Science to Find the Ideal Employee 674
16.3 The Changing Role of Strategic Human Resource Management in Principles of
Management
677
16.4 The War for Talent 683
16.5 Effective Selection and Placement Strategies 689
16.6 The Roles of Pay Structure and Pay for Performance 696
16.7 Designing a High-Performance Work System 702
16.8 Tying It All Together—Using the HR Balanced Scorecard to Gauge and
Manage Human Capital, Including Your Own
709
Please share your supplementary material! 714
Publisher Information
Principles of Management is adapted from a work produced and
distributed under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA) in 2010
by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author not
receive attribution. This adapted edition is produced by the University
of Minnesota Libraries Publishing through the eLearning Support Initiative.
This adaptation has reformatted the original text, and replaced some images and figures to make the resulting
whole more shareable. This adaptation has not significantly altered or updated the original 2010 text. This work
is made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.
x
Chapter 1: Introduction to Principles of
Management
1.1 Introduction to Principles of Management
1.2 Case in Point: Doing Good as a Core Business Strategy
1.3 Who Are Managers?
1.4 Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Strategy
1.5 Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling
1.6 Economic, Social, and Environmental Performance
1.7 Performance of Individuals and Groups
1.8 Your Principles of Management Survivor’s Guide
1
1.1 Introduction to Principles of Management
Figure 1.1
Managers make things happen through strategic and entrepreneurial leadership.
Unsplash – CC0 Public Domain.
What’s in It for Me?
Reading this chapter will help you do the following:
1. Learn who managers are and about the nature of their work.
2. Know why you should care about leadership, entrepreneurship, and strategy.
3. Know the dimensions of the planning-organizing-leading-controlling (P-O-L-C) framework.
4. Learn how economic performance feeds social and environmental performance.
5. Understand what performance means at the individual and group levels.
6. Create your survivor’s guide to learning and developing principles of management.
2
We’re betting that you already have a lot of experience with organizations, teams, and leadership. You’ve been
through schools, in clubs, participated in social or religious groups, competed in sports or games, or taken on
full- or part-time jobs. Some of your experience was probably pretty positive, but you were also likely wondering
sometimes, “Isn’t there a better way to do this?”
After participating in this course, we hope that you find the answer to be “Yes!” While management is both art
and science, with our help you can identify and develop the skills essential to better managing your and others’
behaviors where organizations are concerned.
Before getting ahead of ourselves, just what is management, let alone principles of management? A manager’s
primary challenge is to solve problems creatively, and you should view management as “the art of getting things
done through the efforts of other people.”1 The principles of management, then, are the means by which you
actually manage, that is, get things done through others—individually, in groups, or in organizations. Formally
defined, the principles of management are the activities that “plan, organize, and control the operations of the basic
elements of [people], materials, machines, methods, money and markets, providing direction and coordination,
and giving leadership to human efforts, so as to achieve the sought objectives of the enterprise.”2 For this reason,
principles of management are often discussed or learned using a framework called P-O-L-C, which stands for
planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.
Managers are required in all the activities of organizations: budgeting, designing, selling, creating, financing,
accounting, and artistic presentation; the larger the organization, the more managers are needed. Everyone
employed in an organization is affected by management principles, processes, policies, and practices as they are
either a manager or a subordinate to a manager, and usually they are both.
Managers do not spend all their time managing. When choreographers are dancing a part, they are not managing,
nor are office managers managing when they personally check out a customer’s credit. Some employees perform
only part of the functions described as managerial—and to that extent, they are mostly managers in limited
areas. For example, those who are assigned the preparation of plans in an advisory capacity to a manager, to that
extent, are making management decisions by deciding which of several alternatives to present to the management.
However, they have no participation in the functions of organizing, staffing, and supervising and no control over
the implementation of the plan selected from those recommended. Even independent consultants are managers,
since they get most things done through others—those others just happen to be their clients! Of course, if advisers
or consultants have their own staff of subordinates, they become a manager in the fullest sense of the definition.
They must develop business plans; hire, train, organize, and motivate their staff members; establish internal
policies that will facilitate the work and direct it; and represent the group and its work to those outside of the firm.
1We draw this definition from a biography of Mary Parker Follett (1868–1933) written by P. Graham, Mary
Parker Follett: Prophet of Management (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1995). Follett was an American
social worker, consultant, and author of books on democracy, human relations, and management. She worked as a
management and political theorist, introducing such phrases as “conflict resolution,” “authority and power,” and
“the task of leadership.”
2The fundamental notion of principles of management was developed by French management theorist Henri
Fayol (1841–1925). He is credited with the original planning-organizing-leading-controlling framework (P-O-L-
C), which, while undergoing very important changes in content, remains the dominant management framework
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT • 3
in the world. See H. Fayol, General and Industrial Management (Paris: Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineering, 1916).
4 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
1.2 Case in Point: Doing Good as a Core Business Strategy
Figure 1.2
Timothy Brown – Browsing – CC BY 2.0.
Goodwill Industries International (a nonprofit organization) has been an advocate of diversity for over 100
years. In 1902, in Boston, Massachusetts, a young missionary set up a small operation enlisting struggling
immigrants in his parish to clean and repair clothing and goods to later sell. This provided workers with
the opportunity for basic education and language training. His philosophy was to provide a “hand up,” not
a “hand out.” Although today you can find retail stores in over 2,300 locations worldwide, and in 2009
more than 64 million people in the United States and Canada donated to Goodwill, the organization has
maintained its core mission to respect the dignity of individuals by eliminating barriers to opportunity
through the power of work. Goodwill accomplishes this goal, in part, by putting 84% of its revenue back
5
into programs to provide employment, which in 2008 amounted to $3.23 billion. As a result of these
programs, every 42 seconds of every business day, someone gets a job and is one step closer to achieving
economic stability.
Goodwill is a pioneer of social enterprise and has managed to build a culture of respect through its
diversity programs. If you walk into a local Goodwill retail store you are likely to see employees from
all walks of life, including differences in gender and race, physical ability, sexual orientation, and age.
Goodwill provides employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, lack of education, or lack
of job experience. The company has created programs for individuals with criminal backgrounds who
might otherwise be unable to find employment, including basic work skill development, job placement
assistance, and life skills. In 2008, more than 172,000 people obtained employment, earning $2.3 billion in
wages and gaining tools to be productive members of their community. Goodwill has established diversity
as an organizational norm, and as a result, employees are comfortable addressing issues of stereotyping and
discrimination. In an organization of individuals with such wide-ranging backgrounds, it is not surprising
that there are a wide range of values and beliefs.
Management and operations are decentralized within the organization with 166 independent community-
based Goodwill stores. These regional businesses are independent, not-for-profit human services
organizations. Despite its decentralization, the company has managed to maintain its core values. Seattle’s
Goodwill is focused on helping the city’s large immigrant population and those individuals without basic
education and English language skills. And at Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, the organization recently
invested in custom software to balance daily sales at stores to streamline operations so managers can spend
less time on paperwork and more time managing employees.
Part of Goodwill’s success over the years can be attributed to its ability to innovate. As technology evolves
and such skills became necessary for most jobs, Goodwill has developed training programs to ensure that
individuals are fully equipped to be productive members of the workforce, and in 2008 Goodwill was
able to provide 1.5 million people with career services. As an organization, Goodwill itself has entered
into the digital age. You can now find Goodwill on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Goodwill’s business
practices encompass the values of the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. The organization
is taking advantage of new green initiatives and pursuing opportunities for sustainability. For example,
at the beginning of 2010, Goodwill received a $7.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor,
which will provide funds to prepare individuals to enter the rapidly growing green industry of their choice.
Oregon’s Goodwill Industries has partnered with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and its
Oregon E-Cycles program to prevent the improper disposal of electronics. Goodwill discovered long ago
that diversity is an advantage rather than a hindrance.
Based on information from Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin. (2009). A brief history
of Goodwill Industries International. Retrieved March 3, 2010, from http://www.goodwillncw.org/
goodwillhistory1.htm; Walker, R. (2008, November 2). Consumed: Goodwill hunting. New York Times
Magazine, p. 18; Tabafunda, J. (2008, July 26). After 85 years, Seattle Goodwill continues to improve
lives. Northwest Asian Weekly. Retrieved March 1, 2010, from http://www.nwasianweekly.com/old/
2008270031/goodwill20082731.htm; Slack, E. (2009). Selling hope. Retail Merchandiser, 49(1), 89–91;
Castillo, L. (2009, February 24). Goodwill Industries offers employment programs. Clovis News Journal.
Retrieved April 22, 2010, from http://www.cnjonline.com/news/industries-32474-goodwill-
duttweiler.html; Information retrieved April 22, 2010, from the Oregon E-Cycles Web site:
http://www.deq.state.or.us/lq/ecycle.
6 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions
1. How might the implications of the P-O-L-C framework differ for an organization like Goodwill
Industries versus a firm like Starbucks?
2. What are Goodwill’s competitive advantages?
3. Goodwill has found success in the social services. What problems might result from hiring and
training the diverse populations that Goodwill is involved with?
4. Have you ever experienced problems with discrimination in a work or school setting?
5. Why do you think that Goodwill believes it necessary to continually innovate?
1.2 CASE IN POINT: DOING GOOD AS A CORE BUSINESS STRATEGY • 7
1.3 Who Are Managers?
Learning Objectives
1. Know what is meant by “manager”.
2. Be able to describe the types of managers.
3. Understand the nature of managerial work.
ManagersManagers
We tend to think about managers based on their position in an organization. This tells us a bit about their
role and the nature of their responsibilities. The following figure summarizes the historic and contemporary
views of organizations with respect to managerial roles (Ghoshal & Barlett, 1999). In contrast to the traditional,
hierarchical relationship among layers of management and managers and employees, in the contemporary view,
top managers support and serve other managers and employees (through a process called empowerment), just
as the organization ultimately exists to serve its customers and clients. Empowerment is the process of enabling
or authorizing an individual to think, behave, take action, and control work and decision making in autonomous
ways.
8
Figure 1.3
Communication is a key managerial role.
Adrian Gaskell – Women In Management Eleanor McDonald Lecture – CC BY 2.0.
In both the traditional and contemporary views of management, however, there remains the need for different
types of managers. Top managers are responsible for developing the organization’s strategy and being a steward
for its vision and mission. A second set of managers includes functional, team, and general managers. Functional
managers are responsible for the efficiency and effectiveness of an area, such as accounting or marketing.
Supervisory or team managers are responsible for coordinating a subgroup of a particular function or a team
composed of members from different parts of the organization. Sometimes you will hear distinctions made
between line and staff managers.
A line manager leads a function that contributes directly to the products or services the organization creates. For
example, a line manager (often called a product, or service manager) at Procter & Gamble (P&G) is responsible
for the production, marketing, and profitability of the Tide detergent product line. A staff manager, in contrast,
leads a function that creates indirect inputs. For example, finance and accounting are critical organizational
functions but do not typically provide an input into the final product or service a customer buys, such as a box of
Tide detergent. Instead, they serve a supporting role. A project manager has the responsibility for the planning,
execution, and closing of any project. Project managers are often found in construction, architecture, consulting,
computer networking, telecommunications, or software development.
A general manager is someone who is responsible for managing a clearly identifiable revenue-producing unit,
such as a store, business unit, or product line. General managers typically must make decisions across different
functions and have rewards tied to the performance of the entire unit (i.e., store, business unit, product line, etc.).
General managers take direction from their top executives. They must first understand the executives’ overall
plan for the company. Then they set specific goals for their own departments to fit in with the plan. The general
manager of production, for example, might have to increase certain product lines and phase out others. General
managers must describe their goals clearly to their support staff. The supervisory managers see that the goals are
met.
1.3 WHO ARE MANAGERS? • 9
Figure 1.4 The Changing Roles of Management and Managers
The Nature of Managerial WorkThe Nature of Managerial Work
Managers are responsible for the processes of getting activities completed efficiently with and through other
people and setting and achieving the firm’s goals through the execution of four basic management functions:
planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Both sets of processes utilize human, financial, and material
resources.
Of course, some managers are better than others at accomplishing this! There have been a number of studies on
what managers actually do, the most famous of those conducted by Professor Henry Mintzberg in the early 1970s
(Mintzberg, 1973). One explanation for Mintzberg’s enduring influence is perhaps that the nature of managerial
work has changed very little since that time, aside from the shift to an empowered relationship between top
managers and other managers and employees, and obvious changes in technology, and the exponential increase in
information overload.
After following managers around for several weeks, Mintzberg concluded that, to meet the many demands
of performing their functions, managers assume multiple roles. A role is an organized set of behaviors, and
Mintzberg identified 10 roles common to the work of all managers. As summarized in the following figure, the 10
roles are divided into three groups: interpersonal, informational, and decisional. The informational roles link all
managerial work together. The interpersonal roles ensure that information is provided. The decisional roles make
significant use of the information. The performance of managerial roles and the requirements of these roles can
be played at different times by the same manager and to different degrees, depending on the level and function of
management. The 10 roles are described individually, but they form an integrated whole.
The three interpersonal roles are primarily concerned with interpersonal relationships. In the figurehead role, the
manager represents the organization in all matters of formality. The top-level manager represents the company
legally and socially to those outside of the organization. The supervisor represents the work group to higher
10 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
management and higher management to the work group. In the liaison role, the manager interacts with peers and
people outside the organization. The top-level manager uses the liaison role to gain favors and information, while
the supervisor uses it to maintain the routine flow of work. The leader role defines the relationships between the
manager and employees.
Figure 1.5 Ten Managerial Roles
The direct relationships with people in the interpersonal roles place the manager in a unique position to get
information. Thus, the three informational roles are primarily concerned with the information aspects of
managerial work. In the monitor role, the manager receives and collects information. In the role of disseminator,
the manager transmits special information into the organization. The top-level manager receives and transmits
more information from people outside the organization than the supervisor. In the role of spokesperson, the
manager disseminates the organization’s information into its environment. Thus, the top-level manager is seen as
an industry expert, while the supervisor is seen as a unit or departmental expert.
The unique access to information places the manager at the center of organizational decision making. There are
four decisional roles managers play. In the entrepreneur role, the manager initiates change. In the disturbance
handler role, the manager deals with threats to the organization. In the resource allocator role, the manager chooses
where the organization will expend its efforts. In the negotiator role, the manager negotiates on behalf of the
organization. The top-level manager makes the decisions about the organization as a whole, while the supervisor
makes decisions about his or her particular work unit.
The supervisor performs these managerial roles but with different emphasis than higher managers. Supervisory
management is more focused and short-term in outlook. Thus, the figurehead role becomes less significant and
1.3 WHO ARE MANAGERS? • 11
the disturbance handler and negotiator roles increase in importance for the supervisor. Since leadership permeates
all activities, the leader role is among the most important of all roles at all levels of management.
So what do Mintzberg’s conclusions about the nature of managerial work mean for you? On the one hand,
managerial work is the lifeblood of most organizations because it serves to choreograph and motivate individuals
to do amazing things. Managerial work is exciting, and it is hard to imagine that there will ever be a shortage
of demand for capable, energetic managers. On the other hand, managerial work is necessarily fast-paced and
fragmented, where managers at all levels express the opinion that they must process much more information and
make more decisions than they could have ever possibly imagined. So, just as the most successful organizations
seem to have well-formed and well-executed strategies, there is also a strong need for managers to have good
strategies about the way they will approach their work. This is exactly what you will learn through principles of
management.
Key Takeaway
Managers are responsible for getting work done through others. We typically describe the key managerial
functions as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. The definitions for each of these have evolved
over time, just as the nature of managing in general has evolved over time. This evolution is best seen in
the gradual transition from the traditional hierarchical relationship between managers and employees, to
a climate characterized better as an upside-down pyramid, where top executives support middle managers
and they, in turn, support the employees who innovate and fulfill the needs of customers and clients.
Through all four managerial functions, the work of managers ranges across 10 roles, from figurehead to
negotiator. While actual managerial work can seem challenging, the skills you gain through principles of
management—consisting of the functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling—will help you
to meet these challenges.
Exercises
1. Why do organizations need managers?
2. What are some different types of managers and how do they differ?
3. What are Mintzberg’s 10 managerial roles?
4. What three areas does Mintzberg use to organize the 10 roles?
5. What four general managerial functions do principles of management include?
ReferencesReferences
Ghoshal, S. and C. Bartlett, The Individualized Corporation: A Fundamentally New Approach to Management
(New York: Collins Business, 1999).
Mintzberg, H. The Nature of Managerial Work (New York: Harper & Row, 1973).
12 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
1.4 Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Strategy
Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives
1. Know the roles and importance of leadership, entrepreneurship, and strategy in principles of
management.
2. Understand how leadership, entrepreneurship, and strategy are interrelated.
The principles of management are drawn from a number of academic fields, principally, the fields of leadership,
entrepreneurship, and strategy.
LeadershipLeadership
If management is defined as getting things done through others, then leadership should be defined as the social
and informal sources of influence that you use to inspire action taken by others. It means mobilizing others to
want to struggle toward a common goal. Great leaders help build an organization’s human capital, then motivate
individuals to take concerted action. Leadership also includes an understanding of when, where, and how to use
more formal sources of authority and power, such as position or ownership. Increasingly, we live in a world where
good management requires good leaders and leadership. While these views about the importance of leadership
are not new (see “Views on Managers Versus Leaders”), competition among employers and countries for the best
and brightest, increased labor mobility (think “war for talent” here), and hypercompetition puts pressure on firms
to invest in present and future leadership capabilities.
P&G provides a very current example of this shift in emphasis to leadership as a key principle of management.
For example, P&G recruits and promotes those individuals who demonstrate success through influence rather than
direct or coercive authority. Internally, there has been a change from managers being outspoken and needing to
direct their staff, to being individuals who electrify and inspire those around them. Good leaders and leadership
at P&G used to imply having followers, whereas in today’s society, good leadership means followership and
bringing out the best in your peers. This is one of the key reasons that P&G has been consistently ranked among
the top 10 most admired companies in the United States for the last three years, according to Fortune magazine
(Fortune, 2008).
13
Whereas P&G has been around for some 170 years, another winning firm in terms of leadership is Google, which
has only been around for little more than a decade. Both firms emphasize leadership in terms of being exceptional
at developing people. Google has topped Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work for the past two years. Google’s
founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, built a company around the idea that work should be challenging and the
challenge should be fun (Google, 2008). Google’s culture is probably unlike any in corporate America, and it’s
not because of the ubiquitous lava lamps throughout the company’s headquarters or that the company’s chef used
to cook for the Grateful Dead. In the same way Google puts users first when it comes to online service, Google
espouses that it puts employees first when it comes to daily life in all of its offices. There is an emphasis on team
achievements and pride in individual accomplishments that contribute to the company’s overall success. Ideas
are traded, tested, and put into practice with a swiftness that can be dizzying. Observers and employees note that
meetings that would take hours elsewhere are frequently little more than a conversation in line for lunch and few
walls separate those who write the code from those who write the checks. This highly communicative environment
fosters a productivity and camaraderie fueled by the realization that millions of people rely on Google results.
Leadership at Google amounts to a deep belief that if you give the proper tools to a group of people who like to
make a difference, they will.
Figure 1.6
Leaders inspire the collective action of others toward a shared goal.
geralt – CC0 public domain.
Views on Managers Versus LeadersViews on Managers Versus Leaders
My definition of a leader…is a man who can persuade people to do what they don’t
want to do, or do what they’re too lazy to do, and like it.
Harry S. Truman (1884–1972), 33rd president of the United States
14 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
You cannot manage men into battle. You manage things; you lead people.
Grace Hopper (1906–1992), Admiral, U.S. Navy
Managers have subordinates—leaders have followers.
Chester Bernard (1886–1961), former executive and author of Functions of the
Executive
The first job of a leader is to define a vision for the organization…Leadership is the
capacity to translate vision into reality.
Warren Bennis (1925–), author and leadership scholar
A manager takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where
they don’t necessarily want to go but ought to.
Rosalynn Carter (1927–), First Lady of the United States, 1977–1981
EntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurship
It’s fitting that this section on entrepreneurship follows the discussion of Google. Entrepreneurship is defined as
the recognition of opportunities (needs, wants, problems, and challenges) and the use or creation of resources to
implement innovative ideas for new, thoughtfully planned ventures. Perhaps this is obvious, but an entrepreneur
is a person who engages in the process of entrepreneurship. We describe entrepreneurship as a process because
it often involves more than simply coming up with a good idea—someone also has to convert that idea into
action. As an example of both, Google’s leaders suggest that its point of distinction “is anticipating needs not yet
articulated by our global audience, then meeting them with products and services that set new standards. This
constant dissatisfaction with the way things are is ultimately the driving force behind the world’s best search
engine (Google, 2008).”
Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship are the catalysts for value creation. They identify and create new markets,
as well as foster change in existing ones. However, such value creation first requires an opportunity. Indeed, the
opportunity-driven nature of entrepreneurship is critical. Opportunities are typically characterized as problems
in search of solutions, and the best opportunities are big problems in search of big solutions. “The greater the
inconsistencies in existing service and quality, in lead times and in lag times, the greater the vacuums and gaps in
information and knowledge, the greater the opportunities (Timmons, 1999).” In other words, bigger problems will
often mean there will be a bigger market for the product or service that the entrepreneur creates. We hope you can
see why the problem-solving, opportunity-seeking nature of entrepreneurship is a fundamental building block for
effective principles of management.
1.4 LEADERSHIP, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND STRATEGY • 15
StrategyStrategy
When an organization has a long-term purpose, articulated in clear goals and objectives, and these goals and
objectives can be rolled up into a coherent plan of action, then we would say that the organization has a
strategy. It has a good or even great strategy when this plan also takes advantage of unique resources and
capabilities to exploit a big and growing external opportunity. Strategy then, is the central, integrated, externally-
oriented concept of how an organization will achieve its objectives (Hambrick & Fredrickson, 2001). Strategic
management is the body of knowledge that answers questions about the development and implementation of good
strategies.
Strategic management is important to all organizations because, when correctly formulated and communicated,
strategy provides leaders and employees with a clear set of guidelines for their daily actions. This is why strategy
is so critical to the principles of management you are learning about. Simply put, strategy is about making choices:
What do I do today? What shouldn’t I be doing? What should my organization be doing? What should it stop
doing?
Synchronizing Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and StrategySynchronizing Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Strategy
You know that leadership, entrepreneurship, and strategy are the inspiration for important, valuable, and useful
principles of management. Now you will want to understand how they might relate to one another. In terms
of principles of management, you can think of leadership, entrepreneurship, and strategic management as
answering questions about “who,” “what,” and “how.” Leadership helps you understand who helps lead the
organization forward and what the critical characteristics of good leadership might be. Entrepreneurial firms and
entrepreneurs in general are fanatical about identifying opportunities and solving problems—for any organization,
entrepreneurship answers big questions about “what” an organization’s purpose might be. Finally, strategic
management aims to make sure that the right choices are made—specifically, that a good strategy is in place—to
exploit those big opportunities.
One way to see how leadership, entrepreneurship, and strategy come together for an organization—and for
you—is through a recent (disguised) job posting from Craigslist. Look at the ideal candidate characteristics
identified in the Help Wanted ad—you don’t have to look very closely to see that if you happen to be a recent
business undergrad, then the organization depicted in the ad is looking for you. The posting identifies a number of
areas of functional expertise for the target candidate. You can imagine that this new position is pretty critical for
the success of the business. For that reason, we hope you are not surprised to see that, beyond functional expertise,
this business seeks someone with leadership, entrepreneurial, and strategic orientation and skills. Now you have a
better idea of what those key principles of management involve.
Help Wanted—Chief of StaffHelp Wanted—Chief of Staff
We’re hiring a chief of staff to bring some order to the mayhem of our firm’s growth. You will touch
everything at the company, from finance to sales, marketing to operations, recruiting to human resources,
accounting to investor relations. You will report directly to the CEO.
16 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Here’s what you’re going to be asked to do across a range of functional areas in the first 90 days, before
your job evolves into a whole new set of responsibilities:
Marketing
• Leverage our existing customer base using best-in-class direct marketing campaigns via e-mail,
phone, Web, and print or mail communications.
• Convert our current customer spreadsheet and database into a highly functional, lean customer
relationship management (CRM) system—we need to build the infrastructure to service and reach
out to customers for multiple users.
• Be great at customer service personally—excelling in person and on the phone, and you will help us
build a Ninja certification system for our employees and partners to be like you.
• Build our Web-enabled direct sales force, requiring a lot of strategic work, sales-force incentive
design and experimentation, and rollout of Web features to support the direct channel.
Sales
• Be great at demonstrating our product in the showroom, as well as at your residence and in the
field—plan to be one of the top sales reps on the team (and earn incremental variable compensation
for your efforts).
Finance and Accounting
• Build our financial and accounting structures and processes, take over QuickBooks, manage our
team of accountants, hire additional resources as needed, and get that profit and loss statement
(P&L) rocking.
• Figure out when we should pay our bills and manage team members to get things paid on time and
manage our working capital effectively.
• Track our actual revenues and expenses against your own projection—you will be building and
running our financial model.
Operations
• We are building leading-edge capabilities on returns, exchanges, and shipping—you will help guide
strategic thinking on operational solutions and will implement them with our operations manager.
• We are looking for new headquarters, you may help identify, build out, and launch.
HR and Recruiting
• We are recruiting a team of interns—you will take the lead on the program, and many or all of them
will report to you; you will be an ombudsman of sorts for our summer program.
• The company has a host of HR needs that are currently handled by the CEO and third parties; you
will take over many of these.
Production and Product Development
• The company is actively recruiting a production assistant/manager—in the meanwhile, there are a
number of Web-facing and vendor-facing activities you will pitch in on.
1.4 LEADERSHIP, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND STRATEGY • 17
The Ideal Candidate Is…
• a few years out of college but is at least two or three years away from going to business or other
graduate school;
• charismatic and is instantly likeable to a wide variety of people, driven by sparkling wit, a high
degree of extraversion, and a balanced mix of self-confidence and humility;
• able to read people quickly and knows how to treat people accordingly;
• naturally compassionate and demonstrates strong empathy, easily thinking of the world from the
perspective of another person;
• an active listener and leaves people with the sense that they are well heard;
• exceptionally detail-oriented and has a memory like a steel trap—nothing falls through the cracks;
• razor sharp analytically, aced the math section of their SAT test, and excels at analyzing and solving
problems;
• a perfectionist and keeps things in order with ease.
Key TakeawayKey Takeaway
The principles of management are drawn from three specific areas—leadership, entrepreneurship, and
strategic management. You learned that leadership helps you understand who helps lead the organization
forward and what the critical characteristics of good leadership might be. Entrepreneurs are fanatical
about identifying opportunities and solving problems—for any organization, entrepreneurship answers big
questions about “what” an organization’s purpose might be. Finally, as you’ve already learned, strategic
management aims to make sure that the right choices are made—specifically, that a good strategy is in
place—to exploit those big opportunities.
ExercisesExercises
1. How do you define leadership, and who would you identify as a great leader?
2. What is entrepreneurship?
3. What is strategy?
4. What roles do leadership, entrepreneurship, and strategy play in good principles of management?
ReferencesReferences
Hambrick, D and J. Fredrickson, “Are You Sure You Have a Strategy?” Academy of Management Executive 15,
no. 4 (2001): 2.
18 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Google.com, http://www.google.com/intl/en/corporate/tenthings.html (accessed October 15, 2008).
Google.com, http://www.google.com/intl/en/corporate/tenthings.html (accessed October 15, 2008).
Ranking of Most Admired Firms for 2006, 2007, 2008. http://www.fortune.com (accessed October 15, 2008).
Timmons, J. The Entrepreneurial Process (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999), 39.
1.4 LEADERSHIP, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND STRATEGY • 19
1.5 Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling
Learning Objectives
1. Know the dimensions of the planning-organizing-leading-controlling (P-O-L-C) framework.
2. Know the general inputs into each P-O-L-C dimension.
A manager’s primary challenge is to solve problems creatively. While drawing from a variety of academic
disciplines, and to help managers respond to the challenge of creative problem solving, principles of management
have long been categorized into the four major functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (the
P-O-L-C framework). The four functions, summarized in the P-O-L-C figure, are actually highly integrated when
carried out in the day-to-day realities of running an organization. Therefore, you should not get caught up in trying
to analyze and understand a complete, clear rationale for categorizing skills and practices that compose the whole
of the P-O-L-C framework.
It is important to note that this framework is not without criticism. Specifically, these criticisms stem from the
observation that the P-O-L-C functions might be ideal but that they do not accurately depict the day-to-day actions
of actual managers (Mintzberg, 1973; Lamond, 2004). The typical day in the life of a manager at any level can
be fragmented and hectic, with the constant threat of having priorities dictated by the law of the trivial many and
important few (i.e., the 80/20 rule). However, the general conclusion seems to be that the P-O-L-C functions of
management still provide a very useful way of classifying the activities managers engage in as they attempt to
achieve organizational goals (Lamond, 2004).
Figure 1.7 The P-O-L-C Framework
20
PlanningPlanning
Planning is the function of management that involves setting objectives and determining a course of action for
achieving those objectives. Planning requires that managers be aware of environmental conditions facing their
organization and forecast future conditions. It also requires that managers be good decision makers.
Planning is a process consisting of several steps. The process begins with environmental scanning which simply
means that planners must be aware of the critical contingencies facing their organization in terms of economic
conditions, their competitors, and their customers. Planners must then attempt to forecast future conditions. These
forecasts form the basis for planning.
Planners must establish objectives, which are statements of what needs to be achieved and when. Planners must
then identify alternative courses of action for achieving objectives. After evaluating the various alternatives,
planners must make decisions about the best courses of action for achieving objectives. They must then formulate
necessary steps and ensure effective implementation of plans. Finally, planners must constantly evaluate the
success of their plans and take corrective action when necessary.
There are many different types of plans and planning.
Strategic planning involves analyzing competitive opportunities and threats, as well as the strengths and
weaknesses of the organization, and then determining how to position the organization to compete effectively
in their environment. Strategic planning has a long time frame, often three years or more. Strategic planning
generally includes the entire organization and includes formulation of objectives. Strategic planning is often based
on the organization’s mission, which is its fundamental reason for existence. An organization’s top management
most often conducts strategic planning.
Tactical planning is intermediate-range (one to three years) planning that is designed to develop relatively concrete
and specific means to implement the strategic plan. Middle-level managers often engage in tactical planning.
Operational planning generally assumes the existence of organization-wide or subunit goals and objectives and
specifies ways to achieve them. Operational planning is short-range (less than a year) planning that is designed to
develop specific action steps that support the strategic and tactical plans.
OrganizingOrganizing
Organizing is the function of management that involves developing an organizational structure and allocating
human resources to ensure the accomplishment of objectives. The structure of the organization is the framework
within which effort is coordinated. The structure is usually represented by an organization chart, which provides
a graphic representation of the chain of command within an organization. Decisions made about the structure of
an organization are generally referred to as organizational design decisions.
Organizing also involves the design of individual jobs within the organization. Decisions must be made about
the duties and responsibilities of individual jobs, as well as the manner in which the duties should be carried out.
Decisions made about the nature of jobs within the organization are generally called “job design” decisions.
Organizing at the level of the organization involves deciding how best to departmentalize, or cluster, jobs
1.5 PLANNING, ORGANIZING, LEADING, AND CONTROLLING • 21
into departments to coordinate effort effectively. There are many different ways to departmentalize, including
organizing by function, product, geography, or customer. Many larger organizations use multiple methods of
departmentalization.
Organizing at the level of a particular job involves how best to design individual jobs to most effectively use
human resources. Traditionally, job design was based on principles of division of labor and specialization, which
assumed that the more narrow the job content, the more proficient the individual performing the job could become.
However, experience has shown that it is possible for jobs to become too narrow and specialized. For example,
how would you like to screw lids on jars one day after another, as you might have done many decades ago if you
worked in company that made and sold jellies and jams? When this happens, negative outcomes result, including
decreased job satisfaction and organizational commitment, increased absenteeism, and turnover.
Recently, many organizations have attempted to strike a balance between the need for worker specialization and
the need for workers to have jobs that entail variety and autonomy. Many jobs are now designed based on such
principles as empowerment, job enrichment and teamwork. For example, HUI Manufacturing, a custom sheet
metal fabricator, has done away with traditional “departments” to focus on listening and responding to customer
needs. From company-wide meetings to team huddles, HUI employees know and understand their customers and
how HUI might service them best (Huimfg, 2008).
LeadingLeading
Leading involves the social and informal sources of influence that you use to inspire action taken by others. If
managers are effective leaders, their subordinates will be enthusiastic about exerting effort to attain organizational
objectives.
The behavioral sciences have made many contributions to understanding this function of management. Personality
research and studies of job attitudes provide important information as to how managers can most effectively
lead subordinates. For example, this research tells us that to become effective at leading, managers must first
understand their subordinates’ personalities, values, attitudes, and emotions.
Studies of motivation and motivation theory provide important information about the ways in which workers
can be energized to put forth productive effort. Studies of communication provide direction as to how managers
can effectively and persuasively communicate. Studies of leadership and leadership style provide information
regarding questions, such as, “What makes a manager a good leader?” and “In what situations are certain
leadership styles most appropriate and effective?”
22 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Figure 1.8
Quality control ensures that the organization delivers on its promises.
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center – Maize seed quality control at small seed company
Bidasem – CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
ControllingControlling
Controlling involves ensuring that performance does not deviate from standards. Controlling consists of three
steps, which include (1) establishing performance standards, (2) comparing actual performance against standards,
and (3) taking corrective action when necessary. Performance standards are often stated in monetary terms such
as revenue, costs, or profits but may also be stated in other terms, such as units produced, number of defective
products, or levels of quality or customer service.
The measurement of performance can be done in several ways, depending on the performance standards,
including financial statements, sales reports, production results, customer satisfaction, and formal performance
appraisals. Managers at all levels engage in the managerial function of controlling to some degree.
The managerial function of controlling should not be confused with control in the behavioral or manipulative
sense. This function does not imply that managers should attempt to control or to manipulate the personalities,
values, attitudes, or emotions of their subordinates. Instead, this function of management concerns the manager’s
role in taking necessary actions to ensure that the work-related activities of subordinates are consistent with and
contributing toward the accomplishment of organizational and departmental objectives.
Effective controlling requires the existence of plans, since planning provides the necessary performance standards
or objectives. Controlling also requires a clear understanding of where responsibility for deviations from standards
lies. Two traditional control techniques are budget and performance audits. An audit involves an examination
1.5 PLANNING, ORGANIZING, LEADING, AND CONTROLLING • 23
and verification of records and supporting documents. A budget audit provides information about where the
organization is with respect to what was planned or budgeted for, whereas a performance audit might try to
determine whether the figures reported are a reflection of actual performance. Although controlling is often
thought of in terms of financial criteria, managers must also control production and operations processes,
procedures for delivery of services, compliance with company policies, and many other activities within the
organization.
The management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling are widely considered to be the best
means of describing the manager’s job, as well as the best way to classify accumulated knowledge about the study
of management. Although there have been tremendous changes in the environment faced by managers and the
tools used by managers to perform their roles, managers still perform these essential functions.
Key Takeaway
The principles of management can be distilled down to four critical functions. These functions are
planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. This P-O-L-C framework provides useful guidance into
what the ideal job of a manager should look like.
Exercises
1. What are the management functions that comprise the P-O-L-C framework?
2. Are there any criticisms of this framework?
3. What function does planning serve?
4. What function does organizing serve?
5. What function does leading serve?
6. What function does controlling serve?
ReferenesReferenes
Huimfg.com, http://www.huimfg.com/abouthui-yourteams.aspx (accessed October 15, 2008).
Lamond, D, “A Matter of Style: Reconciling Henri and Henry,” Management Decision 42, no. 2 (2004): 330–56.
Mintzberg, H. The Nature of Managerial Work (New York: Harper & Row, 1973); D. Lamond, “A Matter of Style:
Reconciling Henri and Henry,” Management Decision 42, no. 2 (2004): 330–56.
24 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
1.6 Economic, Social, and Environmental Performance
Learning Objectives
1. Be able to define economic, social, and environmental performance.
2. Understand how economic performance is related to social and environmental performance.
Webster’s dictionary defines performance as “the execution of an action” and “something accomplished”
(Merriam Webster, 2008). Principles of management help you better understand the inputs into critical
organizational outcomes like a firm’s economic performance. Economic performance is very important to a firm’s
stakeholders particularly its investors or owners, because this performance eventually provides them with a return
on their investment. Other stakeholders, like the firm’s employees and the society at large, are also deemed
to benefit from such performance, albeit less directly. Increasingly though, it seems clear that noneconomic
accomplishments, such as reducing waste and pollution, for example, are key indicators of performance as
well. Indeed, this is why the notion of the triple bottom line is gaining so much attention in the business
press. Essentially, the triple bottom line refers to The measurement of business performance along social,
environmental, and economic dimensions. We introduce you to economic, social, and environmental performance
and conclude the section with a brief discussion of the interdependence of economic performance with other forms
of performance.
Economic PerformanceEconomic Performance
In a traditional sense, the economic performance of a firm is a function of its success in producing benefits for its
owners in particular, through product innovation and the efficient use of resources. When you talk about this type
of economic performance in a business context, people typically understand you to be speaking about some form
of profit.
The definition of economic profit is the difference between revenue and the opportunity cost of all resources used
to produce the items sold (Albrecht, 1983). This definition includes implicit returns as costs. For our purposes,
it may be simplest to think of economic profit as a form of accounting profit where profits are achieved when
revenues exceed the accounting cost the firm “pays” for those inputs. In other words, your organization makes a
25
profit when its revenues are more than its costs in a given period of time, such as three months, six months, or a
year.
Before moving on to social and environmental performance, it is important to note that customers play a big role
in economic profits. Profits accrue to firms because customers are willing to pay a certain price for a product or
service, as opposed to a competitor’s product or service of a higher or lower price. If customers are only willing to
make purchases based on price, then a firm, at least in the face of competition, will only be able to generate profit
if it keeps its costs under control.
Social and Environmental PerformanceSocial and Environmental Performance
You have learned a bit about economic performance and its determinants. For most organizations, you saw that
economic performance is associated with profits, and profits depend a great deal on how much customers are
willing to pay for a good or service.
With regard to social and environmental performance, it is similarly useful to think of them as forms of
profit—social and environmental profit to be exact. Increasingly, the topics of social and environmental
performance have garnered their own courses in school curricula; in the business world, they are collectively
referred to as corporate social responsibility (CSR)
CSR is a concept whereby organizations consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of
their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities, and the environment in all aspects
of their operations. This obligation is seen to extend beyond the statutory obligation to comply with legislation and
sees organizations voluntarily taking further steps to improve the quality of life for employees and their families,
as well as for the local community and society at large.
Two companies that have long blazed a trail in CSR are Ben & Jerry’s and S. C. Johnson. Their statements about
why they do this, summarized in Table 1.1 “Examples of leading firms with strong CSR orientations”, capture
many of the facets just described.
Table 1.1 Examples of leading firms with strong CSR orientations
Why We Do It?
Ben &
Jerry’s
“We’ve taken time each year since 1989 to compile this [Social Audit] report because we continue to believe that it keeps us in
touch with our Company’s stated Social Mission. By raising the profile of social and environmental matters inside the Company
and recording the impact of our work on the community, this report aids us in our search for business decisions that support all
three parts of our Company Mission Statement: Economic, Product, and Social. In addition, the report is an important source of
information about the Company for students, journalists, prospective employees, and other interested observers. In this way, it
helps us in our quest to keep our values, our actions, and public perceptions in alignment (Benjerrys, 2008).”
S. C.
Johnson
“It’s nice to live next door to a family that cares about its neighbors, and at S. C. Johnson we are committed to being a good
neighbor and contributing to the well-being of the countries and the communities where we conduct business. We have a wide
variety of efforts to drive global development and growth that benefit the people around us and the planet we all share. From
exceptional philanthropy and volunteerism to new business models that bring economic growth to the world’s poorest
communities, we’re helping to create stronger communities for families around the globe” (Scjohnson, 2008).
26 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Figure 1.9
Environmentally Neutral Design (END) designs shoes with the goal of eliminating the surplus material
needed to make a shoe such that it costs less to make and is lighter than other performance shoes on the
market.
ideowl – Carbon Neutral Shoes – CC BY 2.0.
Integrating Economic, Social, and Environmental PerformanceIntegrating Economic, Social, and Environmental Performance
Is there really a way to achieve a triple bottom line in a way that actually builds up all three facets of
performance—economic, social, and environmental? Advocates of CSR understandably argue that this is possible
and should be the way all firms are evaluated. Increasingly, evidence is mounting that attention to a triple
bottom line is more than being “responsible” but instead just good business. Critics argue that CSR detracts
from the fundamental economic role of businesses; others argue that it is nothing more than superficial window
dressing; still, others argue that it is an attempt to preempt the role of governments as a watchdog over powerful
multinational corporations.
While there is no systematic evidence supporting such a claim, a recent review of nearly 170 research studies on
1.6 ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE • 27
the relationship between CSR and firm performance reported that there appeared to be no negative shareholder
effects of such practices. In fact, this report showed that there was a small positive relationship between CSR
and shareholder returns (Margolis & Elfenbein, 2008). Similarly, companies that pay good wages and offer good
benefits to attract and retain high-caliber employees “are not just being socially responsible; they are merely
practicing good management” (Reich, 2007).
The financial benefits of social or environmental CSR initiatives vary by context. For example, environment-
friendly strategies are much more complicated in the consumer products and services market. For example,
cosmetics retailer The Body Shop and StarKist Seafood Company, a strategic business unit of Heinz Food, both
undertook environmental strategies but only the former succeeded. The Body Shop goes to great lengths to ensure
that its business is ecologically sustainable (Bodyshop, 2008). It actively campaigns against human rights abuses
and for animal and environmental protection and is one of the most respected firms in the world, despite its small
size. Consumers pay premium prices for Body Shop products, ostensibly because they believe that it simply costs
more to provide goods and services that are environmentally friendly. The Body Shop has been wildly successful.
StarKist, too, adopted a CSR approach, when, in 1990, it decided to purchase and sell exclusively dolphin-safe
tuna. At the time, biologists thought that the dolphin population decline was a result of the thousands killed in the
course of tuna harvests. However, consumers were unwilling to pay higher prices for StarKist’s environmental
product attributes. Moreover, since tuna were bought from commercial fishermen, this particular practice afforded
the firm no protection from imitation by competitors. Finally, in terms of credibility, the members of the tuna
industry had launched numerous unsuccessful campaigns in the past touting their interest in the environment,
particularly the world’s oceans. Thus, consumers did not perceive StarKist’s efforts as sincerely “green.”
You might argue that The Body Shop’s customers are unusually price insensitive, hence the success of its
environment-based strategy. However, individuals are willing to pay more for organic produce, so why not
dolphin-safe tuna? One difference is that while the environment is a public good, organic produce produces both
public and private benefits. For example, organic farming is better for the environment and pesticide-free produce
is believed to be better for the health of the consumer. Dolphin-free tuna only has the public environmental
benefits (i.e., preserve the dolphin population and oceans’ ecosystems), not the private ones like personal health.
It is true that personal satisfaction and benevolence are private benefits, too. However, consumers did not believe
they were getting their money’s worth in this regard for StarKist tuna, whereas they do with The Body Shop’s
products.
Somewhere in our dialogue on CSR lies the idea of making the solution of an environmental or social problem
the primary purpose of the organization. Cascade Asset Management (CAM), is a case in point (Cascade,
2008). CAM was created in April 1999, in Madison, Wisconsin, and traces its beginnings to the University of
Wisconsin’s Entrepreneurship program where the owners collaborated on developing and financing the initial
business plan. CAM is a private, for-profit enterprise established to provide for the environmentally responsible
disposition of computers and other electronics generated by businesses and institutions in Wisconsin. With their
experience and relationships in surplus asset disposition and computer hardware maintenance, the founders were
able to apply their skills and education to this new and developing industry.
Firms are willing to pay for CAM’s services because the disposal of surplus personal computers (PCs) is
recognized as risky and highly regulated, given the many toxic materials embedded in most components. CAM’s
story is also credible (whereas StarKist had trouble selling its CSR story). The company was one of the original
28 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
signers of the “Electronic Recyclers Pledge of True Stewardship” (Computertakeback, 2008) Signers of the
pledge are committed to the highest standards of environmental and economic sustainability in their industry
and are expected to live out this commitment through their operations and partnerships. The basic principles
of the pledge are as follows: no export of untested whole products or hazardous components or commodities
(CRTs, circuit boards) to developing countries, no use of prison labor, adherence to an environmental and worker
safety management system, provision of regular testing and audits to ensure compliance, and support efforts to
encourage producers to make their products less toxic. CAM has grown rapidly and now serves over 500 business
and institutional customers from across the country. While it is recognized as one of the national leaders in
responsible, one-stop information technology (IT) asset disposal, its success is attracting new entrants such as
IBM, which view PC recycling as another profitable service they can offer their existing client base (IBM, 2008).
Key Takeaway
Organizational performance can be viewed along three dimensions—financial, social, and
environmental—collectively referred to as the triple bottom line, where the latter two dimensions are
included in the definition of CSR. While there remains debate about whether organizations should consider
environmental and social impacts when making business decisions, there is increasing pressure to include
such CSR activities in what constitutes good principles of management. This pressure is based on
arguments that range from CSR helps attract and retain the best and brightest employees, to showing that
the firm is being responsive to market demands, to observations about how some environmental and social
needs represent great entrepreneurial business opportunities in and of themselves.
Exercises
1. Why is financial performance important for organizations?
2. What are some examples of financial performance metrics?
3. What dimensions of performance beyond financial are included in the triple bottom line?
4. How does CSR relate to the triple bottom line?
5. How are financial performance and CSR related?
ReferencesReferences
Albrecht, W. P. Economics (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1983).
Bodyshop.com, http://www.bodyshop.com (accessed October 15, 2008).
Cascade.com, http://www.cascade-assets.com (accessed October 15, 2008).
Computertakeback.com, http://www.computertakeback.com/the_solutions/recycler_s_pledge.cfm (accessed
October 15, 2008).
1.6 ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE • 29
Ibm.com, http://www.ibm.com/ibm/environment/ (accessed October 15, 2008).
Scjohnson.com, http://www.scjohnson.com/community (accessed October 15, 2008).
Benjerrys.com, http://www.benjerrys.com/our_company/about_us/social_mission/social_audits (accessed
October 15, 2008).
Merriam-webster.com, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/performance (accessed October 15, 2008).
Margolis, J and Hillary H. Elfenbein, “Doing well by Doing Good? Don’t Count on It,” Harvard Business Review
86 (2008): 1–2.
Reich, R Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life (New York: Knopf,
2007).
30 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
1.7 Performance of Individuals and Groups
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the key dimensions of individual-level performance.
2. Understand the key dimensions of group-level performance.
3. Know why individual- and group-level performance goals need to be compatible.
Principles of management are concerned with organization-level outcomes such as economic, social, or
environmental performance, innovation, or ability to change and adapt. However, for something to happen at the
level of an organization, something must typically also be happening within the organization at the individual or
team level. Obviously, if you are an entrepreneur and the only person employed by your company, the organization
will accomplish what you do and reap the benefits of what you create. Normally though, organizations have more
than one person, which is why we introduce to you concepts of individual and group performance.
Individual-Level PerformanceIndividual-Level Performance
Individual-level performance draws upon those things you have to do in your job, or in-role performance, and
those things that add value but which aren’t part of your formal job description. These “extras” are called extra-
role performance or organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). At this point, it is probably simplest to consider
an in-role performance as having productivity and quality dimensions associated with certain standards that you
must meet to do your job. In contrast, OCBs can be understood as individual behaviors that are beneficial to
the organization and are discretionary, not directly or explicitly recognized by the formal reward system (Organ,
1988).
In comparison to in-role performance, the spectrum of what constitutes extra-role performance, or OCBs, seems
be great and growing. In a recent review, for example, management researchers identified 30 potentially different
forms of OCB, which they conveniently collapsed into seven common themes: (1) Helping Behavior, (2)
Sportsmanship, (3) Organizational Loyalty, (4) Organizational Compliance, (5) Individual Initiative, (6) Civic
Virtue, and (7) Self-Development (Podsakoff, et. al., 2000). Definitions and examples for these seven themes are
summarized in Table 1.2 “A current survey of organization citizenship behaviors” (Organ, 1990; Graham, 1991;
George & Jones, 1997; George & Jones, 1997; Graham, 1991; Organ, 1994; Moorman & Blakely, 1995).
31
Table 1.2 A current survey of organization citizenship behaviors
Helping Behavior (Taking on the forms of altruism,
interpersonal helping, courtesy, peacemaking, and
cheerleading.)
Altruism
• Voluntary actions that help another person with a work problem.
• Instructing a new hire on how to use equipment, helping a coworker catch up
with a backlog of work, fetching materials that a colleague needs and cannot
procure on their own.
Interpersonal helping
• Focuses on helping coworkers in their jobs when such help was needed.
Courtesy
• Subsumes all of those foresightful gestures that help someone else prevent a
problem.
• Touching base with people before committing to actions that will affect them,
providing advance notice to someone who needs to know to schedule work.
Peacemaking
• Actions that help to prevent, resolve, or mitigate unconstructive interpersonal
conflict.
Cheerleading
• The words and gestures of encouragement and reinforcement of coworkers.
• Accomplishments and professional development.
Sportsmanship A citizenlike posture of tolerating the inevitable inconveniences and impositions of work without whining and
grievances.
Organizational
Loyalty
Identification with and allegiance to organizational leaders and the organization as a whole, transcending the
parochial interests of individuals, work groups, and departments. Representative behaviors include defending the
organization against threats, contributing to its good reputation, and cooperating with others to serve the interests of
the whole.
Organizational
Compliance (or
Obedience)
An orientation toward organizational structure, job descriptions, and personnel policies that recognizes and accepts
the necessity and desirability of a rational structure of rules and regulations. Obedience may be demonstrated by a
respect for rules and instructions, punctuality in attendance and task completion, and stewardship of organizational
resources.
Individual
Initiative (or
Conscientiousness)
A pattern of going well beyond minimally required levels of attendance, punctuality, housekeeping, conserving
resources, and related matters of internal maintenance.
Civic Virtue Responsible, constructive involvement in the political process of the organization, including not just expressing
opinions but reading one’s mail, attending meetings, and keeping abreast of larger issues involving the organization.
Self-Development
Includes all the steps that workers take to voluntarily improve their knowledge, skills, and abilities so as to be better
able to contribute to their organizations. Seeking out and taking advantage of advanced training courses, keeping
abreast of the latest developments in one’s field and area, or even learning a new set of skills so as to expand the
range of one’s contributions to an organization.
As you can imagine, principles of management are likely to be very concerned with individuals’ in-role
performance. At the same time, just a quick glance through Table 1.2 “A current survey of organization citizenship
behaviors” should suggest that those principles should help you better manage OCBs as well.
32 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Group-Level PerformanceGroup-Level Performance
A group is a collection of individuals. Group-level performance focuses on both the outcomes and process of
collections of individuals, or groups. Individuals can work on their own agendas in the context of a group. Groups
might consist of project-related groups, such as a product group or an entire store or branch of a company. The
performance of a group consists of the inputs of the group minus any process loss that result in the final output,
such as the quality of a product and the ramp-up time to production or the sales for a given month. Process loss is
any aspect of group interaction that inhibits good problem solving.
Figure 1.10 A Contemporary Management Team
geralt – CC0 public domain.
Why do we say group instead of team? A collection of people is not a team, though they may learn to function in
that way. A team is a cohesive coalition of people working together to achieve the team agenda (i.e., teamwork).
Being on a team is not equal to total subordination of personal agendas, but it does require a commitment to the
vision and involves each individual directly in accomplishing the team’s objective. Teams differ from other types
of groups in that members are focused on a joint goal or product, such as a presentation, completing in-class
exercises, discussing a topic, writing a report, or creating a new design or prototype. Moreover, teams also tend to
be defined by their relatively smaller size. For example, according to one definition, “A team is a small number
of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach
for which they are mutually accountable” (Katzenback & Smith, 1993)
The purpose of assembling a team is to accomplish bigger goals that would not be possible for the individual
working alone or the simple sum of many individuals’ independent work. Teamwork is also needed in cases
where multiple skills are needed or where buy-in is required from certain key stakeholders. Teams can, but do not
always, provide improved performance. Working together to further the team agenda seems to increase mutual
cooperation between what are often competing factions. The aim and purpose of a team is to perform, to get
results, and to achieve victory in the workplace and marketplace. The very best managers are those who can gather
together a group of individuals and mold them into an effective team.
1.7 PERFORMANCE OF INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS • 33
Compatibility of Individual and Group PerformanceCompatibility of Individual and Group Performance
As a manager, you will need to understand the compatibility of individual and group performance, typically
with respect to goals and incentives. What does this mean? Looking at goals first, there should be compatibility
between individual and group goals. For example, do the individuals’ goals contribute to the achievement of
the group goal or are they contradictory? Incentives also need to be aligned between individuals and groups. A
disconnect between these is most likely when individuals are too far insulated from the external environment or
rewarded for action that is not consistent with the goal. For example, individuals may be seeking to perfect a
certain technology and, in doing so, delay its release to customers, when customers would have been satisfied
with the current solution and put a great priority on its timely delivery. Finally, firms need to be careful to match
their goals with their reward structures. For example, if the organization’s goal is to increase group performance
but the firm’s performance appraisal process rewards individual employee productivity, then the firm is unlikely
to create a strong team culture.
Key Takeaway
This section helped you understand individual and group performance and suggested how they might roll
up into organizational performance. Principles of management incorporate two key facets of individual
performance: in-role and OCB (or extra-role) performance. Group performance, in turn, was shown to be
a function of how well individuals achieved a combination of individual and group goals. A team is a type
of group that is relatively small, and members are willing and able to subordinate individual goals and
objectives to those of the larger group.
Exercises
1. What is in-role performance?
2. What is extra-role performance?
3. What is the relationship between extra-role performance and OCBs?
4. What differentiates a team from a group?
5. When might it be important to understand the implications of individual performance for group
performance?
ReferencesReferences
George, J. M., and G. R. Jones, “Experiencing work: Values, attitudes, and moods,” Human Relations 50 (1997):
393–416.
George, J. M., and G. R. Jones, “Organizational Spontaneity in Context,” Human Performance 10 (1997): 153–70.
34 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Graham, J. “An Essay on Organizational Citizenship Behavior,” Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal 4
(1991): 225, 249–70.
Katzenbach, J. P., and D. K. Smith, The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-performance Organization (Boston:
Harvard Business School, 1993).
Moorman, R. H., and G. L. Blakely, “Individualism-Collectivism as An Individual Difference Predictor of
Organizational Citizenship Behavior,” Journal of Organizational Behavior, 16 (1995): 127–42.
Organ, D. W., “The Motivational Basis of Organizational Citizenship Behavior,” in Research in Organizational
Behavior 12 (1990): 43–72.
Organ, D. W.., “Personality and Organizational Citizenship Behavior,” Journal of Management 20 (1994):
465–78.
Organ, D. W. Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Good Soldier Syndrome (Lexington, M Lexington Books,
1988).
Podsakoff, P. M., S. B. MacKenzie, J. B. Paine, and D. G. Bachrach, “Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: A
Critical Review of the Theoretical and Empirical Literature and Suggestions for Future Research,” Journal of
Management 26 (2000): 513–63.
1.7 PERFORMANCE OF INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS • 35
1.8 Your Principles of Management Survivor’s Guide
Learning Objectives
1. Know your learning style.
2. Know how to match your style to the circumstances.
3. Use the gauge-discover-reflect framework.
Principles of management courses typically combine knowledge about skills and the development and application
of those skills themselves. For these reasons, it is helpful for you to develop your own strategy for learning about
and developing management skills. The first part of this strategy should be based on your own disposition toward
learning. The second part of this strategy should follow some form of the gauge-discover-reflect process that we
outline at the end of this section.
Assess Your Learning StyleAssess Your Learning Style
You can assess your learning style in a number of ways. At a very general level, you can assess your style
intuitively (see “What Is Your Intuition about Your Learning Style?”); however, we suggest that you use a survey
instrument like the Learning Style Index (LSI), the output from which you can then readily compare with your
intuition. In this section, we discuss the dimensions of the LSI that you can complete easily and quickly online
(Soloman & Felder, 2008). The survey will reveal whether your learning style is active or reflective, sensory or
intuitive, visual or verbal, and sequential or global. 1
What Is Your Intuition About Your Learning Style?What Is Your Intuition About Your Learning Style?
Your learning style may be defined in large part by the answers to four questions:
1. How do you prefer to process information: actively—through engagement in physical activity or
discussion? Or reflectively—through introspection?
36
2. What type of information do you preferentially perceive: sensory (external)—sights, sounds,
physical sensations? Or intuitive (internal)—possibilities, insights, hunches?
3. Through which sensory channel is external information most effectively perceived:
visual—pictures, diagrams, graphs, demonstrations? Or verbal—words, sounds? (Other sensory
channels like touch, taste, and smell are relatively untapped in most educational environments, and
are not considered here.)
4. How do you progress toward understanding: sequentially—in continual steps? Or globally—in
large jumps, holistically?
TRY IT OUT HERE: http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
Active and Reflective LearnersActive and Reflective Learners
Everybody is active sometimes and reflective sometimes. Your preference for one category or the other may be
strong, moderate, or mild. A balance of the two is desirable. If you always act before reflecting, you can jump into
things prematurely and get into trouble, while if you spend too much time reflecting, you may never get anything
done.
“Let’s try it out and see how it works” is an active learner’s phrase; “Let’s think it through first” is the reflective
learner’s response. If you are an active learner, you tend to retain and understand information best by doing
something active with it—discussing it, applying it, or explaining it to others. Reflective learners prefer to think
about it quietly first.
Sitting through lectures without getting to do anything physical but take notes is hard for both learning types but
particularly hard for active learners. Active learners tend to enjoy group work more than reflective learners, who
prefer working alone.
Sensing and Intuitive LearnersSensing and Intuitive Learners
Everybody is sensing sometimes and intuitive sometimes. Here too, your preference for one or the other may be
strong, moderate, or mild. To be effective as a learner and problem solver, you need to be able to function both
ways. If you overemphasize intuition, you may miss important details or make careless mistakes in calculations
or hands-on work; if you overemphasize sensing, you may rely too much on memorization and familiar methods
and not concentrate enough on understanding and innovative thinking.
Even if you need both, which one best reflects you? Sensors often like solving problems by well-established
methods and dislike complications and surprises; intuitors like innovation and dislike repetition. Sensors are more
likely than intuitors to resent being tested on material that has not been explicitly covered in class. Sensing learners
tend to like learning facts; intuitive learners often prefer discovering possibilities and relationships.
Sensors tend to be patient with details and good at memorizing facts and doing hands-on (laboratory) work;
intuitors may be better at grasping new concepts and are often more comfortable than sensors with abstractions
1.8 YOUR PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT SURVIVOR’S GUIDE • 37
and mathematical formulations. Sensors tend to be more practical and careful than intuitors; intuitors tend to work
faster and to be more innovative than sensors.
Sensors don’t like courses that have no apparent connection to the real world (so if you are sensor, you should
love principles of management!); intuitors don’t like “plug-and-chug” courses that involve a lot of memorization
and routine calculations.
Visual and Verbal LearnersVisual and Verbal Learners
In most college classes, very little visual information is presented: students mainly listen to lectures and read
material written on whiteboards, in textbooks, and on handouts. Unfortunately, most of us are visual learners,
which means that we typically do not absorb nearly as much information as we would if more visual presentation
were used in class. Effective learners are capable of processing information presented either visually or verbally.
Visual learners remember best what they see—pictures, diagrams, flowcharts, time lines, films, and
demonstrations. Verbal learners get more out of words—written and spoken explanations. Everyone learns more
when information is presented both visually and verbally.
Sequential and Global LearnersSequential and Global Learners
Sequential learners tend to follow logical, stepwise paths in finding solutions; global learners may be able to solve
complex problems quickly or put things together in novel ways once they have grasped the big picture, but they
may have difficulty explaining how they did it. Sequential learners tend to gain understanding in linear steps,
with each step following logically from the previous one. Global learners tend to learn in large jumps, absorbing
material almost randomly without seeing connections, and then suddenly “getting it.”
Many people who read this description may conclude incorrectly that they are global since everyone has
experienced bewilderment followed by a sudden flash of understanding. What makes you global or not is what
happens before the light bulb goes on. Sequential learners may not fully understand the material, but they can
nevertheless do something with it (like solve the homework problems or pass the test) since the pieces they have
absorbed are logically connected. Strongly global learners who lack good sequential thinking abilities, however,
may have serious difficulties until they have the big picture. Even after they have it, they may be fuzzy about the
details of the subject, while sequential learners may know a lot about specific aspects of a subject but may have
trouble relating them to different aspects of the same subject or to different subjects.
Adapt Your StyleAdapt Your Style
OK, so you’ve assessed your learning style. What should you do now? You can apply this valuable and important
information about yourself to how you approach your principles of management course and the larger P-O-L-C
framework.
Active LearnersActive Learners
If you act before you think, you are apt to make hasty and potentially ill-informed judgments. You need to
38 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
concentrate on summarizing situations and taking time to sit by yourself to digest information you have been
given before jumping in and discussing it with others.
If you are an active learner in a class that allows little or no class time for discussion or problem-solving activities,
you should try to compensate for these lacks when you study. Study in a group in which the members take turns
explaining different topics to one another. Work with others to guess what you will be asked on the next test, and
figure out how you will answer. You will always retain information better if you find ways to do something with
it.
Reflective LearnersReflective Learners
If you think too much, you risk doing nothing—ever. There comes a time when a decision has to be made or an
action taken. Involve yourself in group decision making whenever possible, and try to apply the information you
have in as practical a manner as possible.
If you are a reflective learner in a class that allows little or no class time for thinking about new information,
you should try to compensate for this lack when you study. Don’t simply read or memorize the material; stop
periodically to review what you have read and to think of possible questions or applications. You might find it
helpful to write short summaries of readings or class notes in your own words. Doing so may take extra time but
will enable you to retain the material more effectively.
Sensory LearnersSensory Learners
If you rely too much on sensing, you tend to prefer what is familiar and concentrate on facts you know instead of
being innovative and adapting to new situations. Seek out opportunities to learn theoretical information and then
bring in facts to support or negate these theories.
Sensors remember and understand information best if they can see how it connects to the real world. If you are
in a class where most of the material is abstract and theoretical, you may have difficulty. Ask your instructor for
specific examples of concepts and procedures, and find out how the concepts apply in practice. If the teacher does
not provide enough specifics, try to find some in your course text or other references or by brainstorming with
friends or classmates.
Intuitive LearnersIntuitive Learners
If you rely too much on intuition, you risk missing important details, which can lead to poor decision making and
problem solving. Force yourself to learn facts or memorize data that will help you defend or criticize a theory or
procedure you are working with. You may need to slow down and look at detail you would otherwise typically
skim.
Many college lecture classes are aimed at intuitors. However, if you are an intuitor and you happen to be in a class
that deals primarily with memorization and rote substitution in formulas, you may have trouble with boredom.
Ask your instructor for interpretations or theories that link the facts, or try to find the connections yourself. You
may also be prone to careless mistakes on tests because you are impatient with details and don’t like repetition (as
1.8 YOUR PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT SURVIVOR’S GUIDE • 39
in checking your completed solutions). Take time to read the entire question before you start answering, and be
sure to check your results.
Visual LearnersVisual Learners
If you concentrate more on pictorial or graphical information than on words, you put yourself at a distinct
disadvantage because verbal and written information is still the main preferred choice for delivery of information.
Practice your note taking, and seek out opportunities to explain information to others using words.
If you are a visual learner, try to find diagrams, sketches, schematics, photographs, flowcharts, or any other visual
representation of course material that is predominantly verbal. Ask your instructor, consult reference books, and
see whether any videotapes or CD-ROM displays of the course material are available. Prepare a concept map by
listing key points, enclosing them in boxes or circles, and drawing lines with arrows between concepts to show
connections. Color-code your notes with a highlighter so that everything relating to one topic is the same color.
Verbal LearnersVerbal Learners
As with visual learners, look for opportunities to learn through audiovisual presentations (such as CD-ROM and
Webcasts). When making notes, group information according to concepts, and then create visual links with arrows
going to and from them. Take every opportunity you can to create charts, tables, and diagrams.
Write summaries or outlines of course material in your own words. Working in groups can be particularly
effective: you gain understanding of material by hearing classmates’ explanations, and you learn even more when
you do the explaining.
Sequential LearnersSequential Learners
When you break things down into small components you are often able to dive right into problem solving. This
seems to be advantageous but can often be unproductive. Force yourself to slow down and understand why you
are doing something and how it is connected to the overall purpose or objective. Ask yourself how your actions
are going to help you in the long run. If you can’t think of a practical application for what you are doing, then stop
and do some more “big picture” thinking.
Most college courses are taught in a sequential manner. However, if you are a sequential learner and you have
an instructor who jumps around from topic to topic or skips steps, you may have difficulty following and
remembering. Ask the instructor to fill in the skipped steps, or fill them in yourself by consulting references. When
you are studying, take the time to outline the lecture material for yourself in logical order. In the long run, doing
so will save you time. You might also try to strengthen your global-thinking skills by relating each new topic you
study to things you already know. The more you can do so, the deeper your understanding of the topic is likely to
be.
Global LearnersGlobal Learners
If grasping the big picture is easy for you, then you can be at risk of wanting to run before you can walk. You see
40 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
what is needed but may not take the time to learn how best to accomplish it. Take the time to ask for explanations,
and force yourself to complete all problem-solving steps before coming to a conclusion or making a decision. If
you can’t explain what you have done and why, then you may have missed critical details.
If you are a global learner, it can be helpful for you to realize that you need the big picture of a subject before
you can master details. If your instructor plunges directly into new topics without bothering to explain how they
relate to what you already know, it can cause problems for you. Fortunately, there are steps you can take that may
help you get the big picture more rapidly. Before you begin to study the first section of a chapter in a text, skim
through the entire chapter to get an overview. Doing so may be time consuming initially, but it may save you from
going over and over individual parts later. Instead of spending a short time on every subject every night, you might
find it more productive to immerse yourself in individual subjects for large blocks. Try to relate the subject to
things you already know, either by asking the instructor to help you see connections or by consulting references.
Above all, don’t lose faith in yourself; you will eventually understand the new material, and understanding how
it connects to other topics and disciplines may enable you to apply it in ways that most sequential thinkers would
never dream of.
Gauge-Discover-ReflectGauge-Discover-Reflect
You have already begun to apply the spirit of what we recommend in this third part of the development of your
principles of management survival kit, by gauging your learning style. The three essential components are (1)
gauge—take stock of your knowledge and capabilities about a topic; (2) discover—learn enough about a topic
so that you can set specific development goals on which you can apply and practice, and later gauge again your
progress toward your set goals; and (3) reflect—step back and look at the ways you have achieved your goals,
take the opportunity to set new ones, and chronicle this experience and thought process in a daily journal.
GaugeGauge
It is always good to start any self-development process by getting some sense of where you are. That is why
we commence with the gauge stage. For learning and developing in the area of principles of management, such
knowledge is essential. By analogy, let’s say you want to take a road trip out of town. Even if you have a map and
a compass, it still is pretty important to know exactly where you are starting on the map!
Your instructor will likely introduce you to a number of different types of management assessment tools, and you
should experiment with them to see how they work and the degree to which results resonate with your intuition.
A word of caution here—just because some assessment results may clash with your intuition or self-image, do not
immediately assume that they are wrong. Instead, use them as an opportunity and motivation for further probing
(this can fuel your work in the discovery and reflect stages).
The obvious value of commencing your learning process with some form of assessment is that you have a
clear starting point, in terms of knowledge. This also means that you now have a basis for comparing your
achievement to any relevant specific goals that you set. Less obvious perhaps is the experience you will gain
with principles of management skill assessments in general. More and more organizations use some form of
assessment in the recruiting, human resources development, and yes, even promotion processes. Your experience
1.8 YOUR PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT SURVIVOR’S GUIDE • 41
with these different surveys will give you the confidence to take other surveys and the knowledge needed to show
organizations that you are aware of your areas of strength and development opportunities.
DiscoverDiscover
The discovery stage of your principles of management survival kit has four related facets: (1) learn, (2) set goals,
(3) apply, and (4) practice. Let us look at each one in turn.
LearnLearn
You have probably learned a little about a certain subject just by virtue of gauging your depth in it. In some cases,
you might even have read up on the subject a lot to accurately gauge where you were strong or weak. There is not
an existing survey for every subject, and it is beneficial to learn how you might gauge this or that area of interest.
The learning facet essentially asks that you build your knowledge base about a particular topic. As you know,
learning has multiple facets, from simply mastering facts and definitions, to developing knowledge of how you
might apply that knowledge. You will typically want to start with some mastery over facts and definitions and
then build your knowledge base to a more strategic level—that is, be able to understand when, where, and how
you might use those definitions and facts in principles of management.
Set SMART GoalsSet SMART Goals
The combination of gauging and learning about a topic should permit you to set some goals related to your
focal topic. For example, you want to develop better team communication skills or better understand change
management. While your goals should reflect the intersection of your own needs and the subject, we do know that
effective goals satisfy certain characteristics. These characteristics—specific, measurable, aggressive, realistic,
and time bound—yield the acronym SMART.2 Here is how to tell if your goals are SMART goals.
Specific
Specific goals are more likely to be achieved than a general goal. To set a specific goal, you must answer the six
“W” questions:
• Who: Who is involved?
• What: What do I want to accomplish?
• Where: At what location?
• When: In what time frame?
• Which: What are the requirements and constraints?
• Why: What specific reasons, purpose, or benefits are there to the accomplishment of the goal
(Topachievement, 2008)?
EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, “Get a job as a retail store manager.” But a specific goal would say,
“Identify my development needs in the next three weeks to become a retail store manager.” “Are You Ready to
42 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Be a Great Retail Store Manager?” provides you with an introductory list of survey questions that might help you
accelerate your progress on this particular goal set.
Are You Ready to Be a Great Retail Store Manager?Are You Ready to Be a Great Retail Store Manager?
The service sector employs more than 80% of the U.S. workforce, and the position of retail store manager
is in increasing demand. Have you already developed the skills to be a great store manager? Score yourself
on each of these 10 people skills. How close did you get to 100? Identify two areas to develop, and then
move on to two more areas once that goal is achieved.
1.
“I challenge employees to set new performance goals.”
Never: 1 Seldom: 3 Often: 5 Regularly: 10
2.
“I coach employees to resolve performance problems.”
Never: 1 Seldom: 3 Often: 5 Regularly: 10
3.
“I encourage employees to contribute new ideas.”
Never: 1 Seldom: 3 Often: 5 Regularly: 10
4.
“I take an interest in my employees’ personal lives.”
Never: 1 Seldom: 3 Often: 5 Regularly: 10
5.
“I delegate well.”
Never: 1 Seldom: 3 Often: 5 Regularly: 10
6.
“I communicate my priorities and directions clearly.”
Never: 1 Seldom: 3 Often: 5 Regularly: 10
7.
“I resolve conflicts in a productive way.”
Never: 1 Seldom: 3 Often: 5 Regularly: 10
8.
“I behave in a professional way at work.”
Never: 1 Seldom: 3 Often: 5 Regularly: 10
9.
“I inspire my employees with a dynamic personality.”
Never: 1 Seldom: 3 Often: 5 Regularly: 10
10.
“I am a good listener.”
1.8 YOUR PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT SURVIVOR’S GUIDE • 43
Never: 1 Seldom: 3 Often: 5 Regularly: 10
Measurable
When goals are specific, performance tends to be higher (Tubbs, 1986). Why? If goals are not specific and
measurable, how would you know whether you have reached the goal? Any performance level becomes
acceptable. For the same reason, telling someone, “Do your best” is not an effective goal because it is not
measurable and does not give the person a specific target.
Aggressive
This may sound counterintuitive, but effective goals are difficult, not easy. Aggressive goals are also called stretch
goals. Why are effective goals aggressive? Easy goals do not provide a challenge. When goals are aggressive and
when they require people to work harder or smarter, performance tends to be dramatically higher.
Realistic
While goals should be difficult, they should also be based in reality. In other words, if a goal is viewed as
impossible to reach, it does not have any motivational value. Only you can decide which goal is realistic and
which is impossible to achieve; just be sure that the goal you set, while it is aggressive, remains grounded in
reality.
Timely
The goal should contain a statement regarding when the proposed performance level will be reached. This way, it
provides the person with a sense of urgency.
Apply and PracticeApply and Practice
Your knowledge of the subject, plus your SMART goals, give you an opportunity to apply and test your
knowledge. Going back to our road-trip analogy, gauging gives you a starting point, learning gives you a road
map and compass, and goals give you a target destination. Practice, in turn, simply means some repetition of the
application process. Your objective here should be to apply and practice a subject long enough that, when you
gauge it again, you are likely to see some change or progress.
ReflectReflect
This final stage has two parts: (1) gauge again and (2) record.
Gauge AgainGauge Again
As suggested under “Apply and Practice,” you will want to gauge your progress. Have you become more
44 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
innovative? Do you better communicate in teams? Do you have a better understanding of other key principles of
management?
RecordRecord
Many people might stop at the gauge again point, but they would be missing out on an incredibly valuable
opportunity. Specifically, look at what you have learned and achieved regarding your goals, and chronicle your
progress in some form of a journal (Bromley, 1993). A journal may be a required component of a principles of
management course, so there may be extrinsic as well as intrinsic motives for starting to keep a journal.
There are also various exercises that you can partake in through your journaling. These allow you to challenge
yourself and think more creatively and deeply. An effective journal entry should be written with clear images and
feelings. You should aim to include your reactions along with the facts or events related to your developmental
goals. The experience of certain experiments may not necessarily be what you thought it would be, and this is what
is important to capture. You are bound to feel turmoil in various moments, and these feelings are excellent fodder
for journaling. Journaling allows you to vent and understand emotions. These types of entries can be effective at
giving yourself a more rounded perspective on past events.
In addition to the goals you are evaluating, there are numerous things to write about in a journal. You can reflect
on the day, the week, or even the year. You can reflect on events that you have been a part of or people you have
met. Look for conclusions that you may have made or any conflicts that you faced. Most important, write about
how you felt. This will allow you to examine your own emotional responses. You may find that you need to make
a personal action or response to those conflicts. The conclusions that you make from your journal entries are the
ingredients to self-growth. Facing those conflicts may also change your life for the better, as you are able to grow
as a person.
You should also always go back and review what you have written. Think about each journal entry you have
made and what it means. This is the true aspect of self-growth through journaling. It is easy to recognize changes
in yourself through your journaling. You may find that you had a disturbing idea one day, but the next your
attitude was much better. You may also find that your attitude grows and improves day by day. This is what makes
journaling a true self-growth tool.
Journaling may be inexpensive, but it does require time and commitment. The time factor itself can be small, only
about 10 minutes a day or maybe 30 minutes a week, depending on how you would like to summarize your life.
You do, however, have to be motivated to write on a regular basis. Even if you do not have a lot of time to write,
you will still be able to enjoy the large amount of personal growth that is available through journaling. Perhaps
this suggests that your first goal set relates to time set aside for journaling.
Key Takeaway
You have seen how different individuals approach the learning process and that an understanding of
these differences can help you with your objectives related to principles of management. Beyond this
general understanding of your own learning style, you also have an opportunity to put together your own
1.8 YOUR PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT SURVIVOR’S GUIDE • 45
survival kit for this course. Your kit will have answers and resources based on the gauge-discover-reflect
framework. The development of SMART goals are particularly important in the successful application of
the framework.
Exercises
1. What is your learning style?
2. How does your style compare with your prior intuition?
3. What target learning issue could you use to experiment with the gauge-discover-reflect
framework?
4. What does the acronym SMART refer to, in the context of goal setting?
5. What SMART goals could you apply to your target learning issue?
1Felder, Richard K. and Linda K. Silverman. In addition to their research, there is an online instrument used to
assess preferences on four dimensions (active or reflective, sensing or intuitive, visual or verbal, and sequential
or global) of a learning style model formulated by Felder and Soloman of North Carolina State University. The
Learning Styles Index (LSI) may be used at no cost for noncommercial purposes by individuals who wish to
determine their own learning style profile and by educators who wish to use it for teaching, advising, or research.
See R. M. Felder, and R. Brent, “Understanding Student Differences,” Journal of Engineering Education 94,
no. 1 (2005) : 57–72, for an exploration of differences in student learning styles, approaches to learning (deep,
surface, and strategic), and levels of intellectual development, with recommended teaching practices to address all
three categories. R. M. Felder, and J. E. Spurlin, “Applications, Reliability, and Validity of the Index of Learning
Styles,” Journal of Engineering Education 21, no. 1 (2005): 103–12, provides a validation study of the LSI. Also
see T. A. Litzinger, S. H. Lee, J. C. Wise, and R. M. Felder, “A Psychometric Study of the Index of Learning
Styles,” Journal of Engineering Education 96, no. 4 (2007): 309–19.
2In his seminal 1954 work, The Practice of Management (New York: Collins), Peter Drucker coined the usage of
the acronym for SMART objectives while discussing objective-based management.
ReferencesReferences
Bromley, K. Journaling: Engagements in Reading, Writing, and Thinking (New York: Scholastic, 1993).
Soloman, B. A., and R. M. Felder. http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html (accessed October 15,
2008).
Topachievement.com, http://www.topachievement.com/smart.html (accessed October 15, 2008).
Tubbs, M. E., “Goal setting: A Meta-analytic Examination of the Empirical Evidence,” Journal of Applied
Psychology 71 (1986): 474–83.
46 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Chapter 2: Personality, Attitudes, and Work
Behaviors
2.1 Chapter Introduction
2.2 Case in Point: SAS Institute Invests in Employees
2.3 Personality and Values
2.4 Perception
2.5 Work Attitudes
2.6 The Interactionist Perspective: The Role of Fit
2.7 Work Behaviors
2.8 Developing Your Positive Attitude Skills
47
2.1 Chapter Introduction
Figure 2.1
Business people-showing teamwork
Successful organizations depend on getting the right mix of individuals in the right
positions at the right times.
Richard foster – Closeup portrait of a group of business people laughing – CC BY-SA
2.0.
What’s in It for Me?
Reading this chapter will help you do the following:
1. Understand the roles of personality and values in determining work behaviors.
2. Explain the process of perception and how it affects work behaviors.
48
3. Identify the major work attitudes that affect work behaviors.
4. Define the concept of person-organization fit and how it affects work behaviors.
5. List the key set of behaviors that matter for organizational performance.
6. Be able to develop your positive attitude skills.
Figure 2.2 The P-O-L-C Framework
Individuals bring a number of differences to work. They have a variety of personalities, values, and attitudes.
When they enter into organizations, their stable or transient characteristics affect how they behave and perform.
Moreover, companies hire people with the expectation that they have certain knowledge, skills, abilities,
personalities, and values.
Recall that you are learning about the principles of management through the planning-organizing-leading-
controlling (P-O-L-C) framework. Employees’ personalities, attitudes, and work behaviors affect how managers
approach each P-O-L-C dimension. Here are just a few examples:
• When conducting environmental scanning during the planning process, a manager’s perceptions color the
information that is absorbed and processed.
• Employee preferences for job design and enrichment (aspects of organizing) may be a function of
individuals’ personalities and values.
• Leading effectively requires an understanding of employees’ personalities, values, and attitudes.
• Absenteeism can challenge a manager’s ability to control costs and performance (both at the group and
individual levels).
Therefore, it is important for managers to understand the individual characteristics that matter for employee and
manager behaviors.
2.1 CHAPTER INTRODUCTION • 49
2.2 Case in Point: SAS Institute Invests in Employees
Figure 2.3
Wikimedia Commons – SAS logo horiz – public domain.
Who are your best customers? Which customers are bringing you the most profits and which are the
least profitable? Companies are increasingly relying on complicated data mining software to answer these
and other questions. More than 92% of the top 100 companies on the Fortune Global 500 list are using
software developed by SAS Institute Inc., the world’s largest privately held software company, for their
business intelligence and analytical needs. The Cary, North Carolina, company is doing extremely well by
any measure. They have over 10,000 employees worldwide, operate in over 100 countries, ranked number
1 on Fortune’s 2010 list of the “Best Companies to Work For,” and reported $2.31 billion in revenue in
2009 (their 33rd consecutive year of growth and profitability). They reinvested 23% of their 2009 revenue
into research and development (R&D) activities. The company is quick to attribute their success to the
performance and loyalty of their workforce. This is directly correlated with how they treat their employees.
SAS has perfected the art of employee management. It has been ranked on Fortune magazine’s best places
to work list every year since the list was first published. Employees seem to genuinely enjoy working at
SAS and are unusually attached to the company, resulting in a turnover rate that is less than 4% in an
industry where 20% is the norm. In fact, when Google designed their own legendary campus in California,
they visited the SAS campus to get ideas.
One thing SAS does well is giving its employees opportunities to work on interesting and challenging
projects. The software developers have the opportunity to develop cutting-edge software to be used around
the world. The company makes an effort to concentrate its business in the areas of analytics, which add the
most value and help organizations best analyze disparate data for decision making, creating opportunities
for SAS workers to be challenged. Plus, the company removes obstacles for employees. Equipment,
policies, rules, and meetings that could impede productivity are eliminated.
SAS has treated employees well in bad times as well as in good times. CEO Jim Goodnight is quoted as
saying, “For 2010, I make the same promise that I did last year—SAS will have no layoffs. Too many
50
companies worldwide sacrificed employees and benefits to cut costs in 2009. SAS took the opposite stance,
and we have been rewarded in employee loyalty and overall success of the business. Maintaining this
position throughout the downturn puts us in the best position to meet the expected market upturn.”
In addition, the company has a reputation as a pioneer when it comes to the perks it offers employees,
but these perks are not given with a mentality of “offer everything but the kitchen sink.” There is careful
thinking and planning behind the choice of perks the company offers. SAS conducts regular employee
satisfaction surveys, and any future benefits and perks offered are planned in response to the results.
The company wants to eliminate stressors and anything that dissatisfies from people’s lives. To keep
employees healthy and fit, there are athletic fields; a full gym; a swimming pool; and tennis, basketball,
and racquetball courts on campus. Plus, the company offers free on-site health care for employees, covers
dependents at their fully staffed primary medical care center, and offers unlimited sick leave. The company
understands that employees have a life and encourages employees to work reasonable hours and then go
home to their families. In fact, a famous motto in the company is, “If you are working for more than 8
hours, you are just adding bugs.” SAS is truly one of the industry leaders in leveraging its treatment of
people for continued business success.
Case written by [citation redacted per publisher request]. Based on information from Doing well by
being rather nice. (2007, December 1). Economist. Retrieved April 30, 2010, from
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/doing-well-by-being-rather-nice/247090; Cakebread, C. (2005,
July). SAS…not SOS. Benefits Canada, 29(7), 18; Florida, R., & Goodnight, J. (2005, July–August).
Managing for creativity. Harvard Business Review, 83(7/8), 124–131; Karlgaard, R. (2006, October
16). Who wants to be public? Forbes Asia, 2(17), 22; SAS ranks No. 1 on Fortune “Best Companies
to Work For” list in America. (2010, January 21). SAS press release. Retrieved May 27, 2010, from
http://www.sas.com/news/preleases/2010fortuneranking.html.
Discussion Questions
1. How would you translate SAS’s art of employee management in terms of the P-O-L-C
framework?
2. SAS is a global company. Do you think that the benefits offered and the strategy used to improve
employee satisfaction vary from country to country?
3. If a company is unable to provide the benefits that SAS does, in what other ways might a firm
create positive work attitudes?
4. What risks could be associated with giving workplace surveys, as was done at SAS?
5. What are some effective strategies to create a balanced work and home life? Is this more or less of
a challenge when you are starting a new career?
2.2 CASE IN POINT: SAS INSTITUTE INVESTS IN EMPLOYEES • 51
2.3 Personality and Values
Learning Objectives
1. Identify the major personality traits that are relevant to organizational behavior.
2. Explain the potential pitfalls of personality testing.
3. Describe the relationship between personality and work behaviors.
4. Understand what values are.
5. Describe the link between values and work behaviors.
PersonalityPersonality
Personality encompasses a person’s relatively stable feelings, thoughts, and behavioral patterns. Each of us has
a unique personality that differentiates us from other people, and understanding someone’s personality gives us
clues about how that person is likely to act and feel in a variety of situations. To manage effectively, it is helpful to
understand the personalities of different employees. Having this knowledge is also useful for placing people into
jobs and organizations.
If personality is stable, does this mean that it does not change? You probably remember how you have changed
and evolved as a result of your own life experiences, parenting style and attention you have received in early
childhood, successes and failures you experienced over the course of your life, and other life events. In fact,
personality does change over long periods of time. For example, we tend to become more socially dominant, more
conscientious (organized and dependable), and more emotionally stable between the ages of 20 and 40, whereas
openness to new experiences tends to decline as we age (Roberts, 2006). In other words, even though we treat
personality as relatively stable, change occurs. Moreover, even in childhood, our personality matters, and it has
lasting consequences for us. For example, studies show that part of our career success and job satisfaction later in
life can be explained by our childhood personality (Judge & Higgins, 1999; Staw, et. al., 1986).
Is our behavior in organizations dependent on our personality? To some extent, yes, and to some extent, no. While
we will discuss the effects of personality for employee behavior, you must remember that the relationships we
describe are modest correlations. For example, having a sociable and outgoing personality may encourage people
52
to seek friends and prefer social situations. This does not mean that their personality will immediately affect
their work behavior. At work, we have a job to do and a role to perform. Therefore, our behavior may be more
strongly affected by what is expected of us, as opposed to how we want to behave. Especially in jobs that involve
a lot of autonomy, or freedom, personality tends to exert a strong influence on work behavior (Barrick & Mount,
1993),something to consider when engaging in Organizing activities such as job design or enrichment.
Big Five Personality TraitsBig Five Personality Traits
How many personality traits are there? How do we even know? In every language, there are many words
describing a person’s personality. In fact, in the English language, more than 15,000 words describing personality
have been identified. When researchers analyzed the traits describing personality characteristics, they realized
that many different words were actually pointing to a single dimension of personality. When these words
were grouped, five dimensions seemed to emerge, and these explain much of the variation in our personalities
(Goldberg, 1990). These five are not necessarily the only traits out there. There are other, specific traits that
represent other dimensions not captured by the Big Five. Still, understanding them gives us a good start for
describing personality.
Figure 2.5 The Big Five Personality Traits
Goldberg, L. R. (1990). An alternative “description of personality”: The big-five factor structure. Journal
of Personality & Social Psychology, 59, 1216–1229.
As you can see, the Big Five dimensions are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and
Neuroticism—if you put the initials together, you get the acronym OCEAN. Everyone has some degree of each
of these traits; it is the unique configuration of how high a person rates on some traits and how low on others that
produces the individual quality we call personality.
2.3 PERSONALITY AND VALUES • 53
Openness is the degree to which a person is curious, original, intellectual, creative, and open to new ideas. People
high in openness seem to thrive in situations that require flexibility and learning new things. They are highly
motivated to learn new skills, and they do well in training settings (Barrick & Mount, 1991; Lievens, et. al., 2003).
They also have an advantage when they enter into a new organization. Their open-mindedness leads them to seek
a lot of information and feedback about how they are doing and to build relationships, which leads to quicker
adjustment to the new job (Wanberg & Kammeyer-Mueller, 2000). When given support, they tend to be creative
(Baer & Oldham, 2006). Open people are highly adaptable to change, and teams that experience unforeseen
changes in their tasks do well if they are populated with people high in openness (LePine, 2003). Compared with
people low in openness, they are also more likely to start their own business (Zhao & Seibert, 2006). The potential
downside is that they may also be prone to becoming more easily bored or impatient with routine.
Conscientiousness refers to the degree to which a person is organized, systematic, punctual, achievement-oriented,
and dependable. Conscientiousness is the one personality trait that uniformly predicts how high a person’s
performance will be across a variety of occupations and jobs (Barrick & Mount, 1991). In fact, conscientiousness
is the trait most desired by recruiters, and highly conscientious applicants tend to succeed in interviews (Dunn,
et. al., 1995; Tay, et. al., 2006). Once they are hired, conscientious people not only tend to perform well, but
they also have higher levels of motivation to perform, lower levels of turnover, lower levels of absenteeism,
and higher levels of safety performance at work (Judge & Ilies, 2002; Judge, et. al., 1997; Wallace & Chen
2006; Zimmerman, 2008). One’s conscientiousness is related to career success and career satisfaction over time
(Judge & Higgins, 1999).Finally, it seems that conscientiousness is a valuable trait for entrepreneurs. Highly
conscientious people are more likely to start their own business compared with those who are not conscientious,
and their firms have longer survival rates (Certo & Certo, 2005; Zhao & Seibert, 2006). A potential downside is
that highly conscientious individuals can be detail-oriented rather than seeing the big picture.
54 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Figure 2.6
Studies show that there is a relationship between being extraverted and effectiveness as a salesperson.
TravelCoffeeShop – CC0 public domain.
Extraversion is the degree to which a person is outgoing, talkative, sociable, and enjoys socializing. One of the
established findings is that they tend to be effective in jobs involving sales (Barrick & Mount, 1991; Vinchur,
et. al., 1998). Moreover, they tend to be effective as managers and they demonstrate inspirational leadership
behaviors (Bauer, et. al., 2006; Bono & Judge, 2004). extraverts do well in social situations, and, as a result, they
tend to be effective in job interviews. Part of this success comes from preparation, as they are likely to use their
social network to prepare for the interview (Caldwell & Burger, 1998; Tay & Van Dyne, 2006). Extraverts have an
easier time than introverts do when adjusting to a new job. They actively seek information and feedback and build
effective relationships, which helps them adjust (Wanberg & Kammeyer-Mueller, 2000). Interestingly, extraverts
are also found to be happier at work, which may be because of the relationships they build with the people around
them and their easier adjustment to a new job (Judge & Mount, 2002). However, they do not necessarily perform
well in all jobs; jobs depriving them of social interaction may be a poor fit. Moreover, they are not necessarily
model employees. For example, they tend to have higher levels of absenteeism at work, potentially because they
may miss work to hang out with or attend to the needs of their friends (Judge, et. al., 1997)
Agreeableness is the degree to which a person is affable, tolerant, sensitive, trusting, kind, and warm. In other
words, people who are high in agreeableness are likeable people who get along with others. Not surprisingly,
agreeable people help others at work consistently; this helping behavior does not depend on their good mood
(Ilies, et. al., 2006). They are also less likely to retaliate when other people treat them unfairly (Skarlicki, et. al.,
1999). This may reflect their ability to show empathy and to give people the benefit of the doubt. Agreeable people
2.3 PERSONALITY AND VALUES • 55
may be a valuable addition to their teams and may be effective leaders because they create a fair environment
when they are in leadership positions (Mayer, et. al., 2007). At the other end of the spectrum, people low in
agreeableness are less likely to show these positive behaviors. Moreover, people who are disagreeable are shown
to quit their jobs unexpectedly, perhaps in response to a conflict with a boss or a peer (Zimmerman, 2008). If
agreeable people are so nice, does this mean that we should only look for agreeable people when hiring? You
might expect some jobs to require a low level of agreeableness. Think about it: When hiring a lawyer, would
you prefer a kind and gentle person or someone who can stand up to an opponent? People high in agreeableness
are also less likely to engage in constructive and change-oriented communication (LePine & Van Dyne, 2001).
Disagreeing with the status quo may create conflict, and agreeable people may avoid creating such conflict,
missing an opportunity for constructive change.
Neuroticism refers to the degree to which a person is anxious, irritable, temperamental, and moody. It is perhaps
the only Big Five dimension where scoring high is undesirable. Neurotic people have a tendency to have
emotional adjustment problems and habitually experience stress and depression. People very high in Neuroticism
experience a number of problems at work. For example, they have trouble forming and maintaining relationships
and are less likely to be someone people go to for advice and friendship (Klein, et. al., 2004). They tend to be
habitually unhappy in their jobs and report high intentions to leave, but they do not necessarily actually leave their
jobs (Judge, et. al., 2002; Zimmerman, 2008)) Being high in Neuroticism seems to be harmful to one’s career, as
these employees have lower levels of career success (measured with income and occupational status achieved in
one’s career). Finally, if they achieve managerial jobs, they tend to create an unfair climate at work (Mayer, et. al.,
2007).
In contrast, people who are low on Neuroticism—those who have a positive affective disposition—tend to
experience positive moods more often than negative moods. They tend to be more satisfied with their jobs
and more committed to their companies (Connolly & Viswesvaran, 2000; Throresen, et. al., 2003). This is not
surprising, as people who habitually see the glass as half full will notice the good things in their work environment
while those with the opposite character will find more things to complain about. Whether these people are more
successful in finding jobs and companies that will make them happy, build better relationships at work that
increase their satisfaction and commitment, or simply see their environment as more positive, it seems that low
Neuroticism is a strong advantage in the workplace.
Evaluate Yourself on the Big Five Personality FactorsEvaluate Yourself on the Big Five Personality Factors
Go to http://www.outofservice.com/bigfive to see how you score on these factors.
Other Personality DimensionsOther Personality Dimensions
In addition to the Big Five, researchers have proposed various other dimensions, or traits, of personality. These
include self-monitoring, proactive personality, self-esteem, and self-efficacy.
Self-monitoring refers to the extent to which a person is capable of monitoring his or her actions and appearance
in social situations. People who are social monitors are social chameleons who understand what the situation
56 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
demands and act accordingly, while low social monitors tend to act the way they feel (Snyder, 1974; Snyder,
1987). High social monitors are sensitive to the types of behaviors the social environment expects from them.
Their ability to modify their behavior according to the demands of the situation they are in and to manage
their impressions effectively are great advantages for them (Turnley & Bolino, 2001). They are rated as higher
performers and emerge as leaders (Day, et. al., 2002). They are effective in influencing other people and are able
to get things done by managing their impressions. As managers, however, they tend to have lower accuracy in
evaluating the performance of their employees. It seems that while trying to manage their impressions, they may
avoid giving accurate feedback to their subordinates to avoid confrontations, which could hinder a manager’s
ability to carry out the Controlling function (Jawahar, 2001).
Proactive personality refers to a person’s inclination to fix what is wrong, change things, and use initiative to
solve problems. Instead of waiting to be told what to do, proactive people take action to initiate meaningful
change and remove the obstacles they face along the way. Proactive individuals tend to be more successful in
their job searches (Brown, et. al., 2006). They also are more successful over the course of their careers because
they use initiative and acquire greater understanding of how the politics within the company work (Seibert, 1999;
Seibert, et. al., 2001). Proactive people are valuable assets to their companies because they may have higher
levels of performance (Crant, 1995). They adjust to their new jobs quickly because they understand the political
environment better and make friends more quickly (Kammeyer-Mueller & Wanberg, 2003; Thompson, 2005).
Proactive people are eager to learn and engage in many developmental activities to improve their skills (Major, et.
al., 2006). For all their potential, under some circumstances proactive personality may be a liability for a person
or an organization. Imagine a person who is proactive but is perceived as too pushy, trying to change things other
people are not willing to let go of, or using their initiative to make decisions that do not serve a company’s best
interests. Research shows that a proactive person’s success depends on his or her understanding of the company’s
core values, ability, and skills to perform the job and ability to assess situational demands correctly (Chan, 2006;
Erdogan & Bauer, 2005).
Self-esteem is the degree to which a person has overall positive feelings about himself or herself. People with high
self-esteem view themselves in a positive light, are confident, and respect themselves. In contrast, people with low
self-esteem experience high levels of self-doubt and question their self-worth. High self-esteem is related to higher
levels of satisfaction with one’s job and higher levels of performance on the job (Judge & Bono, 2001). People
with low self-esteem are attracted to situations where they will be relatively invisible, such as large companies
(Turban & Keon, 1993). Managing employees with low self-esteem may be challenging at times because negative
feedback given with the intention of improving performance may be viewed as a negative judgment on their
worth as an employee. Therefore, effectively managing employees with relatively low self-esteem requires tact
and providing lots of positive feedback when discussing performance incidents.
Self-Esteem Around the GlobeSelf-Esteem Around the Globe
Which nations have the highest average self-esteem? Researchers asked this question by surveying almost
17,000 individuals across 53 nations, in 28 languages.
On the basis of this survey, these are the top 10 nations in terms of self-reported self-esteem:
2.3 PERSONALITY AND VALUES • 57
1. Serbia
2. Chile
3. Israel
4. Peru
5. Estonia
6. United States of America
7. Turkey
8. Mexico
9. Croatia
10. Austria
The following are the 10 nations with the lowest self-reported self-esteem:
1. South Korea
2. Switzerland
3. Morocco
4. Slovakia
5. Fiji
6. Taiwan
7. Czech Republic
8. Bangladesh
9. Hong Kong
10. Japan
Source: Adapted from information in Denissen, J. J. A., Penke, L., & Schmitt, D. P. (2008, July). Self-
esteem reactions to social interactions: Evidence for sociometer mechanisms across days, people, and
nations. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 95, 181–196; Hitti, M. (2005). Who’s No. 1 in
self-esteem? Serbia is tops, Japan ranks lowest, U.S. is no. 6 in global survey. WebMD. Retrieved
November 14, 2008, from http://www.webmd.com/skin-beauty/news/20050927/whos-number-1-in-self-
esteem; Schmitt, D. P., & Allik, J. (2005). The simultaneous administration of the Rosenberg self-esteem
scale in 53 nationals: Culture-specific features of global self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 89, 623–642.
Self-efficacy is a belief that one can perform a specific task successfully. Research shows that the belief that
we can do something is a good predictor of whether we can actually do it. Self-efficacy is different from other
personality traits in that it is job specific. You may have high self-efficacy in being successful academically,
but low self-efficacy in relation to your ability to fix your car. At the same time, people have a certain level of
generalized self-efficacy, and they have the belief that whatever task or hobby they tackle, they are likely to be
successful in it.
58 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Research shows that self-efficacy at work is related to job performance (Bauer, et. al., 2007; Judge, et. al., 2007;
Stajkovic & Luthans, 1998). This is probably because people with high self-efficacy actually set higher goals for
themselves and are more committed to their goals, whereas people with low self-efficacy tend to procrastinate
(Phillips & Gully, 1997; Steel, 2007; Wofford, et. al., 1992). Academic self-efficacy is a good predictor of your
grade point average, as well as whether you persist in your studies or drop out of college (Robbins, et. al., 2004).
Is there a way of increasing employee’s self-efficacy? In addition to hiring people who are capable of performing
the required job tasks, training people to increase their self-efficacy may be effective. Some people may also
respond well to verbal encouragement. By showing that you believe they can be successful and effectively playing
the role of cheerleader, a manager may be able to increase self-efficacy beliefs. Empowering people—giving them
opportunities to test their skills so that they can see what they are capable of—is also a good way of increasing
self-efficacy (Ahearne, et. al., 2005).>
Personality Testing in Employee SelectionPersonality Testing in Employee Selection
Personality is a potentially important predictor of work behavior. In job interviews, companies try to assess
a candidate’s personality and the potential for a good match, but interviews are only as good as the people
conducting them. In fact, interviewers are not particularly good at detecting the best trait that predicts
performance: conscientiousness (Barrick, et. al., 2000).
One method some companies use to improve this match and detect the people who are potentially good job
candidates is personality testing. Several companies conduct preemployment personality tests. Companies using
them believe that these tests improve the effectiveness of their selection and reduce turnover. For example,
Overnight Transportation in Atlanta found that using such tests reduced their on-the-job delinquency by
50%–100% (Emmett, 2004; Gale, 2002).
Figure 2.7
2.3 PERSONALITY AND VALUES • 59
Companies such as Kronos and Hogan Assessments conduct preemployment personality tests. Kronos
Incorporated Headquarters is located in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
Kensavage – Kronos incorporated – public domain.
Yet, are these methods good ways of employee selection? Experts have not yet reached an agreement on this
subject and the topic is highly controversial. Some experts cite data indicating that personality tests predict
performance and other important criteria such as job satisfaction. However, we must understand that how a
personality test is used influences its validity. Imagine filling out a personality test in class. You will probably fill it
out as honestly as you can. Then, if your instructor correlates your personality scores with your class performance,
we could say that the correlation is meaningful. But now imagine that your instructor tells you, before giving you
the test, that based on your test scores, you will secure a coveted graduate assistant position, which comes with a
tuition waiver and a stipend. In that case, would you still fill out the test honestly or would you try to make your
personality look as “good” as possible?
In employee selection, where the employees with the “best” personalities will be the ones receiving a job offer, a
complicating factor is that people filling out the survey do not have a strong incentive to be honest. In fact, they
have a greater incentive to guess what the job requires and answer the questions in a way they think the company
is looking for. As a result, the rankings of the candidates who take the test may be affected by their ability to fake.
Some experts believe that this is a serious problem (Morgeson, et. al., 2007; Morgeson, et. al., 2007). Others point
out that even with faking the tests remain valid—the scores are related to job performance (Barrick & Mount,
1996; Ones, et. al., 2007; Ones, et. al., 1996; Tett & Christansen, 2007). It is even possible that the ability to fake
is related to a personality trait that increases success at work, such as social monitoring.
Scores on personality self-assessments are distorted for other reasons beyond the fact that some candidates
can fake better than others. Do we even know our own personalities? Are we the best person to ask this
question? How supervisors, coworkers, and customers see our personality may matter more than how we see
ourselves. Therefore, using self-report measures of performance may not be the best way of measuring someone’s
personality (Mount, et. al., 1994). We have our blind areas. We may also give “aspirational” answers. If you are
asked whether you are honest, you may think “yes, I always have the intention to be honest.” This actually says
nothing about your actual level of honesty.
Another problem with using these tests is the uncertain relationship between performance and personality. On the
basis of research, personality is not a particularly strong indicator of how a person will perform. According to one
estimate, personality only explains about 10%–15% of variation in job performance. Our performance at work
depends on many factors, and personality does not seem to be the key factor for performance. In fact, cognitive
ability (your overall mental intelligence) is a more powerful predictor of job performance. Instead of personality
tests, cognitive ability tests may do a better job of predicting who will be good performers. Personality is a better
predictor of job satisfaction and other attitudes, but screening people out on the assumption that they may be
unhappy at work is a challenging argument to make in an employee selection context.
In any case, if an organization decides to use these tests for selection, it is important to be aware of their
limitations. If they are used together with other tests, such as tests of cognitive abilities, they may contribute to
making better decisions. The company should ensure that the test fits the job and actually predicts performance.
This is called validating the test. Before giving the test to applicants, the company could give it to existing
60 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
employees to find out the traits that are most important for success in this particular company and job. Then, in
the selection context, the company can pay particular attention to those traits.
Finally, the company also needs to make sure that the test does not discriminate against people on the basis of
sex, race, age, disabilities, and other legally protected characteristics. Rent-a-Center experienced legal difficulties
when the test they used was found to violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The company used
the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for selection purposes, but this test was developed to diagnose
severe mental illnesses; it included items such as “I see things or people around me others do not see.” In effect,
the test served the purpose of a clinical evaluation and was discriminating against people with mental illnesses,
which is a protected category under ADA (Heller, 2005).
ValuesValues
Figure 2.8 Values Included in Schwartz’s (1992) Value Inventory
Values refer to people’s stable life goals, reflecting what is most important to them. Values are established
throughout one’s life as a result of accumulating life experiences, and values tend to be relatively stable (Lusk
2.3 PERSONALITY AND VALUES • 61
& Oliver, 1974; Rokeach, 1973). The values that are important to a person tend to affect the types of decisions
they make, how they perceive their environment, and their actual behaviors. Moreover, a person is more likely to
accept a job offer when the company possesses the values he or she cares about (Judge & Bretz, 1972; Ravlin &
Meglino, 1987). Value attainment is one reason people stay in a company. When a job does not help them attain
their values, they are likely to decide to leave if they are dissatisfied with the job (George & Jones, 1996).
What are the values people care about? As with personality dimensions, researchers have developed several
frameworks, or typologies, of values. One of the particularly useful frameworks includes 10 values (Schwartz,
1992).
Figure 2.9
62 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
2.3 PERSONALITY AND VALUES • 63
A person who has a strong stimulation orientation may pursue extreme sports.
G B – CCK – ‘Gunks – CC BY-ND 2.0.
Values a person holds will affect their employment. For example, someone who values stimulation highly may
seek jobs that involve fast action and high risk, such as firefighter, police officer, or emergency medicine.
Someone who values achievement highly may be likely to become an entrepreneur or intrapreneur. And an
individual who values benevolence and universalism may seek work in the nonprofit sector with a charitable
organization or in a “helping profession,” such as nursing or social work. Like personality, values have
implications for Organizing activities, such as assigning duties to specific jobs or developing the chain of
command; employee values are likely to affect how employees respond to changes in the characteristics of their
jobs.
In terms of work behaviors, a person is more likely to accept a job offer when the company possesses the values
he or she cares about. A firm’s values are often described in the company’s mission and vision statements, an
element of the Planning function (Judge & Bretz, 1992; Ravlin & Meglino, 1987). Value attainment is one reason
people stay in a company. When a job does not help them attain their values, they are likely to decide to leave if
they are also dissatisfied with the job (George & Jones, 1996).
Key Takeaway
Personality traits and values are two dimensions on which people differ. Personality is the unique,
relatively stable pattern of feelings, thoughts, and behavior that each individual displays. Big Five
personality dimensions (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and Neuroticism) are
important traits; others that are particularly relevant for work behavior include self-efficacy, self-esteem,
social monitoring, and proactive personality. While personality is a stronger influence over job attitudes,
its relation to job performance is weaker. Some companies use personality testing to screen out candidates.
Companies using personality tests are advised to validate their tests and use them to supplement other
techniques with greater validity, such as tests of cognitive ability. Companies must also ensure that a test
does not discriminate against any protected group. Values express a person’s life goals; they are similar to
personality traits in that they are relatively stable over time. In the workplace, a person is more likely to
accept a job that provides opportunities for value attainment. People are also more likely to remain in a job
and career that satisfy their values.
Exercises
1. Think about the personality traits covered in this section. Can you think of jobs or occupations
that seem particularly suited to each trait? Which traits would be universally desirable across all
jobs?
2. What are the unique challenges of managing employees who have low self-efficacy and self-
esteem? How would you deal with this situation?
3. What are some methods that companies can use to assess employee personality?
64 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
4. Have you ever held a job where your personality did not match the demands of the job? How did
you react to this situation? How were your attitudes and behaviors affected?
5. Identify ways in which the Big Five (of the manager and/or the employees) may affect how you as
a manager would carry out the Leadership function.
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2.3 PERSONALITY AND VALUES • 69
2.4 Perception
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the influence of biases in the process of perception.
2. Describe how we perceive visual objects and how these tendencies may affect our behavior.
3. Describe the biases of self-perception.
4. Describe the biases inherent in our perceptions of other people.
Our behavior is not only a function of our personality and values but also of the situation. We interpret our
environment, formulate responses, and act accordingly. Perception may be defined as the process by which
individuals detect and interpret environmental stimuli. What makes human perception so interesting is that we
do not solely respond to the stimuli in our environment. We go beyond the information that is present in our
environment, pay selective attention to some aspects of the environment, and ignore other elements that may be
immediately apparent to other people.
Our perception of the environment is not entirely rational. For example, have you ever noticed that while glancing
at a newspaper or a news Web site, information that is especially interesting or important to you jumps out of the
page and catches your eye? If you are a sports fan, while scrolling down the pages, you may immediately see a
news item describing the latest success of your team. If you are the mother of a picky eater, an advice column on
toddler feeding may be the first thing you see when looking at the page. If you were recently turned down for a
loan, an item of financial news may jump out at you. Therefore, what we see in the environment is a function of
what we value, our needs, our fears, and our emotions(Higgins & Bargh, 1987; Keltner, et. al., 1993). In fact, what
we see in the environment may be objectively flat out wrong because of such mental tendencies. For example, one
experiment showed that when people who were afraid of spiders were shown spiders, they inaccurately thought
that the spider was moving toward them (Riskind, et. al., 1995).
In this section, we will describe some common perceptual tendencies we engage in when perceiving objects
or other people and the consequences of such perceptions. Our coverage of these perceptual biases is not
exhaustive—there are many other biases and tendencies that can be found in the way people perceive stimuli.
70
Visual PerceptionVisual Perception
Figure 2.10
What do you see?
Our visual perception definitely goes beyond the physical information available to us; this phenomenon is
commonly referred to as “optical illusions.” Artists and designers of everything from apparel to cars to home
interiors make use of optical illusions to enhance the look of the product. Managers rely on their visual perception
to form their opinions about people and objects around them and to make sense of data presented in graphical
form. Therefore, understanding how our visual perception may be biased is important.
First, we extrapolate from the information available to us. Take a look at the first figure. The white triangle you see
in the middle is not really there, but we extrapolate from the information available to us and see it there. Similarly,
when we look at objects that are partially blocked, we see the whole (Kellman & Shipley, 1991).
Figure 2.11
2.4 PERCEPTION • 71
What do you see?
Bryan Derksen – Cup or faces paradox – CC BY-SA 3.0.
Now, look at the next figure. What do you see? Most people look at this figure and see two faces or a goblet,
depending on which color—black or white—they focus upon. Our visual perception is often biased because we do
not perceive objects in isolation. The contrast between our focus of attention and the remainder of the environment
may make an object appear bigger or smaller.
This principle is shown here in the third figure. At first glance, the circle on the left may appear bigger, but they
are the same size. This is due to the visual comparison of the middle circle on the left with its surrounding circles,
whereas the middle circle on the right is compared with the bigger circles surrounding it.
How do these tendencies influence behavior in organizations? The fact that our visual perception is faulty means
that managers should not always take what they see at face value. Let’s say that you do not like one of your peers
and you think that you saw this person surfing the Web during work hours. Are you absolutely sure, or are you
simply filling the gaps? Have you really seen this person surf unrelated Web sites, or is it possible that the person
was searching for work-related purposes? The tendency to fill in the gaps also causes our memory to be faulty.
Imagine that you have been at a meeting where several people made comments that you did not agree with. After
the meeting, you may attribute most of these comments to people you did not like. In other words, you may twist
the reality to make your memories more consistent with your opinions of people.
The tendency to compare and contrast objects and people to each other also causes problems. For example, if
you are a manager who has been given an office much smaller than the other offices on the floor, you may feel
that your workspace is crowded and uncomfortable. If the same office is surrounded by smaller offices, you may
actually feel that your office is comfortable and roomy. In short, our biased visual perception may lead to the
wrong inferences about the people and objects around us.
Figure 2.12
72 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Which of the circles in the middle is bigger?
Self-PerceptionSelf-Perception
Human beings are prone to errors and biases when perceiving themselves. Moreover, the type of bias people have
depends on their personality. Many people suffer from self-enhancement bias. This is the tendency to overestimate
our performance and capabilities and see ourselves in a more positive light than others see us. People who have a
narcissistic personality are particularly subject to this bias, but many others also have this bias to varying degrees
(John & Robins, 1994). At the same time, other people have the opposing extreme, which may be labeled as
self-effacement bias (or modesty bias). This is the tendency to underestimate our performance and capabilities
and to see events in a way that puts ourselves in a more negative light. We may expect that people with low
self-esteem may be particularly prone to making this error. These tendencies have real consequences for behavior
in organizations. For example, people who suffer from extreme levels of self-enhancement tendencies may not
understand why they are not getting promoted or rewarded, while those who have a tendency to self-efface may
project low confidence and take more blame for their failures than necessary.
When human beings perceive themselves, they are also subject to the false consensus error. Simply put, we
overestimate how similar we are to other people (Fields & Schuman, 1976; Ross, et. al., 1977). We assume that
whatever quirks we have are shared by a larger number of people than in reality. People who take office supplies
home, tell white lies to their boss or colleagues, or take credit for other people’s work to get ahead may genuinely
feel that these behaviors are more common than they really are. The problem for behavior in organizations is that,
when people believe that a behavior is common and normal, they may repeat the behavior more freely. Under
some circumstances, this may lead to a high level of unethical or even illegal behaviors.
2.4 PERCEPTION • 73
Social PerceptionSocial Perception
How we perceive other people in our environment is also shaped by our biases. Moreover, how we perceive others
will shape our behavior, which in turn will shape the behavior of the person we are interacting with.
One of the factors biasing our perception is stereotypes. Stereotypes are generalizations based on a group
characteristic. For example, believing that women are more cooperative than men or that men are more assertive
than women are stereotypes. Stereotypes may be positive, negative, or neutral. In the abstract, stereotyping is
an adaptive function—we have a natural tendency to categorize the information around us to make sense of our
environment. Just imagine how complicated life would be if we continually had to start from scratch to understand
each new situation and each new person we encountered! What makes stereotypes potentially discriminatory and
a perceptual bias is the tendency to generalize from a group to a particular individual. If the belief that men are
more assertive than women leads to choosing a man over an equally qualified female candidate for a position, the
decision will be biased, unfair, and potentially illegal.
Stereotypes often create a situation called self-fulfilling prophecy. This happens when an established stereotype
causes one to behave in a certain way, which leads the other party to behave in a way that confirms the stereotype
(Snyder, et. al., 1977). If you have a stereotype such as “Asians are friendly,” you are more likely to be friendly
toward an Asian person. Because you are treating the other person more nicely, the response you get may also
be nicer, which confirms your original belief that Asians are friendly. Of course, just the opposite is also true.
Suppose you believe that “young employees are slackers.” You are less likely to give a young employee high
levels of responsibility or interesting and challenging assignments. The result may be that the young employee
reporting to you may become increasingly bored at work and start goofing off, confirming your suspicions that
young people are slackers!
Stereotypes persist because of a process called selective perception. Selective perception simply means that we
pay selective attention to parts of the environment while ignoring other parts, which is particularly important
during the Planning process. Our background, expectations, and beliefs will shape which events we notice and
which events we ignore. For example, an executive’s functional background will affect the changes he or she
perceives in the environment (Waller, et. al., 1995). Executives with a background in sales and marketing see the
changes in the demand for their product, while executives with a background in information technology may more
readily perceive the changes in the technology the company is using. Selective perception may also perpetuate
stereotypes because we are less likely to notice events that go against our beliefs. A person who believes that men
drive better than women may be more likely to notice women driving poorly than men driving poorly. As a result,
a stereotype is maintained because information to the contrary may not even reach our brain!
Let’s say we noticed information that goes against our beliefs. What then? Unfortunately, this is no guarantee that
we will modify our beliefs and prejudices. First, when we see examples that go against our stereotypes, we tend
to come up with subcategories. For example, people who believe that women are more cooperative when they see
a female who is assertive may classify her as a “career woman.” Therefore, the example to the contrary does not
violate the stereotype and is explained as an exception to the rule (Higgins & Bargh, 1987). Or, we may simply
discount the information. In one study, people in favor of and against the death penalty were shown two studies,
one showing benefits for the death penalty while the other disconfirming any benefits. People rejected the study
that went against their belief as methodologically inferior and ended up believing in their original position even
74 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
more (Lord, et. al., 1979)! In other words, using data to debunk people’s beliefs or previously established opinions
may not necessarily work, a tendency to guard against when conducting Planning and Controlling activities.
Figure 2.13
First impressions are lasting. A job interview is one situation where first impressions formed during the first few minutes may
have consequences for your relationship with your future boss or colleagues.
adabara – CC0 public domain.
One other perceptual tendency that may affect work behavior is first impressions. The first impressions we form
about people tend to have a lasting effect. In fact, first impressions, once formed, are surprisingly resilient to
contrary information. Even if people are told that the first impressions were caused by inaccurate information,
people hold on to them to a certain degree because once we form first impressions, they become independent from
the evidence that created them (Ross, et. al., 1975). Therefore, any information we receive to the contrary does
not serve the purpose of altering them. Imagine the first day that you met your colleague Anne. She treated you in
a rude manner, and when you asked for her help, she brushed you off. You may form the belief that Anne is a rude
and unhelpful person. Later on, you may hear that Anne’s mother is seriously ill, making Anne very stressed. In
reality, she may have been unusually stressed on the day you first met her. If you had met her at a time when her
stress level was lower, you could have thought that she is a really nice person. But chances are, your impression
that she is rude and unhelpful will not change even when you hear about her mother. Instead, this new piece of
information will be added to the first one: She is rude, unhelpful, and her mother is sick.
As a manager, you can protect yourself against this tendency by being aware of it and making a conscious effort
2.4 PERCEPTION • 75
to open your mind to new information. It would also be to your advantage to pay careful attention to the first
impressions you create, particularly during job interviews.
Key Takeaway
Perception is how we make sense of our environment in response to environmental stimuli. While
perceiving our surroundings, we go beyond the objective information available to us and our perception
is affected by our values, needs, and emotions. There are many biases that affect human perception of
objects, self, and others. When perceiving the physical environment, we fill in the gaps and extrapolate
from the available information. When perceiving others, stereotypes influence our behavior. Stereotypes
may lead to self-fulfilling prophecies. Stereotypes are perpetuated because of our tendency to pay selective
attention to aspects of the environment and ignore information inconsistent with our beliefs. Understanding
the perception process gives us clues to understanding human behavior.
Exercises
1. What are some of the typical errors, or optical illusions, that we experience when we observe
physical objects?
2. What are the problems of false consensus error? How can managers deal with this tendency?
3. Describe a situation where perception biases have or could affect any of the P-O-L-C facets. Use
an example you have experienced or observed, or, if you do not have such an example, create a
hypothetical situation. How do we manage the fact that human beings develop stereotypes? Is there
such as thing as a good stereotype? How would you prevent stereotypes from creating unfairness in
management decisions?
4. Describe a self-fulfilling prophecy you have experienced or observed in action. Was the prophecy
favorable or unfavorable? If unfavorable, how could the parties have chosen different behavior to
produce a more positive outcome?
ReferencesReferences
Fields, J. M., & Schuman, H. (1976). Public beliefs about the beliefs of the public. The Public Opinion Quarterly,
40 (4), 427–448.
Higgins, E. T., & Bargh, J. A. (1987). Social cognition and social perception. Annual Review of Psychology, 38,
369–425.
John, O. P., & Robins, R. W. (1994). Accuracy and bias in self-perception: Individual differences in self-
enhancement and the role of narcissism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66, 206–219.
Kellman, P. J., & Shipley, T. F. (1991). A theory of visual interpolation in object perception. Cognitive Psychology,
23, 141–221.
76 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Keltner, D., Ellsworth, P. C., & Edwards, K. (1993). Beyond simple pessimism: Effects of sadness and anger on
social perception. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64, 740–752.
Lord, C. G., Ross, L., & Lepper, M. R. (1979) Biased assimilation and attitude polarization: The effects of prior
theories on subsequently considered evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 2098–2109.
Riskind, J. H., Moore, R., & Bowley, L. (1995). The looming of spiders: The fearful perceptual distortion of
movement and menace. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33, 171.
Ross, L., Greene, D., & House, P. (1977). The “false consensus effect”: An egocentric bias in social perception
and attribution processes. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 13, 279–301.
Ross, L., Lepper, M. R., & Hubbard, M. (1975). Perseverance in self-perception and social perception: Biased
attributional processes in the debriefing paradigm. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32, 880–892.
Snyder, M., Tanke, E. D., & Berscheid, E. (1977). Social perception and interpersonal behavior: On the self-
fulfilling nature of social stereotypes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35, 656–666.
Waller, M. J., Huber, G. P., & Glick, W. H. (1995). Functional background as a determinant of executives’
selective perception. Academy of Management Journal, 38, 943–974.
2.4 PERCEPTION • 77
2.5 Work Attitudes
Learning Objectives
1. Define what work attitudes are.
2. Define and differentiate between job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
3. List several important factors influencing job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
4. Identify two ways companies can track attitudes in the workplace.
How we behave at work often depends on how we feel about being there. Therefore, making sense of how people
behave depends on understanding their work attitudes. An attitude refers to our opinions, beliefs, and feelings
about aspects of our environment. We have attitudes toward the food we eat, people we meet, courses we take,
and things we do. At work, two job attitudes have the greatest potential to influence how we behave. These are
job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
Job satisfaction refers to the feelings people have toward their job. If the number of studies conducted on job
satisfaction is an indicator, job satisfaction is probably the most important job attitude. Institutions such as Gallup
or the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) periodically conduct studies of job satisfaction to track
how satisfied employees are at work. According to a recent Gallup survey, 90% of the employees surveyed said
that they were at least somewhat satisfied with their jobs. A recent SHRM study revealed 40% who were very
satisfied 1.
Organizational commitment is the emotional attachment people have toward the company they work for. A highly
committed employee is one who accepts and believes in the company’s values, is willing to put out effort to
meet the company’s goals, and has a strong desire to remain with the company. People who are committed to
their company often refer to their company as “we” as opposed to “they” as in “in this company, we have great
benefits.” The way we refer to the company indicates the type of attachment and identification we have with the
company.
There is a high degree of overlap between job satisfaction and organizational commitment because things that
make us happy with our job often make us more committed to the company as well. Companies believe that these
78
attitudes are worth tracking because they often are associated with outcomes that are important to the Controlling
role, such as performance, helping others, absenteeism, and turnover.
What Causes Positive Work Attitudes?What Causes Positive Work Attitudes?
What makes you satisfied with your job and develop commitment to your company? Research shows that people
pay attention to several factors of their work environment, including characteristics of the job (a function of
Organizing activities), how they are treated (related to Leadership actions), the relationships they form with
colleagues and managers (also Leadership related), and the level of stress the job entails.
As we have seen earlier in this chapter, personality and values play important roles in how employees feel about
their jobs.
Figure 2.14 Factors Contributing to Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment
Job CharacteristicsJob Characteristics
Employees tend to be more satisfied and committed in jobs that involve certain characteristics. The ability to use
a variety of skills, having autonomy at work, receiving feedback on the job, and performing a significant task are
some job characteristics that are related to satisfaction and commitment. However, the presence of these factors is
not important for everyone. Some people have a high need for growth. These employees tend to be more satisfied
when their jobs help them build new skills and improve (Loher, et. al., 1985; Mathieu & Zajac, 1990).
Organizational Justice and the Psychological ContractOrganizational Justice and the Psychological Contract
A strong influence over our satisfaction level is how fairly we are treated. People pay attention to the fairness of
company policies and procedures, fair and kind treatment from supervisors, and fairness of their pay and other
rewards they receive from the company (Cohen-Charash & Spector, 2001; Colquitt, et. al., 2001; Meyer, et. al.,
2002). Organizational justice can be classified into three categories: (1) procedural (fairness in the way policies
and processes are carried out), (2) distributive (the allocation of resources or compensation and benefits), and (3)
interactional (the degree to which people are treated with dignity and respect). At the root of organizational justice
is trust, something that is easier to break than to repair if broken.
The psychological contract is the unspoken, informal understanding that an employee will contribute certain
2.5 WORK ATTITUDES • 79
things to the organization (e.g., work ability and a willing attitude) and will receive certain things in return (e.g.,
reasonable pay and benefits). Under the psychological contract, an employee may believe that if he or she works
hard and receives favorable performance evaluations, he or she will receive an annual bonus, periodic raises and
promotions, and will not be laid off. Since the “downsizing” trend of the past 20 years, many commentators have
declared that the psychological contract is violated more often than not.
Relationships at WorkRelationships at Work
Two strong predictors of our happiness at work and commitment to the company are our relationships with
coworkers and managers. The people we interact with, how friendly they are, whether we are socially accepted
in our work group, whether we are treated with respect by them are important to our happiness at work. Research
also shows that our relationship with our manager, how considerate the manager is, and whether we build a trust-
based relationship with our manager are critically important to our job satisfaction and organizational commitment
(Bauer, et. al., 2007; Gerstner & Day, 1997; Judge, et. al., 2004; Kinicki, et. al., 2002; Mathieu & Zajac, 1990;
Meyer, et. al., 1990; Rhoades & Eisenberger, 2002). When our manager and overall management listen to us,
care about us, and value our opinions, we tend to feel good at work. When establishing effective relations with
employees, little signals that you care about your employees go a long way. For example, in 2004 San Francisco’s
Hotel Carlton was taken over and renovated by a new management group, Joie de Vivre Hospitality. One of the
small things the new management did that created dramatic results was that, in response to an employee attitude
survey, they replaced the old vacuum cleaners housekeepers were using and started replacing them every year. It
did not cost the company much to replace old machinery, but this simple act of listening to employee problems
and taking action went a long way to make employees feel better 2.
StressStress
Not surprisingly, the amount of stress present in a job is related to employee satisfaction and commitment.
Stressors range from environmental ones (noise, heat, inadequate ventilation) to interpersonal ones (organizational
politics, conflicts with coworkers) to organizational ones (pressure to avoid making mistakes, worrying about the
security of the job). Some jobs, such as intensive care unit nurse and military fighter pilot, are inherently very
stressful.
Another source of stress has to do with the roles people are expected to fulfill on and off the job. Role ambiguity
is uncertainty about what our responsibilities are in the job. Role conflict involves contradictory demands at work;
it can also involve conflict between fulfilling one’s role as an employee and other roles in life, such as the role of
parent, friend, or community volunteer.
Generally speaking, the higher the stress level, the lower job satisfaction tends to be. But not all stress is bad, and
some stressors actually make us happier! For example, working under time pressure and having a high degree
of responsibility are stressful, but they are also perceived as challenges and tend to be related to high levels of
satisfaction (Kinicki, et. al., 2002; Meyer, et. al., 2002; Miller, et. al., 2008; Podsakoff, et. al., 2007).
Assessing Work Attitudes in the WorkplaceAssessing Work Attitudes in the Workplace
Given that work attitudes may give us clues about who will leave or stay, who will perform better, and who
80 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
will be more engaged, tracking satisfaction and commitment levels is a helpful step for companies. If there are
companywide issues that make employees unhappy and disengaged, these need to be resolved. There are at least
two systematic ways in which companies can track work attitudes: through attitude surveys and exit interviews.
Companies such as KFC and Long John Silver restaurants, the SAS Institute, Google, and others give periodic
attitude surveys, which are used to track employee work attitudes. Companies can get more out of these surveys if
responses are held confidential. If employees become concerned that their individual responses will be shared with
their immediate manager, they are less likely to respond honestly. Moreover, success of these surveys depends
on the credibility of management in the eye of employees. If management periodically collects these surveys
but no action comes out of them, employees may adopt a more cynical attitude and start ignoring these surveys,
hampering the success of future efforts. Exit interviews involve a meeting with the departing employee. This
meeting is often conducted by a member of the human resource management department. If conducted well,
this meeting may reveal what makes employees dissatisfied at work and give management clues about areas for
improvement.
How strong is the attitude-behavior link? First of all, it depends on the attitude in question. Your attitudes toward
your colleagues may influence whether you actually help them on a project, but they may not be a good predictor
of whether you quit your job. Second, it is worth noting that attitudes are more strongly related to intentions to
behave in a certain way, rather than actual behaviors. When you are dissatisfied with your job, you will have the
intention to leave. Whether you actually leave will be a different story! Your leaving will depend on many factors,
such as availability of alternative jobs in the market, your employability in a different company, and sacrifices you
have to make while changing jobs. Thus, while the attitudes assessed through employee satisfaction surveys and
exit interviews can provide some basis for predicting how a person might behave in a job, remember that behavior
is also strongly influenced by situational constraints.
Key Takeaway
Work attitudes are the feelings we have toward different aspects of the work environment. Job satisfaction
and organizational commitment are two key attitudes that are the most relevant to important outcomes. In
addition to personality and fit with the organization, work attitudes are influenced by the characteristics of
the job, perceptions of organizational justice and the psychological contract, relationships with coworkers
and managers, and the stress levels experienced on the job. Many companies assess employee attitudes
through surveys of worker satisfaction and through exit interviews. The usefulness of such information is
limited, however, because attitudes create an intention to behave in a certain way, but they do not always
predict actual behaviors.
Exercises
1. What is the difference between job satisfaction and organizational commitment? How do the two
concepts relate to one another?
2. In your opinion, of the factors that influence work attitudes, which three are the most important in
making people dissatisfied with their jobs? Which three are the most important relating to
2.5 WORK ATTITUDES • 81
organizational commitment?
3. Do you think making employees happier at work is a good way of motivating people? When
would high satisfaction not be related to high performance?
4. How important is pay in making people attached to a company and making employees satisfied?
5. Do you think younger and older people are similar in what makes them happier at work and
makes them committed to their companies? Do you think there are male-female differences? Explain
your answers.
1What keeps employees satisfied? HR Focus, 10–13; Sandberg, J. (2008, April 15). For many employees, a dream
job is one that isn’t a nightmare. Wall Street Journal, B1.
2Dvorak, P. (2007, December 17). Theory and practice: Hotelier finds happiness keeps staff checked in; focus on
morale boosts Joie de Vivre’s grades from workers, guests. Wall Street Journal, B3.
ReferencesReferences
Bauer, T. N., Bodner, T., Erdogan, B., Truxillo, D. M., & Tucker, J. S. (2007). Newcomer adjustment during
organizational socialization: A meta-analytic review of antecedents, outcomes, and methods. Journal of Applied
Psychology, 92, 707–721.
Cohen-Charash, Y., & Spector, P. E. (2001). The role of justice in organizations: A meta-analysis. Organizational
Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 86, 278–321.
Colquitt, J. A., Conlon, D. E., Wesson, M. J., Porter, C. O. L. H., & Ng, K. Y. (2001). Justice at the millennium: A
meta-analytic review of 25 years of organizational justice research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 425–445.
Gerstner, C. R., & Day, D. V. (1997). Meta-analytic review of leader-member exchange theory: Correlates and
construct issues. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82(6), 827–844.
Judge, T. A., Piccolo, R. F., & Ilies, R. (2004). The forgotten ones? The validity of consideration and initiating
structure in leadership research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89, 36–51.
Kinicki, A. J., McKee-Ryan, F. M., Schriesheim, C. A., & Carson, K. P. (2002). Assessing the construct validity
of the job descriptive index: A review and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 14–32.
Loher, B. T., Noe, R. A., Moeller, N. L., & Fitzgerald, M. P. (1985). A meta-analysis of the relation of job
characteristics to job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 70, 280–289.
Mathieu, J. E., & Zajac, D. M. (1990). A review and meta-analysis of the antecedents, correlates, and
consequences of organizational commitment. Psychological Bulletin, 108, 171–194.
Meyer, J. P., Stanley, D. J., Herscivitch, L., & Topolnytsky, L. (2002). Affective, continuance, and normative
82 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
commitment to the organization: A meta-analysis of antecedents, correlates, and consequences. Journal of
Vocational Behavior, 61, 20–52.
Miller, B. K., Rutherford, M. A., & Kolodinsky, R. W. (2008). Perceptions of organizational politics: A meta-
analysis of outcomes. Journal of Business and Psychology, 22, 209–222.
Podsakoff, N. P., LePine, J. A., & LePine, M. A. (2007). Differential challenge stressor-hindrance stressor
relationships with job attitudes, turnover intentions, turnover, and withdrawal behavior: A meta-analysis. Journal
of Applied Psychology, 92, 438–454.
Rhoades, L., & Eisenberger, R. (2002). Perceived organizational support: A review of the literature. Journal of
Applied Psychology, 87, 698–714.
2.5 WORK ATTITUDES • 83
2.6 The Interactionist Perspective: The Role of Fit
Learning Objectives
1. Differentiate between person-organization and person-job fit.
2. Understand the relationship between person-job fit and work behaviors.
3. Understand the relationship between person-organization fit and work behaviors.
As we have seen in the earlier sections of this chapter, human beings bring in their personality, values, attitudes,
perceptions, and other stable traits to work. Imagine that you are interviewing an employee who is proactive,
creative, and willing to take risks. Would this person be a good job candidate? What behaviors would you expect
this person to demonstrate?
The questions we pose here are misleading. While human beings bring their traits to work, every organization is
also different, and every job is different. According to the interactionist perspective, behavior is a function of the
person and the situation interacting with each other. Think about it. Would a shy person speak up in class? While
a shy person may not feel like speaking if he or she is very interested in the subject, knows the answers to the
questions, feels comfortable within the classroom environment, and knows that class participation is 30% of the
course grade, this person may speak up in class regardless of his or her shyness. Similarly, the behavior you may
expect from someone who is proactive, creative, and willing to take risks will depend on the situation.
The fit between what we bring to our work environment and the environmental demands influences not only our
behavior but also our work attitudes. Therefore, person-job fit and person-organization fit are positively related
to job satisfaction and commitment. When our abilities match job demands, and when our values match company
values, we tend to be more satisfied with our job and more committed to the company we work for (Kristof-
Brown, et. al., 2005; Verquer, et. al., 2003).
When companies hire employees, they are interested in assessing at least two types of fit. Person-organization
fit refers to the degree to which a person’s personality, values, goals, and other characteristics match those of the
organization. Person-job fit is the degree to which a person’s knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics
match the job demands. (Human resources professionals often use the abbreviation KSAO to refer to these four
categories of attributes.) Thus, someone who is proactive and creative may be a great fit for a company in the
84
high-tech sector that would benefit from risk-taking individuals but may be a poor fit for a company that puts
a high priority on routine and predictable behavior, such as a nuclear power plant. Similarly, this proactive and
creative person may be a great fit for a field-based job such as marketing manager but a poor fit for an office job
highly dependent on rules such as accountant.
When people fit into their organization, they tend to be more satisfied with their jobs, more committed to
their companies, are more influential in their company, and remain longer in their company (Anderson, et. al.,
2008; Cable & DeRue, 2002; Kristof-Brown, et. al., 2005; O’Reilly, et. al., 1991; Saks & Ashforth, 2002). One
area of controversy is whether these people perform better. Some studies found a positive relationship between
person-organization fit and job performance, but this finding was not present in all studies, so it seems that only
sometimes fitting with a company’s culture predicts job performance (Arthur, et. al., 2006). It also seems that
fitting in with the company values is important to some people more than to others. For example, people who have
worked in multiple companies tend to understand the effect of a company’s culture better and therefore pay closer
attention to whether they will fit in with the company when making their decisions (Kristof-Brown, et. al., 2002).
Also, when they build good relationships with their supervisors and the company, being a misfit does not seem to
matter as much (Erdogan, et. al., 2004).
Key Takeaway
While personality, values, attitudes, perceptions, and KSAOs are important, we need to keep in mind that
behavior is jointly determined by the person and the situation. Certain situations bring out the best in
people, and someone who is a poor performer in one job may turn into a star employee in a different job.
Therefore, managers need to consider the individual and the situation when making Organizing decisions
about the job or when engaging in Leadership activities like building teams or motivating employees.
Exercises
1. How can a company assess person-job fit before hiring employees? What are the methods you
think would be helpful?
2. How can a company determine person-organization fit before hiring employees? Which methods
do you think would be helpful?
3. What can organizations do to increase person-job and person-organization fit after they hire
employees?
ReferencesReferences
Anderson, C., Spataro, S. E., & Flynn, F. J. (2008). Personality and organizational culture as determinants of
influence. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93, 702–710.
2.6 THE INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE: THE ROLE OF FIT • 85
Arthur, W., Bell, S. T., Villado, A. J., & Doverspike, D. (2006). The use of person-organization fit in employment
decision making: An assessment of its criterion-related validity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 786–801.
Cable, D. M., & DeRue, D. S. (2002). The convergent and discriminant validity of subjective fit perceptions.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 875–884.
Erdogan, B., Kraimer, M. L., & Liden, R. C. (2004). Work value congruence and intrinsic career success.
Personnel Psychology, 57, 305–332.
Kristof-Brown, A. L., Jansen, K. J., & Colbert, A. E. (2002). A policy-capturing study of the simultaneous effects
of fit with jobs, groups, and organizations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 985–993.
Kristof-Brown, A. L., Zimmerman, R. D., & Johnson, E. C. (2005). Consequences of individuals’ fit at work: A
meta-analysis of person-job, person-organization, person-group, and person-supervisor fit. Personnel Psychology,
58, 281–342.
O’Reilly, C. A., Chatman, J., & Caldwell, D. F. (1991). People and organizational culture: A profile comparison
approach to assessing person-organization fit. Academy of Management Journal, 34, 487–516.
Saks, A. M., & Ashforth, B. E. (2002). Is job search related to employment quality? It all depends on the fit.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 646–654.
Verquer, M. L., Beehr, T. A., & Wagner, S. H. (2003). A meta-analysis of relations between person-organization
fit and work attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 63, 473–489.
86 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
2.7 Work Behaviors
Learning Objectives
1. Define job performance, organizational citizenship, absenteeism, and turnover.
2. Explain factors associated with each type of work behavior.
One of the important objectives of the field of organizational behavior is to understand why people behave the way
they do. Which behaviors are we referring to here? We will focus on four key work behaviors: job performance,
organizational citizenship behaviors, absenteeism, and turnover. Note that the first two behaviors are desirable
ones, whereas the other two are often regarded as undesirable. While these four are not the only behaviors
organizational behavior is concerned about, if you understand what we mean by these behaviors and the major
influences over each type of behavior, you will gain more clarity about analyzing the behaviors of others in the
workplace.
Figure 2.15 Factors That Have the Strongest Influence over Work Behaviors
87
Job PerformanceJob Performance
Job performance refers to the level to which an employee successfully fulfills the factors included in the job
description. For each job, the content of job performance may differ. Measures of job performance include quality
and quantity of work performed by the employee, the accuracy and speed with which the job is performed, and
the overall effectiveness of the person on the job.
In many companies, job performance determines whether a person is promoted, rewarded with pay raises, given
additional responsibilities, or fired from the job. Therefore, most employers observe and track job performance.
This is done by keeping track of data on topics such as the number of sales the employee closes, the number of
clients the employee visits, the number of defects found in the employee’s output, or the number of customer
complaints or compliments received about the person’s work. In some jobs, objective performance data may not
be available, and instead supervisor, coworker, customer, and subordinate assessments of the quality and quantity
of work performed by the person become the indicators of job performance. Job performance is one of the main
88 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
outcomes studied in organizational behavior and is an important variable managers must assess when they are
engaged in the Controlling role.
What Are the Major Predictors of Job Performance?What Are the Major Predictors of Job Performance?
Under which conditions do people perform well, and what are the characteristics of high performers? These
questions receive a lot of research attention. It seems that the most powerful influence over our job performance
is our general mental ability also known as cognitive ability or intelligence, and often abbreviated as “g.” General
mental ability can be divided into several components—reasoning abilities, verbal and numerical skills, and
analytical skills—and it seems to be important across different situations. It seems that “g” starts influencing
us early in our school days because it is strongly correlated with measures of academic success even in
childhood(Kuncel, et. al., 2004). In adult life, “g” is also correlated with different measures of job performance
(Bertua, et. al., 2005; Kuncel, et. al., 2004; Salgado, et. al., 2003; Schmidt & Hunter, 2004; Vinchur, et. al., 1998).
It seems that the influence of “g” on performance is important across different settings, but there is also variation.
In jobs with high complexity, it is much more critical to have high general mental abilities. Examples of such
jobs are manager, sales representative, engineer, and professions such as law and medicine. In jobs such as police
officer and clerical worker, the importance of “g” for high performance is still important but weaker.
Perceptions of organizational justice and interpersonal relationships are factors determining our performance
level. When we feel that we are being fairly treated by the company, that our manager is supportive and rewards
high performance, and when we trust the people we work with, we tend to perform better. Why? It seems that
when we believe we are treated well, we want to reciprocate. Therefore, we treat the company well by performing
our job more effectively.
The stress we experience on the job also determines our performance level. When we are stressed, our mental
energies are drained. Instead of focusing on the task at hand, we start concentrating on the stressor trying to cope
with it. Because our attention and energies are diverted to dealing with stress, our performance suffers. Having
role ambiguity and experiencing conflicting role demands are related to lower performance (Gilboa, et. al., 2008).
Stress that prevents us from doing our jobs does not have to be related to our experiences at work. For example,
according to a survey conducted by Workplace Options, 45% of the respondents said that financial stress affects
work performance. When people are in debt, worrying about their mortgage payments or college payments of
their kids, their performance will suffer.1
Our work attitudes, particularly job satisfaction, are also correlates of job performance but not to as great a
degree as you might expect. Many studies have been devoted to understanding whether happy employees are
more productive. Some studies show weak correlations between satisfaction and performance while others show
higher correlations (what researchers would call “medium sized” correlations of .30) (Iaffaldano & Muchinsky,
1985; Judge, et. al., 2001; Riketta, 2008). The correlation between commitment and performance tends to be even
weaker (Mathieu & Zajac, 1990; Riketta, 2002; Wright & Bonnett, 2002). Even with a correlation of .30, though,
the relationship may be lower than you may have expected. Why is this the case?
It seems that happy workers have an inclination to be more engaged at work. They may want to perform better.
They may be more motivated. But there are also exceptions. Think about this: Because you want to perform, does
this mean that you will actually perform better? Chances are your skill level in performing the job will matter.
There are also some jobs where performance depends on factors beyond an employee’s control, such as the pace
2.7 WORK BEHAVIORS • 89
of the machine they are working on. Because of this reason, in professional jobs such as with engineers and
researchers, we see a stronger link between work attitudes and performance, as opposed to manual jobs such as
assembly-line workers (Riketta, 2002). Also, think about the alternative possibility: If you don’t like your job,
does this mean that you will reduce your performance? Maybe up to a certain point, but there will be factors that
prevent you from reducing your performance: such as the fear of getting fired, the desire to get a promotion so that
you can get out of the job that you dislike so much, or your professional work ethic. As another example, among
nurses, there seems to be a weak correlation between satisfaction and performance. Even when they are unhappy,
nurses put a lot of effort into their work because they feel a moral obligation to help their patients. As a result, we
should not expect a one-on-one relationship between satisfaction and performance. Still, the observed correlation
between work attitudes and performance is important and has practical value.
Finally, job performance has a modest relationship with personality traits, particularly conscientiousness. People
who are organized, reliable, dependable, and achievement-oriented seem to outperform others in various contexts
(Barrick & Mount, 1991; Dudley, et. al., 2006; Vinchur, et. al., 1998).
Organizational Citizenship BehaviorsOrganizational Citizenship Behaviors
While job performance refers to the performance of duties listed in one’s job description, organizational
citizenship behaviors involve performing behaviors that are more discretionary. Organizational citizenship
behaviors (OCB) are voluntary behaviors employees perform to help others and benefit the organization. Helping
a new coworker understand how things work in this company, volunteering to organize the company picnic, and
providing suggestions to management about how to improve business processes are some examples of citizenship
behaviors. These behaviors contribute to the smooth operation of business.
What are the major predictors of citizenship behaviors? Unlike performance, citizenship behaviors do not depend
so much on one’s abilities. Job performance, to a large extent, depends on our general mental abilities. When
you add the education, skills, knowledge, and abilities that are needed to perform well, the role of motivation on
performance becomes more limited. As a result, just because someone is motivated will not mean that the person
will perform well. For citizenship behaviors, in contrast, the motivation-behavior link is clearer. We help others
around us if we feel motivated to do so, and managers, in the Leadership role, are responsible for motivating
employees.
Perhaps the most important factor explaining our citizenship behaviors is organizational justice and interpersonal
relationships. When we have a good relationship with our manager and we are supported by our manager, when
we are treated fairly, when we are attached to our peers, when we trust the people around us, we are more likely
to engage in citizenship behaviors. A high-quality relationship with people we work with will mean that simply
doing our job will not be enough to maintain the relationship. In a high-quality relationship, we feel the obligation
to reciprocate and go the extra mile to help them out (Cohen-Charash & Spector, 2001; Colquitt, et. al., 2001;
Colquitt, et. al., 2007; Fassina, et. al., 2008; Hoffman, et. al., 2007; Ilies, et. al., 2007; Lepine, et. al., 2007; Organ
& Ryan, 1995; Podsakoff, et. al., 1996; Riketta & Van Dick, 2005).
Our personality is yet another explanation for why we perform citizenship behaviors. Personality is a modest
predictor of actual job performance but a much better predictor of citizenship. People who are conscientious,
agreeable, and low on Neuroticism tend to perform citizenship behaviors more often than others (Borman, et. al.,
2001; Dalal, 2005; Diefendorff, et. al., 2002; Organ & Ryan, 1995).
90 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Job attitudes are also moderately related to citizenship behaviors—more so than they are to job performance.
People who are happier at work, those who are more committed to their companies, and those who have overall
positive attitudes toward their work situation tend to perform citizenship behaviors more often than others. When
people are unhappy, they tend to be disengaged from their jobs and rarely go beyond the minimum that is expected
of them (Dalal, 2005; Diefendorff, et. al., 2002; Fassina, et. al., 2008; Hoffman, et. al., 2007; Lepine, et. al., 2002;
Organ & Ryan, 1995; Riketta, 2002; Riketta & Van Dick, 2005).
Interestingly, age seems to be related to the frequency with which we demonstrate citizenship behaviors. People
who are older are better citizens. It is possible that with age we gain more experiences to share. It becomes easier
to help others because we have more accumulated company and life experiences to draw from (Ng, et. al., 2008).
AbsenteeismAbsenteeism
Absenteeism refers to Unscheduled absences from work. Such absences are costly to companies because of
their unpredictable nature, affecting a manager’s ability to Control the firm’s or department’s budget. When an
employee has an unscheduled absence from work, companies struggle to find replacement workers at the last
minute. This may involve hiring contingent workers, having other employees work overtime, or scrambling to
cover for an absent coworker. The cost of absenteeism to organizations is estimated at $74 billion. According to a
Mercer Human Resource consulting study, 15% of the money spent on payroll is related to absenteeism (Conlin,
2007; Gale, 2003).
What causes absenteeism? First, we need to look at the type of absenteeism. Some absenteeism is unavoidable
and is related to health reasons. For example, reasons such as acute or serious illness, lower back pain, migraines,
accidents one may have on or off the job, or acute stress are important reasons for absenteeism (Farrell & Stamm,
1998; Martocchio, et. al., 2000). Health-related absenteeism is costly, but it would be unreasonable and unfair to
institute organizational policies penalizing it. When an employee has a contagious illness, showing up at work
will infect coworkers and will not be productive. If the illness is not contagious, it is still in the organization’s
best interest for the employee to receive proper medical treatment and rest to promote a full recovery. Indeed,
companies are finding that programs aimed at keeping workers healthy are effective in dealing with this type
of absenteeism. Companies using wellness programs, educating employees about proper nutrition, helping them
exercise, and rewarding them for healthy habits have reported reduced absenteeism (Parks & Steelman, 2008).
2.7 WORK BEHAVIORS • 91
Figure 2.16
Absenteeism costs companies an estimated $74 billion annually. Companies using wellness programs
targeting employee health are found to reduce absenteeism.
David Goehring – Officemate Disappears – CC BY 2.0.
92 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Work/life balance is another common reason for absences. Staying home to care for a sick family member,
attending the wedding or funeral of a loved one, and skipping work to study for an exam are all common reasons
for unscheduled absences. Companies may deal with these by giving employees more flexibility in work hours. If
employees can manage their own time, they are less likely to be absent. Conversely, when a company has “sick
leave” but no other leave for social and family obligations, they may fake being sick and use their “sick leave.”
One solution is to have a single paid time off policy that would allow workers to balance work and life and allow
companies to avoid unscheduled absences. Organizations such as Lahey Clinic at Burlington, Massachusetts, have
found this to be effective in dealing with unscheduled absences. Some companies such as IBM got rid of sick
leave altogether and instead allow employees to take as much time off as they need, so long as the work gets done
(Cole, 2002; Conlin, 2007; Baltes, et. al., 1999).
Sometimes, absenteeism is a form of work withdrawal and a step followed by turnover. In other words, poor
work attitudes lead to absenteeism. When employees are dissatisfied with their work or have low organizational
commitment, they are likely to be absent more often. Thus, absenteeism is caused by the desire to avoid an
unpleasant work environment. In this case, management may deal with absenteeism by investigating the causes
of dissatisfaction and dealing with them.
Are there personal factors contributing to absenteeism? Research does not reveal a consistent link between
personality and absenteeism, but there is one demographic criterion that predicts absenteeism: age. Interestingly,
and against some stereotypes that increased age would bring more health problems, research shows that age is
negatively related to both frequency and duration of absenteeism. That is, younger workers are the ones more
likely to be absent. Because of reasons that include higher loyalty to their company and a stronger work ethic,
older employees are less likely be absent from work (Martocchio, 1989; Ng & Feldman, 2008).
TurnoverTurnover
Turnover refers to an employee’s leaving an organization. Employee turnover has potentially harmful
consequences, such as poor customer service and poor company-wide performance. When employees leave,
their jobs still need to be performed by someone, so companies spend time recruiting, hiring, and training new
employees, all the while suffering from lower productivity. Yet, not all turnover is bad. Turnover is particularly a
problem when high-performing employees leave, while a poor performer’s leaving may actually give the company
a chance to improve productivity and morale.
Why do employees leave? An employee’s performance level is an important reason. People who perform poorly
are actually more likely to leave. These people may be fired, may be encouraged to quit, or may quit because of
their fear of being fired. Particularly if a company has pay-for-performance systems, poor performers will find that
they are not earning much due to their below-standard performance. This gives poor performers an extra incentive
to leave. This does not mean that high performers will definitely stay with a company. High performers may find
it easier to find alternative jobs, so when they are unhappy, they can leave more quickly.
Work attitudes are often the primary culprit in why people leave. When workers are unhappy at work, and when
they do not feel committed to their companies, they are more likely to leave. Loving the things you do, being
happy with the opportunities for advancement within the company, being happy about pay are all aspects of our
work attitudes relating to turnover. Of course, the link between work attitudes and turnover is not direct. When
employees are unhappy, they will have the intention to leave and may start looking for a job. But their ability to
2.7 WORK BEHAVIORS • 93
actually leave will depend on many factors, such as their employability and the condition of the job market. For
this reason, when national and regional unemployment is high, many people who are unhappy will still continue
to work for their current company. When the economy is doing well, people will start moving to other companies
in response to being unhappy. Understanding the connection between employee happiness and turnover, many
companies make an effort to make employees happy. SAS Institute employees have a 35-hour workweek and
enjoy amenities such as a swimming pool and child care at work. The company’s turnover is around 4%–5%, in
comparison to the industry averages ranging from 12%–20% (Carsten, & Spector, 1987; Cohen, 1991; Cohen,
1993; Cohen & Hudecek, 1993; Griffeth, et. al., 2000; Hom, et. al., 1992; Karlgaard, 2006; Meyer, et. al., 2002;
Steel & Ovalle, 1984; Tett & Meyer, 1993).
People are more likely to quit their jobs if they experience stress at work as well. Stressors such as role conflict
and role ambiguity drain energy and motivate people to seek alternatives. For example, call center employees
experience a great deal of stress because of poor treatment from customers, long work hours, and constant
monitoring of their every action. Companies such as EchoStar realize that one method that is effective in retaining
their best employees is to give them opportunities to move to higher-responsibility jobs elsewhere in the company.
When a stressful job is a step toward a more desirable job, employees seem to stick around longer (Badal, 2006;
Griffeth, et. al., 2000; Podsakoff, et. al., 2007).
There are also individual differences in whether people leave or stay. For example, personality is a factor in the
decision to quit one’s job. People who are conscientious, agreeable, and emotionally stable are less likely to quit
their jobs. Many explanations are possible. People with these personality traits may perform better at work, which
leads to lower quit rates. Or, they may have better relations with coworkers and managers, which is a factor in
their retention. Whatever the reason, it seems that some people are likely to stay longer at any given job regardless
of the circumstances (Salgado, 2002; Zimmerman, 2008).
Whether we leave a job or stay also depends on our age and how long we have been there. It seems that younger
employees are more likely to leave. This is not surprising because people who are younger often have fewer
responsibilities such as supporting a household or having dependents. As a result, they can quit a job they don’t
like much more easily. They may also have higher expectations and thus be more easily disappointed when a job
proves to be less rewarding than they had imagined. Similarly, people who have been with a company for a short
period of time can quit more easily. For example, Sprint Nextel found that many of their new hires were likely
to quit within 45 days of their hiring dates. When they investigated, they found that newly hired employees were
experiencing a lot of stress from avoidable problems such as unclear job descriptions or problems with hooking up
their computers. Sprint was able to solve the turnover problem by paying special attention to orienting new hires.
New employees experience a lot of stress at work, and there is usually not much keeping them in the company
such as established bonds to a manager or colleagues. New employees may even have ongoing job interviews
with other companies when they start working. This, too, gives them the flexibility to leave more easily.
Key Takeaway
Employees demonstrate a wide variety of positive and negative behaviors at work. Among these, four are
critically important and have been extensively studied in the OB literature. Job performance is the degree
of success with which one accomplishes the tasks listed in one’s job description. A person’s abilities,
94 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
particularly general mental ability, are the main predictor of job performance in many occupations. How
we are treated at work, the level of stress experienced at work, work attitudes, and, to a lesser extent, our
personality are also factors relating to one’s job performance. Citizenship behaviors are tasks helpful to the
organization that go above and beyond one’s job description. Performance of citizenship behaviors are less
a function of our abilities and more of motivation. How we are treated at work, personality, work attitudes,
and our age are the main predictors of citizenship. Among negative behaviors employees demonstrate,
absenteeism and turnover are critically important. People who experience health problems and work/life
balance issues are prone to more absenteeism. Poor work attitudes are also related to absenteeism, and
younger employees are more likely to be absent from work, especially when dissatisfied. Turnover is
higher among low performers, people who have negative work attitudes, and those who experience a great
deal of stress. Personality and being younger are personal predictors of turnover.
Exercises
1. What is the difference between performance and organizational citizenship behaviors? As a
manager, how would you improve someone’s performance? How would you increase citizenship
behaviors?
2. Are citizenship behaviors always beneficial to the company? Can you think of any citizenship
behaviors employees may perform with the intention of helping a company but that may have
negative consequences overall?
3. Given the factors correlated with job performance, which employee selection methods should be
better at identifying future high performers?
4. What are the major causes of absenteeism at work? How can companies minimize the level of
absenteeism that takes place?
5. In some companies, managers are rewarded for minimizing the turnover within their department
or branch. A part of their bonus is directly tied to keeping the level of turnover below a minimum.
What do you think about the potential effectiveness of these programs? Do you see any downsides to
such programs?
1Anonymous. (2008, June). Financial stress: The latest worker risk. HR focus, 85(6), 12.
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2.7 WORK BEHAVIORS • 99
2.8 Developing Your Positive Attitude Skills
Learning Objectives
1. Learn to be happier at work.
2. Leverage your attitudes for optimum work performance.
100
Figure 2.17
Research shows that acting positive at work can actually help you become happier over time as emotions can be influenced by actions.
Anirudh Koul – Jumping Over The 3rd Largest Pyramid In The World – CC BY-NC 2.0.
Have you ever wondered how you could be happier at work and how greater work satisfaction could improve
your overall effectiveness? Here are some ideas that may help you achieve a great sense of peace for yourself as
well as when you are working with a negative coworker.
• Leverage your Big Five traits. Your personality is a big part of your happiness. Which of the Big Five
positive traits are you strongest on? Be aware of them and look for opportunities to express them at work.
Are you high on Neuroticism? If so, work to overcome this challenge: If you choose to find the negative
side of everything, you will.
• Find a job and company that fit you well. Good fit with the job and company are important to your
happiness. This starts with knowing yourself, your chosen career, and the particular job in question: What
do you want from the job? What do you enjoy doing?
• Get accurate information about the job and the company. Ask detailed questions about what life is like in
this company. Do your research. Read about the company; use your social network to understand the
company’s culture.
2.8 DEVELOPING YOUR POSITIVE ATTITUDE SKILLS • 101
• Develop good relationships at work. Make friends. Try to get a mentor if your company does not have a
formal mentoring program. Approach a person you admire and attempt to build a relationship with this
person. An experienced mentor can be a great help in navigating life at a company. Your social network can
help you weather the bad days and provide you with emotional and instrumental support during your time at
a company as well as afterward.
• Pay is important, but job characteristics matter more to your job satisfaction. So don’t sacrifice the job
itself for a bit more money. When choosing a job, look at the level of challenge and the potential of the job
to make you feel engaged.
• Be proactive in managing organizational life. If the job is stressful, cope with it by effective time
management and having a good social network, as well as being proactive in getting to the source of stress.
If you don’t have enough direction, ask for it!
• Know when to leave. If the job makes you unhappy over an extended period of time and there is little hope
of solving the problems, it may be time to look elsewhere.
Key Takeaway
Promoting a positive work attitude will increase your overall effectiveness as a manager. You can increase
your own happiness at work by knowing yourself as a person, by ensuring that you work at a job and
company where you fit in, and by building effective work relationships with your manager, coworkers, and
subordinates. Concentrating on the motivating potential of the job when choosing a job and solving the
problems you encounter in a proactive manner may be helpful as well.
Exercises
1. Do you believe that your own happiness at work is in your hands? What have you done in the past
to increase your own satisfaction with work?
2. Consider the most negative person you work or interact with. Why do you think they focus more
on the negative side of life?
3. On the basis of what you have read in this chapter, can you think of ways in which you can
improve your effectiveness in dealing with negative coworkers?
102 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Chapter 3: History, Globalization, and
Values-Based Leadership
3.1 History, Globalization, and Values-Based Leadership
3.2 Case in Point: Hanna Andersson Corporation Changes for Good
3.3 Ancient History: Management Through the 1990s
3.4 Contemporary Principles of Management
3.5 Global Trends
3.6 Globalization and Principles of Management
3.7 Developing Your Values-Based Leadership Skills
103
3.1 History, Globalization, and Values-Based Leadership
What’s in It for Me?
Reading this chapter will help you do the following:
1. Learn about the history of principles of management.
2. Know the context for contemporary principles of management.
3. Understand key global trends.
4. See how globalization is affecting management principles and practices.
5. Appreciate the importance of value-based leadership (ethics) in management.
The planning-organizing-leading-controlling (P-O-L-C) framework is summarized in the following figure. In this
chapter, you’ll learn that some principles of management are enduring, but you’ll also see that managers need to
be continually adapting to changing times. Each facet of the framework—from planning, to organizing, to leading,
to controlling—has to be adapted to take advantage of, and to manage in, our changing world. Global trends affect
both the style and the substance of management. As the world becomes more global, managers find themselves
leading workforces that may be distributed across the country—and the world. Workers are more educated, but
more is expected of them.
Figure 3.2 The P-O-L-C Framework
The realm of managers is expanding. As a leader, you’ll be a role model in the organization, setting the tone not
just for what gets done but how it gets done. Increasingly, good business practice extends to stewardship, not just
104
of the organization but of the environment and community at large. Ethics and values-based leadership aren’t just
good ideas—they’re vital to attracting talent and retaining loyal customers and business partners.
3.1 HISTORY, GLOBALIZATION, AND VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP • 105
3.2 Case in Point: Hanna Andersson Corporation Changes
for Good
Figure 3.3
Jessica Lucia – pajama time – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Born from a desire to bring quality European-style children’s clothing to the United States, Hanna
Andersson Corporation has sold colorful clothing and accessories since 1983. Husband and wife
cofounders, Tom and Gun (pronounced “gōōn”) Denhart, started the Portland, Oregon–based company
by distributing imported Swedish clothing from their home. Named for Gun’s Swedish grandmother, the
company now boasts over $100 million in annual sales and employs over 500 people. Growing from an
exclusive mail-order catalog business in the early 1980s, today Hanna Andersson also distributes products
online, in 29 retail stores nationwide, and through select specialty retailers.
Over the years, Hanna Andersson has shown that it deeply values its employees. The company provides
supplemental child-care reimbursement to all employees—even part-time sales associates. Additional
employee benefits include part-time and flexible work hours, considerable paid time off, and 8 hours per
106
year of paid time for employees to volunteer in the community. More important, though, employees feel
like they are part of the Hanna Andersson family. In fact, in the beginning many of the employees were
friends and family members of the Denharts.
It was important to the Denharts that they were involved in the decisions of the company and that those
decisions took quality of life issues into account. Gun states, “If you can create balance among your work,
your community, your family, and your friends, then you’re going to be more satisfied.” Examples of this
philosophy infusing Hanna Andersson include the establishment of HannaDowns, a clothing recycling
program where customers can return used clothing and receive a 20% off coupon for their next purchase.
The charitable nature of Hanna Andersson has continued through what is now the HannaHelps program.
This program awards grants and donates products to schools and nonprofit groups, helping children in
the community and around the world. In addition, under Gun’s leadership Hanna Andersson established
ongoing donations, 5% of pretax profits, to charities that benefit women and children.
The considerable growth and development the business experienced did not come without its challenges
and necessary organizational change. In the 1990s and early 2000s, increased competition from other
retailers and the introduction of online commerce posed some challenges for Hanna Andersson. The
Denharts found themselves without a solid growth plan for the future. They worried that they might have
lost sight of market forces. Change was necessary if Hanna Andersson was to remain viable.
Realizing the need for help and direction, the Denharts promoted from within the company to help initiate
change and strategic growth, and in 1995, Phil Iosca took the strategic lead as CEO. Hanna Andersson
was then sold to a private equity firm in 2001 and has since changed ownership several times, leading to a
new business direction for the company. After selling the business, Gun remained on the Hanna board of
directors until 2007. She also served as chair of the Hanna Andersson Children’s Foundation from 2001 to
2006. She still partners with the company from time to time on charitable events in the community.
Under Iosca’s steady leadership, the company opened several retail stores throughout the country in 2002
and established online commerce. In 2009, Hanna Andersson began distributing merchandise wholesale
through retail partners such as Nordstrom and Costco. The implementation of each of these new
distribution avenues required a great deal of change within the company. HR Vice President Gretchen
Peterson explains, “The growth of the retail business required the greatest shift in our internal processes
from both technical systems, to inventory planning and buying to distribution processes to our
organizational communication and HR processes (recruitment, compensation, etc.), as well as our
marketing communication programs.” Tenured employees throughout the company found themselves in
unfamiliar territory, unsure of the company’s future as the board and owners debated the risks and rewards
of retail expansion. Fortunately, the changes were mostly offset by a consistent leadership team. Petersen,
who has been with the company since 1994, explains, “From 1995 to 2010, we retained the same CEO
(Iosca) and therefore, the face of the company and the management style did not fluctuate greatly.”
When Iosca retired in early 2010, chief operating officer Adam Stone took over as CEO. He helped
his company weather yet another transition with a calm push for changes within the company. To help
understand different points of view at Hanna Andersson, Stone often sat in on inventory and operational
planning meetings. Step by step, Stone was able to break down work initiatives so the continuing changes
were not so overwhelming to the company and its valued employees. Over time, his and other company
leaders’ presence has helped employees make better, more strategic decisions. Rather than resisting
change, they now feel heard and understood.
The decision to sell wholesale turned out to be a good one, as it has enabled the company to weather the
recession’s negative effect on retail and online purchases. Accounting for approximately 10% of total sales,
the company’s wholesale business is expected to boost yearly revenue by 5%. With more conscientious
inventory purchases and strategic distribution initiatives, Hanna Andersson has realized a higher sales
3.2 CASE IN POINT: HANNA ANDERSSON CORPORATION CHANGES FOR GOOD • 107
volume, lower inventory at year-end, and less liquidation. Through it all, company management has done
an effective job at interpreting the desired growth goals of its owners while inspiring change within the
company. With continued clear communication, direction, and willingness to try new techniques, Hanna
Andersson is poised for growth and success in the future while not forgetting to take care of its employees.
Case study based on information from Bollier, D. (1996). Aiming higher: 25 stories of how companies
prosper by combining sound management and social vision (pp. 23–35). New York: The Business
Enterprise Trust; Boulé, M. (2009, July 16). Hanna Andersson employee can’t say enough of a thank-
you to co-workers who helped her through cancer. Oregonian. Retrieved March 4, 2010, from
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/margie_boule/index.ssf/2009/07/
hanna_andersson_employee_cant.html; Information retrieved February 28, 2010, from the Hanna
Andersson Web site: http://www.hannaandersson.com; Muoio, A. (1998, November 30). Giving back.
Fast Company. Retrieved March 1, 2010, from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/20/
one.html?page=0%2C1; Goldfield, R. (2002, June 14). Hanna sees bricks-and-mortar future. Portland
Business Journal; Peterson, G. (2010, March 5 and April 5). Personal communication; Information
retrieved March 1, 2010, from http://www.answers.com/topic/hanna-andersson; Raphel, M., & Raphel, N.
(1995). Up the loyalty ladder (pp. 83–90). New York: HarperCollins.
Discussion Questions
1. How has Hanna Andersson applied values-based leadership in terms of the organization’s choices
related to P-O-L-C?
2. How did company leaders like Iosca, Petersen, and Stone help facilitate change within the
company? Did they remain consistent with the values of the founders?
3. What were the reasons for organizational change within Hanna Andersson, both internally and
externally?
4. What unique challenges do family-owned and -operated businesses face?
5. How did the mission of Hanna Andersson evolve over time?
108 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
3.3 Ancient History: Management Through the 1990s
Learning Objectives
1. Early motivation for development of principles.
2. What problems did these principles solve?
3. What were the limitations of these early views?
Early Management PrinciplesEarly Management Principles
Early management principles were born of necessity. The most influential of these early principles were set forth
by Henri Fayol a French mining engineer. In 1888, Fayol became director of a mining company. The company was
in difficulty, but Fayol was able to turn it around and make the company profitable again. When he retired, Fayol
wrote down what he’d done to save the company. He helped develop an “administrative science” and developed
principles that he thought all organizations should follow if they were to run properly.
Fayol’s 14 Principles of ManagementFayol’s 14 Principles of Management
1. Specialization/Division of Labor
By specializing in a limited set of activities, workers become more efficient and increase their output.
2. Authority/Responsibility
Managers must have the authority to issue commands, but with that authority comes the responsibility to
ensure that the work gets done.
3. Discipline
Workers must obey orders if the business is to run smoothly. But good discipline is the result of effective
leadership: workers must understand the rules and management should use penalties judiciously if workers
violate the rules.
109
4. Unity of Command
An employee should receive orders only from one boss to avoid conflicting instructions.
5. Unity of Direction
Each unit or group has only one boss and follows one plan so that work is coordinated.
6. Subordination of Individual Interest
The interests of one person should never take precedence over what is best for the company as a whole.
7. Remuneration
Workers must be fairly paid for their services.
8. Centralization
Centralization refers to decision making: specifically, whether decisions are centralized (made by
management) or decentralized (made by employees). Fayol believed that whether a company should
centralize or decentralize its decision making depended on the company’s situation and the quality of its
workers.
9. Line of Authority
The line of authority moves from top management down to the lowest ranks. This hierarchy is necessary for
unity of command, but communication can also occur laterally if the bosses are kept aware of it. The line
should not be overextended or have too many levels.
10. Order
Orderliness refers both to the environment and materials as well as to the policies and rules. People and
materials should be in the right place at the right time.
11. Equity
Fairness (equity), dignity, and respect should pervade the organization. Bosses must treat employees well,
with a “combination of kindliness and justice.”
12. Stability of Tenure
Organizations do best when tenure is high (i.e., turnover is low). People need time to learn their jobs, and
stability promotes loyalty. High employee turnover is inefficient.
13. Initiative
Allowing everyone in the organization the right to create plans and carry them out will make them more
enthusiastic and will encourage them to work harder.
110 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
14. Esprit de Corps
Harmony and team spirit across the organization builds morale and unity.
Time and MotionTime and Motion
Figure 3.4
Today, coal is mined and moved by heavy machinery like this coal lift. In Taylor’s time, it was moved by
shovel to rail cars or trucks.
PublicDomainPictures – CC0 public domain.
Frederick Winslow Taylor, a contemporary of Fayol’s, formalized the principles of scientific management in
his 1911 book, The Principles of Scientific Management. Taylor described how productivity could be greatly
improved by applying the scientific method to management; for this reason, the scientific approach is sometimes
referred to as Taylorism.
Taylor is most famous for his “time studies,” in which he used a stopwatch to time how long it took a worker
to perform a task, such as shoveling coal or moving heavy loads. Then he experimented with different ways to
do the tasks to save time. Sometimes the improvement came from better tools. For example, Taylor devised the
“science of shoveling,” in which he conducted time studies to determine how much weight a worker could lift with
a shovel without tiring. He determined that 21 pounds was the optimal weight. But since the employer expected
each worker to bring his own shovel, and there were different materials to be shoveled on the job, it was hard to
ensure that 21-pound optimum. So, Taylor provided workers with the optimal shovel for each density of materials,
like coal, dirt, snow, and so on. With these optimal shovels, workers became three or four times more productive,
and they were rewarded with pay increases.
3.3 ANCIENT HISTORY: MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE 1990S • 111
Frank Gilbreth and Lillian Moller Gilbreth, his wife (who outlived Frank by 48 years!), were associates of Taylor
and were likewise interested in standardization of work to improve productivity (Wikipedia, 2009). They went
one better on Taylor’s time studies, devising “motion studies” by photographing the individual movements of each
worker (they attached lights to workers’ hands and photographed their motions at slow speeds). The Gilbreths then
carefully analyzed the motions and removed unnecessary ones. These motion studies were preceded by timing
each task, so the studies were called “time and motion studies.”
Applying time and motion studies to bricklaying, for example, the Gilbreths devised a way for workers to lay
bricks that eliminated wasted motion and raised their productivity from 1,000 bricks per day to 2,700 bricks per
day. Frank Gilbreth applied the same technique to personal tasks, like coming up with “the best way to get dressed
in the morning.” He suggested the best way to button the waistcoat, for example, was from bottom up rather than
top down. Why? Because then a man could straighten his tie in the same motion, rather than having to raise his
hands back up from the bottom of the waistcoat.
Limitations of the Early ViewsLimitations of the Early Views
Fayol, Taylor, and the Gilbreths all addressed productivity improvement and how to run an organization smoothly.
But those views presumed that managers were overseeing manual labor tasks. As work began to require less
manual labor and more knowledge work, the principles they had developed became less effective. Worse, the
principles of Taylorism tended to dehumanize workers. The writer Upton Sinclair who raised awareness of
deplorable working conditions in the meatpacking industry in his 1906 book, The Jungle, was one of Taylor’s
vocal critics. Sinclair pointed out the relatively small increase in pay (61%) that workers received compared with
their increased productivity (362%). Frederick Taylor answered Sinclair’s criticism, saying that workers should
not get the full benefit because it was management that devised and taught the workers to produce more. But
Taylor’s own words compare workers to beasts of burden: The worker is “not an extraordinary man difficult to
find; he is merely a man more or less the type of an ox, heavy both mentally and physically” (Sinclair, 1911;
Taylor, 1911)
When work was manual, it made sense for a manager to observe workers doing a task and to devise the most
efficient motions and tools to do that task. As we moved from a manufacturing society to a service-based one, that
kind of analysis had less relevance. Managers can’t see inside the head of a software engineer to devise the fastest
way to write code. Effective software programming depends on knowledge work, not typing speed.
Likewise, a services-based economy requires interactions between employees and customers. Employees have to
be able to improvise, and they have to be motivated and happy if they are to serve the customer in a friendly way.
Therefore, new management theories were developed to address the new world of management and overcome the
shortcomings of the early views.
Finally, early views of management were heavily oriented toward efficiency, at the expense of attention to the
manager-as-leader. That is, a manager basically directs resources to complete predetermined goals or projects. For
example, a manager may engage in hiring, training, and scheduling employees to accomplish work in the most
efficient and cost-effective manner possible. A manager is considered a failure if he or she is not able to complete
the project or goals with efficiency or when the cost becomes too high. However, a leader within a company
develops individuals to complete predetermined goals and projects. A leader develops relationships with his or
her employees by building communication, by evoking images of success, and by eliciting loyalty. Thus, later
112 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
views of management evoke notions of leaders and leadership in discussing the challenges and opportunities for
modern managers.
Management Ideas of the 1990sManagement Ideas of the 1990s
Peter Drucker was the first scholar to write about how to manage knowledge workers, with his earliest work
appearing in 1969. Drucker addressed topics like management of professionals, the discipline of entrepreneurship
and innovation, and how people make decisions. In 1982, Tom Peters and Robert Waterman wrote In Search of
Excellence, which became an international best seller and ushered a business revolution by changing the way
managers viewed their relationships with employees and customers. On the basis of the authors’ research focusing
on 43 of America’s most successful companies in six major industries, the book introduced nine principles of
management that are embodied in excellent organizations:
1. Managing Ambiguity and Paradox
The ability of managers to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still be able to function
effectively.
2. A Bias for Action
A culture of impatience with lethargy and inertia that otherwise leaves organizations unresponsive.
3. Close to the Customer
Staying close to the customer to understand and anticipate customer needs and wants.
4. Autonomy and Entrepreneurship
Actions that foster innovation and nurture customer and product champions.
5. Productivity through People
Treating rank-and-file employees as a source of quality.
6. Hands-On, Value-Driven
A management philosophy that guides everyday practice and shows management’s commitment.
7. Stick to the Knitting
Stay with what you do well and the businesses you know best.
8. Simple Form, Lean Staff
The best companies have very minimal, lean headquarters staff.
9. Simultaneous Loose-Tight Properties (Peters & Waterman, 1982)
3.3 ANCIENT HISTORY: MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE 1990S • 113
Autonomy in shop-floor activities plus centralized values.
Following up, Peters wrote a Passion for Excellence, which placed further emphasis on leadership, innovation,
and valuing people. His book Thriving on Chaos, published the day of the biggest stock market crash of the
time (“Black Monday,” October 19, 1987), addressed the uncertainty of the times; and Liberation Management,
published in 1992, laid out 45 prescriptions for how to lead companies in a rapidly changing world. The book
called for empowering people by involving everyone in decision making and eliminating bureaucratic rules and
humiliating conditions. Peters urged organizational leaders (i.e., managers) to celebrate and recognize employees
for their contributions. His advice to leaders was to “master paradox” (i.e., develop a level of comfort with
complexity and ambiguity) and establish direction for the company by developing an inspiring vision and leading
by example.
Beginning in the 1970s, Warren Bennis pioneered a new theory of leadership that addressed the need for leaders
to have vision and to communicate that vision. More than just a manager, an effective leader was defined as
someone with the ability to influence and motivate others not only to perform work tasks but also to support the
organization’s values and meet the organization’s goals. Different views of leadership through the ages are shown
next.
Views of Leadership Through the AgesViews of Leadership Through the Ages
A leader is a dealer in hope.
—Napoleon
I suppose that leadership at one time meant muscle; but today it means getting along with people.
—Indira Gandhi
What leaders really do: set direction, align people, and motivate people.
—John Kotter (Kotter, 1990).
Key Takeaway
Early management theorists developed principles for managing organizations that suited the times. A
century ago, few workers were highly educated; most work was manual, tasks were repetitive, and rates of
change were slow. Hierarchy brought unity and control, and principles of management in which managers
defined tasks and coordinated workers to move in a unified direction made sense. As the economy moved
from manufacturing to services, the need for engaging workers’ minds and hearts became more important.
Drucker, Peters, and Waterman presented ideas on how managers could achieve excellence in a continually
changing business environment, while Bennis encouraged managers to become inspiring leaders who
empowered people.
114 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Exercises
1. What goals seem to dominate early management principles?
2. Do you see any commonalities between Fayol’s principles of management from 1911 and those of
Tom Peters in the 1990s?
3. Are there any jobs today for which time and motion studies would make sense to do? Would any
other skills need to be taught as well?
4. What do early management principles leave out?
5. How would you put some of the ideas of the 1990s into practice?
6. What aspects of P-O-L-C would be most likely to change based on what you have learned in this
section?
ReferencesReferences
Kotter, J. P. (1990, May–June). What leaders really do. Harvard Business Review, pp. 85–95.
Peters, T. J., & Waterman, R. H. (1982). In Search of Excellence. New York: Knopf.
Sinclair, U. (1911, June). A criticism. American Magazine, 243–244; Taylor, F. W. (June 1911). An answer to
the criticism. American Magazine, 243–244. Retrieved January 28, 2009, from http://stevens.cdmhost.com/cdm4/
document.php?CISOROOT=/p4100coll1&CISOPTR=244&REC=14&CISOSHOW=242.
Wikipedia, retrieved January 28, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheaper_by_the_Dozen. Cheaper by the
Dozen was made into a 1950 motion picture starring Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy as Frank and Lillian Gilbreth.
3.3 ANCIENT HISTORY: MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE 1990S • 115
3.4 Contemporary Principles of Management
Learning Objectives
1. Recognize organizations as social movements.
2. Understand the benefits of social networking.
3. Recognize learning organizations.
4. Understand virtual organizations.
Corporations as Social MovementsCorporations as Social Movements
Traditionally, we’ve thought of corporations as organizations that had clear boundaries, formal procedures, and
well-defined authority structures. In contrast, social movements are seen as more spontaneous and fluid. The
term social movement refers to a type of group action that is focused on specific political or social issues;
examples include the civil rights movement, the feminist movement, and the gay rights movement. Leaders of
social movements depend on charisma rather than authority to motivate participants to action. Contemporary
management theory, however, is showing that the lines between the two are blurring: corporations are becoming
more like social movements, and social movements are taking on more permanence. Just as companies are
outsourcing specific jobs, so social movements can contract out tasks like lobbying and fundraising.
Figure 3.5
116
We are more connected, at least virtually, than ever before.
Takashi Hososhima – Traditional cell phone vs Smart phone – CC BY-SA 2.0.
Corporations can implement initiatives that mimic a social movement. Consider how the CEO of one bank
described a program he introduced: “The hierarchical management structure will give way to some collective
activities that will improve our effectiveness in the marketplace. Decisions won’t flow from a management level
to people on the line who are expected to implement those decisions.…We’re telling everyone, choose a process,
figure out what and where the problems are, work together to come up with solutions, and then put your solutions
to work (Davis, et. al., 2005).” Thus, more and more leading businesses are harnessing the mechanics of social
movements to improve how they will manage their businesses in the future.
Social NetworkingSocial Networking
Social networking refers to systems that allow members of a specific site to learn about other members’ skills,
talents, knowledge, or preferences. Companies use these systems internally to help identify experts.
In the world, at large, social networks are groups of individuals who share a common interest or passion. Poker
players, dog lovers, and high school alumni are a few examples of social networks in action. In the corporate
world, a social network is made up of individuals who share an employer and, potentially, other interests as well.
But in the pre-Internet age, managers lacked the tools to recognize or tap the business value of in-house social
3.4 CONTEMPORARY PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT • 117
networks. The company softball team was a social network, sure. But what did that have to do with the bottom
line?
Today, social networks are starting points for corporate innovation: potentially limitless arrangements of
individuals inspired by opportunities, affinities, or tasks. People feel better and work better when they belong
to a group of other people like themselves (Rummler, 2007). This new attitude toward social networks in the
workplace has been fueled by the growth of social networking sites like Facebook.
Facebook was started by then-college student Mark Zuckerberg in 2004 as a way of connecting a social
network—specifically, university students. Since then, Facebook has changed the way organizations connect as
well. Some companies maintain a physical presence on Facebook that allows consumers to chime in about their
passions (or lack of them) for corporate offerings, news, and products. Starbucks has adopted this model, asking
consumers to help them revive their product lines and image.
As Zuckerberg told the Wall Street Journal, “We just want to share information more efficiently (Vara, 2007).”
And, in the information age, that’s what social networks do best. Companies are applying the online social
networking model of open and closed groups to their corporate intranets, creating secure sites for employees in
different locations to collaborate on projects based on common interests, management directives, and incentives.
For example, IBM’s pilot virtual world will let Big Blue employees use chat, instant messaging, and voice
communication programs while also connecting to user-generated content in the public spaces of Second Life,
another large social networking site. IBM also opened a virtual sales center in Second Life and, separately from
the Second Life partnership, is building an internal virtual world where work groups can have meetings.
The use of online social networking principles can open the door to outside collaborations. For example, Netflix
offered a million-dollar reward to anyone in the company’s social network of interested inventors who could
improve the algorithm that matches movie lovers to new titles they might enjoy. Companies like Procter &
Gamble and InnoCentive are tapping social networks of scientists to improve their products.
Social networks fueled by passion can help managers retain, motivate, and educate staff. They might even help
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg with an in-house dilemma as his company grows. According to the Wall Street
Journal, the world’s most dynamic social networking site has “little management experience.”
Learning OrganizationsLearning Organizations
In a 1993 article, Harvard Business School professor David Garvin defined a learning organization as “an
organization skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying its behavior to reflect
new knowledge and insights (Garvin, 1993).” The five building blocks of learning organizations are
1. Systematic problem solving: The company must have a consistent method for solving problems, using
data and statistical tools rather than assumptions.
2. Experimentation: Experiments are a way to test ideas in small steps. Experiments let companies hunt for
and test new knowledge, such as new ways of recycling waste or of structuring an incentive program.
3. Learning from past experience: It’s essential for companies to review projects and products to learn what
worked and what didn’t. Boeing, for example, systematically gathered hundreds of “lessons learned” from
118 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
previous airplane models, such as the 737 and 747, which it applied to the 757s and 767s, making those the
most successful, error-free launches in Boeing’s history.
4. Learning from others: Recognizing that good ideas come from anywhere, not just inside the company,
learning organizations network with other companies in a continual search for good ideas to adapt and
adopt.
5. Transferring knowledge: Sharing knowledge quickly throughout the organization is the way to make
everyone a smart, contributing member.
Virtual OrganizationsVirtual Organizations
A virtual organization is one in which employees work remotely—sometimes within the same city, but more
often across a country and across national borders. The company relies on computer and telecommunications
technologies instead of physical presence for communication between employees. E-mail, wikis, Web meetings
(i.e., like Webex or GoToMeeting), phone, and Internet relay chat (IRC) are used extensively to keep everyone
in touch. Virtual companies present special leadership challenges because it’s essential for leaders to keep
people informed of what they are supposed to be doing and what other arms of the organization are doing.
Communication in a commons area is preferable to one-on-one communication because it keeps everyone up to
speed and promotes learning across the organization.
The Value of WikisThe Value of Wikis
Wikis provide companies with a number of benefits (Tapscott & Williams, 2006):
• Wikis pool the talent of experts as well as everyone from across the company and beyond it—in all time
zones and geographic locations.
• Input from unanticipated people brings fresh ideas and unexpected connections.
• Wikis let people contribute to a project any time, giving them flexibility in managing their time.
• It’s easy to see the evolution of an idea, and new people can get up to speed quickly by seeing the history of
the project.
• Co-creation of solutions eliminates the need to “sell” those solutions to get buy-in.
• Wikis cut the need for e-mail by 75% and the need for meetings by 50%.
With more and more companies outsourcing work to other countries, managers are turning to tools like wikis
to structure project work globally. A wiki is a way for many people to collaborate and contribute to an online
document or discussion (see “The Value of Wikis”). The document remains available for people to access
anytime. The most famous example is Wikipedia. A wikified organization puts information into everyone’s hands.
Managers don’t just talk about empowering workers—the access to information and communication empowers
workers directly. People who are passionate about an idea can tap into the network to make the idea happen.
Customers, too, can rally around an issue and contribute their opinions.
Many companies that are not solely virtual use the principles of a virtual organization as a way to structure
3.4 CONTEMPORARY PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT • 119
the work of globally distributed teams. VeriFone, one of the largest providers of electronic payment systems
worldwide, has development teams working on software projects around the world. In what the company calls
a “relay race,” developers in Dallas working on a rush project send unfinished work at quitting time to another
development center in Laupahoehoe, Hawaii. When the sun sets there, the project is handed off to programmers in
Bangalore, India, for further work, and by morning, it’s back in Dallas, 16 hours closer to completion. Similarly,
midwestern Paper Converting Machine Co. (PCMC) outsourced some design work to Chennai, India. Having
U.S. and Indian designers collaborate 24/7 has helped PCMC slash development costs and time, enabling the
company to stay in business, according to CEO Robert Chapman. Chapman said, ““We can compete and create
great American jobs, but not without offshoring (Engardio, 2006).”
Virtual organizations also pose management challenges. In practical terms, if everyone is empowered to be a
decision maker but various people disagree, how can decisions be made? If all workers can work at the times they
choose, how can management be sure that workers are doing their work—as opposed to reading Web sites for fun,
shopping, or networking with friends—and that they are taking appropriate breaks from work to avoid burnout?
There are also challenges related to the virtual environment’s dependence on computers and Web security.
Key Takeaway
In today’s fast-changing world, organizations are becoming more like social movements, with more fluid
boundaries and more participation in leadership across all levels. Social networks within corporations
let employees find out about one another and access the people who have the skills, knowledge, or
connections to get the job done. Continuous learning is important, not just for individuals but for
organizations as a whole, to transfer knowledge and try out new ideas as the pace of change increases.
Virtual organizations can speed up cycle time, but they pose new challenges for managers on how
to manage remote workers. Communications technologies and the Web let employees work from
anywhere—around the corner or around the world—and require special attention to managing
communication.
Exercises
1. What commonalities do you see between organizations and social movements?
2. How would you use a social network to solve a work-related task?
3. Why do social networks inspire employees?
4. How do social networks help managers plan, organize, lead, and control?
5. What steps would you take to help your organization become a learning organization?
6. What are the advantages of a virtual organization?
7. What aspects of P-O-L-C would be most likely to change based on what you have learned in this
section?
120 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
ReferencesReferences
Davis, G. F., McAdam, D., Scott, W. R., & Zald, M. N. (Eds.). (2005). Social Movements and Organization
Theory. Cambridge Studies in Contentious Politics. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 283.
Engardio, P. (2006, January 30). The future of outsourcing. BusinessWeek.
Garvin, D. (1993, July–August). Building a learning organization. Harvard Business Review, 78–91.
Rummler, L. (2007, July). Corporate social networking updates definition of women’s groups. Retrieved January
28, 2009, from http://www.talentmgt.com/newsletters/recruitment_perspectives/2007/July/380/index.php.
Tapscott, A., & A. D. Williams. (2006). Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything. New York:
Portfolio.
Vara, V. (2007, May 21). Facebook opens its pages as a way to fuel growth. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved
January 28, 2009, from http://online.wsj.com/public/article/
SB117971397890009177-wjdKPmjAqS_9ZZbwiRp_CoSqvwQ_20070620.html.
3.4 CONTEMPORARY PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT • 121
3.5 Global Trends
Learning Objectives
1. What are the top 10 ways that the world is changing?
2. What is the pace of these changes?
As the summary “Top Trends” suggests, we are living in exciting times, and you’re at the forefront of it. The world
is changing in dramatic ways, and as a manager, you’re in the best position to take advantage of these changes.
Let’s look at 10 major ways in which the world is changing; we’ll characterize the first five as challenges and the
next five as solutions.
Top TrendsTop Trends
Top 5 Challenge Trends
1. Increasing Concern for the Environment
2. Greater Personalization and Customization
3. Faster Pace of Innovation
4. Increasing Complexity
5. Increasing Competition for Talent
Top 5 Solution Trends
1. Becoming More Connected
2. Becoming More Global
3. Becoming More Mobile
4. Rise of the Creative Class
5. Increasing Collaboration
122
Top 5 Challenge TrendsTop 5 Challenge Trends
Increasing Concern for the EnvironmentIncreasing Concern for the Environment
We all seem to believe that the weather has been getting weirder in recent decades, and analysis by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggests that there have been more catastrophic weather
events in recent years than 10–20 years ago (NCDC, 2008). People are seeing the growing threat of global
warming, which is leading to failing crops, rising sea levels, shortages of drinking water, and increasing death tolls
from disease outbreaks such as malaria and dengue fever. Currently, 175 nations have signed the Kyoto Protocol
on climate change and pledged to begin the long process of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According
to McKinsey’s Global Survey of Business Executives, executives across the world believe that business plays
a wider role in society and has responsibility to address issues such as environmental concerns beyond just
following the letter of the law to minimize pollution. More and more companies now watch the “triple bottom
line”—the benchmark of how they benefit, not just (1) profits but also (2) employees and (3) the environment as a
whole. Companies realize they have to take bold steps to minimize their carbon footprint, create environmentally
friendly products, and manage the company for more than just the next quarter’s profits. Managers can’t simply
“greenwash” (pretend to be green through tiny steps and heavy advertising).
Figure 3.6
Wind power is a high-growth business that takes advantage of increasing interest in sustainable energy
sources.
TumblingRun – Into the Night – CC BY-ND 2.0.
3.5 GLOBAL TRENDS • 123
Greater Personalization and CustomizationGreater Personalization and Customization
We’re no longer happy with cookie-cutter products. Consumers are demanding more say in products and
services. One size no longer fits all, and that means tailoring products and services to meet specific customer
preferences. And as companies sell their products globally, that tailoring has to meet vastly different needs,
cultural sensitivities, and income levels. Even something simple such as Tide laundry detergent can come in
hundreds of potential variants in terms of formulations (powders, liquids, tablets), additives (whiteners, softeners,
enzymes), fragrances (unscented, mountain fresh, floral), and package sizes (from single-load laundromat sizes
to massive family/economy sizes). Customization and the growing numbers of products mean managing more
services and more products. For example, for just $4.99 plus shipping, you can create your own Kleenex oval
tissue box (Mykleenextissue, 2008)! Managing for mass production won’t suffice in the future.
Faster Pace of InnovationFaster Pace of Innovation
We all want the next new thing, and we want it now. New models, new products, and new variations—companies
are speeding new products to market in response to customer demands. The Finland-based mobile phone maker
Nokia sells 150 different devices, of which 50–60 are newly introduced each year. The new variations are tailored
to local languages, case colors, carriers, add-ons, and content. David Glazer, engineering director at Google,
explained how his company adapts to this fast pace: “Google has a high tolerance for chaos and ambiguity. When
we started OpenSocial [a universal platform for social-network applications], we didn’t know what the outcome
was going to be.” So Google started running a bunch of experiments. “We set an operational tempo: when in
doubt, do something,” Glazer said, “If you have two paths and you’re not sure which is right, take the fastest path
(Fast Company, 2008).”
Increasing ComplexityIncreasing Complexity
Because we want more sustainability, more customization, and more innovation, companies face growing
complexity. Nokia’s 50–60 new phone models a year all have 300–400 components, some of which contain
millions or hundreds of millions of transistors. Those components have to arrive at the right manufacturing
location (Nokia has 10 worldwide) from whichever country they originated and arrive just in time to be
manufactured.
Increasing Competition for TalentIncreasing Competition for Talent
We need people who can solve all these tough problems, and that’s a challenge all by itself. According to
McKinsey’s global survey of trends, business executives think that this trend, among all trends, will have the
greatest effect on their companies in the next five years. Jobs are also getting more complex. Consider people who
work in warehouses doing shipping and receiving. At Intel, these workers were jokingly called “knuckle-dragging
box pushers” and known for using their brawn to move boxes. Now, the field of transportation and shipping has
become known as “supply chain management” and employees need brains as well as brawn—they need to know
science and advanced math. They’re called on to do mathematical models of transportation networks to find the
most efficient trucking routes (to minimize environmental impact) and to load the truck for balance (to minimize
fuel use) and for speed of unloading at each destination. Intel now acknowledges the skills that supply chain
124 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
people need. The company created a career ladder leading to “supply chain master” that recognizes employees for
developing expertise in supply chain modeling, statistics, risk management, and transportation planning. Overall,
demand will grow for new types of talent such as in the green energy industry. At the same time, companies face
a shrinking supply of seasoned managers as baby boomers retire in droves. Companies will have to deal with
shortages of specific skills.
Top 5 Solution TrendsTop 5 Solution Trends
Becoming More ConnectedBecoming More Connected
We can now use the Internet and World Wide Web to connect people with people as never before. By mid-2008,
more than 1.4 billion people were online, and that number continues to increase each year as the developing world
catches up with the developed world on Internet usage (Internetworldstats, 2000). Through over a 100 million
Web sites, we can access information, words, sounds, pictures, and video with an ease previously unimaginable.
Becoming More GlobalBecoming More Global
We can now tap into more global suppliers and global talent. Whatever problem a manager faces, someone in the
world probably has the innovative products, the knowledge, or the talent to address the problem. And the Internet
gives managers to the tools to help problems find solutions, customers find suppliers, and innovators find markets.
The global problems we face will require people to work together to solve them. Ideas need to be shaped and
implemented. Moving ideas around the world is a lot less costly and generates less greenhouse gases than moving
people and products around the world. Organizations and social movements alike are using social networking to
help people find others with the skills and talents to solve pressing problems.
Becoming More MobileBecoming More Mobile
We can now reach employees, suppliers, and customers wherever they are. By the end of 2008, 60% of the
world’s population—4 billion people—were using mobile phones (Itu, 2008). And, like Internet use, mobile
phone adoption continues to grow. The penetration of mobile phones is changing the way we do business because
people are more connected and able to share more information. Two-way, real-time dialogue and collaboration are
available to people anytime, anywhere. The low cost of phones compared with computers puts them in the hands
of more people around the world, and the increasing sophistication of software and services for the phone expands
its use in business settings. Phones are not just a voice communication device—they can send text as well as be a
connective device to send data. The fastest mobile phone growth is in developing countries, bringing connectivity
to the remotest regions. Fisherman off the coast of southern India can now call around to prospective buyers of
their catch before they go ashore, which is increasing their profits by 8% while actually lowering the overall price
consumers have to pay for fish by 4% (Corbett, 2008). In South Africa, 85% of small black-owned businesses
rely solely on mobile phones. Nokia has 120,000 outlets selling phones in India, where half the population lives
in rural areas, not cities.
3.5 GLOBAL TRENDS • 125
Rise of the Creative ClassRise of the Creative Class
With blogs, Flickr, and YouTube, anyone can post their creative efforts. And with open source and wikis, anyone
can contribute ideas and insights. We have ubiquitous opportunities for creativity that are nurturing a new creative
class. For example, OhmyNews, a popular newspaper, is written by 60,000 contributing “citizen reporters.” It has
become one of South Korea’s most influential news sources, with more than 750,000 unique users a day (Hua,
2007; Schonfeld & Vi-Wyn, 2007). The demand for workers and ability for workers to work from anywhere may
lead to an “e-lance economy.” Workers may become free agents, working temporarily on one project and then
moving to another when that project is done. Mobile connectivity means these new workers can live anywhere in
the world and can work from anywhere in their community. For you as a manager, this means managing workers
who might be in a cubicle in Columbus, Ohio, an apartment in Amsterdam, or an Internet café in Bangalore.
Increasing CollaborationIncreasing Collaboration
These solution trends combine to foster a rise in collaboration across space and time. We can now bring more
people together to solve more problems more quickly. To design new products quickly—and make sure they
meet consumer needs—companies are now looking beyond their four walls for innovation. Google, for example,
identifies itself as an organization that believes in open, decentralized innovation. “Google can’t do everything.
And we shouldn’t,” said Andy Rubin, senior director of Mobile Platforms. “That’s why we formed the Open
Handset Alliance with more than 34 partners (Fast Company, 2009).” While the handset alliance is about open
cell phones (i.e., phones that aren’t tied to any particular phone company and can be programmed by users just
like Apple or Palm’s “apps”), collaboration means much more than communications. People can now not just
communicate but actually collaborate, building coalitions, projects, and products (Friedman, 2005). Groups self-
organize on the Web. For example, the MIT-based Vehicle Design Summit is virtual, so students from around the
world can participate. The goal is to make a low-cost, 200-mpg four-seater for the Indian market; in 2008, about
200 students participated in this international open-source project (Fast Company, 2008). A cross section of more
trend predictions follows.
Trends, Trends, TrendsTrends, Trends, Trends
It seems that trend-tracking has become somewhat of a business. Glance over these top trends from the
editors of Wired, McKinsey Quarterly, and USA Today.
Wired 2008 Business Trends
1. Open Source Tycoons
2. Social Networks Grow Up
3. Green on the Outside
4. Invisible Internet
5. Rise of the Instapreneur
6. Building a Better Banner
126 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
7. Invented in China
8. VCs Look for a New Life
9. The Human Touch (Wired, 2008)
Top business trends likely to have the greatest effect on business over the next five years
1. Competition for talent will intensify, become more global.
2. Centers of economic activity will shift globally, regionally.
3. Technological connectivity will increase.
4. Ubiquitous access to information will change economics of knowledge.
5. Demand for natural resources will grow, as will strain on environment.
6. Population in developed economies will age.
7. Consumer landscape will change, expand significantly.
8. Role, behavior of business will come under increasing scrutiny.
9. Organizations will become larger, more complex.
10. New global industry structures will emerge (e.g., private equity, networked)(McKinseyquarterly,
2007)
Countdown of the biggest trends in small business
1. Web 2.0
2. Rise of e-marketing
3. Little is the new big
4. The new consumer
5. Fragmentation
6. The world is getting flatter
7. Personalization
8. Work anywhere, any place
9. Global warming may put you out of business (USAtoday, 2009)
Key Takeaway
Today’s world faces many challenges, from the need to protect the natural environment to the rapid pace
of innovation and change. Technological connectivity is bringing the world closer together and enabling
people to work from anywhere. Demand for talent and low-cost workers gives rise to outsourcing and
employees working remotely, whether from home or from remote different countries. At the same time,
information is now available to more and more people. This drives demand for personalization. It increases
complexity but at the same time gives us the collaboration tools needed to solve tough problems.
3.5 GLOBAL TRENDS • 127
Exercises
1. How do you manage innovation if ideas can come from anywhere, including people who aren’t
your direct employees—or aren’t even part of the company?
2. If, according to some trends, you can work anytime and anywhere, how do you decide when to
work? When do you stop working?
3. What advantages do you see from a global workforce?
4. What commonalities do you see across the trends presented in “Trends, Trends, Trends”?
5. Which of the trends depend on technology?
6. What aspects of P-O-L-C would be most likely to change based on what you have learned in this
section?
ReferencesReferences
Corbett, S. (2008, April 13). Can the cellphone help end global poverty? New York Times.
Fast company. (2008, March). Retrieved January 28, 2009, from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/123/
google.html.
Fastcompany, retrieved April 2008 from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/124/the-amazing-race.html.
Friedman, T. (2005). The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century. New York: Farrar, Straus &
Giroux, 81.
Hua, V. (2007, March 27). South Korea: Everyone’s a Journalist. http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/rough/2007/
03/south_korea.html.
International Telecommunication Union, retrieved October 13, 2008, from http://www.itu.int/newsroom/
press_releases/2008/29.html.
Internet World Stats, retrieved October 7, 2000, from http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm.
My Kleenex Tissue, retrieved October 13, 2008, from
http://www.mykleenextissue.com/?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=5659768&iq_id=5659768.
NCDC, retrieved October 7, 2008, from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/severeweather/extremes.html.
Schonfeld, & Yi-Wyn Yen. It’s a Web, Web, Web 2.0 world. Business 2.0 Magazinehttp://money.cnn.com/
galleries/2007/biz2/0707/gallery.web_world.biz2/14.html.
The organizational challenges of global trends: A McKinsey Global Survey. (2007, November). McKinsey
Quarterly. http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/
128 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Wired. (2008, March). http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/16–04/bz_opensource.
USA Today, retrieved January 28, 2009, from http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/strauss/
2007-01-07-trends-2_x.htm.
3.5 GLOBAL TRENDS • 129
3.6 Globalization and Principles of Management
Learning Objectives
1. Why might global trends influence management principles?
2. What is the GLOBE project, and why is it relevant to management?
3. What is a cultural dimension, and how do cultural dimensions affect business dealings and
management decisions?
Globalization and Cross-Cultural LessonsGlobalization and Cross-Cultural Lessons
Despite the growing importance of global business, Fortune 500 companies have reported a shortage of global
managers with the necessary skills (GMAC Global Relocation, 2008; Gregersen, et. al., 1998). Some experts
have argued that most U.S. companies are not positioned to implement global strategies due to a lack of global
leadership capabilities (Hollenbeck & McCall, 2003)
It’s easy to understand the problem: communicating and working with people from different countries can be a
challenge—not just because of language issues but also because of different cultural norms. For example, in the
United States, we tend to be direct in our communication. If you ask a U.S. manager a question, you’ll tend to get
a direct answer. In other cultures, particularly in southern Europe and Japan, the answer to a question begins with
background and context—not the bottom line—so that the listener will understand how the person arrived at the
conclusion. Similarly, in some cultures, it is considered rude to deliver bad news or say “no” to a request—instead,
the speaker would give a noncommittal answer like “we’ll see” or “we’ll try.”
Figure 3.7
130
Our places of work are more diverse than ever before.
Oregon Department of Transportation – Diversity – CC BY 2.0.
Country-by-country differences are so prevalent that a worldwide team of scholars proposed to create and validate
a theory of the relationship between culture and societal, organizational, and leadership effectiveness. Called the
GLOBE Project, it included 170 researchers working together for 10 years to collect and analyze data on cultural
values and practices and leadership attributes from more than 17,000 managers in 62 societal cultures. In its 2006
report, GLOBE identified the following nine dimensions of culture (Javidan, et. al., 2006).
Performance OrientationPerformance Orientation
Should you reward people for performance improvement and excellence? In countries like the United States
and Singapore, the answer is yes. Organizations in these countries use employee training and development to
help people improve their skills and performance. In countries like Russia and Greece, however, family and
background count for more than performance.
Uncertainty AvoidanceUncertainty Avoidance
Life often brings unpredictable events, and with them anxiety. Uncertainty avoidance reflects the extent to
which members of a society attempt to cope with anxiety by minimizing uncertainty. Should you establish rules,
procedures, and social norms to help your employees deal with uncertainty? In countries where uncertainty
avoidance is high, like Brazil and Switzerland, the answer is yes. People in such societies want strict rules, laws,
and policies to eliminate or control the unexpected. Employees in these countries tend to seek order, consistency,
and structure. Countries with low uncertainty avoidance, in contrast, are less rule-oriented. They tolerate a variety
3.6 GLOBALIZATION AND PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT • 131
of opinions and are open to change and taking risks. Countries with low uncertainty avoidance include Hong Kong
and Malaysia.
AssertivenessAssertiveness
How assertive, confrontational, or aggressive should you be in relationships with others? In highly assertive
countries like the United States and Austria, competition between individuals and groups is encouraged. Managers
may set up incentives that reward the best idea, even it it’s contrary to established practices. People in less
assertive countries, like Sweden and New Zealand, prefer harmony in relationships and emphasize loyalty and
solidarity.
Power DistancePower Distance
Power distance reflects the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations expect
and accept that power is distributed unequally. Should you distribute decision-making power equally among the
group? In high-power-distance countries like Thailand, Brazil, and France, the answer is no. People in these
societies expect unequal power distribution and greater stratification, whether that stratification is economic,
social, or political. People in positions of authority in these countries expect (and receive) obedience. Decision
making is hierarchical with limited participation and communication. Australia, in contrast, has a power distance
rating that is much lower than the world average. The Australian view reinforces cooperative interaction across
power levels and stresses equality and opportunity for everyone.
Gender EgalitarianismGender Egalitarianism
Should you promote men rather than women? Counties with low gender egalitarianism are male dominated. Men
hold positions of power to a much greater extent in low-gender-egalitarianism countries like Egypt and South
Korea. Companies operating in more gender-egalitarian countries such as the Nordic countries, Germany, and the
Netherlands encourage tolerance for diversity of ideas and roles regardless of gender.
Institutional CollectivismInstitutional Collectivism
Institutional collectivism refers to the extent to which people act predominantly as a member of a lifelong group or
organization. Should you reward groups rather than individuals? In countries with high institutional collectivism
such as Sweden, the answer is yes. Countries with low institutional collectivism, such as in the United States,
emphasize individual achievement and rewards.
Humane OrientationHumane Orientation
Should you reward people for being fair, altruistic, generous, and kind to others? In countries such as Malaysia,
this practice is more prevalent and encouraged than in low-humane-orientation countries such as Germany.
132 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Future OrientationFuture Orientation
Will your employees favor activities that involve planning and investing in the future for long-term payoff? Or do
they want to see short-term results? Future orientation is defined as one’s expectations and the degree to which
one is thoughtful about the future. It is a multifaceted concept that includes planning, realism, and a sense of
control. Companies in countries with high future orientation, such as China and Singapore, will have a longer-
term planning horizon, and they will be more systematic about planning. Corporations in countries that are the
least future-oriented, such as Argentina and Russia, will be more opportunistic and less systematic. At the same
time, they’ll be less risk averse.
Global Ventures Gone AwryGlobal Ventures Gone Awry
When Corning proposed a joint venture with a Mexican glass manufacturer, Vitro, the match seemed made in
heaven. But just two years later, the venture was terminated. What happened? Cultural clashes eroded what
could have been a lucrative partnership. To start, American managers were continually frustrated with what
they perceived to be slow decision making by Mexican managers. Mexico ranks higher on the power distance
dimension than the United States—company structures are hierarchical, and decisions are made only by top
managers. Loyalty to these managers is a high priority in Mexico, and trying to work around them is a big taboo.
Mexicans also have a less urgent approach to time. They see time as more abundant than their U.S. counterparts.
As a result, Mexicans thought that Americans wanted to move too fast on decisions, and they perceived American
directness in communication as aggressive (Brake, 1996). Additional vignettes on managing across borders are
shared next.
Managing Across BordersManaging Across Borders
Lines on the Map Miss the Real Story
Diversity is deeper than variations between countries. Sometimes those differences appear in different
regions of the same country. For example, some parts of Mexico don’t use Spanish as the primary
language. Wal-Mart’s Mexico’s Juchitan store, therefore, conducts business in the local Zapotec tongue,
encourages female employees to wear traditional Zapotec skirts, and does the morning company cheer in
Zapotec.
Talent Abroad
With so much variation across countries, it’s no surprise that countries vary in level of talent and the supply
of managerial, skilled, and unskilled labor. Companies shouldn’t assume that emerging market countries
offer inferior labor pools. GM, for instance, found that 50% of its assembly-line workers in India have
college degrees—a ratio much higher than in other countries.
Local Solutions by People Who Understand Local Needs
Nokia uses local designers to create country-specific handset models. The models designed in India for
Indians are dust resistant and have a built-in flashlight. The models designed in China for the Chinese have
a touch screen, stylus, and Chinese character recognition. Local designers are more likely to understand
the needs of the local population than headquarters-located designers do.
3.6 GLOBALIZATION AND PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT • 133
Strategies in emerging markets conference, held by the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics (CTL)
on March 7, 2007, Cambridge, MA.
Key Takeaway
Because the business environment increasingly depends on collaboration across regional and national
borders, a successful global manager needs to be culturally sensitive and have an understanding for how
business is done in different cultures. In some countries, loyalty to the group is key. Other countries
celebrate mavericks and rule breakers if they can get things done. Knowing how best to communicate with
your coworkers and employees—whether to be direct or indirect, whether to follow strict protocol or be
more causal, whom to involve in decisions—are all important considerations.
Exercises
1. You’ve just been made a manager in Sweden, known for its institutional collectivism. What
incentives and reward structures would you use to motivate your employees?
2. How would you prepare workers for an overseas assignment?
3. Your company has 12 branches in the United States and will be opening its first branch in Brazil.
Your company prides itself on its self-managed teams. Will you keep this policy in the new country?
Why or why not?
4. You’re a manager in Japan, and you’ve just discovered that a team leader under your supervision
has made a mistake that will result in a quality problem. How will you handle this mistake?
5. You work in Hong Kong for a Swiss-owned firm. The Swiss are known for their high uncertainty
avoidance. What differences might you expect to see from your Swiss bosses compared with your
Hong Kong employees?
6. What aspects of P-O-L-C would be most likely to change based on what you have learned in this
section?
ReferencesReferences
Brake, T. (1996). The Global Leader (p. 203). New York: McGraw-Hill. Additional vignettes on managing across
borders are shared next
Global Relocation Trends Survey report 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2008, from
http://www.gmacglobalrelocation.com
Gregersen, H. B., Morrison, A. J., & Black, J. S. (1998, Fall). Developing leaders for the global frontier. Sloan
Management Review, 21–32.
134 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Hollenbeck, G. P., & McCall, M. W. 2003. Competence, not competencies: Making global executive development
work. In W. Mobley & P. Dorfman (Eds.), Advances in Global Leadership (Vol. 3). Oxford: JAI Press.
Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., de Luque, M. S., & House R. J. (2006, February). In the eye of the beholder: Cross
cultural lessons in leadership from Project GLOBE. Academy of Management Perspectives, 20, 67–90.
3.6 GLOBALIZATION AND PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT • 135
3.7 Developing Your Values-Based Leadership Skills
Learning Objectives
1. What ethical challenges do managers likely face?
2. Why are ethics relevant to principles of management?
3. What decision-making framework can you use to help integrate ethics into your own principles of
management?
Ethical Challenges Managers FaceEthical Challenges Managers Face
It’s late at night and the office is quiet—except that you’ve got a nagging voice in your head. Your product is
already two weeks behind schedule. You’ve got to get it out this week or lose the deal. But you’ve discovered a
problem. To correct the problem would mean another 3-week delay—and you know the client won’t go for that.
It’s a small error—it’ll probably never become an issue. What do you do?
Managers face these kinds of issues all the time. Ethical dilemmas can arise from a variety of areas, such as:
• Advertising (desire to present your product or service in the best light)
• Sourcing of raw materials (does the company buy from a supplier who may be underpaying their people or
damaging the environment?)
• Privacy (should the company have access to private e-mails that employees write on company time? or the
Web sites they visit during work hours?)
• Safety (employee and community)
• Pay scales (relation of the pay of top executives to the rest of the company)
• Product pricing policies (variable pricing, discounts)
• Communication (with stockholders, announcements of plant closings, etc.)
It’s easy to think that people who behave unethically are simply bad apples or have a character flaw. But in
136
fact, it’s often the situation or circumstances that create the ethical pressures. A global study of business ethics,
published by the American Management Association, found that the main reasons for a lapse of ethics are:
1. Pressure to meet unrealistic business objectives/deadlines.
2. A desire to further one’s career.
3. A desire to protect one’s livelihood. 1
You may have developed your own personal code of ethics, but the social environment of the organization can
be a barrier to fulfilling that code if management is behaving unethically. At Enron, vice president Sherron
Watkins pointed out the accounting misdeeds, but she didn’t take action beyond sending a memo to the company’s
chairman. Although she was hailed as a hero and whistleblower, she in fact did not disclose the issue to the public.
Similarly, auditors at Arthur Andersen saw the questionable practices that Enron was pursuing, but when the
auditors reported these facts to management, Arthur Andersen’s managers pointed to the $100 million of business
they were getting from the Enron account. Those managers put profits ahead of ethics. In the end, both companies
were ruined, not to mention the countless employees and shareholders left shattered and financially bankrupt.
Since 2002, when the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was passed, companies have been required to write a code of ethics.
The act sought to reform corporate governance practices in large U.S. public companies. The purpose of the rules
is to “define a code of ethics as a codification of standards that is reasonably necessary to deter wrongdoing and
to promote honest and ethical conduct,” including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest,
compliance with laws, and accountability to adhere to the code (SEC, 2009). The U.S. financial crisis of late 2008
pointed out that other areas, particularly in the financial services industry, needed stiffer regulations and regulatory
scrutiny as well, and those moves will begin to take effect in early 2009. Some companies go a step further and
articulate a set of values that drives their code of conduct, as “Procter & Gamble’s Values and Code of Ethics”
shows.
Procter & Gamble’s Values and Code of EthicsProcter & Gamble’s Values and Code of Ethics
Procter & Gamble Company lives by a set of five values that drive its code of business conduct. These
values are:
1.
Integrity
We always try to do the right thing.
We are honest and straightforward with each other.
We operate within the letter and spirit of the law.
We uphold the values and principles of P&G in every action and decision.
We are data-based and intellectually honest in advocating proposals, including recognizing risks.
2.
Passion for Winning
3.7 DEVELOPING YOUR VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP SKILLS • 137
We are determined to be the best at doing what matters most.
We have a healthy dissatisfaction with the status quo.
We have a compelling desire to improve and to win in the marketplace.
3.
Leadership
We are all leaders in our area of responsibility, with a deep commitment to delivering leadership
results.
We have a clear vision of where we are going.
We focus our resources to achieve leadership objectives and strategies.
We develop the capability to deliver our strategies and eliminate organizational barriers.
4.
Trust
We respect our P&G colleagues, customers and consumers, and treat them as we want to be treated.
We have confidence in each other’s capabilities and intentions.
We believe that people work best when there is a foundation of trust.
5.
Ownership
We accept personal accountability to meet our business needs, improve our systems, and help others
improve their effectiveness.
We all act like owners, treating the Company’s assets as our own and behaving with the Company’s
long-term success in mind (Procter & Gamble, 2009).
Importance of Ethics in ManagementImportance of Ethics in Management
138 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Figure 3.8
Trust is the cornerstone of ethical leadership.
Casa Thomas Jefferson – shaking hands – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Ethical behavior among managers is even more important in organizations because leaders set the moral tone of
the organization and serve as role models. Ethical leaders build trust in organizations. If employees see leaders
behaving unethically, chances are the employees may be less inclined to behave ethically themselves. Companies
may have printed codes of ethics, but the key standard is whether leaders uphold those values and standards.
We tend to watch leaders for cues on appropriate actions and behavior that the company expects. Decisions that
managers make are an indicator of their ethics. If the company says it cares about the safety of employees but
then does not buy enough protective gear for them, it is not behaving in line with its code. Likewise, if managers
exhibit unsafe behavior or look the other way when employees act unsafely, their behavior is not aligned with
their stated code.
Without integrity, there can be no trust. Leadership is based on trust. Ethics drive effectiveness because employees
know they can do the right thing decisively and with confidence. Ethical behavior earns the trust of customers
and suppliers as well. It earns the public’s good will. Ethical managers and ethical businesses tend to be more
trusted and better treated. They suffer less resentment, inefficiency, litigation, and government interference. If top
management cuts corners, however, or if they make shady decisions, then no matter how good the code of ethics
sounds, people will emulate the questionable behavior, not the code.
As a manager, you can make it clear to employees that you expect them to conduct business in an ethical manner
by offering seminars on ethics, having an ethics hotline via which employees can anonymously raise issues, and
having an ombudsman office or ethics committee to investigate issues.
Integrating Ethics into Managerial Decision MakingIntegrating Ethics into Managerial Decision Making
Ethics implies making a choice between decision-making rules. For instance, when choosing between two
3.7 DEVELOPING YOUR VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP SKILLS • 139
suppliers, do you choose the cheapest (decision rule 1) or the highest quality (decision rule 2). Ethics also implies
deciding on a course of action when no clear decision rule is available. Dilemmas occur when the choices are
incompatible and when one course of action seems to better serve your self-interest but appears to violate a
moral principle. One way to tackle ethical dilemmas is to follow an ethical decision-making process, like the one
described below.
Steps in an Ethical Decision-Making ProcessSteps in an Ethical Decision-Making Process
1. Assess the situation: What are you being asked to do? Is it illegal? Is it unethical? Who might be harmed?
2. Identify the stakeholders and consider the situation from their point of view. For example, consider the
point of view of the company’s employees, top management, stockholders, customers, suppliers, and
community.
3.
Consider the alternatives you have available to you and how they affect the stakeholders:
◦ consequences
◦ duties, rights, and principles
◦ implications for personal integrity and character
4. How does the action make you feel about yourself? How would you feel if your actions were reported
tomorrow in the Wall Street Journal (or your daily newspaper)? How would you explain your actions to
your mother or to your 10-year-old child?
5. Make a decision. This might involve going to your boss or to a neutral third party (such as an
ombudsman or ethics committee). Know your values and your limits. If the company does nothing to rectify
the situation, do you want to continue working for the company?
6. Monitor outcomes. How did the decision work out? How did it turn out for all concerned? If you had it to
do over again, what would you do differently (Hartman & DesJardins, 2008)?
If you see unethical behavior in others, confronting it early is better. Early on, you have more of an opportunity
to talk with the person in a fact-finding (rather than an accusatory) way. The discussion may nip the problem in
the bud and prevent it from escalating. Keeping silent because you want to avoid offending the person may lead
to much greater problems later on. As French playwright Jean-Baptiste Moliere wrote, “It’s not only for what we
do that we are held responsible, but for what we do not do.”
Key Takeaway
Management involves decision making, and decisions often have an ethical component. Beyond personal
ethics or a moral code, managers face making decisions that reflect the company as a whole, affecting its
future success and vitality. Ethics doesn’t just mean following the law but acting in accordance with basic
values.
140 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Exercises
1. What are the consequences of unethical behavior?
2. If you were writing a code of ethics for your company, what would you include?
3. In times of economic downturn, is ethical behavior a luxury?
4. How would you handle an ethical violation committed by one of your employees?
5. Nobel laureate economist Milton Friedman said that companies should focus on maximizing
profits, not social responsibilities or purposes. Do you agree with this view? Why or why not?
6. What aspects of P-O-L-C would be most likely to change based on what you have learned in this
section?
1The Ethical Enterprise: A Global Study of Business Ethics. (2005). New York: American Management
Association.
ReferencesReferences
Hartman, L., and DesJardins, J. (2008). Business Ethics: Decision-Making for Personal Integrity and Social
Responsibility. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Procter & Gamble, retrieved January 28, 2009, from http://www.pg.com/company/who_we_are/
ppv.jhtml;jsessionid=MCSCEC20KZGJTQFIASJXKZOAVACJG3MK.
Securities and Exchange Commission, retrieved January 28, 2009, from http://www.sec.gov/news/press/
2002-150.htm.
3.7 DEVELOPING YOUR VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP SKILLS • 141
Chapter 4: Developing Mission, Vision, and
Values
4.1 Developing Mission, Vision, and Values
4.2 Case in Point: Xerox Motivates Employees for Success
4.3 The Roles of Mission, Vision, and Values
4.4 Mission and Vision in the P-O-L-C Framework
4.5 Creativity and Passion
4.6 Stakeholders
4.7 Crafting Mission and Vision Statements
4.8 Developing Your Personal Mission and Vision
142
4.1 Developing Mission, Vision, and Values
What’s in It for Me?
Reading this chapter will help you do the following:
1. Understand the roles of mission, vision, and values in the planning process.
2. Understand how mission and vision fit into the planning-organizing-leading-controlling (P-O-L-
C) framework.
3. See how creativity and passion are related to vision.
4. Incorporate stakeholder interests into mission and vision.
5. Develop statements that articulate organizational mission and vision.
6. Apply mission, vision, and values to your personal goals and professional career.
As you are reminded in the figure, the letter “P” in the P-O-L-C framework stands for “planning.” Good plans
are meant to achieve something—this something is captured in verbal and written statements of an organization’s
mission and vision (its purpose, in addition to specific goals and objectives). With a mission and vision, you can
craft a strategy for achieving them, and your benchmarks for judging your progress and success are clear goals
and objectives. Mission and vision communicate the organization’s values and purpose, and the best mission and
vision statements have an emotional component in that they incite employees to delight customers. The three
“planning” topics of your principles of management cover (1) mission and vision, (2) strategy, and (3) goals and
objectives. The figure summarizes how these pieces work together.
Figure 4.2 Mission and Vision as P-O-L-C Components
143
Figure 4.3 Mission and Vision in the Planning Process
144 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
4.2 Case in Point: Xerox Motivates Employees for Success
Figure 4.4
Anne Mulcahy, Former Xerox Chairman of the Board (left), and Ursula Burns, Xerox CEO (right)
Fortune Live Media – Fortune Most Powerful Women 2012 – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0; Fortune Live Media – Fortune Most Powerful
Women – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
As of 2010, Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) is a $22 billion, multinational company founded in 1906
and operating in 160 countries. Xerox is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, and employs 130,000
people. How does a company of such size and magnitude effectively manage and motivate employees from
diverse backgrounds and experiences? Such companies depend on the productivity and performance of
their employees. The journey over the last 100 years has withstood many successes and failures. In 2000,
Xerox was facing bankruptcy after years of mismanagement, piles of debt, and mounting questions about
its accounting practices.
Anne Mulcahy turned Xerox around. Mulcahy joined Xerox as an employee in 1976 and moved up the
corporate ladder, holding several management positions until she became CEO in 2001. In 2005, Mulcahy
was named by Fortune magazine as the second most powerful woman in business. Based on a lifetime
of experience with Xerox, she knew that the company had powerful employees who were not motivated
145
when she took over. Mulcahy believed that among other key businesses changes, motivating employees at
Xerox was a key way to pull the company back from the brink of failure. One of her guiding principles was
a belief that in order to achieve customer satisfaction, employees must be treated as key stakeholders and
become interested and motivated in their work. Mulcahy not only successfully saw the company through
this difficult time but also was able to create a stronger and more focused company.
In 2009, Mulcahy became the chairman of Xerox’s board of directors and passed the torch to Ursula Burns,
who became the new CEO of Xerox. Burns became not only the first African American woman CEO to
head a Standard & Poor’s (S&P) company but also the first woman to succeed another woman as the head
of an S&P 100 company. Burns is also a lifetime Xerox employee who has been with the company for
over 30 years. She began as a graduate intern and was hired full time after graduation. Because of her
tenure with Xerox, she has close relationships with many of the employees, which provides a level of
comfort and teamwork. She describes Xerox as a nice family. She maintains that Mulcahy created a strong
and successful business but encouraged individuals to speak their mind, to not worry about hurting one
another’s feelings, and to be more critical.
Burns explains that she learned early on in her career, from her mentors at Xerox, the importance of
managing individuals in different ways and not intentionally intimidating people but rather relating to them
and their individual perspectives. As CEO, she wants to encourage people to get things done, take risks,
and not be afraid of those risks. She motivates her teams by letting them know what her intentions and
priorities are. The correlation between a manager’s leadership style and the productivity and motivation
of employees is apparent at Xerox, where employees feel a sense of importance and a part of the process
necessary to maintain a successful and profitable business. In 2010, Anne Mulcahy retired from her
position on the board of directors to pursue new projects.
Case written based on information from Tompkins, N. C. (1992, November 1). Employee satisfaction leads
to customer service. AllBusiness. Retrieved April 5, 2010, from http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing/
market-research/341288-1.html; 50 most powerful women. (2006). Fortune. Retrieved April 5, 2010,
from http://money.cnn.com/popups/2006/fortune/mostpowerfulwomen/2.html; Profile: Anne M. Mulcahy.
(2010). Forbes. Retrieved April 5, 2010, from http://people.forbes.com/profile/anne-m-mulcahy/19732;
Whitney, L. (2010, March 30). Anne Mulcahy to retire as Xerox chairman. CNET News. Retrieved
April 5, 2010, from http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-20001412-92.html; Bryant, A. (2010, February
20). Xerox’s new chief tries to redefine its culture. New York Times. Retrieved April 5, 2010, from
Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions
1. In terms of the P-O-L-C framework, what values do the promotion and retention of Mulcahy and
Burns suggest are important at Xerox? How might these values be reflected in its vision and mission
statements?
2. How do you think Xerox was able to motivate its employees through the crisis it faced in 2000?
3. How do CEOs with large numbers of employees communicate priorities to a worldwide
workforce?
4. How might Ursula Burns motivate employees to take calculated risks?
5. Both Anne Mulcahy and Ursula Burns were lifetime employees of Xerox. How does an
146 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
organization attract and keep individuals for such a long period of time?
4.2 CASE IN POINT: XEROX MOTIVATES EMPLOYEES FOR SUCCESS • 147
4.3 The Roles of Mission, Vision, and Values
Learning Objectives
1. Be able to define mission and vision.
2. See how values are important for mission and vision.
3. Understand the roles of vision, mission, and values in the P-O-L-C framework.
Mission, Vision, and ValuesMission, Vision, and Values
Mission and vision both relate to an organization’s purpose and are typically communicated in some written form.
Mission and vision are statements from the organization that answer questions about who we are, what do we
value, and where we’re going. A study by the consulting firm Bain and Company reports that 90% of the 500
firms surveyed issue some form of mission and vision statements (Bart & Baetz, 1998). Moreover, firms with
clearly communicated, widely understood, and collectively shared mission and vision have been shown to perform
better than those without them, with the caveat that they related to effectiveness only when strategy and goals and
objectives were aligned with them as well (Bart, et. al., 2001).
A mission statement communicates the organization’s reason for being, and how it aims to serve its key
stakeholders. Customers, employees, and investors are the stakeholders most often emphasized, but other
stakeholders like government or communities (i.e., in the form of social or environmental impact) can also be
discussed. Mission statements are often longer than vision statements. Sometimes mission statements also include
a summation of the firm’s values. Values are the beliefs of an individual or group, and in this case the organization,
in which they are emotionally invested. The Starbucks mission statement describes six guiding principles that, as
you can see, also communicate the organization’s values:
1. Provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity.
2. Embrace diversity as an essential component in the way we do business.
3. Apply the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting and fresh delivery of our coffee.
4. Develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time.
148
5. Contribute positively to our communities and our environment.
6. Recognize that profitability is essential to our future success (Starbucks, 2008).
Similarly, Toyota declares its global corporate principles to be:
1. Honor the language and spirit of the law of every nation and undertake open and fair corporate activities
to be a good corporate citizen of the world.
2. Respect the culture and customs of every nation and contribute to economic and social development
through corporate activities in the communities.
3. Dedicate ourselves to providing clean and safe products and to enhancing the quality of life everywhere
through all our activities.
4. Create and develop advanced technologies and provide outstanding products and services that fulfill the
needs of customers worldwide.
5. Foster a corporate culture that enhances individual creativity and teamwork value, while honoring
mutual trust and respect between labor and management.
6. Pursue growth in harmony with the global community through innovative management.
7. Work with business partners in research and creation to achieve stable, long-term growth and mutual
benefits, while keeping ourselves open to new partnerships (Toyota, 2008).
A vision statement, in contrast, is a future-oriented declaration of the organization’s purpose and aspirations.
In many ways, you can say that the mission statement lays out the organization’s “purpose for being,” and the
vision statement then says, “based on that purpose, this is what we want to become.” The strategy should flow
directly from the vision, since the strategy is intended to achieve the vision and thus satisfy the organization’s
mission. Typically, vision statements are relatively brief, as in the case of Starbuck’s vision statement, which
reads: “Establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our
uncompromising principles as we grow (Starbucks, 2008).” Or ad firm Ogilvy & Mather, which states their
vision as “an agency defined by its devotion to brands (Ogilvy, 2008).” Sometimes the vision statement is also
captured in a short tag line, such as Toyota’s “moving forward” statement that appears in most communications to
customers, suppliers, and employees (Toyota, 2008). Similarly, Wal-Mart’s tag-line version of its vision statement
is “Save money. Live better (Walmart, 2008).”
Any casual tour of business or organization Web sites will expose you to the range of forms that mission and
vision statements can take. To reiterate, mission statements are longer than vision statements, often because
they convey the organizations core values. Mission statements answer the questions of “Who are we?” and
“What does our organization value?” Vision statements typically take the form of relatively brief, future-
oriented statements—vision statements answer the question “Where is this organization going?” Increasingly,
organizations also add a values statement which either reaffirms or states outright the organization’s values that
might not be evident in the mission or vision statements.
Roles Played by Mission and VisionRoles Played by Mission and Vision
Mission and vision statements play three critical roles: (1) communicate the purpose of the organization to
4.3 THE ROLES OF MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES • 149
stakeholders, (2) inform strategy development, and (3) develop the measurable goals and objectives by which
to gauge the success of the organization’s strategy. These interdependent, cascading roles, and the relationships
among them, are summarized in the figure.
Figure 4.5 Key Roles of Mission and Vision
First, mission and vision provide a vehicle for communicating an organization’s purpose and values to all key
stakeholders. Stakeholders are those key parties who have some influence over the organization or stake in its
future. You will learn more about stakeholders and stakeholder analysis later in this chapter; however, for now,
suffice it to say that some key stakeholders are employees, customers, investors, suppliers, and institutions such as
governments. Typically, these statements would be widely circulated and discussed often so that their meaning is
widely understood, shared, and internalized. The better employees understand an organization’s purpose, through
its mission and vision, the better able they will be to understand the strategy and its implementation.
Second, mission and vision create a target for strategy development. That is, one criterion of a good strategy is
how well it helps the firm achieve its mission and vision. To better understand the relationship among mission,
vision, and strategy, it is sometimes helpful to visualize them collectively as a funnel. At the broadest part of the
funnel, you find the inputs into the mission statement. Toward the narrower part of the funnel, you find the vision
statement, which has distilled down the mission in a way that it can guide the development of the strategy. In the
narrowest part of the funnel you find the strategy —it is clear and explicit about what the firm will do, and not do,
to achieve the vision. Vision statements also provide a bridge between the mission and the strategy. In that sense
the best vision statements create a tension and restlessness with regard to the status quo—that is, they should foster
a spirit of continuous innovation and improvement. For instance, in the case of Toyota, its “moving forward”
vision urges managers to find newer and more environmentally friendly ways of delighting the purchaser of their
cars. London Business School professors Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad describe this tense relationship between
vision and strategy as stretch and ambition. Indeed, in a study of such able competitors as CNN, British Airways,
and Sony, they found that these firms displaced competitors with stronger reputations and deeper pockets through
their ambition to stretch their organizations in more innovative ways (Hamel & Prahalad, 1993).
Third, mission and vision provide a high-level guide, and the strategy provides a specific guide, to the goals and
150 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
objectives showing success or failure of the strategy and satisfaction of the larger set of objectives stated in the
mission. In the cases of both Starbucks and Toyota, you would expect to see profitability goals, in addition to
metrics on customer and employee satisfaction, and social and environmental responsibility.
Key Takeaway
Mission and vision both relate to an organization’s purpose and aspirations, and are typically
communicated in some form of brief written statements. A mission statement communicates the
organization’s reason for being and how it aspires to serve its key stakeholders. The vision statement is
a narrower, future-oriented declaration of the organization’s purpose and aspirations. Together, mission
and vision guide strategy development, help communicate the organization’s purpose to stakeholders, and
inform the goals and objectives set to determine whether the strategy is on track.
Exercises
1. What is a mission statement?
2. What is a vision statement?
3. How are values important to the content of mission and vision statements?
4. Where does the purpose of mission and vision overlap?
5. How do mission and vision relate to a firm’s strategy?
6. Why are mission and vision important for organizational goals and objectives?
ReferencesReferences
Bart, C. K., & Baetz, M. C. (1998). The relationship between mission statements and firm performance: An
exploratory study. Journal of Management Studies, 35, 823–853.
Bart, C. K., Bontis, N., & Taggar, S. (2001). A model of the impact of mission statements on firm performance.
Management Decision, 39(1), 19–35.
Hamel, G., & Prahalad, C. K. (1993, March–April). Strategy as stretch and leverage. Harvard Business Review,
75–84.
Ogilvy, Retrieved October 27, 2008, from http://www.ogilvy.com/o_mather.
Starbucks, retrieved October 27, 2008, from http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus
Toyota, retrieved October 27, 2008, from http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/vision/philosophy.
Toyota, retrieved October 27, 2008, from http://www.toyota.com/about/our_values/index.html.
4.3 THE ROLES OF MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES • 151
Walmart, retrieved October 27, 2008, from http://www.walmart.com.
152 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
4.4 Mission and Vision in the P-O-L-C Framework
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the role of mission and vision in organizing.
2. Understand the role of mission and vision in leading.
3. Understand the role of mission and vision in controlling.
Mission and vision play such a prominent role in the planning facet of the P-O-L-C framework. However, you
are probably not surprised to learn that their role does not stop there. Beyond the relationship between mission
and vision, strategy, and goals and objectives, you should expect to see mission and vision being related to the
organizing, leading, and controlling aspects as well. Let’s look at these three areas in turn.
Mission, Vision, and OrganizingMission, Vision, and Organizing
Organizing is the function of management that involves developing an organizational structure and allocating
human resources to ensure the accomplishment of objectives. The organizing facet of the P-O-L-C framework
typically includes subjects such as organization design, staffing, and organizational culture. With regard to
organizing, it is useful to think about alignment between the mission and vision and various organizing activities.
For instance, organizational design is a formal, guided process for integrating the people, information, and
technology of an organization. It is used to match the form of the organization as closely as possible to the
purpose(s) the organization seeks to achieve. Through the design process, organizations act to improve the
probability that the collective efforts of members will be successful.
Organization design should reflect and support the strategy—in that sense, organizational design is a set of
decision guidelines by which members will choose appropriate actions, appropriate in terms of their support for
the strategy. As you learned in the previous section, the strategy is derived from the mission and vision statements
and from the organization’s basic values. Strategy unifies the intent of the organization and focuses members
toward actions designed to accomplish desired outcomes. The strategy encourages actions that support the purpose
and discourages those that do not.
To organize, you must connect people with each other in meaningful and purposeful ways. Further, you must
153
connect people—human resources—with the information and technology necessary for them to be successful.
Organization structure defines the formal relationships among people and specifies both their roles and their
responsibilities. Administrative systems govern the organization through guidelines, procedures, and policies.
Information and technology define the process(es) through which members achieve outcomes. Each element must
support each of the others, and together they must support the organization’s purpose, as reflected in its mission
and vision.
Figure 4.6
Pixar’s creative prowess is reinforced by Disney’s organizational design choices.
Tim Norris – Wall•E : What’s out there? – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
For example, in 2006, Disney acquired Pixar, a firm is renowned for its creative prowess in animated
entertainment. Disney summarizes the Pixar strategy like this: “Pixar’s [strategy] is to combine proprietary
technology and world-class creative talent to develop computer-animated feature films with memorable characters
and heartwarming stories that appeal to audiences of all ages (Pixar, 2008).” Disney has helped Pixar achieve this
strategy through an important combination of structural design choices. First, Pixar is an independent division of
Disney and is empowered to make independent choices in all aspects of idea development. Second, Pixar gives
its “creatives”—its artists, writers, and designers—great leeway over decision making. Third, Pixar protects its
creatives’ ability to share work in progress, up and down the hierarchy, with the aim of getting it even better.
Finally, after each project, teams conduct “postmortems” to catalog what went right and what went wrong. This
way, innovations gained through new projects can be shared with later projects, while at the same time sharing
knowledge about potential pitfalls (Catmull, 2008).
Organizational culture is the workplace environment formulated from the interaction of the employees in the
workplace. Organizational culture is defined by all of the life experiences, strengths, weaknesses, education,
154 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
upbringing, and other attributes of the employees. While executive leaders play a large role in defining
organizational culture by their actions and leadership, all employees contribute to the organizational culture.
As you might imagine, achieving alignment between mission and vision and organizational culture can be very
powerful, but culture is also difficult to change. This means that if you are seeking to change your vision or
mission, your ability to change the organization’s culture to support those new directions may be difficult, or, at
least, slow to achieve.
For instance, in 2000, Procter & Gamble (P&G) sought to change a fundamental part of its vision in a way
that asked the organization to source more of its innovations from external partners. Historically, P&G had
invested heavily in research and development and internal sources of innovation—so much so that “not invented
here” (known informally as NIH) was the dominant cultural mind-set (Lafley & Charan, 2008). NIH describes a
sociological, corporate, or institutional culture that avoids using products, research, or knowledge that originated
anywhere other than inside the organization. It is normally used in a pejorative sense. As a sociological
phenomenon, the “not invented here” syndrome is manifested as an unwillingness to adopt an idea or product
because it originates from another culture. P&G has been able to combat this NIH bias and gradually change its
culture toward one that is more open to external contributions, and hence in much better alignment with its current
mission and vision.
Social networks are often referred to as the “invisible organization.” They consist of individuals or organizations
connected by one or more specific types of interdependency. You are probably already active in social networks
through such Web communities as MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn. However, these sites are really only the tip
of the iceberg when it comes to the emerging body of knowledge surrounding social networks. Networks deliver
three unique advantages: access to “private” information (i.e., information that companies do not want competitors
to have), access to diverse skill sets, and power. You may be surprised to learn that many big companies have
breakdowns in communications even in divisions where the work on one project should be related to work on
another. Going back to our Pixar example, for instance, Disney is fostering a network among members of its
Pixar division in a way that they are more likely to share information and learn from others. The open internal
network also means that a cartoon designer might have easier access to a computer programmer and together they
can figure out a more innovative solution. Finally, since Pixar promotes communication across hierarchical levels
and gives creatives decision-making authority, the typical power plays that might impede sharing innovation and
individual creativity are prevented. Managers see these three network advantages at work every day but might not
pause to consider how their networks regulate them.
Mission, Vision, and LeadingMission, Vision, and Leading
Leading involves influencing others toward the attainment of organizational objectives. Leading and leadership
are nearly synonymous with the notions of mission and vision. We might describe a very purposeful person as
being “on a mission.” As an example, Steve Demos had the personal mission of replacing cow’s milk with soy
milk in U.S. supermarkets, and this mission led to his vision for, and strategy behind, the firm White Wave and its
Silk line of soy milk products (Carpenter & Sanders, 2006). Similarly, we typically think of some individuals as
leaders because they are visionary. For instance, when Walt Disney suggested building a theme park in a Florida
swamp back in the early 1960s, few other people in the world seemed to share his view.
Any task—whether launching Silk or building the Disney empire— is that much more difficult if attempted
4.4 MISSION AND VISION IN THE P-O-L-C FRAMEWORK • 155
alone. Therefore, the more that a mission or vision challenges the status quo—and recognizing that good vision
statements always need to create some dissonance with the status quo—the greater will be the organization’s need
of what leadership researcher Shiba calls “real change leaders”—people who will help diffuse the revolutionary
philosophy even while the leader (i.e., the founder or CEO) is not present. Without real change leaders, a
revolutionary vision would remain a mere idea of the visionary CEO—they are the ones who make the
implementation of the transformation real.
In most cases where we think of revolutionary companies, we associate the organization’s vision with its
leader—for instance, Apple and Steve Jobs, Dell and Michael Dell, or Google with the team of Sergey Brin and
Larry Page. Most important, in all three of these organizations, the leaders focused on creating an organization
with a noble mission that enabled the employees and management team to achieve not only the strategic
breakthrough but to also realize their personal dreams in the process. Speaking to the larger relationship between
mission, vision, strategy, and leadership, are the Eight principles of visionary leadership, derived from Shiba’s
2001 book, Four Practical Revolutions in Management (summarized in “Eight Principles of Visionary
Leadership”)(Shiba & Walden, 2001).
Eight Principles of Visionary LeadershipEight Principles of Visionary Leadership
• Principle 1: The visionary leader must do on-site observation leading to personal perception of
changes in societal values from an outsider’s point of view.
• Principle 2: Even though there is resistance, never give up; squeeze the resistance between outside-
in (i.e., customer or society-led) pressure in combination with top-down inside instruction.
• Principle 3: Revolution is begun with symbolic disruption of the old or traditional system through
top-down efforts to create chaos within the organization.
• Principle 4: The direction of revolution is illustrated by a symbolically visible image and the
visionary leader’s symbolic behavior.
• Principle 5: Quickly establishing new physical, organizational, and behavioral systems is essential
for successful revolution.
• Principle 6: Real change leaders are necessary to enable revolution.
• Principle 7: Create an innovative system to provide feedback from results.
• Principle 8: Create a daily operation system, including a new work structure, new approach to
human capabilities and improvement activities.
Vision That Pervades the OrganizationVision That Pervades the Organization
A broader definition of visionary leadership suggests that, if many or most of an organization’s employees
understand and identify with the mission and vision, efficiency will increase because the organization’s members
“on the front lines” will be making decisions fully aligned with the organization’s goals. Efficiency is achieved
with limited hands-on supervision because the mission and vision serve as a form of cruise control. To make
156 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
frontline responsibility effective, leadership must learn to trust workers and give them sufficient opportunities to
develop quality decision-making skills.
The classic case about Johnsonville Sausage, recounted by CEO Ralph Stayer, documents how that company
dramatically improved its fortunes after Stayer shared responsibility for the mission and vision, and ultimately
development of the actual strategy, with all of his employees. His vision was the quest for an answer to “What
Johnsonville would have to be to sell the most expensive sausage in the industry and still have the biggest market
share (Stayer, 1990)?” Of course, he made other important changes as well, such as decentralizing decision
making and tying individual’s rewards to company-wide performance, but he initiated them by communicating
the organization’s mission and vision and letting his employees know that he believed they could make the choices
and decisions needed to realize them.
Mission and vision are also relevant to leadership well beyond the impact of one or several top executives.
Even beyond existing employees, various stakeholders—customers, suppliers, prospective new employees—are
visiting organizations’ Web sites to read their mission and vision statements. In the process, they are trying to
understand what kind of organization they are reading about and what the organization’s values and ethics are.
Ultimately, they are seeking to determine whether the organization and what it stands for are a good fit for them.
Vision, Mission, and ControllingVision, Mission, and Controlling
Controlling involves ensuring that performance does not deviate from standards. Controlling consists of three
steps: (1) establishing performance standards, (2) comparing actual performance against standards, and (3) taking
corrective action when necessary. Mission and vision are both directly and indirectly related to all three steps.
Performance StandardsPerformance Standards
Recall that mission and vision tell a story about an organization’s purpose and aspirations. Mission and vision
statements are often ambiguous by design because they are intended to inform the strategy not be the strategy.
Nevertheless, those statements typically provide a general compass heading for the organization and its
employees. For instance, vision may say something about innovativeness, growth, or firm performance, and
the firm will likely have set measurable objectives related to these. Performance standards often exceed actual
performance but, ideally, managers will outline a set of metrics that can help to predict the future, not just evaluate
the past.
It is helpful to think about such metrics as leading, lagging, and pacing indicators. A leading indicator actually
serves to predict where the firm is going, in terms of performance. For instance, General Electric asks customers
whether they will refer it new business, and GE’s managers have found that this measure of customer satisfaction
does a pretty good job of predicting future sales. A pacing indicator tells you in real time that the organization is
on track, for example, in on-time deliveries or machinery that is in operation (as opposed to being under repair
or in maintenance). A lagging indicator is the one we are all most familiar with. Firm financial performance,
for instance, is an accounting-based summary of how well the firm has done historically. Even if managers can
calculate such performance quickly, the information is still historic and not pacing or leading. Increasingly, firms
compile a set of such leading, lagging, and pacing goals and objectives and organize them in the form of a
dashboard or Balanced Scorecard.
4.4 MISSION AND VISION IN THE P-O-L-C FRAMEWORK • 157
Actual Versus Desired PerformanceActual Versus Desired Performance
The goals and objectives that flow from your mission and vision provide a basis for assessing actual versus desired
performance. In many ways, such goals and objectives provide a natural feedback loop that helps managers see
when and how they are succeeding and where they might need to take corrective action. This is one reason goals
and objectives should ideally be specific and measurable. Moreover, to the extent that they serve as leading,
lagging, and pacing performance metrics, they enable managers to take corrective action on any deviations from
goals before too much damage has been done.
Corrective ActionCorrective Action
Finally, just as mission and vision should lead to specific and measurable goals and objectives and thus provide
a basis for comparing actual and desired performance, corrective action should also be prompted in cases where
performance deviates negatively from performance objectives. It is important to point out that while mission
and vision may signal the need for corrective action, because they are rather general, high-level statements they
typically will not spell out what specific actions—that latter part is the role of strategy, and mission and vision
are critical for good strategies but not substitutes for them. A mission and vision are statements of self-worth.
Their purpose is not only to motivate employees to take meaningful action but also to give leadership a standard
for monitoring progress. It also tells external audiences how your organization wishes to be viewed and have its
progress and successes gauged.
Strategic human resources management (SHRM) reflects the aim of integrating the organization’s human
capital—its people—into the mission and vision. Human resources management alignment means to integrate
decisions about people with decisions about the results an organization is trying to obtain. Research indicates that
organizations that successfully align human resources management with mission and vision accomplishment do
so by integrating SHRM into the planning process, emphasizing human resources activities that support mission
goals, and building strong human resources/management capabilities and relationships (Gerhart & Rynes, 2003).
Key Takeaway
In addition to being a key part of the planning process, mission and vision also play key roles in the
organizing, leading, and controlling functions of management. While mission and vision start the planning
function, they are best realized when accounted for across all four functions of management—P-O-L-C. In
planning, mission and vision help to generate specific goals and objectives and to develop the strategy for
achieving them. Mission and vision guide choices about organizing, too, from structure to organizational
culture. The cultural dimension is one reason mission and vision are most effective when they pervade
the leadership of the entire organization, rather than being just the focus of senior management. Finally,
mission and vision are tied to the three key steps of controlling: (1) establishing performance standards, (2)
comparing actual performance against standards, and (3) taking corrective action when necessary. Since
people make the place, ultimately strategic human resources management must bring these pieces together.
158 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Exercises
1. How might mission and vision influence organizational design?
2. How might mission and vision influence leadership practices?
3. Why might a specific replacement CEO candidate be a good or poor choice for a firm with an
existing mission and vision?
4. Which aspects of controlling do mission and vision influence?
5. Why are mission and vision relevant to the management of internal organizational social
networks?
6. What performance standards might reinforce a firm’s mission and vision?
7. What is the role of mission and vision with strategic human resource management?
ReferencesReferences
Carpenter, M. A., & Sanders, W. G. (2006). Strategic management: A dynamic perspective. (1st ed.). Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice-Hall.
Catmull, E. (2008, September). How Pixar fosters collective creativity. Harvard Business Review, 1–11.
Gerhart, B. A., & Rynes, S. L. (2003). Compensation: Theory, Evidence, and Strategic Implications. Thousand
Oaks, CA, Sage.
Lafley, A. G., & Charan, R. (2008). The game changer. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Crown Books.
Pixar, retrieved October 27, 2008, from http://www.pixar.com/companyinfo/about_us/overview.htmHarvard
Business Review.
4.4 MISSION AND VISION IN THE P-O-L-C FRAMEWORK • 159
4.5 Creativity and Passion
Learning Objectives
1. Understand how creativity relates to vision.
2. Develop some creativity tools.
3. Understand how passion relates to vision.
Creativity and passion are of particular relevance to mission and vision statements. A simple definition of
creativity is the power or ability to invent. We sometimes think of creativity as being a purely artistic attribute,
but creativity in business is the essence of innovation and progress. Passion at least in the context we invoke
here, refers to an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction. Passion is also associated with intense
emotion compelling action. We will focus mostly on the relationship between creativity, passion, and vision in
this section because organizational visions are intended to create uneasiness with the status quo and help inform
and motivate key stakeholders to move the organization forward. This means that a vision statement should reflect
and communicate something that is relatively novel and unique, and such novelty and uniqueness are the products
of creativity and passion.
160
Figure 4.7
Entrepreneurs are creative and passionate about their ideas, two characteristics we often associate with
vision and visionaries.
StartupStockPhotos – CC0 public domain.
Creativity and passion can, and probably should, also influence the organization’s mission. In many ways, the
linkages might be clearest between creativity and vision statements and passion and mission statements because
the latter is an expression of the organization’s values and deeply held beliefs. Similarly, while we will discuss
creativity and passion separately in this section, your intuition and experience surely tell you that creativity
eventually involves emotion, to be creative, you have to care about—be passionate about—what you’re doing.
Creativity and VisionCreativity and Vision
More recently, work by DeGraf and Lawrence, suggest a finer-grained view into the characteristics and types
of creativity (DeGraf & Lawrence, 2002). They argued that creativity “types” could be clustered based on
some combination of flexibility versus control and internal versus external orientation. For the manager, their
typology is especially useful as it suggests ways to manage creativity, as in simply hiring creative individuals. As
summarized in the figure, their research suggests that there are four types of creativity: (1) investment (external
orientation with high control), (2) imagination (external orientation with flexibility emphasis), (3) improvement
(internal orientation with high control), and (4) incubation (internal orientation with flexibility emphasis).
The first type of creativity, investment, is associated with speed—being first and being fast. It is also a form of
creativity fostered from the desire to be highly competitive. Perhaps one of the most recent examples of this type
of creativity crucible is the beer wars—the battle for U.S. market share between SABMiller and Anheuser Busch
(AB; Budweiser). Miller was relentless in attacking the quality of AB’s products through its advertisements, and
4.5 CREATIVITY AND PASSION • 161
at the same time launched a myriad number of new products to take business from AB’s stronghold markets (Biz
Journals, 2008).
The second type of creativity, imagination, is the form that most of us think of first. This type of creativity is
characterized by new ideas and breakthroughs: Apple’s stylish design of Macintosh computers and then game-
changing breakthroughs with its iPod and iPhone. Oftentimes, we can tie this type of creativity to the drive or
genius of a single individual, such as Apple’s Steve Jobs.
Figure 4.8 Four Creativity Types
Adapted from DeGraf, J., & Lawrence, K. A. (2002). Creativity at Work: Developing the Right Practices
to Make It Happen. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Where big ideas come from the imagination quadrant, improvement is a type of creativity that involves making an
existing idea better. Two great examples of this are McDonald’s and Toyota. Ray Kroc, McDonald’s founder, had
the idea of creating quality and cooking standards for preparing tasty burgers and fries. While there were many
other burger joints around at the time (the 1950s), Kroc’s unique process-oriented approach gave McDonald’s a
big advantage. Similarly, Toyota has used the refinement of its automaking and auto-assembly processes (called
the Toyota Business System) to be one of the largest and most successful, high-quality car makers in the world.
Finally, the fourth area of creativity is incubation. Incubation is a very deliberate approach that concerns a vision
of sustainability—that is, leaving a legacy. This type of creativity is more complex because it involves teamwork,
empowerment, and collective action. In their chapter on problem solving, David Whetten and Kim Cameron
provide Gandhi as an example of incubation creativity:
162 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
“Mahatma Gandhi was probably the only person in modern history who has single-handedly stopped a war. Lone individuals
have started wars, but Gandhi was creative enough to stop one. He did so by mobilizing networks of people to pursue a clear
vision and set of values. Gandhi would probably have been completely noncreative and ineffective had he not been adept at
capitalizing on incubation dynamics. By mobilizing people to march to the sea to make salt, or to burn passes that demarcated
ethnic group status, Gandhi was able to engender creative outcomes that had not been considered possible. He was a master at
incubation by connecting, involving, and coordinating people (Whetten & Camerson, 2007).”
While no one of these four types of creativity is best, they have some contradictory or conflicting characteristics.
For example, imagination and improvement emphasize different approaches to creativity. The size of the new
idea, for instance, is typically much bigger with imagination (i.e., revolutionary solutions) than with improvement
(i.e., incremental solutions). Investment and incubation also are very different—investment is relatively fast, and
the other relatively slow (i.e., incubation emphasizes deliberation and development).
Creativity ToolsCreativity Tools
In this section, we introduce you to two creativity tools: SCAMPER and the Nominal Group Technique. This set
of tools is not exhaustive but gives you some good intuition and resources to develop new ideas—either to craft a
vision for a new company or revise an existing mission and vision. The first three tools can be used and applied
individually or in groups; Nominal Group Technique is designed to bolster creativity in groups and can build on
individual and group insights provided by the other tools.
All these tools help you to manage two divergent forms of thinking necessary for creativity—programmed
thinking and lateral thinking. Programmed thinking often called left-brained thinking, relies on logical or
structured ways of creating a new product or service. In terms of mission and vision, this means a logical and
deliberate process is used to develop the vision statement. Lateral thinking a term coined by Edward DeBono in
his book The Use of Lateral Thinking (1967), is about changing patterns and perceptions; it is about ideas that may
not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step, programmed, logic (De Bono, 1992). Lateral thinking
draws on the right side of our brains.
Each type of approach—programmed versus lateral—has its strength. Logical and disciplined programmed
thinking is enormously effective in making products and services better. It can, however, only go so far before all
practical improvements have been carried out. Lateral thinking can generate completely new concepts and ideas
and brilliant improvements to existing systems. In the wrong place, however, it can be impractical or unnecessarily
disruptive.
SCAMPERSCAMPER
Developed by Bob Eberle, SCAMPER is a checklist tool that helps you to think of changes you can make to an
existing marketplace to create a new one—a new product, a new service, or both (Eberle, 1997). You can use
these changes either as direct suggestions or as starting points for lateral thinking. This, in turn, can inspire a new
vision statement. Table 4.1 “Creativity through SCAMPER” provides you with the SCAMPER question steps and
examples of new products or services that you might create.
Table 4.1 Creativity through SCAMPER
4.5 CREATIVITY AND PASSION • 163
Questions: Examples:
Substitute: What else instead? Who else instead? Other ingredients? Other material? Other time? Other
place? Vegetarian hot dogs
Combine: How about a blend? Combine purposes? Combine materials? Musical greeting cards
Adapt: What else is like this? What other idea does this suggest? How can I adjust to these
circumstances? Snow tires
Modify: Different order, form, shape? Minify: What to make smaller? Slower? Lighter? What to do
with less frequency? Magnify: What to make higher? Longer? Thicker? What to do with greater
frequency?
Scented crayons; Bite-sized
Snickers bars; Super-sized
french fries
Put to other uses: New ways to use as is? Other uses I modified? Other places to use an item or
movement? Towel as fly swatter
Eliminate: What to remove? Omit? Understate? Cordless telephone
Rearrange: Other layout? Other sequence? Transpose cause and effect? Transpose positive and
negative? How about opposites? Reverse: Interchange components? Other pattern? Backward? Upside
down?
Vertical stapler; Reversible
clothing
As shown in the Table 4.1 “Creativity through SCAMPER”, by taking a topic or problem and then using
SCAMPER, you can generate possible new products. It may be some combination of these SCAMPER changes
that lead to highly innovative solutions. For instance, the entertainment company Cirque du Soliel has modeled
its shows on the traditional circus. However, it has adapted aspects of theater and opera, eliminated animals, and
reduced the number of rings from three to one. As a result, it offers a highly stylized (and much more expensive!)
version of what, nostalgically, we call a circus today. Many of the ideas may be impractical. However, some of
these ideas could be good starting points for a new organization or revision of the vision for an existing one.
Nominal Group TechniqueNominal Group Technique
The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is a method of facilitating a group of people to produce a large number of
ideas in a relatively short time.1 In addition to using NGT to develop a mission and vision statement, it can be
useful:
• To generate numerous creative ideas
• To ensure everyone is heard
• When there is concern that some people may not be vocal
• To build consensus
• When there is controversy or conflict
As shown in “NGT Preparation and Supplies,” preparation and supplies are modest. It encourages contributions
from everyone by allowing for equal participation among group members. A question is posed to the group.
Individually and silently, each participant writes down his or her ideas. In round-robin fashion, each member
supplies an idea until all ideas are shared. Generally, 6 to 10 people participate. “Nominal” means that the
participants form a group in name only. For most of the session, they do not interact as they would in other group
processes.
164 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
NGT Preparation and SuppliesNGT Preparation and Supplies
Formulate your discussion question. Ensure that the wording prevents misunderstanding and is objective.
Supplies needed include:
• Flip chart for each table
• Masking tape
• 3 × 5 cards for each participant
• Work tables
• Felt pens
The group is divided into small work groups, each with a leader. A flip chart and markers are needed at each table.
Position the flip chart so that all can see the ideas. The remaining simple procedures are summarized in “NGT
Procedure.”
NGT ProcedureNGT Procedure
1. Introduction: Briefly welcome participants, clarify the purpose of the group exercise, and explain
the procedure to be followed and how results are to be used.
2. Present question: Orally present the question that is written on the flip chart; clarify as needed.
3. Silent generation of ideas: Each participant silently thinks of and writes down (on 3 × 5 card) as
many ideas as possible. Allow 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Record ideas: In turn, each participant reads aloud one idea, and it is recorded on the flip chart for
all to see.
5. Continue until all ideas are recorded.
6. Discourage discussion, not even questions for clarification.
7. Encourage “hitchhiking,” that is, expanding on another’s statement. Ideas do not have to be from
the participant’s written list.
8. Participants may pass a turn and then add an idea at a subsequent turn.
9. Discourage combining ideas from individuals unless they are exactly the same.
10. Group discussion: After all ideas are recorded, the person who suggested the idea is given the
opportunity to explain it further.
11. Duplicates may be combined.
12. Wording may be changed if the originator agrees.
13. Ideas are deleted only by unanimous agreement.
14. Restrict discussion to clarify meaning; the value or merit of ideas is not discussed.
4.5 CREATIVITY AND PASSION • 165
Passion and VisionPassion and Vision
Passion as we invoke the term in this chapter, refers to intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction.
Passion is also associated with intense emotion compelling action. Passion is relevant to vision in at least two
ways: (1) Passion about an idea as inspiration of the vision and vision statement and (2) shared passion among
organizational members about the importance of the vision.
Passion as InspirationPassion as Inspiration
Entrepreneur Curt Rosengren makes this observation about the relationship between passion and
entrepreneurship: “Strangely, in spite of its clear importance, very few entrepreneurs or managers consciously
incorporate passion into their decisions, ultimately leaving one of their most valuable assets on their path to
success largely to chance, even though there is little question that passion can be a part of vision creation
(Astroprojects, 2008).” Rosengren comments further that:
“Passion is the essence of the entrepreneurial spirit. It is an entrepreneur’s fuel, providing the drive and inspiration to create
something out of nothing while enduring all the risks, uncertainty, and bumps in the road that that entails.
“Entrepreneurs’ lives consist of a nonstop mission to communicate their vision and inspire others to support their efforts. As
evangelists, salespeople, fundraisers, and cheerleaders they need to breathe life into their vision while enlisting others in their
dream. From creating a vision for the future to selling the idea to investors, from attracting high-quality employees to inspiring
them to do what nobody thought possible, that passion is a key ingredient.
“Passion also plays a key role in their belief that they can achieve the so-called impossible, bouncing back from failure and
ignoring the chorus of No that is inevitably part of the entrepreneurial experience.
“Robin Wolaner, founder of Parenting magazine and author of Naked In The Boardroom: A CEO Bares Her Secrets So You
Can Transform Your Career, put it succinctly when she said, ‘To succeed in starting a business you have to suspend disbelief,
because the odds are against you. Logic is going to stop you.’ Passion, on the other hand, will help you fly (Astroprojects,
2008).”
Passion About the VisionPassion About the Vision
Passion doesn’t just have benefits for the individual entrepreneur or manager when formulating a vision statement,
it can help the whole business thrive. While there is little academic research on the relationship between passion
and vision, studies suggest that fostering engagement, a concept related to passion, in employees has a significant
effect on the corporate bottom line. Gallup, for instance, has been on the forefront of measuring the effect of
what it calls employee engagement. Employee engagement is a concept that is generally viewed as managing
discretionary effort; that is, when employees have choices, they will act in a way that furthers their organization’s
interests. An engaged employee is fully involved in, and enthusiastic about, his or her work (Gallup, 2008). The
consulting firm BlessingWhite offers this description of engagement and its value (and clear relationship with
passion):
“Engaged employees are not just committed. They are not just passionate or proud. They have a line-of-sight on their own
166 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
future and on the organization’s mission and goals. They are ‘enthused’ and ‘in gear’ using their talents and discretionary effort
to make a difference in their employer’s quest for sustainable business success(Employee Engagement Report, 2008).”
Engaged employees are those who are performing at the top of their abilities and happy about it. According
to statistics that Gallup has drawn from 300,000 companies in its database, 75%–80% of employees are either
“disengaged” or “actively disengaged (Gallup, 2008).”
That’s an enormous waste of potential. Consider Gallup’s estimation of the impact if 100% of an organization’s
employees were fully engaged:
• Customers would be 70% more loyal.
• Turnover would drop by 70%.
• Profits would jump by 40%.
Job satisfaction studies in the United States routinely show job satisfaction ratings of 50%–60%. But one recent
study by Harris Interactive of nearly 8,000 American workers went a step further (Age Wave, 2008). What did the
researchers find?
• Only 20% feel very passionate about their jobs.
• Less than 15% agree that they feel strongly energized by their work.
• Only 31% (strongly or moderately) believe that their employer inspires the best in them.
Consciously creating an environment where passion is both encouraged and actively developed can yield an
enormous competitive advantage. That environment starts at the top through the development and active
communication of mission and vision.
Key Takeaway
You learned about the relationship between creativity and passion and mission and vision. You learned that
creativity relates to the power or ability to create and that passion is intense emotion compelling action.
Creativity is important if the desired mission and vision are desired to be novel and entrepreneurial; passion
is important both from the standpoint of adding energy to the mission and vision and to key stakeholders
following the mission and vision.
Exercises
1. What is creativity?
2. Why is creativity relevant to vision and vision statements?
3. What are some useful creativity tools?
4.5 CREATIVITY AND PASSION • 167
4. What is passion?
5. Why is passion relevant to vision and vision statements?
6. What is the relationship between passion and engagement?
1This section is reproduced with permission of the University of Wisconsin Extension Program. A circulation
version can be found at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/resources/pdf/Tipsheet3 (retrieved October 28,
2008). Additional information on NGT can be gained by reading the following: Delbecq, A., Van de Ven, A.,
& Gustafson, D. (1975). Group Techniques for Program Planning: A Guide to Nominal Group and Delphi
Processes. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman; Tague, N. (1995). The Quality Toolbox. Milwaukee, WI: ASQC
Quality Press; Witkin, B., & Altschuld, J. (1995). Planning and Conducting Needs Assessment: A Practical
Guide. Thousands Oaks, CA, Sage.
ReferencesReferences
Age Wave, retrieved October 29, 2008, from http://www.agewave.com/media_files/rough.html.http://.
Astroprojects, retrieved October 28, 2008, from http://www.astroprojects.com/media/MSPassion8.html.
Biz Journals, retrieved October 27, 2008, from http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2004/05/31/
story7.html.
BlessingWhite. (2008, April). 2008 employee engagement report. http://www.blessingwhite.com/eee__report.asp.
De Bono, E. (1992). Serious Creativity. New York: Harper Business; Osborn, A. (1953). Applied Imagination.
New York: Scribner’s.Eberle, R. (1997). Scamper: Creative Games and Activities for Imagination Development.
New York: Prufrock Press.
DeGraf, J., & Lawrence, K. A. (2002). Creativity at Work: Developing the Right Practices to Make It Happen.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Eberle, R. (1997). Scamper: Creative Games and Activities for Imagination Development. New York: Prufrock
Press.
Gallup, href=”http://www.gallup.com/consulting/52/Employee-Engagement.aspx”>http://www.gallup.com/
consulting/52/Employee-Engagement.aspx.
Gallup, retrieved October 28, 2008, from http://gmj.gallup.com/content/24880/Gallup-Study-Engaged-
Employees-Inspire-Company.aspx.
Whetten, D., & Camerson, K. (2007). Developing Management skills. (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/
Prentice-Hall, 185.
168 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
4.6 Stakeholders
Learning Objectives
1. Learn about stakeholders and their importance.
2. Understand stakeholder analysis.
3. Be able to map stakeholders and their level of participation.
Figure 4.9
Government tends to be a key stakeholder for every organization.
Kevin Harber – GOVERNMENT – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Stakeholders and Stakeholder AnalysisStakeholders and Stakeholder Analysis
Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an interest in an organization’s ability to deliver intended results
169
and maintain the viability of its products and services. We’ve already stressed the importance of stakeholders
to a firm’s mission and vision. We’ve also explained that firms are usually accountable to a broad range of
stakeholders, including shareholders, who can make it either more difficult or easier to execute a strategy and
realize its mission and vision. This is the main reason managers must consider stakeholders’ interests, needs, and
preferences.
Considering these factors in the development of a firm’s mission and vision is a good place to start, but first,
of course, you must identify critical stakeholders, get a handle on their short- and long-term interests, calculate
their potential influence on your strategy, and take into consideration how the firms strategy might affect the
stakeholders (beneficially or adversely). Table 4.2 “Stakeholder Categories” provides one way to begin thinking
about the various stakeholder groups, their interests, importance, and influence. Influence reflects a stakeholder’s
relative power over and within an organization; importance indicates the degree to which the organization cannot
be considered successful if a stakeholder’s needs, expectations, and issues are not addressed.
Table 4.2 Stakeholder Categories
Stakeholder Categories Interests Importance Influence
Owners
Managers
Employees
Customers
Environmental
Social
Government
Suppliers
Competitors
Other?
Adapted from http://www.stsc.hill.af.mil/crosstalk/2000/12/smith.html.
As you can imagine, for instance, one key stakeholder group comprises the CEO and the members of the top-
management team. These are key managers, and they might be owners as well. This group is important for at least
three reasons:
1. Its influence as either originator or steward of the organization’s mission and vision.
2. Its responsibility for formulating a strategy that realizes the mission and vision.
3. Its ultimate role in strategy implementation.
Typically, stakeholder evaluation of both quantitative and qualitative performance outcomes will determine
whether management is effective. Quantitative outcomes include stock price, total sales, and net profits, while
qualitative outcomes include customer service and employee satisfaction. As you can imagine, different
stakeholders may place more emphasis on some outcomes than other stakeholders, who have other priorities.
170 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Stakeholders, Mission, and VisionStakeholders, Mission, and Vision
Stakeholder analysis refers to the range of techniques or tools used to identify and understand the needs and
expectations of major interests inside and outside the organization environment. Managers perform stakeholder
analysis to gain a better understanding of the range and variety of groups and individuals who not only have a
vested interest in the organization, and ultimately the formulation and implementation of a firm’s strategy, but
who also have some influence on firm performance. Managers thus develop mission and vision statements, not
only to clarify the organization’s larger purpose but also to meet or exceed the needs of its key stakeholders.
Stakeholder analysis may also enable managers to identify other parties that might derail otherwise well-
formulated strategies, such as local, state, national, or foreign governmental bodies. Finally, stakeholder analysis
enables organizations to better formulate, implement, and monitor their strategies, and this is why stakeholder
analysis is a critical factor in the ultimate implementation of a strategy.
Identifying StakeholdersIdentifying Stakeholders
The first step in stakeholder analysis is identifying major stakeholder groups. As you can imagine, the groups of
stakeholders who will, either directly or indirectly, be affected by or have an effect on a firm’s strategy and its
execution can run the gamut from employees, to customers, to competitors, to the government. Ultimately, we
will want to take these stakeholders and plot them on a chart, similar to that shown in the following figure.
Figure 4.10 Stakeholder Mapping
Adapted from Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. Boston: Pitman.
Let’s pause for a moment to consider the important constituencies we will be charting on our stakeholder
map. Before we start, however, we need to remind ourselves that stakeholders can be individuals or
groups—communities, social or political organizations, and so forth. In addition, we can break groups down
4.6 STAKEHOLDERS • 171
demographically, geographically, by level and branch of government, or according to other relevant criteria. In so
doing, we’re more likely to identify important groups that we might otherwise overlook.
With these facts in mind, you can see that, externally, a map of stakeholders will include such diverse groups as
governmental bodies, community-based organizations, social and political action groups, trade unions and guilds,
and even journalists. National and regional governments and international regulatory bodies will probably be
key stakeholders for global firms or those whose strategy calls for greater international presence. Internally, key
stakeholders include shareholders, business units, employees, and managers.
Steps in Identifying StakeholdersSteps in Identifying Stakeholders
Identifying all of a firm’s stakeholders can be a daunting task. In fact, as we will note again shortly, a list
of stakeholders that is too long actually may reduce the effectiveness of this important tool by overwhelming
decision makers with too much information. To simplify the process, we suggest that you start by identifying
groups that fall into one of four categories: organizational, capital market, product market, and social. Let’s take
a closer look at this step.
Step 1: Determining Influences on Mission, Vision, and Strategy Formulation. One way to analyze the importance
and roles of the individuals who compose a stakeholder group is to identify the people and teams who should
be consulted as strategy is developed or who will play some part in its eventual implementation. These are
organizational stakeholders, and they include both high-level managers and frontline workers. Capital-market
stakeholders are groups that affect the availability or cost of capital—shareholders, venture capitalists, banks, and
other financial intermediaries. Product-market stakeholders include parties with whom the firm shares its industry,
including suppliers and customers. Social stakeholders consist broadly of external groups and organizations that
may be affected by or exercise influence over firm strategy and performance, such as unions, governments, and
activist groups. The next two steps are to determine how various stakeholders are affected by the firm’s strategic
decisions and the degree of power that various stakeholders wield over the firm’s ability to choose a course of
action.
Step 2: Determining the Effects of Key Decisions on the Stakeholder. Step 2 in stakeholder analysis is to determine
the nature of the effect of the firm’s strategic decisions on the list of relevant stakeholders. Not all stakeholders
are affected equally by strategic decisions. Some effects may be rather mild, and any positive or negative effects
may be secondary and of minimal impact. At the other end of the spectrum, some stakeholders bear the brunt of
firm decisions, good or bad.
In performing step 1, companies often develop overly broad and unwieldy lists of stakeholders. At this stage,
it’s critical to determine the stakeholders who are most important based on how the firm’s strategy affects the
stakeholders. You must determine which of the groups still on your list have direct or indirect material claims
on firm performance or which are potentially adversely affected. For instance, it is easy to see how shareholders
are affected by firm strategies—their wealth either increases or decreases in correspondence with the firm’s
actions. Other parties have economic interests in the firm as well, such as parties the firm interacts with in
the marketplace, including suppliers and customers. The effects on other parties may be much more indirect.
For instance, governments have an economic interest in firms doing well—they collect tax revenue from them.
However, in cities that are well diversified with many employers, a single firm has minimal economic impact on
what the government collects. Alternatively, in other areas, individual firms represent a significant contribution
172 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
to local employment and tax revenue. In those situations, the effect of firm actions on the government would be
much greater.
Step 3: Determining Stakeholders’ Power and Influence over Decisions. The third step of a stakeholder analysis
is to determine the degree to which a stakeholder group can exercise power and influence over the decisions
the firm makes. Does the group have direct control over what is decided, veto power over decisions, nuisance
influence, or no influence? Recognize that although the degree to which a stakeholder is affected by firm decisions
(i.e., step 2) is sometimes highly correlated with their power and influence over the decision, this is often not
the case. For instance, in some companies, frontline employees may be directly affected by firm decisions but
have no say in what those decisions are. Power can take the form of formal voting power (boards of directors and
owners), economic power (suppliers, financial institutions, and unions), or political power (dissident stockholders,
political action groups, and governmental bodies). Sometimes the parties that exercise significant power over firm
decisions don’t register as having a significant stake in the firm (step 2). In recent years, for example, Wal-Mart
has encountered significant resistance in some communities by well-organized groups who oppose the entry of the
mega-retailer. Wal-Mart executives now have to anticipate whether a vocal and politically powerful community
group will oppose its new stores or aim to reduce their size, which decreases Wal-Mart’s per store profitability.
Indeed, in many markets, such groups have been effective at blocking new stores, reducing their size, or changing
building specifications.
Once you’ve determined who has a stake in the outcomes of the firm’s decisions as well as who has power over
these decisions, you’ll have a basis on which to allocate prominence in the strategy-formulation and strategy-
implementation processes. The framework in the figure will also help you categorize stakeholders according to
their influence in determining strategy versus their importance to strategy execution. For one thing, this distinction
may help you identify major omissions in strategy formulation and implementation.
Having identified stakeholder groups and differentiated them by how they are affected by firm decisions and the
power they have to influence decisions, you’ll want to ask yourself some additional questions:
• Have I identified any vulnerable points in either the strategy or its potential implementation?
• Which groups are mobilized and active in promoting their interests?
• Have I identified supporters and opponents of the strategy?
• Which groups will benefit from successful execution of the strategy and which may be adversely affected?
• Where are various groups located? Who belongs to them? Who represents them?
The stakeholder-analysis framework summarized in the figure is a good starting point. Ultimately, because
mission and vision are necessarily long term in orientation, identifying important stakeholder groups will help you
to understand which constituencies stand to gain or to lose the most if they’re realized.
Two ChallengesTwo Challenges
Two of the challenges of performing stakeholder analysis are determining how stakeholders are affected by a
firm’s decisions and how much influence they have over the implementation of the decisions that are made. Many
people have a tendency to fall into the trap of assessing all stakeholders as being important on both dimensions. In
4.6 STAKEHOLDERS • 173
reality, not all stakeholders are affected in the same way and not all stakeholders have the same level of influence
in determining what a firm does. Moreover, when stakeholder analysis is executed well, the resulting strategy has
a better chance of succeeding, simply because the entities you might rely on in the implementation phase were
already involved in the strategy starting with the formulation phase. Thus, you now have a good idea of how to
engage various stakeholders in all the stages of the P-O-L-C framework.
Key Takeaway
This section introduced stakeholders, their roles, and how to begin assessing their roles in the development
of the organization’s mission and vision. While any person or organization with a stake in your
organization is a stakeholder, managers are most concerned with those stakeholders who have the most
influence on, or will be most influenced by, the organization. On the basis of your assessment of
stakeholders, you now can be proactive in involving them in the P-O-L-C stages.
Exercises
1. What are stakeholders, and why are they relevant to mission and vision?
2. Are stakeholders equally relevant to all parts of P-O-L-C, or only mission and vision?
3. What is stakeholder analysis? What are the three identification steps?
4. How does stakeholder analysis help you craft a mission and vision statement?
5. Which important stakeholders might you intentionally exclude from a mission or vision
statement?
6. What are the risks of not conducting stakeholder analysis as an input to the formulation of your
mission and vision?
174 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
4.7 Crafting Mission and Vision Statements
Learning Objectives
1. Learn about the basics of the mission and vision development process.
2. Understand the content of good mission and vision statements.
Communicating and Monitoring Mission and VisionCommunicating and Monitoring Mission and Vision
At this point, you have an understanding of what a mission and vision statement is and how creativity, passion,
and stakeholder interests might be accounted for. The actual step-by-step process of developing a mission and
vision might start with the mission and vision statements, but you should think of this process more broadly in
terms of multiple steps: (1) the process, (2) the content of the mission and vision statements, (3) communicating
mission and vision to all relevant stakeholders, and (4) monitoring. As shown in “Process, Content, Application,
and Monitoring in Mission and Vision Development,” Information Week contributor Sourabh Hajela breaks out
one way you might manage your mission/vision development checklist. Let’s dive in to the development process
first.
Mission and vision statements are statements of an organization’s purpose and potential; what you want the
organization to become. Both statements should be meaningful to you and your organization. It should be shared
with all of the employees in the organization to create a unified direction for everyone to move in.
175
Figure 4.11
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
While crafting a mission and vision is not easy, it helps to follow the right steps.
tanakawho – Stepping stones – CC BY-NC 2.0.
Process, Content, Application, and Monitoring in Mission and Vision DevelopmentProcess, Content, Application, and Monitoring in Mission and Vision Development
•
• Let the business drive the mission and vision.
• Involve all stakeholders in its development; otherwise, they won’t consider it theirs.
• Assign responsibility so that it’s clear how each person, including each stakeholder, can contribute.
• Seek expert facilitation to reach a vision supported by all.
• Revise and reiterate; you’ll likely go through multiple iterations before you’re satisfied.
•
• Start from where you are to get to where you want to go.
• Build in the values of the organization: Every organization has a soul. Tap into yours, and adjust
as needed. Mission and vision built on your values will not just hold promise but also deliver on it.
• Build on the core competencies of the organization: A mission and vision are useless if they can’t
be put into operation. This requires recognition of your organization’s strengths and weaknesses.
176 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
• Factor in your style: A mission and vision must reflect the leader’s style. You can’t sustain action
that goes against it.
• Make it visual: A picture is worth a thousand words.
• Make it simple to understand: Complex language and disconnected statements have little
impact—people can’t implement what they don’t understand.
• Make it achievable: A mission and vision are an organization’s dreams for the future. Unachievable
goals discourage people.
• Phase it in: Reach for the sky—in stages.
• Make it actionable: If it’s too abstract, no one knows what to do next.
•
• Communicate often: Internal communications are the key to success. People need to see the
mission and vision, identify with them, and know that leadership is serious about it.
• Create messages that relate to the audience: To adopt a mission and vision, people must see how
they can achieve it, and what’s in it for them.
• Create messages that inspire action: It’s not what you say, but how you say it.
•
• Use it: Beyond printing it, posting it, and preaching it, you also need to practice what is laid out in
the mission and vision…“walk the talk”
• Live it: Management must lead by example.
• Be real: It’s better to adjust the mission statement as needed than to not live up to the standards it
sets.
•
• Identify key milestones: While traveling to your destination, acknowledge the milestones along the
way.
• Monitor your progress: A strategic audit, combined with key metrics, can be used to measure
progress against goals and objectives.
• Use external audit team: An external team brings objectivity, plus a fresh perspective.
Sourabh Hajela
Adapted from http://www.informationweek.com/news/management/
showArticle.jhtml?articleID=17500069 (retrieved October 29, 2008).
Mission and Vision-Development ProcessMission and Vision-Development Process
Mission and vision development are analogous to the “P” (planning) in the P-O-L-C framework. Start with the
people. To the greatest extent possible, let those people responsible for executing the mission and vision drive
their development. Sometimes this means soliciting their input and guiding them through the development of the
actual statements, but ideally, it means teaching them how to craft those statements themselves. Involve as many
4.7 CRAFTING MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS • 177
key stakeholders as possible in its development; otherwise, they won’t consider it theirs. Assign responsibility so
that it’s clear how each person, including each stakeholder, can contribute.
ContentContent
The content of the mission and vision statements are analogous to the O (organizing) part of the P-O-L-C
framework. Begin by describing the best possible business future for your company, using a target of 5 to 10 years
in the future. Your written goals should be dreams, but they should be achievable dreams. Jim Collins (author of
Good to Great) suggests that the vision be very bold, or what he likes to call a BHAG—a big, hairy, audacious
goal—like the United State’s goal in the 1960s to go to the moon by the end of the decade, or Martin Luther
King’s vision for a nonracist America.
Recognizing that the vision statement is derived from aspects of the mission statement, it is helpful to start there.
Richard O’ Hallaron and his son, David R. O’ Hallaron, in The Mission Primer: Four Steps to an Effective
Mission Statement, suggest that you consider a range of objectives, both financial and nonfinancial (O’Hallaron
& O’Hallaron, 2000). Specifically, the O’Hallarons find that the best mission statements have given attention to
the following six areas:
1. What “want-satisfying” service or commodity do we produce and work constantly to improve?
2. How do we increase the wealth or quality of life or society?
3. How do we provide opportunities for the productive employment of people?
4. How are we creating a high-quality and meaningful work experience for employees?
5. How do we live up to the obligation to provide fair and just wages?
6. How do we fulfill the obligation to provide a fair and just return on capital?
When writing your statements, use the present tense, speaking as if your business has already become what
you are describing. Use descriptive statements describing what the business looks like, feels like, using words
that describe all of a person’s senses. Your words will be a clear written motivation for where your business
organization is headed. Mission statements, because they cover more ground, tend to be longer than vision
statements, but you should aim to write no more than a page. Your words can be as long as you would like them
to be, but a shorter vision statement may be easier to remember.
CommunicationsCommunications
The communications step of the mission and vision statements development process is analogous to the “L”
(leading) part of the P-O-L-C framework. Communicate often: Internal communications are the key to success.
People need to see the vision, identify with it, and know that leadership is serious about it.
Managers must evaluate both the need and the necessary tactics for persuasively communicating a strategy in four
different directions: upward, downward, across, and outward (Hambrick & Cannella, 1989).
178 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Communicating UpwardCommunicating Upward
Increasingly, firms rely on bottom-up innovation processes that encourage and empower middle-level and division
managers to take ownership of mission and vision and propose new strategies to achieve them. Communicating
upward means that someone or some group has championed the vision internally and has succeeded in convincing
top management of its merits and feasibility.
Communicating DownwardCommunicating Downward
Communicating downward means enlisting the support of the people who’ll be needed to implement the mission
and vision. Too often, managers undertake this task only after a strategy has been set in stone, thereby running the
risk of undermining both the strategy and any culture of trust and cooperation that may have existed previously.
Starting on the communication process early is the best way to identify and surmount obstacles, and it usually
ensures that a management team is working with a common purpose and intensity that will be important when it’s
time to implement the strategy.
Communicating Across and OutwardCommunicating Across and Outward
The need to communicate across and outward reflects the fact that realization of a mission and vision will
probably require cooperation from other units of the firm (across) and from key external stakeholders, such as
material and capital providers, complementors, and customers (outward). Internally, for example, the strategy
may call for raw materials or services to be provided by another subsidiary; perhaps it depends on sales leads
from other units. The software company Emageon couldn’t get hospitals to adopt the leading-edge visualization
software that was produced and sold by one subsidiary until its hardware division started cross-selling the software
as well. This internal coordination required a champion from the software side to convince managers on the
hardware side of the need and benefits of working together.
ApplicationApplication
It is the successful execution of this step—actually using the mission and vision statements—that eludes most
organizations. “Yes, it is inconvenient and expensive to move beyond the easy path” and make decisions that
support the mission statement, says Lila Booth, a Philadelphia-area consultant who is on the faculty of the
Wharton Small Business Development Center. But ditching mission for expediency “is short-term thinking,” she
adds, “which can be costly in the end, costly enough to put a company out of business (Krattenmaker, 2002).” That
is not to say that a mission statement is written in stone. Booth cites her own consulting business. It began well
before merger mania but has evolved with the times and now is dedicated in significant part to helping merged
companies create common cultures. “Today, our original mission statement would be very limiting,” she says.
Even the most enthusiastic proponents acknowledge that mission statements are often viewed cynically by
organizations and their constituents. That is usually due to large and obvious gaps between a company’s words and
deeds. “Are there companies that have managers who do the opposite of what their missions statements dictate?
Of course,” says Geoffrey Abrahams, author of The Mission Statement Book. “Mission statements are tools, and
tools can be used or abused or ignored.…Management must lead by example. It’s the only way employees can
4.7 CRAFTING MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS • 179
live up to the company’s mission statement (Abrahams, 1999).” Ultimately, if you are not committed to using the
mission statement then you are best advised not to create one.
MonitoringMonitoring
The monitoring step of the mission and vision statements development process is analogous to the “C”
(controlling) part of the P-O-L-C framework. Identify key milestones that are implied or explicit in the mission
and vision. Since mission and vision act like a compass for a long trip to a new land, as Information Week’s Hajela
suggests, “while traveling to your destination, acknowledge the milestones along the way. With these milestones
you can monitor your progress: A strategic audit, combined with key metrics, can be used to measure progress
against goals and objectives. To keep the process moving, try using an external audit team. One benefit is that an
external team brings objectivity, plus a fresh perspective (Information Week, 2008).” It also helps motivate your
team to stay on track.
Key Takeaway
This section described some of the basic inputs into crafting mission and vision statements. It explored how
mission and vision involved initiation, determination of content, communication, application, and then
monitoring to be sure if and how the mission and vision were being followed and realized. In many ways,
you learned how the development of mission and vision mirrors the P-O-L-C framework itself—from
planning to control (monitoring).
Exercises
1. Who should be involved in the mission and vision development process?
2. What are some key content areas for mission and vision?
3. Why are organizational values important to mission and vision?
4. Why is communication important with mission and vision?
5. To which stakeholders should the mission and vision be communicated?
6. What role does monitoring play in mission and vision?
ReferencesReferences
Abrahams, J. (1999). The Mission Statement Book: 301 Corporate Mission Statements from America’s Top
Companies. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.
Hambrick, D. C., & Cannella, A. A. (1989). Strategy implementation as substance and selling. Academy of
Management Executive, 3(4), 278–285.
180 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Information Week, retrieved October 28, 2008, from http://www.informationweek.com/news/management/
showArticle.jhtml?articleID=17500069.
Krattenmaker, T. (2002). Writing a Mission Statement That Your Company Is Willing to Live. Boston: Harvard
Business School Press.
O’Hallaron, R., & O’Hallaron, D. (2000). The Mission Primer: Four Steps to an Effective Mission Statement,
Richmond: Mission Incorporated. Their approach is based on Gast’s Laws, a set of principles developed in the
1940s and 1950s by the late business professor Walter Gast. Among other ideas, Gast’s Laws hold that businesses
must be dedicated to more than making money if they are to succeed.
4.7 CRAFTING MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS • 181
4.8 Developing Your Personal Mission and Vision
Learning Objectives
1. Determine what mission and vision mean for you.
2. Develop some guidelines for developing your mission and vision.
Mission and vision are concepts that can be applied to you, personally, well beyond their broader relevance to the
P-O-L-C framework. Personal mission and vision communicate the direction in which you are headed, as well
as providing some explanation for why you are choosing one direction or set of objectives over others. Thinking
about and writing down mission and vision statements for your life can help provide you with a compass as you
work toward your own goals and objectives.
182
Figure 4.12
Your mission and vision reflect your personal and professional purpose and direction.
Shawn Harquail – Kayak Tour of Mangroves, Lucayan National Park. – CC BY-NC 2.0.
Your Mission and VisionYour Mission and Vision
Note that the development of a personal mission and vision, and then a strategy for achieving them, are exactly
the opposite of what most people follow. Most people do not plan further ahead than their next job or activity (if
they plan their career at all). They take a job because it looks attractive, and then they see what they can do with
it. We advocate looking as far into the future as you can and deciding where you want to end up and what steps
will lead you there. In that way, your life and your career fit into some intelligent plan, and you are in control of
your own life.
GuidelinesGuidelines
The first step in planning a career is obviously a long-term goal. Where do you want to end up, ultimately? Do
you really want to be a CEO or president of the United States, now that you know what it costs to be either one?
There are a couple basic parts to this process.
BHAGBHAG
First, set out a bold vision—Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, describes this as a BHAG a big, hairy, audacious
goal.
4.8 DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL MISSION AND VISION • 183
Five guiding criteria for good BHAGs is that they:
1. Are set with understanding, not bravado.
2. Fit squarely in the three circles of (a) what you are deeply passionate about (including your core values
and purpose), (b) what drives your economic logic, and (c) what differentiates you (what you can be the
best in the world at).
3. Have a long time frame—10 to 30 years.
4. Are clear, compelling, and easy to grasp.
5. Directly reflect your core values and core purpose.
ValuesValues
Second, sketch out your personal values, or “Guiding Philosophy”—a set of core values and principles like your
own Declaration of Independence.
ScheduleSchedule
Once the vision is set, you have to develop some long-term goal (or goals), then intermediate-term goals, and so
on. If you want to be President, what jobs will you have to take first to get there and when do you have to get
these jobs? Where should you live? What training do you need? What political connections do you need? Then
you have to set up an orderly plan for obtaining the connections and training that you need and getting into these
steppingstone jobs.
Finally, you need to establish short-term goals to fit clearly into a coherent plan for your entire career. Your next
job (if you are now a fairly young person) should be picked not only for its salary or for its opportunities for
advancement but for its chances to provide you with the training and connections you need to reach your long-
term goals. The job that is superficially attractive to you because it has a high salary, offers the opportunity for
immediate advancement, or is located in a desirable place may be a mistake from the standpoint of your long-term
career.
Five StepsFive Steps
Former business school professor, entrepreneur (founder of www.quintcareers.com), and colleague Randall S.
Hansen, PhD, has done a masterful job of assembling resources that aim to help your career, including an excellent
five-step plan for creating personal mission statements. With his generous permission, he has allowed us to
reproduce his five-step plan—adapted by us to encompass both mission and vision—in this section.
The Five-Step PlanThe Five-Step Plan
A large percentage of companies, including most of the Fortune 500, have corporate mission and vision
statements (Quint Careers, 2008). Mission and vision statements are designed to provide direction and thrust to
an organization, an enduring statement of purpose. A mission and vision statement act as an invisible hand that
184 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
guides the people in the organization. A mission and vision statement explains the organization’s reason for being
and answers the question, “What business are we in?”
A personal mission and vision statement is a bit different from a company mission statement, but the fundamental
principles are the same. Writing a personal mission and vision statement offers the opportunity to establish what’s
important and perhaps make a decision to stick to it before we even start a career. Or it enables us to chart a new
course when we’re at a career crossroads. Steven Covey (in First Things First) refers to developing a mission
and vision statement as “connecting with your own unique purpose and the profound satisfaction that comes from
fulfilling it (Covey, 1994).”
A personal mission and vision statement helps job seekers identify their core values and beliefs. Michael
Goodman (in The Potato Chip Difference: How to Apply Leading Edge Marketing Strategies to Landing the Job
You Want) states that a personal mission statement is “an articulation of what you’re all about and what success
looks like to you (Goodman, 2001).” A personal mission and vision statement also allows job seekers to identify
companies that have similar values and beliefs and helps them better assess the costs and benefits of any new
career opportunity.
The biggest problem most job seekers face is not in wanting to have a personal mission and vision statement
but actually writing it. So, to help you get started on your personal mission and vision statement, here is a five-
step mission/vision-building process. Take as much time on each step as you need, and remember to dig deeply
to develop a mission and vision statement that is both authentic and honest. To help you better see the process,
Professor Hansen included an example of one friend’s process in developing her mission and vision statements.
Sample Personal Mission Statement DevelopmentSample Personal Mission Statement Development
1.
Past success:
◦ developed new product features for stagnant product
◦ part of team that developed new positioning statement for product
◦ helped child’s school with fundraiser that was wildly successful
◦ increased turnout for the opening of a new local theater company
Themes: Successes all relate to creative problem solving and execution of a solution.
2.
Core values:
◦ Hard working
◦ Industrious
◦ Creativity
◦ Problem solving
◦ Decision maker
4.8 DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL MISSION AND VISION • 185
◦ Friendly
◦ Outgoing
◦ Positive
◦ Family-oriented
◦ Honest
◦ Intelligent
◦ Compassionate
◦ Spiritual
◦ Analytical
◦ Passionate
◦ Contemplative
Most important values:
◦ Problem solving
◦ Creativity
◦ Analytical
◦ Compassionate
◦ Decision maker
◦ Positive
Most important value:
◦ Creativity
3.
Identify Contributions:
◦ the world in general: develop products and services that help people achieve what they want in
life. To have a lasting effect on the way people live their lives.
◦ my family: to be a leader in terms of personal outlook, compassion for others, and maintaining
an ethical code; to be a good mother and a loving wife; to leave the world a better place for my
children and their children.
◦ my employer or future employers: to lead by example and demonstrate how innovative and
problem-solving products can be both successful in terms of solving a problem and successful
in terms of profitability and revenue generation for the organization.
◦ my friends: to always have a hand held out for my friends; for them to know they can always
come to me with any problem.
◦ my community: to use my talents in such a way as to give back to my community.
4.
186 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Identify Goals:
Short term: To continue my career with a progressive employer that allows me to use my skills, talent,
and values to achieve success for the firm.
Long term: To develop other outlets for my talents and develop a longer-term plan for diversifying
my life and achieving both professional and personal success.
5.
Mission Statement:
To live life completely, honestly, and compassionately, with a healthy dose of realism mixed with the
imagination and dreams that all things are possible if one sets their mind to finding an answer.
Vision Statement:
To be the CEO of a firm that I start, that provides educational exercise experiences to K–6 schools.
My company will improve children’s health and fitness, and create a lasting positive impact on their
lives, and that of their children.
Step 1: Identify Past Successes. Spend some time identifying four or five examples where you have had personal
success in recent years. These successes could be at work, in your community, or at home. Write them down. Try
to identify whether there is a common theme—or themes—to these examples. Write them down.
Step 2: Identify Core Values. Develop a list of attributes that you believe identify who you are and what your
priorities are. The list can be as long as you need. Once your list is complete, see whether you can narrow your
values to five or six most important values. Finally, see whether you can choose the one value that is most
important to you. We’ve added “Generating Ideas for Your Mission and Vision” to help jog your memory and
brainstorm about what you do well and really like to do.
Step 3: Identify Contributions. Make a list of the ways you could make a difference. In an ideal situation, how
could you contribute best to:
• the world in general
• your family
• your employer or future employers
• your friends
• your community
Generating Ideas for Your Mission and VisionGenerating Ideas for Your Mission and Vision
A useful mission and vision statement should include two pieces: what you wish to accomplish and
contribute and who you want to be, the character strengths and qualities you wish to develop. While this
4.8 DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL MISSION AND VISION • 187
sounds simple, those pieces of information are not always obvious. Try these tools for generating valuable
information about yourself.
Part I
1. Describe your ideal day. This is not about being practical. It is designed to include as many sides
of you and your enthusiasms as possible: creative, competent, artistic, introverted, extraverted,
athletic, playful, nurturing, contemplative, and so on.
2. Imagine yourself 132 years old and surrounded by your descendants or those descendants of your
friends. You are in a warm and relaxed atmosphere (such as around a fireplace). What would you say
to them about what is important in life? This exercise is designed to access the values and principles
that guide your life.
3. Imagine that it is your 70th birthday (or another milestone in your life). You have been asked by
national print media to write a press release about your achievements. Consider what you would
want your family, friends, coworkers in your profession and in your community to say about you.
What difference would you like to have made in their lives? How do you want to be remembered?
This is designed to inventory your actions and accomplishments in all areas of your life.
Part II
Review your notes for these three exercises. With those responses in mind, reflect on questions 1, 2, and 3
above. Then write a rough draft (a page of any length) of your mission statement. Remember that it should
describe what you want to do and who you want to be. This is not a job description. Carry it with you, post
copies in visible places at home and work, and revise and evaluate. Be patient with yourself. The process is
as important as the outcome. After a few weeks, write another draft. Ask yourself whether your statement
was based on proven principles that you believe in, if you feel direction, motivation, and inspiration when
you read it. Over time, reviewing and evaluating will keep you abreast of your own development.
Step 4: Identify Goals. Spend some time thinking about your priorities in life and the goals you have for yourself.
Make a list of your personal goals, perhaps in the short term (up to three years) and the long term (beyond three
years).
Step 5: Write Mission and Vision Statements. On the basis of the first four steps and a better understanding of
yourself, begin writing your personal mission and vision statements.
Final thoughts: A personal mission and vision statement is, of course, personal. But if you want to see whether you
have been honest in developing your personal mission and vision statement, we suggest sharing the results of this
process with one or more people who are close to you. Ask for their feedback. Finally, remember that mission and
vision statements are not meant to be written once and blasted into stone. You should set aside some time annually
to review your career, job, goals, and mission and vision statements—and make adjustments as necessary.
Key Takeaway
In this section, you learned how to think of mission and vision in terms of your personal circumstances,
whether it is your career or other aspects of your life. Just as you might do in developing an organization’s
188 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
vision statement, you were encouraged to think of a big, hairy audacious goal as a starting point. You also
learned a five-step process for developing a personal vision statement.
Exercises
1. How does a personal mission and vision statement differ from one created for an organization?
2. What time period should a personal mission and vision statement cover?
3. What are the five steps for creating a personal mission and vision statement?
4. What type of goals should you start thinking about in creating a personal mission and vision?
5. How are your strengths and weaknesses relevant to mission and vision?
6. What stakeholders seem relevant to your personal mission and vision?
ReferencesReferences
Covey, S. R. (1994). First Things First. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Goodman, M. (2001). The Potato Chip Difference. New York: Dialogue Press.
Quint Careers, retrieved October 29, 2008, from http://www.quintcareers.com/
creating_personal_mission_statements.html. Reproduced and adapted with written permission from Randall S.
Hansen. The content of this work is his, and any errors or omissions are our responsibility.
4.8 DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL MISSION AND VISION • 189
Chapter 5: Strategizing
5.1 Strategizing
5.2 Case in Point: Unnamed Publisher Transforms Textbook Industry
5.3 Strategic Management in the P-O-L-C Framework
5.4 How Do Strategies Emerge?
5.5 Strategy as Trade-Offs, Discipline, and Focus
5.6 Developing Strategy Through Internal Analysis
5.7 Developing Strategy Through External Analysis
5.8 Formulating Organizational and Personal Strategy With the Strategy Diamond
190
5.1 Strategizing
What’s in It for Me?
Reading this chapter will help you do the following:
1. See how strategy fits in the planning-organizing-leading-controlling (P-O-L-C) framework.
2. Better understand how strategies emerge.
3. Understand strategy as trade-offs, discipline, and focus.
4. Conduct internal analysis to develop strategy.
5. Conduct external analysis to develop strategy.
6. Formulate organizational and personal strategy with the strategy diamond.
Strategic management, strategizing for short, is essentially about choice—in terms of what the organization will
do and won’t do to achieve specific goals and objectives, where such goals and objectives lead to the realization
of a stated mission and vision. Strategy is a central part of the planning function in P-O-L-C. Strategy is also about
making choices that provide an organization with some measure of competitive advantage or even a sustainable
competitive advantage. For the most part, this chapter emphasizes strategy formulation (answers to the “What
should our strategy be?” question) as opposed to strategy implementation (answers to questions about “How do
we execute a chosen strategy?”). The central position of strategy is summarized in the following figure. In this
chapter, you will learn about strategic management and how it fits in the P-O-L-C framework. You will also learn
some of the key internal and external analyses that support the development of good strategies. Finally, you will
see how the concept of strategy can be applied to you personally, in addition to professionally.
Figure 5.2 The P-O-L-C Framework
191
Figure 5.3 Where Strategy Fits in “Planning”
192 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
5.2 Case in Point: Unnamed Publisher Transforms
Textbook Industry
Figure 5.4 Cofounder, Jeff Shelstad
Keith Avery – Jeff Shelstad – CC BY-NC 2.0.
Two textbook publishing industry veterans, Jeff Shelstad and Eric Frank, started, a privately held company,
in 2007 to be a new and disruptive model for the college textbook market. Traditional business textbook
publishers carry a portfolio of 5 to 10 titles per subject and charge premium prices for new textbooks, an
average of $1,000 in textbooks for a college student’s first year, according to a recent General Accounting
Office (GAO) report. FWK’s strategy aims to turn the traditional model on its head by providing online
textbook access free to students. FWK earns revenues by selling students the digital textbooks in alternate
formats, print and audio initially, and also by selling highly efficient and mobile study aids. Despite the
fact that professors have rated the academic quality of FWK textbooks as equal to or higher than that of
textbooks from traditional publishers, the cost to students is a fraction of current market prices due to the
efficiencies of the FWK business model. Moreover, with FWK’s open-source platform, instructors who
193
adopt FWK books for their classes are able to pick and choose the material provided to their students, even
if it is from earlier versions of textbooks that have since been revised.
Shelstad and Frank founded FWK because they believed that big publishers would continue to experiment
and innovate, and enjoy the advantages of scale, capital, content, and brand. But the FWK founders also
believed that the pace and nature of change by the big publishers of the textbook industry would remain
modest and marginal, held back by an inflexible go-to market strategy, with a reflexive (and shortsighted)
exercise of pricing power, outdated business models, intransigent channel partners, existing contracts, and
a fear of price cannibalization, as well as the traditional culture and organizational barriers.
To seize this perceived market opportunity, FWK designed a strategy based on publishing textbooks around
the three main pillars of books that are (1) free, (2) open, and (3) authored by highly respected authors.
Ultimately students (or parents) pay for books. Between a publisher and the student is a gatekeeper—the
instructor. The first step to revenue is to convince the gatekeeper to assign (“adopt”) an FWK textbook
instead of other choices. Only then does FWK establish a relationship with the gatekeeper’s students and
earn the opportunity to monetize those relationships through the sale of print books, study aids, user-
generated content, and corporate sponsorship. FWK’s strategy, therefore, aims to provide a compelling
value proposition to instructors to maximize adoptions and, thus, student relationships.
How is FWK’s strategy working so far? Through the start of 2010, the FWK strategy has proven effective.
New customers and books come online daily and the growth trends are positive. Its first term (fall of
2009), FWK had 40,000 students using its textbooks. This has continued to rise. Several new projects are
under way in international business, entrepreneurship, legal environment, and mathematical economics.
Media attention to the fledgling FWK has generally been favorable. Social media experts also gave the
company accolades. For example, Chris Anderson devoted a page to the FWK business model in his
bestselling book Free. Moreover, early user reviews of the product were also very positive. For instance,
an instructor who adopted Principles of Management noted, “I highly recommend this book as a primary
textbook for…business majors. The overall context is quite appropriate and the search capability within
the context is useful. I have been quite impressed [with] how they have highlighted the key areas.” At the
same time, opportunities to improve the Web interface still existed, with the same reviewer noting, “The
navigation could be a bit more user friendly, however.” FWK uses user input like this to better adjust the
strategy and delivery of its model. This type of feedback led the FWK design squad to improve its custom
Web interface, so that instructors can more easily change the book. Only time will tell if the $11 million
invested in FWK by 2010 will result in the establishment of a new titan in textbook publishing or will be
an entrepreneurial miss.
Case written based on information from United States Government Accountability Office. (2005, July).
College textbooks: Enhanced offering appear to drive recent price increases (GAO-05-806). Retrieved
April 22, 2010, from http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-806; Web site: Community College
Open Textbook Collaborative. (2009). Business reviews. Retrieved April 22, 2010, from
http://www.collegeopentextbooks.org/reviews/business.html; Personal interviews with Jeff Shelstad and
Eric Frank.
Discussion Questions
1. Planning is a key component to the P-O-L-C framework. What type of planning do you think the
founders of engaged in?
2. What competitive advantages does possess?
194 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
3. What are key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats?
4. How might the extensive textbook industry experience the founders possess help or hinder their
strategy formulation and ultimate success or failure?
5. Based on Porter’s strategies summarized in the figure below, which type of strategy do you see
employing? Support your response.
Figure 5.6
Porter, M. E. (1980). Competitive Strategy. New York: Free Press.
5.2 CASE IN POINT: UNNAMED PUBLISHER TRANSFORMS TEXTBOOK INDUSTRY • 195
5.3 Strategic Management in the P-O-L-C Framework
Learning Objectives
1. Be able to define strategic management.
2. Understand how strategic management fits in the P-O-L-C framework.
3. Broadly identify the inputs for strategy formulation.
What Is Strategic Management?What Is Strategic Management?
As you already know, the P-O-L-C framework starts with “planning.” You might also know that planning is
related to, but not synonymous with, strategic management. Strategic management reflects what a firm is doing to
achieve its mission and vision, as seen by its achievement of specific goals and objectives.
A more formal definition tells us that the strategic management process “is the process by which a firm manages
the formulation and implementation of its strategy (Carpenter & Sanders, 2009).” The strategic management
process is “the coordinated means by which an organization achieves its goals and objectives (Carpenter &
Sanders, 2009).” Others have described strategy as the pattern of resource allocation choices and organizational
arrangements that result from managerial decision making (Mintzberg, 1978). Planning and strategy formulation
sometimes called business planning, or strategic planning, have much in common, since formulation helps
determine what the firm should do. Strategy implementation tells managers how they should go about putting the
desired strategy into action.
The concept of strategy is relevant to all types of organizations, from large, public companies like GE, to religious
organizations, to political parties.
Strategic Management in the P-O-L-C FrameworkStrategic Management in the P-O-L-C Framework
If vision and mission are the heart and soul of planning (in the P-O-L-C framework), then strategy, particularly
strategy formulation, would be the brain. The following figure summarizes where strategy formulation
(strategizing) and implementation fit in the planning and other components of P-O-L-C. We will focus primarily
196
on the strategy formulation aspects of strategic management because implementation is essentially organizing,
leading, and controlling P-O-L-C components.
Figure 5.7 Strategizing in P-O-L-C
You see that planning starts with vision and mission and concludes with setting goals and objectives. In-between
is the critical role played by strategy. Specifically, a strategy captures and communicates how vision and mission
will be achieved and which goals and objectives show that the organization is on the right path to achieving them.
At this point, even in terms of strategy formulation, there are two aspects of strategizing that you should recognize.
The first, corporate strategy answers strategy questions related to “What business or businesses should we be
in?” and “How does our business X help us compete in business Y, and vice versa?” In many ways, corporate
strategy considers an organization to be a portfolio of businesses, resources, capabilities, or activities. You are
probably familiar with McDonald’s, for instance, and their ubiquitous golden arches fast-food outlets. However,
you may be less likely to know that McDonald’s owned the slightly upscale burrito vendor Chipotle for several
years as well (Carpenter & Sanders, 2008).The McDonald’s corporate strategy helped its managers evaluate and
answer questions about whether it made sense for McDonald’s set of businesses to include different restaurants
such as McDonald’s and Chipotle. While other food-service companies have multiple outlets—YUM! Brands,
for example, owns A&W, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver’s, and Kentucky Fried Chicken—McDonald’s
determined that one brand (McDonald’s) was a better strategy for it in the future, and sold off Chipotle in 2006.
The following figure provides a graphic guide to this kind of planning.
Figure 5.8 Corporate and Business Strategy
5.3 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IN THE P-O-L-C FRAMEWORK • 197
The logic behind corporate strategy is one of synergy and diversification. That is, synergies arise when each of
YUM! Brands food outlets does better because they have common ownership and can share valuable inputs into
their businesses. Specifically, synergy exists when the interaction of two or more activities (such as those in a
business) create a combined effect greater than the sum of their individual effects. The idea is that the combination
of certain businesses is stronger than they would be individually because they either do things more cheaply or of
higher quality as a result of their coordination under a common owner.
Diversification in contrast, is where an organization participates in multiple businesses that are in some way
distinct from each other, as Taco Bell is from Pizza Hut, for instance. Just as with a portfolio of stock, the
purpose of diversification is to spread out risk and opportunities over a larger set of businesses. Some may be
high growth, some slow growth or declining; some may perform worse during recessions, while others perform
better. Sometimes the businesses can be very different, such as when fashion sunglass maker Maui Jim diversified
into property and casualty insurance through its merger with RLI Corporation (SEC Info, 2008). Perhaps more
than a coincidence, RLI was founded some 60 years earlier as Replacement Lens International (later changed
to its abbreviation, RLI, in line with its broader insurance products offerings), with the primary business of
providing insurance for replacement contact lenses. There are three major diversification strategies: (1) concentric
diversification, where the new business produces products that are technically similar to the company’s current
product but that appeal to a new consumer group; (2) horizontal diversification, where the new business produces
products that are totally unrelated to the company’s current product but that appeal to the same consumer group;
and (3) conglomerate diversification, where the new business produces products that are totally unrelated to the
company’s current product and that appeal to an entirely new consumer group.
Whereas corporate strategy looks at an organization as a portfolio of things, business strategy focuses on how a
given business needs to compete to be effective. Again, all organizations need strategies to survive and thrive. A
neighborhood church, for instance, probably wants to serve existing members, build new membership, and, at the
same time, raise surplus monies to help it with outreach activities. Its strategy would answer questions surrounding
the accomplishment of these key objectives. In a for-profit company such as McDonald’s, its business strategy
198 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
would help it keep existing customers, grow its business by moving into new markets and taking customers from
competitors like Taco Bell and Burger King, and do all this at a profit level demanded by the stock market.
Strategic InputsStrategic Inputs
So what are the inputs into strategizing? At the most basic level, you will need to gather information and conduct
analysis about the internal characteristics of the organization and the external market conditions. This means an
internal appraisal and an external appraisal. On the internal side, you will want to gain a sense of the organization’s
strengths and weaknesses; on the external side, you will want to develop some sense of the organization’s
opportunities and threats. Together, these four inputs into strategizing are often called SWOT analysis which
stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (see the SWOT analysis figure). It does not matter
if you start this appraisal process internally or externally, but you will quickly see that the two need to mesh
eventually. At the very least, the strategy should leverage strengths to take advantage of opportunities and mitigate
threats, while the downside consequences of weaknesses are minimized or managed.
Figure 5.9 SWOT Analysis
SWOT was developed by Ken Andrews in the early 1970s (Andrews, 1971). An assessment of strengths and
weaknesses occurs as a part of organizational analysis; that is, it is an audit of the company’s internal workings,
which are relatively easier to control than outside factors. Conversely, examining opportunities and threats is a
part of environmental analysis—the company must look outside of the organization to determine opportunities
and threats, over which it has lesser control.
Andrews’s original conception of the strategy model that preceded the SWOT asked four basic questions about a
company and its environment: (1) What can we do? (2) What do we want to do? (3) What might we do? and (4)
What do others expect us to do?
5.3 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IN THE P-O-L-C FRAMEWORK • 199
Strengths and WeaknessesStrengths and Weaknesses
A good starting point for strategizing is an assessment of what an organization does well and what it does
less well. In general good strategies take advantage of strengths and minimize the disadvantages posed by any
weaknesses. Michael Jordan, for instance, is an excellent all-around athlete; he excels in baseball and golf, but
his athletic skills show best in basketball. As with Jordan, when you can identify certain strengths that set an
organization well apart from actual and potential competitors, that strength is considered a source of competitive
advantage. The hardest thing for an organization to do is to develop its competitive advantage into a sustainable
competitive advantage where the organization’s strengths cannot be easily duplicated or imitated by other firms,
nor made redundant or less valuable by changes in the external environment.
Opportunities and ThreatsOpportunities and Threats
On the basis of what you just learned about competitive advantage and sustainable competitive advantage, you
can see why some understanding of the external environment is a critical input into strategy. Opportunities assess
the external attractive factors that represent the reason for a business to exist and prosper. These are external to
the business. What opportunities exist in its market, or in the environment, from which managers might hope
the organization will benefit? Threats include factors beyond your control that could place the strategy, or the
business, at risk. These are also external—managers typically have no control over them, but may benefit by
having contingency plans to address them if they should occur.
SWOT Analysis of
is a new college textbook company (and the publisher of this POM text!) that operates with the tagline vision of
“Free textbooks. Online. Anytime. Anywhere. Anyone.”
Strengths
1. Great management team.
2. Great college business textbooks.
3. Experienced author pool.
4. Proprietary technology.
Weaknesses
1. Limited number of books.
2. New technology.
3. Relatively small firm size.
Opportunities
1. External pressure to lower higher education costs, including textbook prices.
2. Internet savvy students and professors.
200 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
3. Professors and students largely displeased with current textbook model.
4. Technology allows textbook customization.
Threats
1. Strong competitors.
2. Competitors are few, very large, and global.
3. Substitute technologies exist.
In a nutshell, SWOT analysis helps you identify strategic alternatives that address the following questions:
1. Strengths and Opportunities (SO)—How can you use your strengths to take advantage of the
opportunities?
2. Strengths and Threats (ST)—How can you take advantage of your strengths to avoid real and potential
threats?
3. Weaknesses and Opportunities (WO)—How can you use your opportunities to overcome the weaknesses
you are experiencing?
4. Weaknesses and Threats (WT)—How can you minimize your weaknesses and avoid threats?
Before wrapping up this section, let’s look at a few of the external and internal analysis tools that might help you
conduct a SWOT analysis. These tools are covered in greater detail toward the end of the chapter.
Internal Analysis ToolsInternal Analysis Tools
Internal analysis tools help you identify an organization’s strengths and weaknesses. The two tools that we identify
here, and develop later in the chapter, are the value chain and VRIO tools. The value chain asks you, in effect, to
take the organization apart and identify the important constituent parts. Sometimes these parts take the form of
functions, like marketing or manufacturing. For instance, Disney is really good at developing and making money
from its branded products, such as Cinderella or Pirates of the Caribbean. This is a marketing function (it is also a
design function, which is another Disney strength).
Value chain functions are also called capabilities. This is where VRIO comes in. VRIO stands for valuable, rare,
inimitable, and organization—basically, the VRIO framework suggests that a capability, or a resource, such as a
patent or great location, is likely to yield a competitive advantage to an organization when it can be shown that
it is valuable, rare, difficult to imitate, and supported by the organization (and, yes, this is the same organization
that you find in P-O-L-C). Essentially, where the value chain might suggest internal areas of strength, VRIO helps
you understand whether those strengths will give it a competitive advantage. Going back to our Disney example,
for instance, strong marketing and design capabilities are valuable, rare, and very difficult to imitate, and Disney
is organized to take full advantage of them.
5.3 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IN THE P-O-L-C FRAMEWORK • 201
External Analysis ToolsExternal Analysis Tools
While there are probably hundreds of different ways for you to study an organizations’ external environment, the
two primary tools are PESTEL and industry analysis. PESTEL, as you probably guessed, is simply an acronym.
It stands for political, economic, sociocultural, technological, environmental, and legal environments. Simply,
the PESTEL framework directs you to collect information about, and analyze, each environmental dimension
to identify the broad range of threats and opportunities facing the organization. Industry analysis, in contrast,
asks you to map out the different relationships that the organization might have with suppliers, customers, and
competitors. Whereas PESTEL provides you with a good sense of the broader macro-environment, industry
analysis should tell you about the organization’s competitive environment and the key industry-level factors that
seem to influence performance.
Key Takeaway
Strategy formulation is an essential component of planning; it forms the bridge that enables the
organization to progress from vision and mission to goals and objectives. In terms of the P-O-L-C
framework, strategy formulation is the P (planning) and strategy implementation is realized by O-L-C.
Corporate strategy helps to answer questions about which businesses to compete in, while business strategy
helps to answer questions about how to compete. The best strategies are based on a thorough SWOT
analysis—that is, a strategy that capitalizes on an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats.
Exercises
1. What is the difference between strategy formulation and strategy implementation?
2. What is the difference between business strategy and corporate strategy?
3. What are some of the forms of diversification, and what do they mean?
4. What do you learn from a SWOT analysis?
5. In SWOT analysis, what are some of the tools you might use to understand the internal
environment (identify strengths and weaknesses)?
6. In SWOT analysis, what are some of the tools you might use to understand the external
environment (identify opportunities and threats)?
ReferencesReferences
Andrews, K. (1971). The concept of corporate strategy. Homewood, IL: R. D. Irwin.
Carpenter, M. A., & Sanders, W. G. (2009). Strategic management (p. 8). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/
Prentice-Hall.
202 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Carpenter, M. A., & Sanders, W. G. (2008). Fast food chic? The Chipotle burrito. University of Wisconsin
Business Case.
Mintzberg, H. 1978. Patterns in strategy formulation. Management Science, 24, 934–949.
SEC Information, retrieved October 30, 2008, http://www.secinfo.com/dRqWm.89X3.htm#34f.
5.3 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IN THE P-O-L-C FRAMEWORK • 203
5.4 How Do Strategies Emerge?
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the difference between intended and realized strategy.
2. Understand how strategy is made.
3. Understand the need for a balance between strategic design and emergence.
How do the strategies we see in organizations come into being? In this section, you will learn about intended and
realized strategies. The section concludes with discussion of how strategies are made.
Figure 5.10
Strategy provides managers with an organizational compass and a road map for the future.
Calsidyrose – Compass Study – CC BY 2.0.
204
Intended and Realized StrategiesIntended and Realized Strategies
The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
Robert Burns, “To a Mouse,” 1785
This quote from English poet Robert Burns is especially applicable to strategy. While we have been discussing
strategy and strategizing as if they were the outcome of a rational, predictable, analytical process, your own
experience should tell you that a fine plan does not guarantee a fine outcome. Many things can happen between
the development of the plan and its realization, including (but not limited to): (1) the plan is poorly constructed,
(2) competitors undermine the advantages envisioned by the plan, or (3) the plan was good but poorly executed.
You can probably imagine a number of other factors that might undermine a strategic plan and the results that
follow.
How organizations make strategy has emerged as an area of intense debate within the strategy field. Henry
Mintzberg and his colleagues at McGill University distinguish intended, deliberate, realized, and emergent
strategies (Mintzberg, 1987; Mintezberg, 1996; Mintzberg & Waters, 1985).These four different aspects of
strategy are summarized in the following figure. Intended strategy is strategy as conceived by the top management
team. Even here, rationality is limited and the intended strategy is the result of a process of negotiation,
bargaining, and compromise, involving many individuals and groups within the organization. However, realized
strategy—the actual strategy that is implemented—is only partly related to that which was intended (Mintzberg
suggests only 10%–30% of intended strategy is realized).
Figure 5.11 Intended, Deliberate, Realized, and Emergent Strategies
The primary determinant of realized strategy is what Mintzberg terms emergent strategy—the decisions that
emerge from the complex processes in which individual managers interpret the intended strategy and adapt to
changing external circumstances (Mintzberg, 1978; Mintzberg & Waters, 1985; Mintzberg, 1988). Thus, the
realized strategy is a consequence of deliberate and emerging factors. Analysis of Honda’s successful entry into
the U.S. motorcycle market has provided a battleground for the debate between those who view strategy making as
5.4 HOW DO STRATEGIES EMERGE? • 205
primarily a rational, analytical process of deliberate planning (the design school) and those that envisage strategy
as emerging from a complex process of organizational decision making (the emergence or learning school).1
Although the debate between the two schools continues (Mintzberg, et. al., 1996), we hope that it is apparent to
you that the central issue is not “Which school is right?” but “How can the two views complement one another
to give us a richer understanding of strategy making?” Let us explore these complementarities in relation to the
factual question of how strategies are made and the normative question of how strategies should be made.
The Making of StrategyThe Making of Strategy
How Is Strategy Made?How Is Strategy Made?
Robert Grant, author of Contemporary Strategy Analysis, shares his view of how strategy is made as follows
(Grant, 2002). For most organizations, strategy making combines design and emergence. The deliberate design
of strategy (through formal processes such as board meetings and strategic planning) has been characterized as
a primarily top-down process. Emergence has been viewed as the result of multiple decisions at many levels,
particularly within middle management, and has been viewed as a bottom-up process. These processes may
interact in interesting ways. At Intel, the key historic decision to abandon memory chips and concentrate on
microprocessors was the result of a host of decentralized decisions taken at divisional and plant level that were
subsequently acknowledged by top management and promulgated as strategy (Burgelman & Grove, 1996).
In practice, both design and emergence occur at all levels of the organization. The strategic planning systems
of large companies involve top management passing directives and guidelines down the organization and the
businesses passing their draft plans up to corporate. Similarly, emergence occurs throughout the
organization—opportunism by CEOs is probably the single most important reason why realized strategies deviate
from intended strategies. What we can say for sure is that the role of emergence relative to design increases as the
business environment becomes increasingly volatile and unpredictable.
Organizations that inhabit relatively stable environments—the Roman Catholic Church and national postal
services—can plan their strategies in some detail. Organizations whose environments cannot be forecast with any
degree of certainty—a gang of car thieves or a construction company located in the Gaza Strip—can establish
only a few strategic principles and guidelines; the rest must emerge as circumstances unfold.
What’s the Best Way to Make Strategy?What’s the Best Way to Make Strategy?
Mintzberg’s advocacy of strategy making as an iterative process involving experimentation and feedback is
not necessarily an argument against the rational, systematic design of strategy. The critical issues are, first,
determining the balance of design and emergence and, second, how to guide the process of emergence. The
strategic planning systems of most companies involve a combination of design and emergence. Thus, headquarters
sets guidelines in the form of vision and mission statements, business principles, performance targets, and capital
expenditure budgets. However, within the strategic plans that are decided, divisional and business unit managers
have considerable freedom to adjust, adapt, and experiment.
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Key Takeaway
You learned about the processes surrounding strategy development. Specifically, you saw the difference
between intended and realized strategy, where intended strategy is essentially the desired strategy, and
realized strategy is what is actually put in place. You also learned how strategy is ultimately made.
Ultimately, the best strategies come about when managers are able to balance the needs for design
(planning) with being flexible enough to capitalize on the benefits of emergence.
Exercises
1. What is an intended strategy?
2. What is a realized strategy?
3. Why is it important to understand the difference between intended and realized strategies?
4. Why is there not a perfect match-up between realized and intended strategies?
5. What might interfere with the realization of an intended strategy?
6. How might you manage the balance between design and emergence strategizing processes in an
organization?
1The two views of Honda are captured in two Harvard cases: Honda [A]. (1989). Boston: Harvard Business
School, Case 384049, and Honda [B]. (1989). Boston: Harvard Business School, Case 384050.
ReferencesReferences
Burgelman, R. A., & Grove, A. (1996, Winter). Strategic dissonance. California Management Review, 38, 8–28.
Grant, R. M. (2002). Contemporary strategy analysis (4th ed., pp. 25–26). New York: Blackwell.
Mintzberg, H. (1987, July–August). Crafting strategy. Harvard Business Review, pp. 66–75.
Mintzberg, H. (1996). The entrepreneurial organization. In H. Mintzberg & J. B. Quinn (Eds.), The strategy
process (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Mintzberg, H., & Waters, J. A. (1985). Of strategies, deliberate and emergent. Strategic Management Journal, 6,
257–272.
Mintzberg, H. Patterns in strategy formulation. (1978). Management Science, 24, 934–948.
Mintzberg, H. (1988). Mintzberg on management: Inside our strange world of organizations. New York: Free
Press.
5.4 HOW DO STRATEGIES EMERGE? • 207
Mintzberg, H., Pascale, R. T., Goold, M., & Rumelt, Richard P. (1996, Summer). The Honda effect revisited.
California Management Review, 38, 78–117.
208 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
5.5 Strategy as Trade-Offs, Discipline, and Focus
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the nature of strategic focus.
2. Strategy as trade-offs (Porter).
3. Strategy as discipline (Treacy and Wiersema).
Figure 5.12
Strategy is ultimately about making choices and making trade-offs among alternatives.
Jim Bauer – Who Ate My Raspberry Caramel – CC BY-ND 2.0.
209
This section helps you understand that a strategy provides a company with focus. Strategy is ultimately about
choice—what the organization does and does not do. As we’ve seen, vision and mission provide a good sense
of direction for the organization, but they are not meant to serve as, or take the place of, the actual strategy.
Strategy is about choices, and that eventually means making trade-offs such that the strategy and the firm are
distinctive in the eyes of stakeholders. In this section, you will learn about strategic focus—that is, how trade-offs
are reconciled—as well as two frameworks for thinking about what such focus might entail.
What Is Strategic Focus?What Is Strategic Focus?
While there are different schools of thought about how strategy comes about, researchers generally agree that
strategic focus is a common characteristic across successful organizations. Strategic focus is seen when an
organization is very clear about its mission and vision and has a coherent, well-articulated strategy for achieving
those. When a once high-flying firm encounters performance problems, it is not uncommon to hear business
analysts say that the firm’s managers have lost focus on the customers or markets where they were once highly
successful. For instance, Dell Computer’s strategy is highly focused around the efficient sale and manufacture
of computers and computer peripheral devices. However, during the mid-2000s, Dell started branching out into
other products such as digital cameras, DVD players, and flat-screen televisions. As a result, it lost focus on its
core sales and manufacturing business, and its performance flagged. As recently as mid-2008, however, Dell has
realized a tremendous turnaround: “We are executing on all points of our strategy to drive growth in every product
category and in every part of the world,” said a press release from Michael Dell, chairman and CEO. “These
results are early signs of our progress against our five strategic priorities. Through a continued focus, we expect
to continue growing faster than the industry and increase our revenue, profitability and cash flow for greater
shareholder value (Dell, 2008).”
Dell provides an excellent example of what is meant by strategic focus. This spirit of focus is echoed in the
following two parts of this section where we introduce you to the complementary notions of strategy as trade-offs
and strategy as discipline.
Strategy as Trade-OffsStrategy as Trade-Offs
Three of the most widely read books on competitive analysis in the 1980s were Michael Porter’s Competitive
Strategy, Competitive Advantage, and Competitive Advantage of Nations (Porter, 1985; Porter, 1989; Porter,
2001). In his various books, Porter developed three generic strategies that, he argues, can be used singly or in
combination to create a defendable position and to outperform competitors, whether they are within an industry
or across nations. The strategies are (1) overall cost leadership, (2) differentiation, and (3) focus on a particular
market niche.
Cost Leadership, Differentiation, and ScopeCost Leadership, Differentiation, and Scope
These strategies are termed generic because they can be applied to any size or form of business. We refer to
them as trade-off strategies because Porter argues that a firm must choose to embrace one strategy or risk not
having a strategy at all. Overall lower cost or cost leadership refers to the strategy where a firm’s competitive
advantage is based on the bet that it can develop, manufacture, and distribute products more efficiently than
210 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
competitors. Differentiation refers to the strategy where competitive advantage is based on superior products or
service. Superiority arises from factors other than low cost, such as customer service, product quality, or unique
style. To put these strategies into context, you might think about Wal-Mart as pursuing a cost-leadership strategy
and Harley Davidson as pursuing a differentiation strategy.
Porter suggests that another factor affecting a company’s competitive position is its competitive scope.
Competitive scope defines the breadth of a company’s target market. A company can have a broad (mass market)
competitive scope or a narrow (niche market) competitive scope. A firm following the focus strategy concentrates
on meeting the specialized needs of its customers. Products and services can be designed to meet the needs of
buyers. One approach to focusing is to service either industrial buyers or consumers but not both. Martin-Brower,
the third-largest food distributor in the United States, serves only the eight leading fast-food chains. It is the
world’s largest distributor of products to the world’s largest restaurant company—McDonald’s. With its limited
customer list, Martin-Brower need only stock a limited product line; its ordering procedures are adjusted to match
those of its customers; and its warehouses are located so as to be convenient to customers.
Firms using a narrow focus strategy can also tailor advertising and promotional efforts to a particular market
niche. Many automobile dealers advertise that they are the largest volume dealer for a specific geographic area.
Other car dealers advertise that they have the highest customer satisfaction scores within their defined market or
the most awards for their service department.
Another differentiation strategy is to design products specifically for a customer. Such customization may range
from individually designing a product for a single customer to offering a menu from which customers can
select options for the finished product. Tailor-made clothing and custom-built houses include the customer in all
aspects of production, from product design to final acceptance, and involve customer input in all key decisions.
However, providing such individualized attention to customers may not be feasible for firms with an industry-
wide orientation. At the other end of the customization scale, customers buying a new car, even in the budget
price category, can often choose not only the exterior and interior colors but also accessories such as CD players,
rooftop racks, and upgraded tires.
By positioning itself in either broad scope or narrow scope and a low-cost strategy or differentiation strategy,
an organization will fall into one of the following generic competitive strategies: cost leadership, cost focus,
differentiation, and focused differentiation.
Figure 5.13 Porter’s Generic Strategies
5.5 STRATEGY AS TRADE-OFFS, DISCIPLINE, AND FOCUS • 211
Source: Porter, M. E. (1980). Competitive Strategy. New York: Free Press.
Cost Leadership/Low CostCost Leadership/Low Cost
Cost leadership is a low-cost, broad-based market strategy. Firms pursuing this type of strategy must be
particularly efficient in engineering tasks, production operations, and physical distribution. Because these firms
focus on a large market, they must also be able to minimize costs in marketing and research and development
(R&D). A low-cost leader can gain significant market share enabling it to procure a more powerful position
relative to both suppliers and competitors. This strategy is particularly effective for organizations in industries
where there is limited possibility of product differentiation and where buyers are very price sensitive.
Overall cost leadership is not without potential problems. Two or more firms competing for cost leadership may
engage in price wars that drive profits to very low levels. Ideally, a firm using a cost-leader strategy will develop
an advantage that others cannot easily copy. Cost leaders also must maintain their investment in state-of-the-
art equipment or face the possible entry of more cost-effective competitors. Major changes in technology may
drastically change production processes so that previous investments in production technology are no longer
advantageous. Finally, firms may become so concerned with maintaining low costs that they overlook needed
changes in production or marketing.
The cost-leadership strategy may be more difficult in a dynamic environment because some of the expenses that
firms may seek to minimize are research and development costs or marketing research costs—expenses the firm
may need to incur to remain competitive.
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Focused Low-CostFocused Low-Cost
A cost-focus strategy is a low-cost, narrowly focused market strategy. Firms employing this strategy may focus on
a particular buyer segment or a particular geographic segment and must locate a niche market that wants or needs
an efficient product and is willing to forgo extras to pay a lower price for the product. A company’s costs can
be reduced by providing little or no service, providing a low-cost method of distribution, or producing a no-frills
product.
DifferentiationDifferentiation
A differentiation strategy involves marketing a unique product to a broad-based market. Because this type of
strategy involves a unique product, price is not the significant factor. In fact, consumers may be willing to pay a
high price for a product that they perceive as different. The product difference may be based on product design,
method of distribution, or any aspect of the product (other than price) that is significant to a broad group of
consumers. A company choosing this strategy must develop and maintain a product perceived as different enough
from the competitors’ products to warrant the asking price.
Several studies have shown that a differentiation strategy is more likely to generate higher profits than a cost-
leadership strategy, because differentiation creates stronger entry barriers. However, a cost-leadership strategy is
more likely to generate increases in market share.
Focused DifferentiationFocused Differentiation
A differentiation-focus strategy is the marketing of a differentiated product to a narrow market, often involving a
unique product and a unique market. This strategy is viable for a company that can convince consumers that its
narrow focus allows it to provide better goods and services than its competitors.
Differentiation does not allow a firm to ignore costs; it makes a firm’s products less susceptible to cost pressures
from competitors because customers see the product as unique and are willing to pay extra to have the product
with the desirable features. Differentiation can be achieved through real product features or through advertising
that causes the customer to perceive that the product is unique.
Differentiation may lead to customer brand loyalty and result in reduced price elasticity. Differentiation may also
lead to higher profit margins and reduce the need to be a low-cost producer. Since customers see the product as
different from competing products and they like the product features, customers are willing to pay a premium for
these features. As long as the firm can increase the selling price by more than the marginal cost of adding the
features, the profit margin is increased. Firms must be able to charge more for their differentiated product than
it costs them to make it distinct, or else they may be better off making generic, undifferentiated products. Firms
must remain sensitive to cost differences. They must carefully monitor the incremental costs of differentiating
their product and make certain the difference is reflected in the price.
Firms pursuing a differentiation strategy are vulnerable to different competitive threats than firms pursuing a cost-
leader strategy. Customers may sacrifice features, service, or image for cost savings. Price-sensitive customers
may be willing to forgo desirable features in favor of a less costly alternative. This can be seen in the growth in
5.5 STRATEGY AS TRADE-OFFS, DISCIPLINE, AND FOCUS • 213
popularity of store brands and private labels. Often, the same firms that produce name-brand products produce
the private-label products. The two products may be physically identical, but stores are able to sell the private-
label products for a lower price because very little money was put into advertising to differentiate the private-label
product.
Imitation may also reduce the perceived differences between products when competitors copy product features.
Thus, for firms to be able to recover the cost of marketing research or R&D, they may need to add a product
feature that is not easily copied by a competitor.
A final risk for firms pursuing a differentiation strategy is changing consumer tastes. The feature that customers
like and find attractive about a product this year may not make the product popular next year. Changes in customer
tastes are especially obvious in the fashion industry. For example, although Ralph Lauren’s Polo has been a very
successful brand of apparel, some younger consumers have shifted to Tommy Hilfiger and other youth-oriented
brands.
For a variety of reasons, including the differences between intended versus realized strategies discussed in an
earlier section, none of these competitive strategies is guaranteed to achieve success. Some companies that
have successfully implemented one of Porter’s generic strategies have found that they could not sustain the
strategy. Several risks associated with these strategies are based on evolved market conditions (buyer perceptions,
competitors, etc.).
Straddling Positions or Stuck in the Middle?Straddling Positions or Stuck in the Middle?
Can forms of competitive advantage be combined? That is, can a firm straddle strategies so that it is
simultaneously the low-cost leader and a differentiator? Porter asserts that a successful strategy requires a firm
to stake out a market position aggressively and that different strategies involve distinctly different approaches to
competing and operating the business. Some research suggests that straddling strategies is a recipe for below-
average profitability compared to the industry. Porter also argues that straddling strategies is an indication that the
firm’s managers have not made necessary choices about the business and its strategy. A straddling strategy may be
especially dangerous for narrow scope firms that have been successful in the past, but then start neglecting their
focus.
An organization pursuing a differentiation strategy seeks competitive advantage by offering products or services
that are unique from those offered by rivals, either through design, brand image, technology, features, or customer
service. Alternatively, an organization pursuing a cost-leadership strategy attempts to gain competitive advantage
based on being the overall low-cost provider of a product or service. To be “all things to all people” can mean
becoming “stuck in the middle” with no distinct competitive advantage. The difference between being “stuck in
the middle” and successfully pursuing combination strategies merits discussion. Although Porter describes the
dangers of not being successful in either cost control or differentiation, some firms have been able to succeed
using combination strategies.
Research suggests that, in some cases, it is possible to be a cost leader while maintaining a differentiated product.
Southwest Airlines has combined cost-cutting measures with differentiation. The company has been able to reduce
costs by not assigning seating and by eliminating meals on its planes. It has also been able to promote in its
advertising that its fares are so low that checked bags fly free, in contrast to the fees that competitors such
214 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
as American and United charge for checked luggage. Southwest’s consistent low-fare strategy has attracted a
significant number of passengers, allowing the airline to succeed.
Another firm that has pursued an effective combination strategy is Nike. You may think that Nike has always been
highly successful, but it has actually weathered some pretty aggressive competitive assaults. For instance, when
customer preferences moved to wide-legged jeans and cargo pants, Nike’s market share slipped. Competitors such
as Adidas offered less expensive shoes and undercut Nike’s price. Nike’s stock price dropped in 1998 to half
its 1997 high. However, Nike achieved a turnaround by cutting costs and developing new, distinctive products.
Nike reduced costs by cutting some of its endorsements. Company research suggested the endorsement by the
Italian soccer team, for example, was not achieving the desired results. Michael Jordan and a few other “big
name” endorsers were retained while others, such as the Italian soccer team, were eliminated, resulting in savings
estimated at over $100 million. Laying off 7% of its 22,000 employees allowed the company to lower costs by
another $200 million, and inventory was reduced to save additional money. As a result of these moves, Nike
reported a 70% increase in earnings for the first quarter of 1999 and saw a significant rebound in its stock price.
While cutting costs, the firm also introduced new products designed to differentiate Nike’s products from the
competition.
Some industry environments may actually call for combination strategies. Trends suggest that executives
operating in highly complex environments, such as health care, do not have the luxury of choosing exclusively
one strategy over another. The hospital industry may represent such an environment, as hospitals must compete
on a variety of fronts. Combination (i.e., more complicated) strategies are both feasible and necessary to
compete successfully. For instance, reimbursement to diagnosis-related groups, and the continual lowering of
reimbursement ceilings have forced hospitals to compete on the basis of cost. At the same time, many of them
jockey for position with differentiation based on such features as technology and birthing rooms. Thus, many
hospitals may need to adopt some form of hybrid strategy to compete successfully (Walters & Bhuian, 2004).
Strategy as DisciplineStrategy as Discipline
While Michael Porter’s generic strategies were introduced in the 1980s and still dominate much of the dialogue
about strategy and strategizing, a complementary approach was offered more recently by CSC Index consultants
Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema. Their value disciplines model is quite similar to the three generic strategies
from Porter (cost leadership, differentiation, focus). However, there is at least one major difference. According to
the value disciplines model, no discipline may be neglected: threshold levels on the two disciplines that are not
selected must be maintained. According to Porter, companies that act like this run a risk of getting “stuck in the
middle.”
In their book, The Discipline of Market Leaders, they offered four rules that competing companies must obey with
regard to strategy formulation (Treacy & Wiersema, 1997):
1. Provide the best offer in the marketplace, by excelling in one specific dimension of value. Market leaders
first develop a value proposition, one that is compelling and unmatched.
2. Maintain threshold standards on other dimensions of value. You can’t allow performance in other
dimensions to slip so much that it impairs the attractiveness of your company’s unmatched value.
3. Dominate your market by improving the value year after year. When a company focuses all its assets,
5.5 STRATEGY AS TRADE-OFFS, DISCIPLINE, AND FOCUS • 215
energies, and attention on delivering and improving one type of customer value, it can nearly always deliver
better performance in that dimension than another company that divides its attention among more than one.
4. Build a well-tuned operating model dedicated to delivering unmatched value. In a competitive
marketplace, the customer value must be improved. This is the imperative of the market leader. The
operating model is the key to raising and resetting customer expectation.
What Are Value Disciplines?What Are Value Disciplines?
Treacy and Wiersema describe three generic value disciplines: operational excellence, product leadership, and
customer intimacy. As with Porter’s perspective about the importance of making trade-offs, any company must
choose one of these value disciplines and consistently and vigorously act on it, as indicated by the four rules
mentioned earlier.
Operational ExcellenceOperational Excellence
The case study that their book uses to illustrate the “operational excellence” value discipline is AT&T’s experience
in introducing the Universal Card, a combined long-distance calling card and general purpose credit card,
featuring low annual fees and customer-friendly service.
Key characteristics of the strategy are superb operations and execution, often by providing a reasonable quality
at a very low price, and task-oriented vision toward personnel. The focus is on efficiency, streamlined operations,
supply chain management, no frills, and volume. Most large international corporations are operating according to
this discipline. Measuring systems are important, as is extremely limited variation in product assortment.
Product LeadershipProduct Leadership
Firms that do this strategy well are very strong in innovation and brand marketing. Organization leaders
demonstrate a recognition that the company’s current success and future prospects lie in its talented product
design people and those who support them. The company operates in dynamic markets. The focus is on
development, innovation, design, time to market, and high margins in a short time frame. Company cultures are
flexible to encourage innovation. Structure also encourages innovation through small ad hoc working groups, an
“experimentation is good” mind-set, and compensation systems that reward success. Intel, the leading computer
chip company, is a great example of a firm pursuing a successful product leadership strategy.
Customer IntimacyCustomer Intimacy
Companies pursuing this strategy excel in customer attention and customer service. They tailor their products
and services to individual or almost individual customers. There is large variation in product assortment. The
focus is on: customer relationship management (CRM), deliver products and services on time and above customer
expectations, lifetime value concepts, reliability, being close to the customer. Decision authority is given to
employees who are close to the customer. The operating principles of this value discipline include having a full
range of services available to serve customers upon demand—this may involve running what the authors call a
216 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
“hollow company,” where a variety of goods or services are available quickly through contract arrangements,
rather than the supplier business having everything in stock all the time.
The recent partnership between Airborne Express, IBM, and Xerox is a great example of an effective customer
intimacy strategy. Airborne also provides centralized control to IBM and Xerox part-distribution networks.
Airborne provides Xerox and IBM with a central source of shipment data and performance metrics. The air-
express carrier also manages a single, same-day delivery contract for both companies. In addition, Airborne
now examines same-day or special-delivery requirements and recommends a lower-priced alternative where
appropriate (Logistic Management, 2008).
Only One DisciplineOnly One Discipline
Treacy and Wiersema maintain that, because of the focus of management time and resources that is required, a
firm can realistically choose only one of these three value disciplines in which to specialize. This logic is similar
to Porter’s in that firms that mix different strategies run the risk of being “stuck in the middle.” Most companies,
in fact, do not specialize in any of the three, and thus they realize only mediocre or average levels of achievement
in each area.
The companies that do not make the hard choices associated with focus are in no sense market leaders. In today’s
business environment of increased competition and the need more than ever before for competitive differentiation,
their complacency will not lead to increased market share, sales, or profits.
“When we look at these managers’ businesses [complacent firms], we invariably find companies that don’t excel, but are
merely mediocre on the three disciplines…What they haven’t done is create a breakthrough on any one dimension to reach new
heights of performance. They have not traveled past operational competence to reach operational excellence, past customer
responsiveness to achieve customer intimacy, or beyond product differentiation to establish product leadership. To these
managers we say that if you decide to play an average game, to dabble in all areas, don’t expect to become a market leader
(Treacy & Wiersema, 1997).”
Within the context of redesigning the operating model of a company to focus on a particular value discipline,
Treacy and Wiersema discuss creating what they call “the cult of the customer.” This is a mind-set that is oriented
toward putting the customer’s needs as a key priority throughout the company, at all levels. They also review
some of the challenges involved in sustaining market leadership once it is attained (i.e., avoiding the natural
complacency that tends to creep into an operation once dominance of the market is achieved).
Key Takeaway
Strategic focus seems to be a common element in the strategies across successful firms. Two prevalent
views of strategy where focus is a key component are strategy as trade-offs and strategy as discipline.
Michael Porter identifies three flavors of strategy: (1) cost leadership, (2) differentiation, or (3) focus of
cost leadership or differentiation on a particular market niche. Firms can straddle these strategies, but such
5.5 STRATEGY AS TRADE-OFFS, DISCIPLINE, AND FOCUS • 217
straddling is likely to dilute strategic focus. Strategy also provides discipline. Treacy and Wiersema’s three
strategic disciplines are (1) operational excellence, (2) product leadership, and (3) customer intimacy.
Exercises
1. What is strategic focus and why is it important?
2. What are Porter’s three generic strategies?
3. Can a firm simultaneously pursue a low-cost and a differentiation strategy?
4. What are the three value disciplines?
5. What four rules underlie the three value disciplines?
6. How do Porter’s generic strategies differ from, and relate to, the Treacy and Wiersema
approaches?
ReferencesReferences
Dell increases revenue and earnings, lowers operating expenses. (2008, May 28). Dell press release. Retrieved
November 3, 2008, from http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/corp/pressoffice/en/2008/
2008_05_29_rr_000?c=us&l=en’s=corp.
Logistic Management, retrieved November 3, 2008, from http://www.logisticsmgmt.com/article/CA145552.html.
Porter, M. (1985). Competitive advantage: Creating and sustaining superior performance. New York: Free Press.
Porter, M. (1989). Competitive advantage of nations. New York: Free Press. Porter, M. (1980). Competitive
strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and companies. New York: Free Press, 1980.
Porter, M. (2001, March). Strategy and the Internet. Harvard Business Review, pp. 63–78, Retrospective on
Michael Porter’s Competitive strategy. (2002). Academy of Management Executive 16(2), 40–65.
Treacy, M., & Wiersema, F. (1997). The discipline of market leaders: Choose your customers, narrow your focus,
dominate your market. Reading, M Addison-Wesley.
Walters, B. A., & Bhuian, S. (2004). Complexity absorption and performance: A structural analysis of acute-care
hospitals. Journal of Management, 30, 97–121.
218 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
5.6 Developing Strategy Through Internal Analysis
Learning Objectives
1. Learn about internal analysis.
2. Understand resources, capabilities, and core competencies.
3. See how to evaluate resources, capabilities, and core competencies using VRIO analysis.
In this section, you will learn about some of the basic internal inputs for strategy formulation—starting with the
organization’s strengths and weaknesses. We will focus on three aspects of internal analysis here, though you
recognize that these should be complemented by external analysis as well. There is no correct order in which to
do internal and external analyses, and the process is likely to be iterative. That is, you might do some internal
analysis that suggests the need for other external analysis, or vice versa. For the internal environment, it is best
to start with an assessment of resources and capabilities and then work your way into the identification of core
competences using VRIO analysis.
Internal AnalysisInternal Analysis
By exploiting internal resources and capabilities and meeting the demanding standards of global competition,
firms create value for customers (McEvily & Chakravarthy, 2002; Buckley & Carter, 2000). Value is measured
by a product’s performance characteristics and by its attributes for which customers are willing to pay.1 Those
particular bundles of resources and capabilities that provide unique advantages to the firm are considered core
competencies (Prahalad & Hamel, 1990). Core competencies are resources and capabilities that serve as a source
of a firm’s competitive advantage over rivals. Core competencies distinguish a company competitively and reflect
its personality. Core competencies emerge over time through an organizational process of accumulating and
learning how to deploy different resources and capabilities. As the capacity to take action, core competencies are
“crown jewels of a company,” the activities the company performs especially well compared with competitors and
through which the firm adds unique value to its goods or services over a long period of time (Hafeez, et. al., 2002;
Prahalad & Hamel, 1990).
Sometimes consistency and predictability provide value to customers, such as the type of value Walgreens
drugstores provides. As a Fortune magazine writer noted, “Do you realize that from 1975 to today, Walgreens
219
beat Intel? It beat Intel nearly two to one, GE almost five to one. It beat 3M, Coke, Boeing, Motorola (Useem,
2001).” Walgreens was able to do this by using its core competencies to offer value desired by its target customer
group. Instead of responding to the trends of the day, “During the Internet scare of 1998 and 1999, when slogans
of ‘Change or Die!’ were all but graffitied on the subway, Walgreens obstinately stuck to its corporate credo of
‘Crawl, walk, run.’ Its refusal to act until it thoroughly understood the implications of e-commerce was deeply
unfashionable, but…Walgreens is the epitome of the inner-directed company (Useem, 2001).” Thus, Walgreens
creates value by focusing on the unique capabilities it has built, nurtured, and continues to improve across time.
Figure 5.14
Internal analysis tells the strategist what is inside the organization—helps answer the question, “what strengths can we leverage?”
Dave Dugdale – Analyzing Financial Data – CC BY-SA 2.0.
During the past several decades, the strategic management process was concerned largely with understanding the
characteristics of the industry in which the firm competed and, in light of those characteristics, determining how
the firm should position itself relative to competitors. This emphasis on industry characteristics and competitive
strategy may have understated the role of the firm’s resources and capabilities in developing competitive
advantage. In the current competitive landscape, core competencies, in combination with product-market
positions, are the firm’s most important sources of competitive advantage (Hitt, et. al., 1999). The core
competencies of a firm, in addition to its analysis of its general, industry, and competitor environments, should
drive its selection of strategies. As Clayton Christensen noted, “Successful strategists need to cultivate a deep
understanding of the processes of competition and progress and of the factors that undergird each advantage. Only
thus will they be able to see when old advantages are poised to disappear and how new advantages can be built
in their stead (Christensen, 2001).” By drawing on internal analysis and emphasizing core competencies when
formulating strategies, companies learn to compete primarily on the basis of firm-specific differences, but they
must be aware of how things are changing as well.
220 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Resources and CapabilitiesResources and Capabilities
ResourcesResources
Broad in scope, resources cover a spectrum of individual, social, and organizational phenomena (Eisenhardt &
Martin, 2000; Michalisin, et. al., 2000). Typically, resources alone do not yield a competitive advantage (West &
DeCastro, 2001; Deeds, et. al., 2000; Chi, 1994). In fact, the core competencies that yield a competitive advantage
are created through the unique bundling of several resources (Berman, et. al., 2002). For example, Amazon.com
has combined service and distribution resources to develop its competitive advantages. The firm started as an
online bookseller, directly shipping orders to customers. It quickly grew large and established a distribution
network through which it could ship “millions of different items to millions of different customers.” Compared
with Amazon’s use of combined resources, traditional bricks-and-mortar companies, such as Toys “R” Us and
Borders, found it hard to establish an effective online presence. These difficulties led them to develop partnerships
with Amazon. Through these arrangements, Amazon now handles online presence and the shipping of goods for
several firms, including Toys “R” Us and Borders, which now can focus on sales in their stores. Arrangements
such as these are useful to the bricks-and-mortar companies because they are not accustomed to shipping so much
diverse merchandise directly to individuals (Shepard, 2001).
Some of a firm’s resources are tangible while others are intangible. Tangible resources are assets that can be
seen and quantified. Production equipment, manufacturing plants, and formal reporting structures are examples
of tangible resources. Intangible resources typically include assets that are rooted deeply in the firm’s history and
have accumulated over time. Because they are embedded in unique patterns of routines, intangible resources are
relatively difficult for competitors to analyze and imitate. Knowledge, trust between managers and employees,
ideas, the capacity for innovation, managerial capabilities, organizational routines (the unique ways people work
together), scientific capabilities, and the firm’s reputation for its goods or services and how it interacts with people
(such as employees, customers, and suppliers) are all examples of intangible resources (Feldman, 2000; Knott &
McKelvey, 1999). The four types of tangible resources are financial, organizational, physical, and technological.
The three types of intangible resources are human, innovation, and reputational.
As a manager or entrepreneur, you will be challenged to understand fully the strategic value of your firm’s tangible
and intangible resources. The strategic value of resources is indicated by the degree to which they can contribute
to the development of core competencies, and, ultimately, competitive advantage. For example, as a tangible
resource, a distribution facility is assigned a monetary value on the firm’s balance sheet. The real value of the
facility, however, is grounded in a variety of factors, such as its proximity to raw materials and customers, but
also in intangible factors such as the manner in which workers integrate their actions internally and with other
stakeholders, such as suppliers and customers (Gavetti & Levinthal, 2000; Coff, 1999; Marsh & Ranft, 1999).
CapabilitiesCapabilities
Capabilities are the firm’s capacity to deploy resources that have been purposely integrated to achieve a desired
end state (Helfat & Raubitschek, 2000). The glue that holds an organization together, capabilities emerge over
time through complex interactions among tangible and intangible resources. Capabilities can be tangible, like
a business process that is automated, but most of them tend to be tacit and intangible. Critical to forming
5.6 DEVELOPING STRATEGY THROUGH INTERNAL ANALYSIS • 221
competitive advantages, capabilities are often based on developing, carrying, and exchanging information and
knowledge through the firm’s human capital (Hitt, et. al., 2001; Hitt, et. al., 2000; Hoopes & Postrel, 1999).
Because a knowledge base is grounded in organizational actions that may not be explicitly understood by all
employees, repetition and practice increase the value of a firm’s capabilities.
The foundation of many capabilities lies in the skills and knowledge of a firm’s employees and, often, their
functional expertise. Hence, the value of human capital in developing and using capabilities and, ultimately, core
competencies cannot be overstated. Firms committed to continuously developing their people’s capabilities seem
to accept the adage that “the person who knows how will always have a job. The person who knows why will
always be his boss.”2
Global business leaders increasingly support the view that the knowledge possessed by human capital is among
the most significant of an organization’s capabilities and may ultimately be at the root of all competitive
advantages. But firms must also be able to use the knowledge that they have and transfer it among their operating
businesses (Argote & Ingram, 2000). For example, researchers have suggested that “in the information age, things
are ancillary, knowledge is central. A company’s value derives not from things, but from knowledge, know-how,
intellectual assets, competencies—all of it embedded in people (Dess & Picken 1999).” Given this reality, the
firm’s challenge is to create an environment that allows people to fit their individual pieces of knowledge together
so that, collectively, employees possess as much organizational knowledge as possible (Coy, 2002).
To help them develop an environment in which knowledge is widely spread across all employees, some
organizations have created the new upper-level managerial position of chief learning officer (CLO). Establishing
a CLO position highlights a firm’s belief that “future success will depend on competencies that traditionally have
not been actively managed or measured—including creativity and the speed with which new ideas are learned and
shared (Baldwin & Danielson, 2000).” In general, the firm should manage knowledge in ways that will support
its efforts to create value for customers (Kuratko, et. al., 2001; Hansen, et. al., 1999).
Figure 5.15 The Value Chain
222 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Adapted from Porter, M. (1985). Competitive Advantage. New York: Free Press. Exhibit is creative
commons licensed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:ValueChain.PNG.
Capabilities are often developed in specific functional areas (such as manufacturing, R&D, and marketing) or
in a part of a functional area (for example, advertising). The value chain, popularized by Michael Porter’s book
Competitive Advantage, is a useful tool for taking stock of organizational capabilities. A value chain is a chain
of activities. In the value chain, some of the activities are deemed to be primary, in the sense that these activities
add direct value. In the preceding figure, primary activities are logistics (inbound and outbound), marketing, and
service. Support activities include how the firm is organized (infrastructure), human resources, technology, and
procurement. Products pass through all activities of the chain in order, and at each activity, the product gains some
value. A firm is effective to the extent that the chain of activities gives the products more added value than the
sum of added values of all activities.
It is important not to mix the concept of the value chain with the costs occurring throughout the activities. A
diamond cutter can be used as an example of the difference. The cutting activity may have a low cost, but the
activity adds to much of the value of the end product, since a rough diamond is significantly less valuable than
a cut, polished diamond. Research suggests a relationship between capabilities developed in particular functional
areas and the firm’s financial performance at both the corporate and business-unit levels (Hitt & Ireland, 1986;
Hitt & Ireland, 1985; Hitt, et. al., 1982; Hitt;et. al., 1982; Snow & Hrebiniak, 1980), suggesting the need to
develop capabilities at both levels.
VRIO AnalysisVRIO Analysis
Given that almost anything a firm possesses can be considered a resource or capability, how should you attempt
to narrow down the ones that are core competencies, and explain why firm performance differs? To lead to
a sustainable competitive advantage, a resource or capability should be valuable, rare, inimitable (including
nonsubstitutable), and organized. This VRIO framework is the foundation for internal analysis (Wernerfelt, 1984).
VRIO is an acronym for valuable, rare, inimitable, and organization.
If you ask managers why their firms do well while others do poorly, a common answer is likely to be “our people.”
But this is really not an answer. It may be the start of an answer, but you need to probe more deeply—what is it
about “our people” that is especially valuable? Why don’t competitors have similar people? Can’t competitors hire
our people away? Or is it that there something special about the organization that brings out the best in people?
These kinds of questions form the basis of VRIO and get to the heart of why some resources help firms more than
others.
Figure 5.16 VRIO and Relative Firm Performance
5.6 DEVELOPING STRATEGY THROUGH INTERNAL ANALYSIS • 223
Moreover, your ability to identify whether an organization has VRIO resources will also likely explain their
competitive position. In the figure, you can see that a firm’s performance relative to industry peers is likely to vary
according to the level to which resources, capabilities, and ultimately core competences satisfy VRIO criteria. The
four criteria are explored next.
ValuableValuable
A resource or capability is said to be valuable if it allows the firm to exploit opportunities or negate threats in
the environment. Union Pacific’s extensive network of rail-line property and equipment in the Gulf Coast of the
United States is valuable because it allows the company to provide a cost-effective way to transport chemicals.
Because the Gulf Coast is the gateway for the majority of chemical production in the United States, the rail
network allows the firm to exploit a market opportunity. Delta’s control of the majority of gates at the Cincinnati
/ Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) gives it a significant advantage in many markets. Travelers
worldwide have rated CVG one of the best airports for service and convenience 10 years running. The possession
of this resource allows Delta to minimize the threat of competition in this city. Delta controls air travel in this
desirable hub city, which means that this asset (resource) has significant value. If a resource does not allow a
firm to minimize threats or exploit opportunities, it does not enhance the competitive position of the firm. In fact,
some scholars suggest that owning resources that do not meet the VRIO test of value actually puts the firm at a
competitive disadvantage (Barney, 1991).
RareRare
A resource is rare simply if it is not widely possessed by other competitors. Of the criteria this is probably the
easiest to judge. For example, Coke’s brand name is valuable but most of Coke’s competitors (Pepsi, 7Up, RC)
224 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
also have widely recognized brand names, making it not that rare. Of course, Coke’s brand may be the most
recognized, but that makes it more valuable, not more rare, in this case.
A firm that possesses valuable resources that are not rare is not in a position of advantage relative to competitors.
Rather, valuable resources that are commonly held by many competitors simply allow firms to be at par with
competitors. However, when a firm maintains possession of valuable resources that are rare in the industry they
are in a position of competitive advantage over firms that do not possess the resource. They may be able to exploit
opportunities or negate threats in ways that those lacking the resource will not be able to do. Delta’s virtual control
of air traffic through Cincinnati gives it a valuable and rare resource in that market.
How rare do the resources need to be for a firm to have a competitive advantage? In practice, this is a difficult
question to answer unequivocally. At the two extremes (i.e., one firm possesses the resource or all firms possess
it), the concept is intuitive. If only one firm possesses the resource, it has significant advantage over all other
competitors. For instance, Monsanto had such an advantage for many years because they owned the patent to
aspartame, the chemical compound in NutraSweet, they had a valuable and extremely rare resource. Because
during the lifetime of the patent they were the only firm that could sell aspartame, they had an advantage in
the artificial sweetener market. However, meeting the condition of rarity does not always require exclusive
ownership. When only a few firms possess the resource, they will have an advantage over the remaining
competitors. For instance, Toyota and Honda both have the capabilities to build cars of high quality at relatively
low cost (Dyer, et. al., 2004). Their products regularly beat rival firms’ products in both short-term and long-
term quality ratings (Dyer & Hatch, 2004). Thus, the criterion of rarity requires that the resource not be widely
possessed in the industry. It also suggests that the more exclusive a firm’s access to a particularly valuable
resource, the greater the benefit for having it.
InimitableInimitable
An inimitable (the opposite of imitable) resource is difficult to imitate or to create ready substitutes for. A resource
is inimitable and nonsubstitutable if it is difficult for another firm to acquire it or to substitute something else
in its place. A valuable and rare resource or capability will grant a competitive advantage as long as other firms
do not gain subsequently possession of the resource or a close substitute. If a resource is valuable and rare
and responsible for a market leader’s competitive advantage, it is likely that competitors lacking the resource
or capability will do all that they can to obtain the resource or capability themselves. This leads us to the
third criterion—inimitability. The concept of imitation includes any form of acquiring the lacking resource or
substituting a similar resource that provides equivalent benefits. The criterion important to be addressed is whether
competitors face a cost disadvantage in acquiring or substituting the resource that is lacking. There are numerous
ways that firms may acquire resources or capabilities that they lack.
As strategy researcher Scott Gallagher notes:
“This is probably the toughest criterion to examine because given enough time and money almost any resource can be imitated.
Even patents only last 17 years and can be invented around in even less time. Therefore, one way to think about this is to
compare how long you think it will take for competitors to imitate or substitute something else for that resource and compare it
to the useful life of the product. Another way to help determine if a resource is inimitable is why/how it came about. Inimitable
5.6 DEVELOPING STRATEGY THROUGH INTERNAL ANALYSIS • 225
resources are often a result of historical, ambiguous, or socially complex causes. For example, the U.S. Army paid for Coke
to build bottling plants around the world during World War II. This is an example of history creating an inimitable asset.
Generally, intangible (also called tacit) resources or capabilities, like corporate culture or reputation, are very hard to imitate
and therefore inimitable (Falcon, 2009).”
OrganizedOrganized
The fourth and final VRIO criterion that determines whether a resource or capability is the source of competitive
advantage recognizes that mere possession or control is necessary but not sufficient to gain an advantage. The
firm must likewise have the organizational capability to exploit the resources. The question of organization is
broad and encompasses many facets of a firm but essentially means that the firm is able to capture any value
that the resource or capability might generate. Organization, essentially the same form as that taken in the P-O-L-
C framework, spans such firm characteristics as control systems, reporting relationships, compensation policies,
and management interface with both customers and value-adding functions in the firm. Although listed as the
last criterion in the VRIO tool, the question of organization is a necessary condition to be satisfied if a firm is
to reap the benefits of any of the three preceding conditions. Thus, a valuable but widely held resource only
leads to competitive parity for a firm if they also possess the capabilities to exploit the resource. Likewise, a firm
that possesses a valuable and rare resource will not gain a competitive advantage unless it can actually put that
resource to effective use.
Many firms have valuable and rare resources that they fail to exploit (the question of imitation is not relevant until
the firm exploits valuable and rare resources). For instance, for many years Novell had a significant competitive
advantage in computer networking based on its core NetWare product. In high-technology industries, remaining
at the top requires continuous innovation. Novell’s decline during the mid- to late 1990s led many to speculate
that Novell was unable to innovate in the face of changing markets and technology. However, shortly after
new CEO Eric Schmidt arrived from Sun Microsystems to attempt to turnaround the firm, he arrived at a
different conclusion. Schmidt commented: “I walk down Novell hallways and marvel at the incredible potential of
innovation here. But, Novell has had a difficult time in the past turning innovation into products in the marketplace
(Haddox, 2003).” He later commented to a few key executives that it appeared the company was suffering from
“organizational constipation.”3 Novell appeared to still have innovative resources and capabilities, but they lacked
the organizational capability (e.g., product development and marketing) to get those new products to market in a
timely manner.
Likewise, Xerox proved unable to exploit its innovative resources. Xerox created a successful research team
housed in a dedicated facility in Palo Alto, California, known as Xerox PARC. Scientists in this group invented an
impressive list of innovative products, including laser printers, Ethernet, graphical interface software, computers,
and the computer mouse. History has demonstrated that these technologies were commercially successful.
Unfortunately, for Xerox shareholders, these commercially successful innovations were exploited by other firms.
Xerox’s organization was not structured in a way that information about these innovations flowed to the right
people in a timely fashion. Bureaucracy was also suffocating ideas once they were disseminated. Compensation
policies did not reward managers for adopting these new innovations but rather rewarded current profits over
long-term success. Thus, Xerox was never able exploit the innovative resources and capabilities embodied in their
off-site Xerox PARC research center (Kearns & Nadler, 1992; Barney, 1995).
226 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
SWOT and VRIOSWOT and VRIO
As you already know, many scholars refer to core competencies. A core competency is simply a resource,
capability, or bundle of resources and capabilities that is VRIO. While VRIO resources are the best, they are quite
rare, and it is not uncommon for successful firms to simply be combinations of a large number of VR _ O or even
V _ _ O resources and capabilities. Recall that even a V _ _ O resource can be considered a strength under a
traditional SWOT analysis.
Key Takeaway
Internal analysis begins with the identification of resources and capabilities. Resources can be tangible
and intangible; capabilities may have such characteristics as well. VRIO analysis is a way to distinguish
resources and capabilities from core competencies. Specifically, VRIO analysis should show you the
importance of value, rarity, inimitability, and organization as building blocks of competitive advantage.
Exercises
1. What is the objective of internal analysis?
2. What is the difference between a resource and a capability?
3. What is the difference between a tangible and an intangible resource or capability?
4. What is a core competency?
5. What framework helps you identify those resources, capabilities, or core competencies that
provide competitive advantage?
6. Why might competitive advantage for a firm be fleeting?
1Pocket Strategy. (1998). Value (p. 165). London: The Economist Books.
2Thoughts on the business of life. (1999, May 17). Forbes, p. 352.
3Personal communication with former executives.
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5.7 Developing Strategy Through External Analysis
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the basics of general environment analysis.
2. See the components of microenvironment analysis that support industry analysis.
3. Learn the features of Porter’s Five Forces industry analysis.
In this section, you will learn about some of the basic external inputs for strategy formulation—the determinants
of a firm’s opportunities and threats. We will focus on three aspects of external analysis here, though you
recognize that these should be complemented by internal analysis as well. For the external environment, it is best
to start with the general environment, and then work your way into the focal industry or industry segment.
231
Figure 5.17
External analysis tells the strategist what is outside the organization—helps answer the question, “what
opportunities can we exploit?”
johnhain – CC0 public domain.
The General EnvironmentThe General Environment
When appraising the external environment of the organization you will typically start with its general
environment. But what does this mean? The general environment is composed of dimensions in the broader
society that influence an industry and the firms within it. (Fahey, 1999; Walters & Priem, 1999) We group these
dimensions into six segments: political, economic, social, technical or technological, environmental, and legal.
You can use the simple acronym, PESTEL, to help remind you of these six general environment segments.
Examples of elements analyzed in each of these segments are shown next.
Table 5.1 PESTEL Analysis
232 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Political Economic
How stable is the political environment? What are current and forecast interest rates?
What are local taxation policies, and how do these affect
your business?
What is the level of inflation, what is it forecast to be, and how does this
affect the growth of your market?
Is the government involved in trading agreements such as
EU, NAFTA, ASEAN, or others? What are local employment levels per capita and how are they changing?
What are the foreign trade regulations? What are the long-term prospects for the economy gross domestic product
(GDP) per capita, and so on?
What are the social welfare policies? What are exchange rates between critical markets and how will they affect
production and distribution of your goods?
Social or Socio-cultural Technical or Technological
What are local lifestyle trends? What is the level of research funding in government and the
industry, and are those levels changing?
What are the current demographics, and how are they changing? What is the government and industry’s level of interest and
focus on technology?
What is the level and distribution of education and income? How mature is the technology?
What are the dominant local religions and what influence do they have on
consumer attitudes and opinions?
What is the status of intellectual property issues in the local
environment?
What is the level of consumerism and popular attitudes toward it? Are potentially disruptive technologies in adjacent industries
creeping in at the edges of the focal industry?
What pending legislation is there that affects corporate social policies
(e.g., domestic partner benefits, maternity/paternity leave)? How fast is technology changing?
What are the attitudes toward work and leisure? What role does technology play in competitive advantage?
Environmental Legal
What are local environmental issues? What are the regulations regarding monopolies and
private property?
Are there any ecological or environmental issues relevant to your industry that are
pending? Does intellectual property have legal protections?
How do the activities of international pressure groups affect your business (e.g.,
Greenpeace, Earth First, PETA)? Are there relevant consumer laws?
Are there environmental protection laws? What are the regulations regarding waste
disposal and energy consumption?
What is the status of employment, heath and safety,
and product safety laws?
Firms cannot directly control the general environment’s segments and elements. Accordingly, successful
companies gather the information required to understand each segment and its implications for the selection and
implementation of the appropriate strategies. For example, the terrorist attacks in the United States on September
11, 2001, surprised businesses throughout the world. This single set of events had substantial effects on the U.S.
economy. Although individual firms were affected differently, none could control the U.S. economy. Instead,
companies around the globe were challenged to understand the effects of this economy’s decline on their current
and future strategies. A similar set of events and relationships was seen around the world as financial markets
began to struggle one after the other starting in late 2008.
Although the degree of impact varies, these environmental segments affect each industry and its firms. The
5.7 DEVELOPING STRATEGY THROUGH EXTERNAL ANALYSIS • 233
challenge to the firm is to evaluate those elements in each segment that are of the greatest importance. Resulting
from these efforts should be a recognition of environmental changes, trends, opportunities, and threats.
Analyzing the Organization’s MicroenvironmentAnalyzing the Organization’s Microenvironment
When we say microenvironment we are referring primarily to an organization’s industry, and the upstream and
downstream markets related to it. An industry is a group of firms producing products that are close substitutes.
In the course of competition, these firms influence one another. Typically, industries include a rich mix of
competitive strategies that companies use in pursuing strategic competitiveness and above-average returns. In
part, these strategies are chosen because of the influence of an industry’s characteristics (Spanos & Lioukas,
2001). Upstream markets are the industries that provide the raw material or inputs for the focal industry, while
downstream markets are the industries (sometimes consumer segments) that consume the industry outputs. For
example, the oil production market is upstream of the oil-refining market (and, conversely, the oil refiners are
downstream of the oil producers), which in turn is upstream of the gasoline sales market. Instead of upstream and
downstream, the terms wholesale and retail are often used. Accordingly, the industry microenvironment consists
of stakeholder groups that a firm has regular dealings with. The way these relationships develop can affect the
costs, quality, and overall success of a business.
Porter’s Five-Forces Analysis of Market StructurePorter’s Five-Forces Analysis of Market Structure
Figure 5.18 Porter’s Five Forces
Adapted from Porter, M. (1980). Competitive strategy. New York: Free Press.
234 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
You can distill down the results of PESTEL and microenvironment analysis to view the competitive structure of an
industry using Michael Porter’s five forces. Here you will find that your understanding of the microenvironment
is particularly helpful. Porter’s model attempts to analyze the attractiveness of an industry by considering five
forces within a market. According to Porter, the likelihood of firms making profits in a given industry depends
on five factors: (1) barriers to entry and new entry threats, (2) buyer power, (3) supplier power, (4) threat from
substitutes, and (5) rivalry (Porter, 1980).
Compared with the general environment, the industry environment has a more direct effect on the firm’s strategic
competitiveness and above-average returns, as exemplified in the strategic focus. The intensity of industry
competition and an industry’s profit potential (as measured by the long-run return on invested capital) are a
function of five forces of competition: the threats posed by new entrants, the power of suppliers, the power of
buyers, product substitutes, and the intensity of rivalry among competitors.
Porter’s five-forces model of competition expands the arena for competitive analysis. Historically, when studying
the competitive environment, firms concentrated on companies with which they competed directly. However,
firms must search more broadly to identify current and potential competitors by identifying potential customers as
well as the firms serving them. Competing for the same customers and thus being influenced by how customers
value location and firm capabilities in their decisions is referred to as the market microstructure (Zaheer &
Zaheer, 2001). Understanding this area is particularly important because, in recent years, industry boundaries
have become blurred. For example, in the electrical utilities industry, cogenerators (firms that also produce
power) are competing with regional utility companies. Moreover, telecommunications companies now compete
with broadcasters, software manufacturers provide personal financial services, airlines sell mutual funds, and
automakers sell insurance and provide financing (Hitt, et. al., 1999). In addition to focusing on customers rather
than specific industry boundaries to define markets, geographic boundaries are also relevant. Research suggests
that different geographic markets for the same product can have considerably different competitive conditions
(Pan & Chi, 1999; Brooks, 1995).
The five-forces model recognizes that suppliers can become a firm’s competitors (by integrating forward), as
can buyers (by integrating backward). Several firms have integrated forward in the pharmaceutical industry by
acquiring distributors or wholesalers. In addition, firms choosing to enter a new market and those producing
products that are adequate substitutes for existing products can become competitors of a company.
Another way to think about industry market structure is that these five sets of stakeholders are competing for
profits in the given industry. For instance, if a supplier to an industry is powerful, they can charge higher prices. If
the industry member can’t pass those higher costs onto their buyers in the form of higher prices, then the industry
member makes less profit. For example, if you have a jewelry store, but are dependent on a monopolist like De
Beers for diamonds, then De Beers actually is extracting more relative value from your industry (i.e., the retail
jewelry business).
New EntrantsNew Entrants
The likelihood of new entry is a function of the extent to which barriers to entry exist. Evidence suggests that
companies often find it difficult to identify new competitors (Geroski, 1999). Identifying new entrants is important
because they can threaten the market share of existing competitors. One reason new entrants pose such a threat is
that they bring additional production capacity. Unless the demand for a good or service is increasing, additional
5.7 DEVELOPING STRATEGY THROUGH EXTERNAL ANALYSIS • 235
capacity holds consumers’ costs down, resulting in less revenue and lower returns for competing firms. Often,
new entrants have a keen interest in gaining a large market share. As a result, new competitors may force existing
firms to be more effective and efficient and to learn how to compete on new dimensions (for example, using an
Internet-based distribution channel).
The more difficult it is for other firms to enter a market, the more likely it is that existing firms can make relatively
high profits. The likelihood that firms will enter an industry is a function of two factors: barriers to entry and the
retaliation expected from current industry participants. Entry barriers make it difficult for new firms to enter an
industry and often place them at a competitive disadvantage even when they are able to enter. As such, high-entry
barriers increase the returns for existing firms in the industry (Robinson & McDougall, 2001).
Buyer PowerBuyer Power
The stronger the power of buyers in an industry, the more likely it is that they will be able to force down prices and
reduce the profits of firms that provide the product. Firms seek to maximize the return on their invested capital.
Alternatively, buyers (customers of an industry or firm) want to buy products at the lowest possible price—the
point at which the industry earns the lowest acceptable rate of return on its invested capital. To reduce their costs,
buyers bargain for higher-quality, greater levels of service, and lower prices. These outcomes are achieved by
encouraging competitive battles among the industry’s firms.
Supplier PowerSupplier Power
The stronger the power of suppliers in an industry, the more difficult it is for firms within that sector to make a
profit because suppliers can determine the terms and conditions on which business is conducted. Increasing prices
and reducing the quality of its products are potential means used by suppliers to exert power over firms competing
within an industry. If a firm is unable to recover cost increases by its suppliers through its pricing structure, its
profitability is reduced by its suppliers’ actions.
SubstitutesSubstitutes
This measures the ease with which buyers can switch to another product that does the same thing, such as using
aluminum cans rather than glass or plastic bottles to package a beverage. The ease of switching depends on what
costs would be involved (e.g., while it may be easy to sell Coke or Pepsi in bottles or cans, transferring all your
data to a new database system and retraining staff could be expensive) and how similar customers perceive the
alternatives to be. Substitute products are goods or services from outside a given industry that perform similar
or the same functions as a product that the industry produces. For example, as a sugar substitute, NutraSweet
places an upper limit on sugar manufacturers’ prices—NutraSweet and sugar perform the same function but with
different characteristics.
Other product substitutes include fax machines instead of overnight deliveries, plastic containers rather than
glass jars, and tea substituted for coffee. Recently, firms have introduced to the market several low-alcohol
fruit-flavored drinks that many customers substitute for beer. For example, Smirnoff’s Ice was introduced with
substantial advertising of the type often used for beer. Other firms have introduced lemonade with 5% alcohol
(e.g., Doc Otis Hard Lemon) and tea and lemon combinations with alcohol (e.g., BoDean’s Twisted Tea). These
236 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
products are increasing in popularity, especially among younger people, and, as product substitutes, have the
potential to reduce overall sales of beer (Khermouch, 2001).
In general, product substitutes present a strong threat to a firm when customers face few, if any, switching costs
and when the substitute product’s price is lower or its quality and performance capabilities are equal to or greater
than those of the competing product. Differentiating a product along dimensions that customers value (such as
price, quality, service after the sale, and location) reduces a substitute’s attractiveness.
RivalryRivalry
This measures the degree of competition between existing firms. The higher the degree of rivalry, the more
difficult it is for existing firms to generate high profits. The most prominent factors that experience shows to affect
the intensity of firms’ rivalries are (1) numerous competitors, (2) slow industry growth, (3) high fixed costs, (4)
lack of differentiation, (5) high strategic stakes and (6) high exit barriers.
Numerous or Equally Balanced CompetitorsNumerous or Equally Balanced Competitors
Intense rivalries are common in industries with many companies. With multiple competitors, it is common for a
few firms to believe that they can act without eliciting a response. However, evidence suggests that other firms
generally are aware of competitors’ actions, often choosing to respond to them. At the other extreme, industries
with only a few firms of equivalent size and power also tend to have strong rivalries. The large and often similar-
sized resource bases of these firms permit vigorous actions and responses. The Fuji/Kodak and Airbus/Boeing
competitive battles exemplify intense rivalries between pairs of relatively equivalent competitors.
Slow Industry GrowthSlow Industry Growth
When a market is growing, firms try to use resources effectively to serve an expanding customer base. Growing
markets reduce the pressure to take customers from competitors. However, rivalry in nongrowth or slow-growth
markets becomes more intense as firms battle to increase their market shares by attracting their competitors’
customers.
Typically, battles to protect market shares are fierce. Certainly, this has been the case with Fuji and Kodak. The
instability in the market that results from these competitive engagements reduce profitability for firms throughout
the industry, as is demonstrated by the commercial aircraft industry. The market for large aircraft is expected to
decline or grow only slightly over the next few years. To expand market share, Boeing and Airbus will compete
aggressively in terms of the introduction of new products and product and service differentiation. Both firms are
likely to win some and lose other battles. Currently, however, Boeing is the leader.
High Fixed Costs or High Storage CostsHigh Fixed Costs or High Storage Costs
When fixed costs account for a large part of total costs, companies try to maximize the use of their productive
capacity. Doing so allows the firm to spread costs across a larger volume of output. However, when many firms
attempt to maximize their productive capacity, excess capacity is created on an industry-wide basis. To then
5.7 DEVELOPING STRATEGY THROUGH EXTERNAL ANALYSIS • 237
reduce inventories, individual companies typically cut the price of their product and offer rebates and other
special discounts to customers. These practices, however, often intensify competition. The pattern of excess
capacity at the industry level followed by intense rivalry at the firm level is observed frequently in industries with
high storage costs. Perishable products, for example, lose their value rapidly with the passage of time. As their
inventories grow, producers of perishable goods often use pricing strategies to sell products quickly.
Lack of Differentiation or Low Switching CostsLack of Differentiation or Low Switching Costs
When buyers find a differentiated product that satisfies their needs, they frequently purchase the product loyally
over time. Industries with many companies that have successfully differentiated their products have less rivalry,
resulting in lower competition for individual firms (Deephouse, 1999). However, when buyers view products as
commodities (as products with few differentiated features or capabilities), rivalry intensifies. In these instances,
buyers’ purchasing decisions are based primarily on price and, to a lesser degree, service. Film for cameras is an
example of a commodity. Thus, the competition between Fuji and Kodak is expected to be strong.
The effect of switching costs is identical to that described for differentiated products. The lower the buyers’
switching costs, the easier it is for competitors to attract buyers through pricing and service offerings. High
switching costs, however, at least partially insulate the firm from rivals’ efforts to attract customers. Interestingly,
the switching costs—such as pilot and mechanic training—are high in aircraft purchases, yet, the rivalry between
Boeing and Airbus remains intense because the stakes for both are extremely high.
High Strategic StakesHigh Strategic Stakes
Competitive rivalry is likely to be high when it is important for several of the competitors to perform well in the
market. For example, although it is diversified and is a market leader in other businesses, Samsung has targeted
market leadership in the consumer electronics market. This market is quite important to Sony and other major
competitors such as Hitachi, Matsushita, NEC, and Mitsubishi. Thus, we can expect substantial rivalry in this
market over the next few years.
High strategic stakes can also exist in terms of geographic locations. For example, Japanese automobile
manufacturers are committed to a significant presence in the U.S. marketplace. A key reason for this is that the
United States is the world’s single largest market for auto manufacturers’ products. Because of the stakes involved
in this country for Japanese and U.S. manufacturers, rivalry among firms in the U.S. and global automobile
industry is highly intense. While close proximity tends to promote greater rivalry, physically proximate
competition has potentially positive benefits as well. For example, when competitors are located near one another,
it is easier for suppliers to serve them and they can develop economies of scale that lead to lower production costs.
Additionally, communications with key industry stakeholders such as suppliers are facilitated and more efficient
when they are close to the firm (Chung & Kalnins, 2001).
High Exit BarriersHigh Exit Barriers
Sometimes companies continue competing in an industry even though the returns on their invested capital are
low or negative. Firms making this choice likely face high exit barriers, which include economic, strategic, and
emotional factors, causing companies to remain in an industry when the profitability of doing so is questionable.
238 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Attractiveness and ProfitabilityAttractiveness and Profitability
Using Porter’s analysis firms are likely to generate higher profits if the industry:
• Is difficult to enter.
• There is limited rivalry.
• Buyers are relatively weak.
• Suppliers are relatively weak.
• There are few substitutes.
Profits are likely to be low if:
• The industry is easy to enter.
• There is a high degree of rivalry between firms within the industry.
• Buyers are strong.
• Suppliers are strong.
• It is easy to switch to alternatives.
Effective industry analyses are products of careful study and interpretation of data and information from multiple
sources. A wealth of industry-specific data is available to be analyzed. Because of globalization, international
markets and rivalries must be included in the firm’s analyses. In fact, research shows that in some industries,
international variables are more important than domestic ones as determinants of strategic competitiveness.
Furthermore, because of the development of global markets, a country’s borders no longer restrict industry
structures. In fact, movement into international markets enhances the chances of success for new ventures as well
as more established firms (Kuemmerle, 2001; Lorenzoni & Lipparini, 1991).
Following study of the five forces of competition, the firm can develop the insights required to determine an
industry’s attractiveness in terms of its potential to earn adequate or superior returns on its invested capital. In
general, the stronger competitive forces are, the lower the profit potential for an industry’s firms. An unattractive
industry has low entry barriers, suppliers and buyers with strong bargaining positions, strong competitive threats
from product substitutes, and intense rivalry among competitors. These industry characteristics make it very
difficult for firms to achieve strategic competitiveness and earn above-average returns. Alternatively, an attractive
industry has high entry barriers, suppliers and buyers with little bargaining power, few competitive threats from
product substitutes, and relatively moderate rivalry (Porter, 1980).
Key Takeaway
External environment analysis is a key input into strategy formulation. PESTEL is an external environment
analysis framework that helps guide your prospecting in the political, economic, social, technological,
environmental, and legal spheres of an organization’s external environment. Working inward to the focal
organization, we discussed the broad dimensions of the stakeholders feeding into the firm. Porter’s five
5.7 DEVELOPING STRATEGY THROUGH EXTERNAL ANALYSIS • 239
forces analysis considers (1) barriers to entry and new entry threats, (2) buyer power, (3) supplier power,
(4) threat from substitutes, and (5) rivalry as key external environmental forces in developing strategy.
Exercises
1. What are the six dimensions of the environment that are of broad concern when you conduct a
PESTEL analysis?
2. Which of the PESTEL dimensions do you believe to be most important, and why?
3. What are the key dimensions of a firm’s microenvironment?
4. What are the five forces referred to in the Porter framework?
5. Is there a dimension of industry structure that Porter’s model appears to omit?
ReferencesReferences
Brooks, G. R. (1995). Defining market boundaries Strategic Management Journal, 16, 535–549.
Chung, W., & Kalnins, A. (2001). Agglomeration effects and performance: Test of the Texas lodging industry
Strategic Management Journal, 22, 969–988.
Deephouse, D. L. (1999). To be different, or to be the same? It’s a question (and theory) of strategic balance.
Strategic Management Journal, 20, 147–166.
Fahey, L. (1999). Competitors. New York: Wiley; Walters, B. A., &.
Geroski, P. A. (1999). Early warning of new rivals. Sloan Management Review, 40(3), 107–116.
Hitt, M. A., Ricart I Costa, J., & Nixon, R. D. (1999). New managerial mindsets. New York: Wiley.
Khermouch, G. (2001, March 5). Grown-up drinks for tender taste buds. Business Week, p. 96.
Kuemmerle, W. (2001). Home base and knowledge management in international ventures. Journal of Business
Venturing, 17, 99–122.
Lorenzoni, G., & Lipparini, A. (1999). The leveraging of interfirm relationships as a distinctive organizational
capability: A longitudinal study. Strategic Management Journal, 20, 317–338.
Pan, Y., & Chi, P. S. K. (1999). Financial performance and survival of multinational corporations in China.
Strategic Management Journal, 20, 359–374.
Porter, M. E. (1980). Competitive strategy. New York: Free Press.
Porter, M. E. (1980). Competitive strategy. New York: Free Press.
240 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Priem, R. L. (1999). Business strategy and CEO intelligence acquisition. Competitive Intelligence Review, 10(2),
15–22.
Robinson, K. C., & McDougall, P. P. (2001). Entry barriers and new venture performance: A comparison of
universal and contingency approaches. Strategic Management Journal, 22, 659–685.
Spanos, Y. E., & Lioukas, S. (2001). An examination into the causal logic of rent generation: Contrasting Porter’s
competitive strategy framework and the resource-based perspective. Strategic Management Journal, 22, 907–934.
Zaheer, S., & Zaheer, A. (2001). Market microstructure in a global b2b network, Strategic Management Journal,
22, 859–873.
5.7 DEVELOPING STRATEGY THROUGH EXTERNAL ANALYSIS • 241
5.8 Formulating Organizational and Personal Strategy
With the Strategy Diamond
Learning Objectives
1. Learn about the strategy diamond.
2. See how you can add staging, pacing, and vehicles to the strategy.
3. Use the diamond to formulate your personal strategy.
This section introduces you to the strategy diamond, a tool that will help you understand how clearly and
completely you have crafted a strategy. The diamond relates to both business and corporate strategy, and
regardless of whether you are a proponent of design or emergent schools of strategizing, it provides you with a
good checklist of what your strategy should cover. The section concludes by walking you through the application
of the strategy diamond to the task of developing your personal strategy.
Figure 5.19
242
In life and at work, we hope that you find the [strategy] diamond to be your best friend.
Macroscopic Solutions – Fancy White Diamond – CC BY-NC 2.0.
The Strategy DiamondThe Strategy Diamond
All organizations have strategies. The real question for a business is not whether it has a strategy but rather
whether its strategy is effective or ineffective, and whether the elements of the strategy are chosen by managers,
luck, or by default. You have probably heard the saying, “luck is a matter of being in the right place at the right
time”—well, the key to making sure you are in the right place at the right time is preparation, and in many ways,
strategizing provides that type of preparation. Luck is not a bad thing. The challenge is to recognize luck when
you see it, capitalize on luck, and put the organization repeatedly in luck’s path.
The strategy diamond was developed by strategy researchers Don Hambrick and Jim Fredrickson as a framework
for checking and communicating a strategy (Hambrick & Frederickson, 2001). You have already learned in this
chapter about the need for focus and choice with strategy, but you might also have noticed that generic strategies
and value disciplines do not spell out a strategy’s ingredients. In critiquing the field of strategy, these researchers
noted that “after more than 30 years of hard thinking about strategy, consultants and scholars have provided
executives with an abundance of frameworks for analyzing strategic situations.…Missing, however, has been any
guidance as to what the product of these tools should be—or what actually constitutes a strategy (Hambrick &
Frederickson, 2001).”
Figure 5.20 The Strategy Diamond
5.8 FORMULATING ORGANIZATIONAL AND PERSONAL STRATEGY WITH THE STRATEGY DIAMOND • 243
Adapted from Hambrick, D. C., & Fredrickson, J. W. (2001). Are you sure you have a strategy? Academy
of Management Executive, 19 (4), 51–62.
Because of their critique and analysis, they concluded that if an organization must have a strategy, then the
strategy must necessarily have parts. The figure summarizes the parts of their diamond model, its facets, and some
examples of the different ways that you can think about each facet. The diamond model does not presuppose that
any particular theory should dictate the contents of each facet. Instead, a strategy consists of an integrated set of
choices, but it isn’t a catchall for every important choice a manager faces. In this section, we will tell you a bit
about each facet, addressing first the traditional strategy facets of arenas, differentiators, and economic logic; then
we will discuss vehicles and finally the staging and pacing facet.
Arenas, Differentiators, and Economic LogicArenas, Differentiators, and Economic Logic
We refer to the first three facets of the strategy diamond—arenas, differentiators, and economic logic—as
traditional in the sense that they address three longstanding hallmarks of strategizing. Specifically, strategy
matches up market needs and opportunities (located in arenas) with unique features of the firm (shown by its
differentiators) to yield positive performance (economic logic). While performance is typically viewed in financial
terms, it can have social or environmental components as well.
Let’s start with arenas. Answers to strategy questions about arenas tell managers and employees where the firm
244 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
will be active. For instance, Nike is headquartered in Washington County, on the outskirts of Beaverton, Oregon.
Today, Nike’s geographic market arenas are most major markets around the globe, but in the early 1960s, Nike’s
arenas were limited to Pacific Northwest track meets accessible by founder Phil Knight’s car. In terms of product
markets (another part of where), the young Nike company (previously Blue Ribbon Sports) sold only track shoes
and not even shoes it manufactured.
Beyond geographic-market and product-market arenas, an organization can also make choices about the value-
chain arenas in its strategy. To emphasize the choice part of this value-chain arena, Nike’s competitor New
Balance manufactures nearly all the athletic shoes that it sells in the United States. Thus, these two sports-shoe
companies compete in similar geographic- and product-market arenas but differ greatly in terms of their choice of
value-chain arenas.
What about differentiators? Differentiators are the things that are supposedly unique to the firm such that they
give it a competitive advantage in its current and future arenas. A differentiator could be asset based, that is,
it could be something related to an organization’s tangible or intangible assets. A tangible asset has a value
and physically exists. Land, machines, equipment, automobiles, and even currencies, are examples of tangible
assets. For instance, the oceanfront land on California’s Monterey Peninsula, where the Pebble Beach Golf
Course and Resort is located, is a differentiator for it in the premium golf-course market. An intangible asset is
a nonphysical resource that provides gainful advantages in the marketplace. Brands, copyrights, software, logos,
patents, goodwill, and other intangible factors afford name recognition for products and services. Obviously,
the Nike brand has become a valuable intangible asset because of the broad awareness and reputation for
quality and high performance that it has built. Differentiators can also be found in capabilities, that is, how the
organization does something. Wal-Mart, for instance, is very good at keeping its costs low. Nike, in contrast,
focuses on developing leading-edge, high-performance athletic performance technologies, as well as up-to-the-
minute fashion in active sportswear.
The third facet of the strategy diamond in this traditional view is economic logic, which explains how the
firm makes money. Economic logic tells us how profits will be generated above the firm’s cost of capital. The
collapse in the late 1990s of stock market valuations for Internet companies lacking in profits—or any prospect
of profits—marked a return to economic reality. Profits above the firm’s cost of capital are required to yield
sustained or longer-term shareholder returns. While the economic logic can include environmental and social
profits (benefits reaped by society), the strategy must earn enough financial profits to keep investors (owners, tax
payers, governments, and so on) willing to continue to fund the organization’s costs of doing business. A firm
performs well (i.e., has a strong, positive economic logic) when its differentiators are well aligned with its chosen
arenas.
VehiclesVehicles
You can see why the first three facets of the strategy diamond—arenas, differentiators, and economic
logic—might be considered the traditional facets of strategizing in that they cover the basics: (1) external
environment, (2) internal organizational characteristics, and (3) some fit between them that has positive
performance consequences. The fourth facet of the strategy diamond is called vehicles. If arenas and
differentiators show where you want to go, then vehicles communicate how the strategy will get you there.
Specifically, vehicles refer to how you might pursue a new arena through internal means, through help from a
5.8 FORMULATING ORGANIZATIONAL AND PERSONAL STRATEGY WITH THE STRATEGY DIAMOND • 245
new partner or some other outside source, or even through acquisition. In the context of vehicles, this is where
you determine whether your organization is going to grow organically, acquisitively, or through a combination
of both. Organic growth is the growth rate of a company excluding any growth from takeovers, acquisitions, or
mergers. Acquisitive growth, in contrast, refers precisely to any growth from takeovers, acquisitions, or mergers.
Augmenting either organic or acquisitive growth is growth through partnerships with other organizations.
Sometimes such partnership-based growth is referred to as co-opetition, because an organization cooperates with
others, even some competitors, in order to compete and grow.
Vehicles are considered part of the strategy because there are different skills and competencies associated with
different vehicles. For instance, acquisitions fuel rapid growth, but they are challenging to negotiate and put into
place. Similarly, alliances are a great way to spread the risk and let each partner focus on what it does best. But
at the same time, to grow through alliances also means that you must be really good at managing relationships
in which you are dependent on another organization over which you do not have direct control. Organic growth,
particularly for firms that have grown primarily through partnering or acquisition, has its own distinct challenges,
such as the fact that the organization is on its own to put together everything it needs to fuel its growth.
Staging and PacingStaging and Pacing
Staging and pacing constitute the the fifth and final facet of the strategy diamond. Staging and pacing reflect the
sequence and speed of strategic moves. This powerful facet of strategizing helps you think about timing and next
steps, instead of creating a strategy that is a static, monolithic plan. As an example, the managers of Chuy’s, a
chain of Austin, Texas-based Tex-Mex restaurants, wanted to grow the business outside of Austin, but at the same
time, they knew it would be hard to manage these restaurants that were farther away. How should they identify
in which cities to experiment with new outlets? Their creative solution was to choose cities that were connected
to Austin by Southwest Airlines. Since Southwest is inexpensive and its point-to-point system means that cities
are never much more than an hour apart, the Austin managers could easily and regularly visit their new ventures
out of town. Remember, strategizing is about making choices, and sequencing and speed should be key choices
along with the other facets of the strategy. The staging and pacing facet also helps to reconcile the designed and
emergent portions of your strategy.
The Strategy Diamond and Your Personal Growth and Development StrategyThe Strategy Diamond and Your Personal Growth and Development Strategy
The strategy diamond is a useful professional and personal tool for managers. How might it benefit them
personally? Well, in the same way it can benefit you—the following figure maps out how your strategy fits in the
planning aspect of P-O-L-C. Remember that, like in P-O-L-C, your personal strategy should be guided by your
own mission and vision. Let’s look at how you might apply the strategy diamond to your personal growth and
development objectives.
Figure 5.21 Planning and Your Personal Growth and Development Strategy
246 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Personal Arenas and DifferentiatorsPersonal Arenas and Differentiators
Your arenas and differentiators will answer such personal growth and development questions as:
• What type of work do I want to do?
• What leisure activities do I like?
• Where do I want to live?
• What capabilities (differentiators) do I need to participate in these arenas?
• What organizations value these capabilities (differentiators)?
• What capabilities (differentiators) do I want to have and excel in?
Your personal arenas can be an activity you want to do, a specific job, or simply a geographic location. For
instance, do you want to be a store manager, an accountant, an entrepreneur, or a CEO? Or do you want to live in
a certain locale? For instance, I will do anything just as long as I can live in Paris! It can also be a combination of
several. For example, perhaps you want to be a software designer for Google and live in San Francisco.
The more specific you are about the arenas in your strategy, the better you will be able to plot out the other facets.
Going back to our Google example, your personal differentiators would likely have to include the demonstration
of excellence in software design and an affinity for the Google corporate culture. More broadly, the differentiators
facet of your personal strategy should map on to your arenas facet—that is, they should clearly fit together. Also,
recognize too that your differentiators are subject to VRIO, in that where your capabilities are valuable and rare,
you may be more likely to economically benefit from them with employers (this foreshadows the link between
personal differentiators and personal economic logic).
5.8 FORMULATING ORGANIZATIONAL AND PERSONAL STRATEGY WITH THE STRATEGY DIAMOND • 247
Personal VehiclesPersonal Vehicles
The personal vehicles facet of your strategy answers questions such as:
• What do I need to accomplish on my own?
• What do I want to accomplish on my own?
• What do I need to accomplish with the help of others?
• Who are they?
We often think that our careers and quality of life are up to us—will be based on our choices and actions alone.
If that is your belief (i.e., you are a rugged individualist), then your personal growth and development strategy
seems to be highly dependent on what you do but not on the contributions of others.
It is true that we have to develop our own knowledge and capabilities to move forward. However, in reality, we
also typically get most things done through and with others. You have friends and family outside of work and
colleagues, employees, and bosses at work.
The vehicles component of your personal strategy diamond should spell out how your growth and development is
a function of what you do (when we talk about organizations, we refer to this as organic growth), and what you
depend on others to do. The better you understand your dependence on others, the better you will likely be able to
manage those relationships.
Personal Staging and PacingPersonal Staging and Pacing
You can think of personal staging and pacing as the implications of your strategy for your own Outlook calendar.
Personal staging and pacing answers questions like:
• What sequence of events does my strategy require?
• What are the financial requirements and consequences of each event?
• What is my deadline for the first event?
• Is the deadline flexible? Can I manage the pacing of the achievement of each event?
• How will timing affect achievement of my personal growth and development strategy?
• Do some events provide an opportunity to reconsider or adjust my strategy?
For instance, if you want to be a manager of a retail store it is likely you might need a related college degree and
experience. Your personal staging and pacing would answer questions about how you would achieve these, the
financial implications of each, as well as their timing.
Personal Economic LogicPersonal Economic Logic
Finally, your personal growth and development strategy will likely have an economic logic. Personal economic
logic answers questions such as:
248 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
• How does achievement of my strategy help me pay the bills?
• What dimensions of my strategy, like arenas or differentiators, is the economic logic of my strategy most
dependent on?
• How sustainable is the economic logic of my strategy?
We can see this most clearly when magazines publish lists of high-demand jobs. When employees have skills
that are in high demand by employers, the price of those skills in the form of paycheck, is usually bid up in
the market. For organizations, economic logic is typically viewed in terms of financial performance. However,
increasingly, firms target social and environmental performance as well—similarly, the economic logic of your
strategy can have implications for what you do to improve social and environmental conditions. This can happen
directly through your volunteer hours or indirectly through your financial support of causes you believe in.
Key Takeaway
In this section, we discussed how to put together a strategy diamond. The first step involves identifying
the organization’s arenas, differentiators, and economic logic. This step involves a basic understanding
of strategy and summarizes many of the traditional views in strategic management. The second step
involves contemplating how the organization would compete or grow in existing or new arenas, and
this is where the vehicles came into play. Finally, you considered the sequencing and speed of strategic
initiatives by learning about the strategy diamond facet of staging and pacing. Together, these five facets
(i.e., arenas, differentiators, economic logic, vehicles, staging, and pacing) constitute the strategy diamond.
We concluded the chapter with an application of the strategy diamond to your personal situation.
Exercises
1. What are the five facets of the Hambrick and Fredrickson strategy diamond?
2. What is the relationship between arenas and differentiators if the strategy yields a positive
economic logic?
3. If a firm is performing poorly financially, what might this say about the differentiators, arenas, or
both?
4. Why is it important to consider vehicles as part of an organization’s strategy?
5. What is the difference between staging and pacing in terms of the strategy diamond?
6. What are some ways that you might apply staging and pacing to an organization’s strategy?
ReferencesReferences
Hambrick, D. C., & Fredrickson, J. W. (2001). Are you sure you have a strategy? Academy of Management
Executive, 19(4), 51–62.
5.8 FORMULATING ORGANIZATIONAL AND PERSONAL STRATEGY WITH THE STRATEGY DIAMOND • 249
Chapter 6: Goals and Objectives
6.1 Goals and Objectives
6.2 Case in Point: Nucor Aligns Company Goals With Employee Goals
6.3 The Nature of Goals and Objectives
6.4 From Management by Objectives to the Balanced Scorecard
6.5 Characteristics of Effective Goals and Objectives
6.6 Using Goals and Objectives in Employee Performance Evaluation
6.7 Integrating Goals and Objectives with Corporate Social Responsibility
6.8 Your Personal Balanced Scorecard
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6.1 Goals and Objectives
Figure 6.1
Progress on goals and objectives should tell you if you and the organization are on the right track.
Melinda Huntley – Hurdles – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
What’s in It for Me?
Reading this chapter will help you do the following:
1. Understand the nature of goals and objectives and why they are important.
2. See how our thinking about goals and objectives has evolved.
3. Know what characterizes good goals and objectives.
4. Understand the roles of goals and objectives in employee performance reviews.
5. Map out relationships among economic, social, and environmental goals and objectives.
6. Set and manage your own goals and objectives.
251
Goals and objectives are a critical component of management, both in terms of planning and in terms of the
larger planning-organizing-leading-controlling (P-O-L-C) framework. You can see their role summarized in the
P-O-L-C figure. Unfortunately, because their role and importance seem obvious, they also tend to be neglected
in managerial practice or poorly aligned with the organization’s strategy. You can imagine why this might be
problematic, particularly since one of a manager’s functions is to evaluate employee performance—it would
be nice if employees could be evaluated based on how their achievement of individual goals and objectives
contributes to those critical to the organization’s survival and success. In this chapter, we introduce you to the
basics on goals and objectives and provide you with an understanding of how their usage has evolved. We also
show you how to develop a personalized set of goals and objectives to help you achieve your personal and
professional aspirations.
Figure 6.2 Goals and Objectives in the P-O-L-C Framework
252 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
6.2 Case in Point: Nucor Aligns Company Goals With
Employee Goals
Figure 6.3
Washington State Dept of Transportation – 144-car ferry – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Manufacturing steel is not a glamorous job. The industry is beset by many problems, and more than 40 steel
manufacturers have filed for bankruptcy in recent years. Most young employees do not view working at a
steel mill as their dream job. Yet, one company distinguished itself from all the rest by remaining profitable
for over 130 quarters and by providing an over 350% return on investment (ROI) to shareholders. The
company is clearly doing well by every financial metric available and is the most profitable in its industry.
How do they achieve these amazing results? For one thing, every one of Nucor Corporation’s (NYSE:
NUE) 12,000 employees acts like an owner of the company. The overarching goal is “take care of our
customers.” Employees are encouraged to fix the things they see as wrong and have real power on their
jobs. When there is a breakdown in a plant, a supervisor does not have to ask employees to work overtime;
employees volunteer for it. In fact, the company is famous for its decentralized structure and for pushing
253
authority and responsibility down to lower levels in the hierarchy. Tasks that previously belonged to
management are performed by line workers. Management listens to lower level employees and routinely
implements their new ideas.
The reward system in place at Nucor is also unique, and its employees may be the highest paid steelworkers
in the world. In 2005, the average Nucor employee earned $79,000, followed by a $2,000 bonus decided
by the company’s annual earnings and $18,000 in the form of profit sharing. At the same time, a large
percentage of these earnings are based on performance. People have the opportunity to earn a lot of money
if the company is doing well, and there is no upward limit to how much they can make. However, they will
do much worse than their counterparts in other mills if the company does poorly. Thus, it is to everyone’s
advantage to help the company perform well. The same incentive system exists at all levels of the company.
CEO pay is clearly tied to corporate performance. The incentive system penalizes low performers while
increasing commitment to the company as well as to high performance.
Nucor’s formula for success seems simple: align company goals with employee goals and give employees
real power to make things happen. The results seem to work for the company and its employees. Evidence
of this successful method is that the company has one of the lowest employee turnover rates in the industry
and remains one of the few remaining nonunionized environments in manufacturing. Nucor is the largest
U.S. minimill and steel scrap recycler.
Case written by based on information from Byrnes, N., & Arndt, M. (2006, May 1). The art of motivation.
BusinessWeek. Retrieved April 30, 2010, from http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_18/
b3982075.htm; Foust, D. (2008, April 7). The best performers of 2008. BusinessWeek. Retrieved April
30, 2010, from http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/toc/08_14/
B4078bw50.htm?chan=magazine+channel_top+stories; Jennings, J. (2003). Ways to really motivate
people: Authenticity is a huge hit with Gen X and Y. The Secured Lender, 59, 62–70; Marks, S. J. (2001).
Incentives that really reward and motivate. Workforce, 80, 108–114.
Discussion Questions
1. How do goals and objectives at NUCOR relate to the planning facet of the P-O-L-C framework?
2. What negative consequences might arise at Nucor Corporation as a result of tying pay to company
performance?
3. What effects do penalizing low performers have on Nucor employees?
4. What other ways can a company motivate employees to increase productivity, in addition to
monetary incentives?
5. How might the different reward systems at Nucor, individual empowerment and economic
incentives, motivate people differently? Or do they have the same effect?
6. How would unionization at Nucor impact the dynamic of the organization?
254 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
6.3 The Nature of Goals and Objectives
Learning Objectives
1. Know the difference between goals and objectives.
2. Know the relationship between goals and objectives.
3. See how goals and objectives fit in the P-O-L-C framework.
What Are Goals and Objectives?What Are Goals and Objectives?
Goals and objectives provide the foundation for measurement. Goals are outcome statements that define what an
organization is trying to accomplish, both programmatically and organizationally. Goals are usually a collection of
related programs, a reflection of major actions of the organization, and provide rallying points for managers. For
example, Wal-Mart might state a financial goal of growing its revenues 20% per year or have a goal of growing
the international parts of its empire. Try to think of each goal as a large umbrella with several spokes coming out
from the center. The umbrella itself is a goal.
In contrast to goals, objectives are very precise, time-based, measurable actions that support the completion of a
goal. Objectives typically must (1) be related directly to the goal; (2) be clear, concise, and understandable; (3)
be stated in terms of results; (4) begin with an action verb; (5) specify a date for accomplishment; and (6) be
measurable. Apply our umbrella analogy and think of each spoke as an objective. Going back to the Wal-Mart
example, and in support of the company’s 20% revenue growth goal, one objective might be to “open 20 new
stores in the next six months.” Without specific objectives, the general goal could not be accomplished—just as
an umbrella cannot be put up or down without the spokes. Importantly, goals and objectives become less useful
when they are unrealistic or ignored. For instance, if your university has set goals and objectives related to class
sizes but is unable to ever achieve them, then their effectiveness as a management tool is significantly decreased.
Measures are the actual metrics used to gauge performance on objectives. For instance, the objective of improved
financial performance can be measured using a number metrics, ranging from improvement in total sales,
profitability, efficiencies, or stock price. You have probably heard the saying, “what gets measured, gets done.”
Measurement is critical to today’s organizations. It is a fundamental requirement and an integral part of strategic
planning and of principles of management more generally. Without measurement, you cannot tell where you have
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been, where you are now, or if you are heading in the direction you are intending to go. While such statements
may sound obvious, the way that most organizations have set and managed goals and objectives has generally not
kept up with this commonsense view.
Measurement ChallengesMeasurement Challenges
There are three general failings that we can see across organizations related to measurement. First, many
organizations still emphasize historic financial goals and objectives, even though financial outcomes are pretty
narrow in scope and are purely historic; by analogy, financial measures let you know where you’ve been, but may
not be a good predictor of where you are going (Frost, 2000).
Second, financial outcomes are often short term in nature, so they omit other key factors that might be important
to the longer-term viability of the organization. For instance, return on sales (ROS, or net profit divided by total
sales) is a commonly used measure of financial performance, and firms set goals and objectives related to return
on sales. However, an organization can increase return on sales by cutting investments in marketing and research
and development (since they are costs that lessen the “return” dimension of ROS). It may be a good thing to
cut such costs, but that type of cost-cutting typically hurts the organization’s longer-term prospects. Decreases in
marketing may reduce brand awareness, and decreases in research and development (R&D) will likely stifle new
product or service development.
Finally, goals and objectives, even when they cover more than short-term financial metrics, are often not tied to
strategy and ultimately to vision and mission. Instead, you may often see a laundry list of goals and objectives
that lack any larger organizing logic. Or the organization may have adopted boilerplate versions of nonfinancial
measurement frameworks such as Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Scorecard, Accenture’s Performance Prism, or
Skandia’s Intellectual Capital Navigator (Ittner & Larcker, 2003).
Goals and Objectives in P-O-L-CGoals and Objectives in P-O-L-C
Goals and objectives are an essential part of planning. They also have cascading implications for all the aspects
of organizing, leading, and controlling. Broadly speaking, goals and objectives serve to:
• Gauge and report performance
• Improve performance
• Align effort
• Manage accountabilities
Goals, Objectives, and PlanningGoals, Objectives, and Planning
Planning typically starts with a vision and a mission. Then managers develop a strategy for realizing the vision
and mission; their success and progress in achieving vision and mission will be indicated by how well the
underlying goals and objectives are achieved. A vision statement usually describes some broad set of goals—what
the organization aspires to look like in the future. Mission statements too have stated goals—what the organization
aspires to be for its stakeholders. For instance, Mars, Inc., the global food giant, sets out five mission statement
256 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
goals in the areas of quality, responsibility, mutuality, efficiency, and freedom. Thus, goals are typically set for
the organization as a whole and set the stage for a hierarchy of increasingly specific and narrowly set goals and
objectives.
However, unless the organization consists of only a single person, there are typically many working parts in terms
of functional areas and product or service areas. Functional areas like accounting and marketing will need to have
goals and objectives that, if measured and tracked, help show if and how those functions are contributing to the
organization’s goals and objectives. Similarly, product and service areas will likely have goals and objectives.
Goals and objectives can also be set for the way that functions and product or service areas interact. For instance,
are the accounting and marketing functions interacting in a way that is productive? Similarly, is marketing
delivering value to product or service initiatives?
Goals, Objectives, and Organizing, Leading, and ControllingGoals, Objectives, and Organizing, Leading, and Controlling
Within the planning facet of P-O-L-C alone, you can think of goals and objectives as growing in functional or
product/service arena specificity as you move down the organization. Similarly, the time horizon can be shorter
as you move down the organization as well. This relationship between hierarchy and goals and objectives is
summarized in the following figure.
Obviously, the role of goals and objectives does not stop in the planning stage. If goals and objectives are to be
achieved and actually improve the competitive position of the firm, then the organizing, leading, and controlling
stages must address goals and objectives as well.
The way that the firm is organized can affect goals and objectives in a number of ways. For instance, a functional
organizational structure, where departments are broken out by finance, marketing, operations, and so on, will
likely want to track the performance of each department, but exactly what constitutes performance will probably
vary from function to function.
In terms of leadership, it is usually top managers who set goals and objectives for the entire organization. Ideally,
then, lower-level managers would set or have input into the goals and objectives relevant to their respective parts
of the business. For example, a CEO might believe that the company can achieve a sales growth goal of 20% per
year. With this organizational goal, the marketing manager can then set specific product sales goals, as well as
pricing, volume, and other objectives, throughout the year that show how marketing is on track to deliver its part
of organizational sales growth. Goal setting is thus a primary function of leadership, along with holding others
accountable for their respective goals and objectives.
Figure 6.4 Goals and Objectives in Planning
6.3 THE NATURE OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES • 257
Finally, goals and objectives can provide a form of control since they create a feedback opportunity regarding how
well or how poorly the organization executes its strategy. Goals and objectives also are a basis for reward systems
and can align interests and accountability within and across business units. For instance, in a business with
several divisions, you can imagine that managers and employees may behave differently if their compensation
and promotion are tied to overall company performance, the performance of their division, or some combination
of the two.
Key Takeaway
Goals are typically outcome statements, while objectives are very precise, time-based, and measurable
actions that support the completion of goals. Goals and objectives are an essential element in planning and
are a key referent point in many aspects of organizing, leading, and controlling. Broadly speaking, within
the P-O-L-C framework, goals and objectives serve to (1) gauge and report performance, (2) improve
performance, (3) align effort and, (4) manage accountabilities.
Exercises
1. What is the difference between a goal and an objective?
2. What is the relationship between a goal and an objective?
3. What characteristics should a good objective have?
4. What four broad ways do goals and objectives fit in the P-O-L-C framework?
5. Why are goals and objectives relevant to leadership?
258 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
6. In what ways do goals and objectives help managers control the organization?
ReferencesReferences
Frost, B. (2000). Measuring performance. Dallas: Measurement International.
Ittner, C. D., & Larcker, D. (2003, November). Coming up short on nonfinancial performance measurement.
Harvard Business Review, pp. 1–8.
6.3 THE NATURE OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES • 259
6.4 From Management by Objectives to the Balanced
Scorecard
Learning Objectives
1. Be able to describe management by objectives.
2. Be able to describe the Balanced Scorecard.
3. Understand the evolution of performance measurement systems.
As you might expect, organizations use a variety of measurement approaches—that is, how they go about setting
and managing goals and objectives. If you have an understanding of how the use of these approaches has evolved,
starting with management by objectives (MBO), you will also have a much better view of how and why the current
incarnations, as seen by variations on the Balanced Scorecard, have many desirable features.
260
Figure 6.5
Goals and objectives are an essential part of any good performance management system.
FEA – Performance Reference Model – public domain.
Management by ObjectivesManagement by Objectives
MBO is a systematic and organized approach that allows management to focus on achievable goals and to attain
the best possible results from available resources. MBO aims to increase organizational performance by aligning
the subordinate objectives throughout the organization with the overall goals that management has set. Ideally,
employees get strong input to identify their objectives, time lines for completion, and so on. MBO includes
ongoing tracking and feedback in the process to reach objectives.
MBO was first outlined by Peter Drucker in 1954 in The Practice of Management. One of Drucker’s core ideas in
MBO was where managers should focus their time and energy. According to Drucker, effective MBO managers
focus on the result, not the activity. They delegate tasks by “negotiating a contract of objectives” with their
subordinates and by refraining from dictating a detailed road map for implementation. MBO is about setting
goals and then breaking these down into more specific objectives or key results. MBO involves (1) setting
company-wide goals derived from corporate strategy, (2) determining team- and department-level goals, (3)
collaboratively setting individual-level goals that are aligned with corporate strategy, (4) developing an action
plan, and (5) periodically reviewing performance and revising goals (Greenwood, 1981; Muczyk & Reimann,
1989; Reif & Bassford, 1975). A review of the literature shows that 68 out of the 70 studies conducted on this
topic showed performance gains as a result of MBO implementation (Rodgers & Hunter, 1991). It also seems that
top management commitment to the process is the key to successful implementation of MBO programs (Rodgers,
et. al., 1993).
The broader principle behind MBO is to make sure that everybody within the organization has a clear
understanding of the organization’s goals, as well as awareness of their own roles and responsibilities in achieving
6.4 FROM MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES TO THE BALANCED SCORECARD • 261
objectives that will help to attain those goals. The complete MBO system aims to get managers and empowered
employees acting to implement and achieve their plans, which automatically achieves the organization’s goals.
Setting ObjectivesSetting Objectives
In MBO systems, goals and objectives are written down for each level of the organization, and individuals are
given specific aims and targets. As consultants Robert Heller and Tim Hindle explain, “The principle behind this
is to ensure that people know what the organization is trying to achieve, what their part of the organization must
do to meet those aims, and how, as individuals, they are expected to help. This presupposes that organization’s
programs and methods have been fully considered. If they have not, start by constructing team objectives and ask
team members to share in the process (Heller & Hindle, 1998).”
Echoing Drucker’s philosophy, “the one thing an MBO system should provide is focus; most people disobey this
rule, try to focus on everything, and end up with no focus at all,” says Andy Grove, who ardently practiced MBO
at Intel. This implies that objectives are precise and few in effective MBO systems.
Similarly, for MBO to be effective, individual managers must understand the specific objectives of their job and
how those objectives fit in with the overall company goals set by the board of directors. As Drucker wrote, “A
manager’s job should be based on a task to be performed in order to attain the company’s goals…the manager
should be directed and controlled by the objectives of performance rather than by his boss (Drucker, 1974).” The
managers of an organization’s various units, subunits, or departments should know not only the objectives of
their unit but should also actively participate in setting these objectives and make responsibility for them. The
review mechanism enables the organization’s leaders to measure the performance of the managers who report to
them, especially in the key result areas: marketing, innovation, human organization, financial resources, physical
resources, productivity, social responsibility, and profit requirements.
Seeking a Balance: The Move Away from MBOSeeking a Balance: The Move Away from MBO
In recent years, opinion has moved away from placing managers into a formal, rigid system of objectives. In
the 1990s, Drucker decreased the significance of this organization management method when he said, “It’s just
another tool. It is not the great cure for management inefficiency (Drucker, 1986).” Recall also that goals and
objectives, when managed well, are tied in with compensation and promotion. In 1975, Steve Kerr published his
critical management article titled, “On the Folly of Rewarding A, While Hoping for B,” in which he lambasted
the rampant disconnect between reward systems and strategy (Kerr, 1975). Some of the common management
reward follies suggested by Kerr and others are summarized in the following table. His criticism included the
objective criteria characteristic of most MBO systems. Kerr went on to lead GE’s human resources function in the
mid-1970’s and is credited with turning that massive organization’s recruiting, reward, and retention systems into
one of its key sources of competitive advantage.
Table 6.1 Common Management Reward Follies
262 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
We hope for… But we often reward…
Long-term growth; environmental
responsibility Quarterly earnings
Teamwork Individual effort
Setting challenging “stretch” goals Achieving objectives; “making the numbers”
Downsizing; rightsizing; restructuring Adding staffing; adding budget
Commitment to quality Shipping on schedule, even with defects
Commitment to customer service Keeping customers from bothering us1
Candor; surfacing bad news early Reporting good news, whether it’s true or not; agreeing with the boss, whether or not she or
he is right
Even though formal MBO programs have been out of favor since the late 1980s and early 1990s, linking employee
goals to company-wide goals is a powerful idea that benefits organizations. This is where the Balanced Scorecard
and other performance management systems come into play.
The Balanced ScorecardThe Balanced Scorecard
Developed by Robert Kaplan and David Norton in 1992, the Balanced Scorecard approach to management has
gained popularity worldwide since the 1996 release of their text, The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy
into Action. In 2001, the Gartner Group estimated that at least 40% of all Fortune 1000 companies were using
Balanced Scorecard; however, it can be complex to implement, so it is likely that the format of its usage varies
widely across firms.
The Balanced Scorecard is a framework designed to translate an organization’s mission and vision statements
and overall business strategy into specific, quantifiable goals and objectives and to monitor the organization’s
performance in terms of achieving these goals. Among other criticisms of MBO, one was that it seemed
disconnected from a firm’s strategy, and one of Balanced Scorecard’s innovations is explicit attention to vision
and strategy in setting goals and objectives. Stemming from the idea that assessing performance through financial
returns only provides information about how well the organization did prior to the assessment, the Balanced
Scorecard is a comprehensive approach that analyzes an organization’s overall performance in four ways, so that
future performance can be predicted and proper actions taken to create the desired future.
Four Related AreasFour Related Areas
Balanced Scorecard shares several common features. First, as summarized in the following figure, it spells
out goals and objectives for the subareas of customers, learning and growth, internal processes, and financial
performance. The customer area looks at customer satisfaction and retention. Learning and growth explore
the effectiveness of management in terms of measures of employee satisfaction and retention and information
system performance. The internal area looks at production and innovation, measuring performance in terms
of maximizing profit from current products and following indicators for future productivity. Finally, financial
performance, the most traditionally used performance indicator, includes assessments of measures such as
operating costs and return-on-investment.
6.4 FROM MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES TO THE BALANCED SCORECARD • 263
Figure 6.6 The Balanced Scorecard
Adapted from Kaplan, R., & Norton, D. (2001). The Strategy-Focused Organization. Boston: Harvard
Business School Press.
On the basis of how the organization’s strategy is mapped out in terms of customer, learning, internal, and
financial goals and objectives, specific measures, and the specific activities for achieving those are defined
as well. This deeper Balanced Scorecard logic is summarized in the following figure. The method examines
goals, objectives, measures, and activities in four areas. When performance measures for areas such as customer
relationships, internal processes, and learning and growth are added to the financial metrics, proponents of the
Balanced Scorecard argue that the result is not only a broader perspective on the company’s health and activities,
it’s also a powerful organizing framework. It is a sophisticated instrument panel for coordinating and fine-tuning
a company’s operations and businesses so that all activities are aligned with its strategy.
As a structure, Balanced Scorecard breaks broad goals down successively into objectives, measures, and tactical
activities. As an example of how the method might work, an organization might include in its mission or vision
statement a goal of maintaining employee satisfaction (for instance, the mission statement might say something
like “our employees are our most valuable asset”). This would be a key part of the organization’s mission but
264 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
would also provide an “internal” target area for that goal in the Balanced Scorecard. Importantly, this goal, when
done correctly, would also be linked to the organization’s total strategy where other parts of the scorecard would
show how having great employees provides economic, social, and environmental returns. Strategies for achieving
that human resources vision might include approaches such as increasing employee-management communication.
Tactical activities undertaken to implement the strategy could include, for example, regularly scheduled meetings
with employees. Finally, metrics could include quantifications of employee suggestions or employee surveys.
Figure 6.7 Using the Balanced Scorecard to Translate Goals into Activities
Adapted from Kaplan, R., & Norton, D. (2001). The Strategy-Focused Organization. Boston: Harvard
Business School Press.
The Balanced Scorecard in PracticeThe Balanced Scorecard in Practice
In practice, the Balanced Scorecard is supposed to be more than simply a framework for thinking about goals
and objectives, but even in that narrow sense, it is a helpful organizing framework. The Balanced Scorecard’s
own inventors “rightly insist that every company needs to dig deep to discover and track the activities that truly
affect the frameworks’ broad domains (domains such as ‘financial,’ ‘customer,’ ‘internal business processes,’ and
‘innovation and learning’) (Ittner & Larcker, 2003).” In its broadest scope, where the scorecard operates much
like a map of the firm’s vision, mission, and strategy, the Balanced Scorecard relies on four processes to bind
short-term activities to long-term objectives:
1. Translating the vision. By relying on measurement, the scorecard forces managers to come to agreement
on the metrics they will use to translate their lofty visions into everyday realities.
2. Communicating and linking. When a scorecard is disseminated up and down the organizational chart,
strategy becomes a tool available to everyone. As the high-level scorecard cascades down to individual
6.4 FROM MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES TO THE BALANCED SCORECARD • 265
business units, overarching strategic objectives and measures are translated into objectives and measures
appropriate to each particular group. Tying these targets to individual performance and compensation
systems yields “personal scorecards.” Thus, individual employees understand how their own productivity
supports the overall strategy.
3. Business planning. Most companies have separate procedures (and sometimes units) for strategic
planning and budgeting. Little wonder, then, that typical long-term planning is, in the words of one
executive, where “the rubber meets the sky.” The discipline of creating a Balanced Scorecard forces
companies to integrate the two functions, thereby ensuring that financial budgets indeed support strategic
goals. After agreeing on performance measures for the four scorecard perspectives, companies identify the
most influential “drivers” of the desired outcomes and then set milestones for gauging the progress they
make with these drivers.
4. Feedback and learning. By supplying a mechanism for strategic feedback and review, the Balanced
Scorecard helps an organization foster a kind of learning often missing in companies: the ability to reflect
on inferences and adjust theories about cause-and-effect relationships.
Other Peformance Measurement SystemsOther Peformance Measurement Systems
You can imagine that it might be difficult for organizations to change quickly from something like MBO to a
Balanced Scorecard approach. Indeed, both MBO and the Balanced Scorecard fit in the larger collection of tools
called performance management systems. Such systems outline “the process through which companies ensure that
employees are working towards organizational goals (Ghorpade & Chen, 1995).”
Performance management begins with a senior manager linking his or her goals and objectives to the strategic
goals of the organization. The manager then ensures that direct reports develop their goals in relation to the
organization’s overall goals. In a multidivisional or multilocation organization, lower-level managers develop
their goals, and thus their departmental goals, to correspond to the organizational goals. Staff members within each
department then develop their objectives for the year, in cooperation with their managers. Using this pattern for
planning, all activities, goals, and objectives for all employees should be directly related to the overall objectives
of the larger organization.
Performance management systems are more than the performance review because reviews typically are the final
event in an entire year of activity. At the beginning of the year, the manager and employee discuss the employee’s
goals or objectives for the year. This will form the basis for ongoing discussion recorded in a document called the
performance plan. The manager assists employees in developing their objectives by helping them to understand
how their work relates to the department goals and the overall goals of the organization. The employee and
manager also should work together to determine the measurements for evaluating each of the objectives. It is
important that both the manager and employee agree what the objectives are and how they are to be measured.
Employees should not be set up with unrealistic expectations, which will only lead to a sense of failure. If
additional support or education is required during the year to help employees meet their objectives, those can also
be identified and planned for at this time.
The performance plan will contain the section on goals or objectives. It also should include a section that
identifies the organization’s expectations of employee competencies. The set of expectations will involve a range
266 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
of competencies applicable to employees based on their level in the organization. These competencies include
expectations of how employees deal with problems, how proactive they are with respect to changing work, and
how they interact with internal and external customers. While less complex than the Balanced Scorecard, you
can see how the essential components are related. In addition to basic behavioral traits, supervisors and managers
are expected to exhibit leadership and, more senior still, provide vision and strategic direction. It is important to
ensure that employees understand these competencies in respect to themselves.
Throughout the year, the supervisor must participate actively in coaching and assisting all employees to meet their
individual goals and objectives. Should a problem arise—either in the way that success is being measured or in the
nature of the objectives set at the beginning of the year—it can be identified well in advance of any review, and
adjustments to the goals or support for the employee can be provided. This is referred to as continual assessment.
For example, suppose a staff member predicted that he or she would complete a particular project by a particular
date, yet they have encountered problems in receiving vital information from another department. Through active
involvement in staff activities, the supervisor is made aware of the situation and understands that the employee is
intimidated by the supervisor they must work with in the other department. With coaching, the employee develops
a method for initiating contact with the other department and receives the vital information she requires to meet
her objective.
Key Takeaway
The way that goals and objectives are managed in the P-O-L-C process has evolved over time. While
organizations can have very simple performance measurement systems, these systems typically track
multiple goals and objectives. The management by objectives (MBO) approach is perhaps one of the
earliest systematic approaches to working with goals and objectives. The Balanced Scorecard is aimed to
make key improvements on a simple MBO system, particularly by more clearly tying goals and objectives
to vision, mission, and strategy and branching out beyond purely financial goals and objectives. MBO and
the Balanced Scorecard belong to the larger family of systems called performance management systems.
Exercises
1. What is Management by objectives (MBO)?
2. What are some of the advantages of MBO?
3. What are some of the disadvantages and criticisms of MBO?
4. What is a Balanced Scorecard?
5. What are some of the advantages of a Balanced Scorecard?
6. What are some of the disadvantages of a Balanced Scorecard?
1This item was not one of Kerr’s originals but is consistent with the spirit of Kerr’s article. We thank our
developmental editor, Elsa Peterson, for this suggestion.
6.4 FROM MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES TO THE BALANCED SCORECARD • 267
ReferencesReferences
Drucker, P. (1974). Management: Tasks, responsibilities, practices. London: Heinemann.
Drucker, P. (1986). The frontiers of management: Where tomorrow’s decisions are being shaped today. New York:
Plume.
Ghorpade, J., & Chen, M. (1995). Creating quality-driven performance appraisal systems. Academy of
Management Executive, 9(1): 23–41.
Greenwood, R. G. (1981). Management by objectives: As developed by Peter Drucker, assisted by Harold
Smiddy. Academy of Management Review, 6, 225–230.
Heller, R., & Hindle, T. (1998). Essential manager’s manual. London: Dorling Kindersley.
Ittner, C. D., & Larcker, D. (2003, November). Coming up short on nonfinancial performance measurement,
Harvard Business Review, pp. 1–8.
Kerr, S. (1975). On the folly of rewarding A, while hoping for B. Academy of Management Journal, 18, 769–783.
Muczyk, J. P., & Reimann, B. C. (1989). MBO as a complement to effective leadership. Academy of Management
Executive, 3, 131–13.
Reif, W. E., & Bassford, G. (1975). What MBO really is: Results require a complete program. Business Horizons,
16, 23–30.
Rodgers, R., & Hunter, J. E. (1991). Impact of management by objectives on organizational productivity. Journal
of Applied Psychology, 76, 322–336.
Rodgers, R., Hunter, J. E., & Rogers, D. L. (1993). Influence of top management commitment on management
program success. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78, 151–155.
268 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
6.5 Characteristics of Effective Goals and Objectives
Learning Objectives
1. Be able to set appropriate goals.
2. Be able to troubleshoot an existing set of goals and objectives.
3. Understand the characteristics of good goals and objectives.
To be clear, this section does not outline which goals or objectives are appropriate or inappropriate, economically,
ethically, morally, or otherwise. Instead, you will learn many of the characteristics of good goals and objectives,
with the aim of becoming a better organizational goal setter (in the last section of this chapter, we remind you
about SMART criteria, which is the application of many of this section’s takeaways to the development of your
personal and professional goals and objectives). At the same time, you should be able to look at a set of goals
and objectives and critique them effectively, such that more appropriate goals and objectives can be developed to
replace them.
Eight Characteristics of Appropriate Goals and ObjectivesEight Characteristics of Appropriate Goals and Objectives
Figure 6.8 Characteristics of Appropriate Goals and Objectives
269
We tend to think that goals and objectives are easy to set, and yet, this intuition is often wrong in the organizational
context. Goals and objectives are difficult to set because we might not know what they should cover or because
we lay out too many of them with the hope that we are covering all the bases. Similarly, goals and objectives
can proliferate in organizations because new ones are set, while old ones are not discarded. Stanford University
management professor Kathleen Eisenhardt noted that there must be a certain balance to the number and type
of goals and objectives: too many goals and objectives are paralyzing; too few, confusing (Eisenhardt & Sull,
2001). In his popular book, Keeping Score, Mark Graham Brown lists several important factors to aid managers in
“rethinking” their approach to setting and managing goals and objectives, what we might call the organization’s
measurement system more broadly (Brown, 1996).
1. Fewer are better. Concentrate on measuring the vital few key variables rather than the trivial many.
2. Measures should be linked to the factors needed for success—key business drivers.
3. Measures should be a mix of past, present, and future to ensure the organization is concerned with all
three perspectives.
4. Measures should be based around the needs of customers, shareholders, and other key stakeholders.
5. Measures should start at the top and flow down to all levels of employees in the organization.
6. Multiple indices can be combined into a single index to give a better overall assessment of performance.
7. Measures should be changed or at least adjusted as the environment and your strategy changes.
8. Measures need to have targets or objectives established that are based on research rather than arbitrary
numbers (Brown, 1996).
Let’s walk through each of these criteria to gain a better understanding of these desirable characteristics of
organizational goals and objectives. It is useful here to start by recognizing that goals, objectives, and measures
270 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
are different animals. As explained at the beginning of this chapter, goals tend to be general statements, whereas
objectives are specific and time bound. Measures are the indicators used to assess achievement of the objective.
In some cases, a goal, an objective, and a measure can be the same thing, but more often you will set a goal, have
a few objectives underlying that goal, and then one or more measures for each of the objectives.
Less Is MoreLess Is More
Less is more, fewer is better, and simple rules are the common mantra here. Eisenhardt suggests that organizations
should have two to seven key goals, or rules, using her vocabulary (Eisenhardt & Sull, 2001). Such goals guide
how the firm operates, identify which opportunities to pursue, set priorities, manage timing of actions, and even
inform business exit decisions.
If the organization should have only two to seven key goals, what about objectives and measures? Metric guru
Graham Brown suggests that managers should not try to follow any more than 20 measures of performance in
terms of performance on objectives. Thus, with two to seven goals, and 20 performance measures, this means
that you will likely have a number of objectives somewhere between the number of set goals and the number of
measures. Why this limit? “No individual can monitor and control more than twenty variables on a regular basis,”
says Graham Brown (Brown, 1996).
Tie Measures to Drivers of SuccessTie Measures to Drivers of Success
One of the key litmus tests for setting goals, objectives, and measures is whether they are linked in some way to
the key factors driving an organization’s success or competitive advantage. This means that they must provide a
verified path to the achievement of a firm’s strategy, mission, and vision. This characteristic of effective goals,
objectives, and measures is one reason that many managers use some form of Balanced Scorecard in their
businesses. The Balanced Scorecard process provides a framework for evaluating the overall measurement system
in terms of what strategic objectives it contributes to. The big challenge, however, is to verify and validate the link
to success factors. Managers who do not scrupulously uncover the fundamental drivers of their units’ performance
face several potential problems. They often end up measuring too many things, trying to fill every perceived gap
in the measurement system.
Don’t Just Measure the PastDon’t Just Measure the Past
For a variety of reasons it is important to capture past performance. After all, many stakeholders such as investors,
owners, customers, and regulators have an interest in how the firm has lived up to it obligations. However,
particularly in the area of objectives and measurement, the best systems track the past, present, and future.
Echoing this observation, Robert Kaplan, co-originator of the Balanced Scorecard framework, published another
book on the subject called The Balanced Scorecard: You Can’t Drive a Car Solely Relying on a Rearview Mirror.
A combination of goals, objectives, and measures that provides such information is sometimes referred to as a
dashboard—like the analogy that a dashboard tells you how the car is running, and through the windshield you
can see where you are going. Indicators on how well the economy is doing, for instance, can suggest whether your
business can experience growing or declining sales. Another leading indicator is customer satisfaction. General
Electric, for instance, asks its customers whether they will refer other customers to GE. GE’s managers have found
6.5 CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES • 271
that the higher this likelihood of referral, the greater the next quarter’s sales demands. As a result, GE uses this
measure to help it forecast future growth, as well as evaluate the performance of each business unit.
Take Stakeholders Into AccountTake Stakeholders Into Account
While it is important to track the goals and objectives most relevant to the needs of the business, relevance is
subjective. This is why it is valuable to understand who the organization’s key stakeholders are, and set the goals,
objectives, and measures in such a way that stakeholders can be satisfied. Or, at the very least, stakeholders
can gain information relevant to their particular interests. Some stakeholders may never be entirely satisfied
with companies’ performance—for example, some environmental groups may continue to criticize a company’s
environmental impact, but they can be somewhat placated with more transparent reporting of what the company
is doing on the environmental front. Similarly, stakeholders with social concerns will appreciate transparency in
reporting on the organization’s corporate social responsibility efforts.
Cascade Goals Into ObjectivesCascade Goals Into Objectives
The less-is-more concept can apply to the way that goals cascade into objectives, which cascade into measures.
Tying goals and objectives to drivers of success means that vision, mission, and strategy cascade down to goals,
and so on. The first benefit of this cascade approach is that goals and objectives are consistent with the strategy,
vision, and mission. A second benefit is that goals and objectives in lower levels of the organization are more
likely to be vertically and horizontally consistent since they should be designed to achieve the higher-level goals
and objectives and, ultimately, the overarching strategy of the organization.
SimplifySimplify
Information overload is a challenge facing all managers (and students and teachers!), and simplification builds on
the idea that managers can attend to a few things well but many things poorly. Simplification refers both to the use
of fewer, not more, metrics, objectives and goals, and the idea that multiple measures should be distilled down into
single measures like an index or a simple catch-all question. For instance, GE’s use of the single question about
referring customers is a powerful but effective leading metric and a metric that it can reinforce with its rewards
system. When metrics involve multiple dimensions, in areas where the organization wants to gauge customer
satisfaction, for example, a survey can have 10 or more questions. Think about the many customer satisfaction
surveys you are asked to complete after making an online purchase. Which question is the most important? The
challenge, of course, is that a simple average of the customer survey scores, while providing a simpler indicator,
also may hide some key indicator that is now buried in the average score. Therefore, the organization might need
to experiment a bit with different ways of simplifying the measures with the aim of providing one that best reflects
achievement of the key objective.
AdaptAdapt
An organization’s circumstances and strategies tend to change over time. Since goals, objectives, and measures
need to tie directly to the organization’s strategy, they should be changed as well when the strategy changes.
For example, many U.S. automakers set out to dominate certain car and truck segments on the basis of vehicle
272 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
features and price, not fuel efficiency. However, the recent fluctuations in oil prices gave rise to a market for more
fuel-efficient vehicles. Unless the automakers set some aggressive fuel efficiency objectives for their new models,
however, that is unlikely to be a differentiating feature of their cars and trucks. Adaptation of metrics is not the
same as adding more or other metrics. In the spirit of fewer and simpler measures, managers should be asked to
take a measure away if they plan to introduce a new one.
Base Objectives on FactsBase Objectives on Facts
Finally, while goals may sometimes be general (such as performance goals in which managers simply state, grow
profits 10%), the objectives and the metrics that gauge them should be quite specific and set based on facts and
information, not intuition. A fact-based decision-making process starts with the compilation of relevant data about
the particular goal. This in turn typically requires that the organization invest in information and in information-
gathering capabilities.
For example, early in Jack Welch’s tenure as CEO of GE, he set out a financial goal for the company of improving
its return on assets (ROA), a measure of financial efficiency. One of the underlying determinants of ROA is
inventory-turn, that is, how many times a firm can sell its stock of inventory in a given year. So, to improve
ROA, a firm will likely have to also improve its inventory turns. One of GE’s divisions manufactured refrigerators
and turned its inventory seven times per year. What objective should Welch set for the refrigerator division’s
inventory turn? Instead of simply guessing, Welch sent a team of managers into another manufacturing firm (with
permission of the firm’s owners and top managers) in a different industry and learned that it was achieving turns
of 12 to 17 times per year! Armed with this information, Welch could then set a clear and fact-based inventory-
turn objective for that division, which in turn supported one of the overarching financial goals he had set for GE.
Figure 6.9 Steve Jobs Announcing Apple’s Release of the iPhone
David Geller – CC BY 2.0.
6.5 CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES • 273
Fact-based objectives typically can be clearer and more precise the shorter the relative time to their achievement.
For instance, a firm can likely predict next week’s sales better than next year’s sales. This means that goals and
objectives for the future will likely need to be more specific when they are fairly current but will necessarily be
less precise down the road.
The main challenge with fact-based objectives is that many firms find future opportunities in markets where there
is not an existing set of customers today. For instance, before Apple released the iPhone, how big would you
expect that market to be? There certainly were no facts, aside from general demographics and the technology,
to set fact-based goals and objectives. In such cases, firms will need to conduct “experiments” where they learn
about production and market characteristics, such that the first goals and objectives will be related to learning and
growth, with more specific fact-based objectives to follow. Otherwise, firms will only take action in areas where
there are data and facts, which clearly creates a paradox for managers if the future is uncertain in their particular
industry.
Key Takeaway
This section described eight general characteristics of good goals, objectives, and measures. Fewer and
simpler goals and objectives are better than more and complex ones. Similarly, goals and objectives should
be tied to strategy and, ultimately, to vision and mission, in a cascading pattern so that objectives and
measures support the goals they are aiming to help achieve. Goals and objectives must also change with
the times and, wherever possible, be anchored in facts or fact-finding and learning.
Exercises
1. Why might fewer goals be better than more goals and objectives?
2. Why should managers strive for a balance of history-based, present, and future-oriented metrics of
performance?
3. What is meant by cascading goals and objectives?
4. What roles do strategy, vision, and mission play with respect to goals and objectives?
5. What are some ways to simplify goals and objectives?
6. When might fact-based objective setting be difficult or inappropriate?
ReferencesReferences
Brown, M. G. (1996). Keeping score. New York: Productivity Press.
Eisenhardt, K., & Sull, D. (2001, January). Strategy as simple rules. Harvard Business Review, pp. 1–11.
274 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
6.6 Using Goals and Objectives in Employee Performance
Evaluation
Learning Objectives
1. Understand where goals and objectives fit in employee development.
2. See how goals and objectives are part of an effective employee performance evaluation process.
Goals, Objectives, and Performance ReviewsGoals, Objectives, and Performance Reviews
Since leadership is tasked with accomplishing things through the efforts of others, an important part of your
principles of management tool kit is the development and performance evaluation of people. A performance
evaluation is a constructive process to acknowledge an employee’s performance. Goals and objectives are a
critical component of effective performance evaluations, so we need to cover the relationship among them briefly
in this section. For instance, the example evaluation form needs to have a set of measurable goals and objectives
spelled out for each area. Some of these, such as attendance, are more easy to describe and quantify than others,
such as knowledge. Moreover, research suggests that individual and organizational performance increase 16%
when an evaluation system based on specific goals and objectives is implemented (Rynes, et. al., 2002).
Role and Limitations of Performance EvaluationsRole and Limitations of Performance Evaluations
Most organizations conduct employee performance evaluations at least once a year, but they can occur more
frequently when there is a clear rationale for doing so—for instance, at the end of a project, at the end of each
month, and so on. For example, McKinsey, a leading strategy consulting firm, has managers evaluate employees
at the end of every consulting engagement. So, in addition to the annual performance evaluation, consultants
can receive up to 20 mini-evaluations in a year. Importantly, the timing should coincide with the needs of the
organization and the development needs of the employee.
275
Figure 6.10
Performance evaluation based on clear goals and objectives leaves little doubt about the desired outcome.
Pixabay – CC0 public domain.
Performance evaluations are critical. Organizations are hard-pressed to find good reasons why they can’t
dedicate an hour-long meeting at least once a year to ensure the mutual needs of the employee and
organization are being met. Performance reviews help managers feel more honest in their relationships
with their subordinates and feel better about themselves in their supervisory roles. Subordinates are
assured clear understanding of what goals and objectives are expected from them, their own personal
strengths and areas for development, and a solid sense of their relationship with their supervisor. Avoiding
performance issues ultimately decreases morale, decreases credibility of management, decreases the
organization’s overall effectiveness, and wastes more of management’s time to do what isn’t being done
properly.
Finally, it is important to recognize that performance evaluations are a not a panacea for individual
and organizational performance problems. Studies show that performance-appraisal errors are extremely
difficult to eliminate (Rynes, et. al., 2002). Training to eliminate certain types of errors often introduces
other types of errors and sometimes reduces accuracy. The most common appraisal error is leniency, and
managers often realize they are committing it. Mere training is insufficient to eliminate these kinds of
errors: action that is more systematic is required, such as intensive monitoring or forced rankings.
Figure 6.11 Example Employee Evaluation Form
276 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
An Example of the Performance Review ProcessAn Example of the Performance Review Process
For the purpose of this example, let’s assume that the organization has determined that annual performance
evaluations fit the strategic needs of the organization and the developmental needs of employees. This does not
mean however that management and employees discuss goals, objectives, and performance only once a year.
In our example, the organization has opted to have a midyear information meeting and then an end-of-year
performance evaluation meeting.
At some point in the year, the supervisor should hold a formal discussion with each staff member to review
individual activities to date and to modify the goals and objectives that employee is accountable for. This agreed-
upon set of goals and objectives is sometimes called an employee performance plan. There should be no surprises
6.6 USING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IN EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION • 277
at this meeting. The supervisor should have been actively involved in continual assessment of his or her staff
through regular contact and coaching. If major concerns arise, the performance plan can be modified or the
employees can receive development in areas in which they may be weak. This also is a time for the employee to
provide formal feedback to the supervisor on the coaching, on the planning, and on how the process seems to be
working.
At the end of the year, a final review of the activities and plans for developing the next year’s objectives begin.
Again, this is a chance to provide constructive and positive feedback and to address any ongoing concerns about
the employee’s activities and competencies. Continuing education opportunities can be identified, and for those
systems linked to compensation, salary raises will be linked to the employee’s performance during the year. Again,
there should be no surprises to either employee or supervisor, as continual assessment and coaching should take
place throughout the year. Supervisors and managers are involved in the same series of activities with their own
supervisors to ensure that the entire organization is developing and focused on the same common objectives.
There are many varieties of performance management systems available, but you must be aware that you will
need to tailor any system to suit the needs of the organization and the staff. As the organization and its competitive
environment change over time, the system will also need to develop to reflect changes to employee competencies,
ranking systems, and rewards linked to the plan.
How do you handle your reviews, that is, when you are the focus of the review process? “Your Performance
Review” summarizes some key ideas you might keep in mind for your next review.
Your Performance ReviewYour Performance Review
There are typically three areas you should think about when having your own performance reviewed: (1)
preparation for the review, (2) what to do if the review is negative, and (3) what should you ultimately take
away from the review.
Prepare for an upcoming review. Document your achievements and list anything you want to discuss at
the review. If you haven’t kept track of your achievements, you may have to spend some time figuring
out what you have accomplished since your last review and, most importantly, how your employer has
benefited, such as increased profits, grown the client roster, maintained older clients, and so on. These are
easier to document when you have had clear goals and objectives.
What should you do if you get a poor review? If you feel you have received an unfair review, you should
consider responding to it. You should first try to discuss the review with the person who prepared it.
Heed this warning, however. Wait until you can look at the review objectively. Was the criticism you
received really that off the mark or are you just offended that you were criticized in the first place? If you
eventually reach the conclusion that the review was truly unjust, then set an appointment to meet with your
reviewer. If there are any points that were correct, acknowledge those. Use clear examples that counteract
the criticisms made. A paper trail is always helpful. Present anything you have in writing that can back you
up. If you didn’t leave a paper trail, remember to do this in the future.
What should you take away from a performance review? Ultimately, you should regard your review as a
learning opportunity. For instance, did you have clear goals and objectives such that your performance was
easy to document? You should be able to take away valuable information, whether it is about yourself or
your reviewer.
278 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Best PracticesBest Practices
While there is no single “best way” to manage performance evaluations, the collective actions across a number of
high-performing firms suggests a set of best practices.
1. Decide what you are hoping to achieve from the system. Is it to reward the stars and to correct problems?
Or is its primary function to be a tool in focusing all staff activities through better planning?
2. Develop goals and objectives that inspire, challenge, and stretch people’s capabilities. Once goals and
objectives are clearly communicated and accepted, enlist broad participation, and do not shut down ideas.
Support participation and goal attainment through the reward system, such as with gainsharing or other
group incentive programs.
3. Ensure you have commitment from the top. Planning must begin at the executive level and be filtered
down through the organization to ensure that employees’ plans are meaningful in the context of the
organization’s direction. Top managers should serve as strong role models for the performance evaluation
process and attach managerial consequences to the quality of performance reviews (for instance, McKinsey
partners are evaluated on how well they develop their consultants, not just the profitability of their
particular practice).
4. Ensure that all key staff are involved in the development of the performance management processes from
the early phases. Provide group orientations to the program to decrease anxiety over the implementation of
a new system. It will ensure a consistent message communicated about the performance management
system.
5. If the performance management system is not linked to salary, be sure employees are aware of it. For
example, university business school professors are paid salaries based on highly competitive external labor
markets, not necessarily the internal goals and objectives of the school such as high teaching evaluations,
and so on. Make sure employees know the purpose of the system and what they get out of it.
6. Provide additional training for supervisors on how to conduct the midyear and year-end performance
reviews. Ensure that supervisors are proficient at coaching staff. Training, practice, and feedback about how
to avoid appraisal errors are necessary, but often insufficient, for eliminating appraisal errors. Eliminating
errors may require alternative approaches to evaluation, such as forced distribution (for instance, General
Electric must rank the lowest 10% of performers and often ask them to find work with another employer).
7. Plan to modify the performance management system over time, starting with goals and objectives, to
meet your organization’s changing needs. Wherever possible, study employee behaviors in addition to
attitudes; the two do not always converge.
Key Takeaway
This section outlined the relationship between goals and objectives and employee performance evaluation.
Performance evaluation is a tool that helps managers align individual performance with organizational
goals and objectives. You saw that the tool is most effective when evaluation includes well-developed
goals and objectives that are developed with the needs of both the organization and employee in mind.
6.6 USING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IN EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION • 279
The section concluded with a range of best practices for the performance evaluation process, including the
revision of goals and objectives when the needs of the organization change.
Exercises
1. How are goals and objectives related to employee performance evaluation?
2. How often should performance evaluations be performed?
3. What kinds of goals and objectives might be best for performance evaluation to be most effective?
4. What should be included in an employee performance plan?
5. What performance evaluation best practices appear to most directly involve goals and objectives?
ReferencesReferences
Rynes, S., Brown, K., & Colbert, A. 2002. Seven common misconceptions about human resource practices:
Research findings versus practitioner beliefs. Academy of Management Executive, 16(3): 92–102.
280 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
6.7 Integrating Goals and Objectives with Corporate Social
Responsibility
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the nature of corporate social responsibility.
2. See how corporate social responsibility, like other goals and objectives, can be incorporated using
the Balanced Scorecard.
3. Understand that corporate social responsibility, like any other goal and objective, helps the firm
only when aligned with its strategy, vision, and mission.
One of the overarching lessons of this chapter is that goals and objectives are only effective to the extent that
they reinforce the organization’s strategy and therefore the realization of its vision and mission. This section is
somewhat integrative in that it provides knowledge about the ways that goals and objectives related to social and
environmental issues can be tied back into strategy using a Balanced Scorecard approach.
281
Figure 6.12
GE combines environmental responsibility with the business strategy of providing the best wind energy
devices.
warrenski – Darling Wind Farm – CC BY-NA 2.0.
Corporate Social ResponsibilityCorporate Social Responsibility
The corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement is not new and has been gathering momentum for well over
a decade (Crawford & Scaletta, 2005). CSR is about how companies manage their business processes to produce
an overall positive effect on society. This growth has raised questions—how to define the concept and how to
integrate it into the larger body of an organization’s goals and objectives. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index
created a commonly accepted definition of CSR: “a business approach that creates long-term shareholder value
by embracing opportunities and managing risks deriving from economic, environmental and social developments
(Sustainability, 2008).” Specifically, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index looks at competence in five areas:
• Strategy: Integrating long-term economic, environmental, and social aspects in their business strategies
while maintaining global competitiveness and brand reputation.
• Financial: Meeting shareholders’ demands for sound financial returns, long-term economic growth, open
communication, and transparent financial accounting.
• Customer and Product: Fostering loyalty by investing in customer relationship management, and product
and service innovation that focuses on technologies and systems, which use financial, natural, and social
282 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
resources in an efficient, effective, and economic manner over the long term.
• Governance and Stakeholder: Setting the highest standards of corporate governance and stakeholder
engagement, including corporate codes of conduct and public reporting.
• Human: Managing human resources to maintain workforce capabilities and employee satisfaction through
best-in-class organizational learning and knowledge management practices and remuneration and benefit
programs.
CSR and the Balanced ScorecardCSR and the Balanced Scorecard
Since you are already familiar with the Balanced Scorecard from the previous section, you will probably already
see how it can be used for CSR (a brief summary of the Balanced Scorecard concept is found in “The Balanced
Scorecard at a Glance”). As experts from GreenBiz.com have observed:
“One of the fundamental opportunities for the CSR movement is how to effectively align consumer and employee values
with strategy to generate long-term benefits—a better understanding of precisely with whom, what, when, where, how
and why an enterprise makes a profit or surplus. CSR requires more holistic strategic thinking and a wider stakeholder
perspective. Because the Balanced Scorecard is a recognized and established management tool, it is well positioned to support
a knowledge-building effort to help organizations make their CSR values and visions a reality. The Balanced Scorecard enables
individuals to make daily decisions based upon values and metrics that can be designed to support these long-term cognizant
benefits (Crawford & Scaletta, 2005).”
Thus, the Balanced Scorecard is an ideal vehicle for integrating CSR concerns with the organization’s mission,
vision, and strategy.
The Balanced Scorecard at a GlanceThe Balanced Scorecard at a Glance
As you know, the Balanced Scorecard is a focused set of key financial and nonfinancial indicators.
These indicators include leading, pacing, and lagging measures. The term “balanced” does not mean
equivalence among the measures but rather an acknowledgment of other key performance metrics that
are not financial. The now classic scorecard, as outlined by Robert Kaplan and David Norton, has four
quadrants or perspectives: (1) learning and growth, (2) internal, (3) customer, and (4) financial. Moreover,
the idea is that each of these perspectives should be linked. For example, increased training for employees
(learning and growth) can lead to enhanced operations or processes (internal), which leads to more satisfied
customers through either improved delivery time and/or lower prices (customers), which finally leads to
higher financial performance for the organization (financial).
A number of academic authors as well as global management consulting firms like McKinsey and KPMG have
written about the pressures facing firms with regard to social and environmental issues. For instance, KPMG’s
“International Survey of Corporate Responsibility Reporting 2008” reflects the growing importance of corporate
responsibility as a key indicator of nonfinancial performance, as well as a driver of financial performance (KPMG,
2008). In the 2008 survey, KPMG noted a significant increase in the publication of corporate responsibility
6.7 INTEGRATING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WITH CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY • 283
reports in the United States, from 37% in their 2005 survey to 74% in 2008. KPMG concluded that the survey
findings also reflect a growing sense of responsibility in the business community to improve transparency and
accountability to the wider community—not just to shareholders (see below for a summary of KPMG’s analysis
of U.S. CSR practices).
Summary of KPMG’s 2008 Report on U.S. Firm CSR PracticesSummary of KPMG’s 2008 Report on U.S. Firm CSR Practices
“The increase in corporate responsibility reporting by the top 100 companies in the United States may be
attributed to an increased focus on sustainability issues within US business in the last several years. This
year’s survey found that the top three drivers for corporate responsibility reporting remained the same as
in ethical considerations, economic considerations, and innovation and learning.
“However, within these drivers, ethical considerations (70 percent) replaced economic considerations
(50 percent) as the primary driver. We also noticed a gradual maturation of corporate responsibility
programs by US companies. Of the 74 percent that reported publicly, 82 percent had a defined corporate
responsibility or sustainability strategy, and 77 percent had implemented management systems for their
corporate responsibility goals. Furthermore, 78 percent had defined specific indicators relating to stated
objectives and 68 percent actually reported on performance against the stated objectives.”
http://www.kpmg.com/Global/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesAndPublications/Pages/Sustainability-
corporate-responsibility-reporting-2008.aspx (accessed November 11, 2008).
The actual effect of these challenges and opportunities was recently identified in an earlier (2006) KPMG’s
“International Survey of Corporate Responsibility Reporting (KPMG, 2005).” This report surveyed more than
1,600 companies worldwide and documented the top 10 motivators driving corporations to engage in CSR for
competitive reasons, which are:
• Economic considerations
• Ethical considerations
• Innovation and learning
• Employee motivation
• Risk management or risk reduction
• Access to capital or increased shareholder value
• Reputation or brand
• Market position or share
• Strengthened supplier relationships
• Cost savings
By creatively responding to these market forces, and others generated by the CSR movement, organizations can
reap considerable benefits. There are many examples of how companies are being affected by CSR drivers and
motivators. The following two examples are just a brief sample of the myriad CSR performance motivators that
are top of mind for managers.
284 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
IKEAIKEA
Swedish home furnishings retailer IKEA discloses a lot of detailed information with regard to supply chain
management in its annual CSR report (Ikea, 2008). As IKEA has suppliers in countries where the risk of labor
rights abuses are perceived as high, they are obligated to work on these issues in a systematic way, which can be
followed up on both internally and externally. IKEA’s 2007 “Social and Environmental Responsibility Report”
is noteworthy because of its transparency on its supply chain. For example, IKEA reported on the top five
purchasing countries as well as on how many IKEA suppliers are IWAY approved (The IKEA Way on Purchasing
Home Furnishing Products) (Ikea, 2009). China is number one in the top five purchasing countries at 22%, yet
at the same time has the lowest number of IWAY-approved suppliers (4%). IKEA seems aware that transparency
also calls for completeness and has disclosed well-developed information about the challenges in Asia in general
and in China specifically.
PEMEXPEMEX
PEMEX (Mexico) is a government-controlled body that was created as a decentralized government agency of the
Federal Public Administration. Its core purpose is to drive the nation’s central and strategic development activities
in the state’s petroleum industry. PEMEX holds the number 11 position as a crude oil producer and is one of
the three main suppliers of crude oil for the U.S. market. In 2007, total sales amounted to approximately $104.5
billion. Active personnel at PEMEX at the end of 2007 rose to 154,802 workers. PEMEX has been publishing
corporate responsibility reports since 1999. The 2007 report complies with the indicators set forth in the Global
Reporting Initiative (GRI) Guidelines and was the first Mexican GRI Application Level A+ report—the highest
level (Pemex, 2008). Moreover, the report meets the guidelines of the United Nations Global Compact for
communication in progress. The report addressed the needs of a complex sector, including the national oil and
gas industry, a vast list of stakeholders, and a citizen participation group composed of highly renowned specialists
to address citizens’ concerns.
Measures and CSRMeasures and CSR
One of the organizational challenges with CSR is that it requires firms to measure and report on aspects of their
operations that were either previously unmonitored or don’t clearly map into the firm’s strategy. Thus, goals and
objectives related to growing revenues through green consumers in the Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability
(LOHAS) marketplace comes with the price of increased transparency—this customer group demands the
necessary data to make informed decisions. Ethical considerations, KPMG’s second driver, are directly linked to
the LOHAS market. LOHAS describes a $226.8 billion marketplace for goods and services focused on health,
the environment, social justice, personal development, and sustainable living. The consumers attracted to this
market have been collectively referred to as “cultural creatives” and represent a sizable group in the United
States (Florida, 2005). Interested stakeholders, such as employees, regulators, investors, and nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs), pressure organizations to disclose more CSR information. Companies in particular are
increasingly expected to generate annual CSR reports in addition to their annual financial reports.
CSR reporting measures an organization’s economic, social, and environmental performance and impacts. The
measurement of CSR’s three dimensions is commonly called the triple bottom line (TBL). The Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI), mentioned in the case of PEMEX, is the internationally accepted standard for TBL reporting.
6.7 INTEGRATING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WITH CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY • 285
The GRI was created in 1997 to bring consistency to the TBL reporting process by enhancing the quality, rigor,
and utility of sustainability reporting. GRI issued its first comprehensive reporting guidelines in 2002 and its G3
Reporting Framework in October 2006. Since GRI was established, more than 1,000 international companies had
registered with the GRI and issued corporate sustainability reports using its standards (Global Reporting).
Representatives from business, accounting societies, organized labor, investors, and other stakeholders all
participated in the development of what are now known as the GRI Sustainability Guidelines. The guidelines are
composed of both qualitative and quantitative indicators. The guidelines and indicators were not designed, nor
intended, to replace Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or other mandatory financial reporting
requirements. Rather, the guidelines are intended to complement GAAP by providing the basis for credibility and
precision in non-financial reporting.
Some firms develop and apply their own sets of metrics. Royal Dutch Shell spent in excess of $1 million to
develop its environmental and social responsibility metrics. Instead of picking numbers from established sources,
such as the GRI template, Shell held 33 meetings with stakeholders and shareholders (Juergendaum, 2001). The
derived metrics became a much more accurate reflection of what its customers and other stakeholders wanted, and
thus, a true reflection of its strategy, mission, and vision.
One of the key benefits for an organization using a Balanced Scorecard is improved strategic alignment. The
Balanced Scorecard can be an effective format for reporting TBL indicators, as it illustrates the cause-and-effect
relationship between good corporate citizenship and a successful business. Enterprises can use the combination of
the Balanced Scorecard and CSR to help create a competitive advantage by letting decision makers know whether
they are truly entering into a CSR virtuous cycle in which economic and environmental performance, coupled
with social impacts, combine to improve organizational performance exponentially.
What do we mean by virtuous cycle? A company could begin to compete on cost leadership as a result of
improved technology and effective and efficient processes, which leads to improved ecological protection, which
results in better risk management and a lower cost of capital. Alternatively, a company could differentiate from
its competitors’ values and performance as a result of its community-building activities, which can improve
corporate reputation, result in improved brand equity, creating customer satisfaction, which increases sales. The
move to a broad differentiation strategy can also be achieved through extensive knowledge of green consumers
and leveraging their information needs through appropriate CSR reporting to improve brand equity and reputation.
These examples are designed to illustrate the interrelationships in an organization’s triple bottom line.
Several organizations have already recognized this powerful combination and have adapted or introduced a
Balanced Scorecard that includes CSR elements to successfully implement strategy reflective of evolving societal
values. Many managers are familiar with the Balanced Scorecard and thus have a tool at their disposal to help
them navigate the sometimes foggy worlds of strategy and CSR. The Balanced Scorecard can help organizations
strategically manage the alignment of cause-and-effect relationships of external market forces and impacts with
internal CSR drivers, values, and behavior. It is this alignment combined with CSR reporting that can enable
enterprises to implement either broad differentiation or cost leadership strategies. If managers believe there will
be resistance to stand-alone CSR initiatives, they can use the Balanced Scorecard to address CSR opportunities
and challenges. If you are so motivated, the managerial skills and tools you gain through an understanding of P-
O-L-C will help you to lead your organization toward a CSR virtuous cycle of cognizant benefits, understanding
precisely how and why their company’s profits are made.
286 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Key Takeaway
This section explored the challenges and opportunities of incorporating social and environmental goals
and objectives into the P-O-L-C process. Many organizations refer to social and environmental activities
as corporate social responsibility (CSR). For many firms, general operating goals and objectives have
not been well integrated with strategy, vision, and mission, so it may not be surprising that social and
environmental goals, in particular, have not gained much traction. However, when an organization uses
tools such as the Balanced Scorecard to manage goals and objectives, then there is a coherent vehicle for
incorporating social and environmental objectives in the mix as well.
Exercises
1. What does corporate social responsibility mean?
2. Why might it be challenging for organizations to effectively set and achieve social and
environmental goals and objectives, in addition to their operating goals and objectives?
3. Why might an organization pay greater attention to adding social and environmental goals and
objectives today than, say, 10 years ago?
4. What is meant by “virtuous cycle” with respect to CSR?
5. How does a Balanced Scorecard help managers develop social and environmental goals and
objectives?
6. In what ways does achievement of CSR goals and objectives strategically differentiate an
organization?
ReferencesReferences
Crawford, D., & Scaletta, T. (2005, November 24). http://www.greenbiz.com/feature/2005/10/24/the-balanced-
scorecard-and-corporate-social-responsibility-aligning-values-profit (accessed November 11, 2008).
Crawford, D., and Scaletta, T. (2005, November 24). www.greenbiz.com/feature/2005/10/24/the-balanced-
scorecard-and-corporate-social-responsibility-aligning-values-profit (accessed November 11, 2008).
Florida, R. (2005). The flight of the creative class: The global competition for talent. New York: HarperCollins.
Global Reporting, http://www.globalreporting.org/Home.
Ikea, http://www.ikea-group.ikea.com/ (accessed November 11, 2008).
Ikea, http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/about_ikea/social_environmental/the_ikea_way.html (accessed January 30,
2009).
Juergendaum, The Shell metrics effort was widely reported in a number of newsletters and articles. See, for
example, http://www.juergendaum.com/news/05_12_2001.htm.
6.7 INTEGRATING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WITH CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY • 287
KPMG, http://www.kpmg.com/Global/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesAndPublications/Pages/Sustainability-
corporate-responsibility-reporting-2008.aspx (accessed November 11, 2008). Also see http://www.csrwire.com/
News/13565.html (accessed January 30, 2009).
KPMG, http://www.kpmg.nl/Docs/Corporate_Site/Publicaties/
International_Survey_Corporate_Responsibility_2005 .
Pemex, http://www.pemex.com (accessed 2008, November 11).
Sustainability, http://www.sustainability-index.com/07_htmle/sustainability/corpsustainability.html (accessed
November 11, 2008).
288 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
6.8 Your Personal Balanced Scorecard
Learning Objectives
1. Develop a more personalized understanding of the Balanced Scorecard concept.
2. See how your vision and mission can be linked to your goals and objectives.
3. Be able to develop S-M-A-R-T goals and objectives.
One of the powerful tools in a manager’s tool kit is the Balanced Scorecard, a model that groups goals, objectives,
and metrics into the areas of financial, customer, internal business process, and learning and growth. As you know,
the scorecard is effective because it helps managers link vision, mission, and strategy to the goals and objectives
that employees strive to achieve. What you may not know, however, is that you can apply the scorecard to your
personal and professional objectives. Through this process you might also learn more about where and how a
Balanced Scorecard can be applied in an organizational context in your role as a manager or employee. That is the
purpose of this section.
289
Figure 6.13
Personal goals and objectives are key ingredients in your drive to get ahead.
StartupStockPhotos – Pixabay – CC0 public domain.
From an Organizational Scorecard to a Personal OneFrom an Organizational Scorecard to a Personal One
The Balanced Scorecard, championed by Kaplan and Norton, can be translated into your own individual
scorecard, one that helps you achieve your personal and professional goals and objectives. Recall that the
scorecard for an organization starts with vision and mission, followed by goals (financial, internal business
processes, customer, and learning and growth), which have corresponding objectives, metrics, and tactical
activities. When these components are applied to you as an individual, you might see the pieces of the scorecard
labeled as shown in the following figure. Let’s review each piece together.
Figure 6.14 My Balanced Scorecard
290 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Personal Mission, Vision, and StrategyPersonal Mission, Vision, and Strategy
As with an organization’s mission and vision, your personal mission and vision reflect who you are and where you
want to go. Mission reflects your values and philosophy of life. Vision captures what you want to achieve. Which
values and principles guide your way? What are your most deeply cherished aspirations? What do you want to
achieve? How do you distinguish yourself in society and among your peers and family? If you were to read your
biography in 20 years, what would you want it to say about you?
Personal Goals and Key RolesPersonal Goals and Key Roles
Goals and roles are set out with respect to the areas of financial, others, individual strengths, and learning
and growth. Financial, for instance, captures your needs and aspirations about money, as well as the financial
obligations that you might have as a result of your role of caring for a parent, sibling, or child. Others reflect
goals that you have in relation to other individuals or society at large. How do you want to be seen? Also, in
terms of roles, what do relations with your partner, children, friends, employer, colleagues, and others imply for
your goals? Individual strengths represent the internal perspective, reflecting goals related to your health and well-
being. This category also reflects those strengths that you wish to be distinguishing features. Finally, learning and
growth refer to your skills, abilities, and aims with regard to personal and professional learning and growth. How
can you learn and remain successful in the future? What type of skills and learning are required now, for future
aspired roles?
Using SMART CriteriaUsing SMART Criteria
These portions of the scorecard get more specific in terms of which measurable short-term personal results you
want to achieve. What are the most important changes you want to tackle in your career? Similarly, you will want
6.8 YOUR PERSONAL BALANCED SCORECARD • 291
to answer how you can measure your personal results. What values do you have to obtain, and what are your
specific targets?
For personal objectives and performance measures to be most effective, you might try seeing how they measure up
to SMART criteria. These characteristics, based on specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound yield
the acronym SMART (Drucker, 1954). Here is how to tell if your objectives, measures, and targets are SMART.
SpecificSpecific
A specific objective has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general one. To set a specific
objective, you must answer the six “W” questions:
• Who: Who is involved?
• What: What do I want to accomplish?
• Where: Identify a location.
• When: Establish a time frame.
• Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
• Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the objective.
EXAMPLE: A personal goal would be, “Get in shape.” But a specific objective would say, “Get into good enough
shape that 6 months from now I can hike to the summit of a 14,000-foot mountain and back in one day. To do so,
by next Monday I will join a health club within 5 miles of home and work out for at least 45 minutes 3 days a
week for 3 months, then reassess my progress (Manochio, 2008).”
MeasurableMeasurable
Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each objective you set. When you
measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement
that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your objective.
To determine whether your objective is measurable, ask questions such as: How much? How many? How will I
know when it is accomplished? Notice that the specific version of the “get in shape” objective includes metrics of
time and distance.
AttainableAttainable
When you identify objectives that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them
come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing
previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals and objectives.
You can attain most any objective you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows
you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and
become attainable, not because your goals shrink but because you grow and expand to match them through the
292 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
achievement of nearer-term objectives. When you list your objectives, you build your self-image. You see yourself
as worthy of these goals and objectives and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them.
Notice that the “get in shape” example outlines steps toward being able to climb the mountain.
RealisticRealistic
To be realistic, an objective must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work.
An objective can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your objective
should be. But be sure that every objective represents substantial progress. A high objective is frequently easier
to reach than a low one because a low objective exerts low motivational force. Some of the hardest jobs you ever
accomplished actually seem easy simply because they were a labor of love.
Your objective is probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished. Additional ways to know
whether your objective is realistic is to determine whether you have accomplished anything similar in the past or
ask yourself what conditions would have to exist to accomplish this objective.
You might decide whether an objective to climb a 14,000-foot mountain is realistic by considering whether people
of your age and ability have been able to do it.
TimelyTimely
An objective should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it, there’s no sense of urgency. If
you want to lose 10 pounds, when do you want to lose it by? “Someday” won’t work. But if you anchor it within a
time frame, “by May 1st,” then you’ve set your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the objective.
T can also stand for Tangible.
An objective is tangible when you can experience it with one of the senses, that is, taste, touch, smell, sight, or
hearing. When your objective is tangible, you have a better chance of making it specific and measurable and thus
attainable.
The objective of climbing the mountain is both grounded in a time frame—six months from now—and tangible,
in that you will either experience climbing the mountain successfully or not.
Personal Improvement ActivitiesPersonal Improvement Activities
The next step is implementation. One way to think about implementation of your Balanced Scorecard is through
the plan-do-act-dare cycle (PDAD cycle), to be followed continuously (Rampersad, 2005). As summarized in the
following figure, the PDAD cycle consists of the following four phases:
Figure 6.15 The PDAD Cycle
6.8 YOUR PERSONAL BALANCED SCORECARD • 293
PlanPlan
Formulate or update your scorecard, which focuses on your work as well as on your spare time. This spans vision
and mission through personal objectives and performance metrics.
DoDo
Start with a simple objective from your scorecard with corresponding improvement activity, keeping in mind the
priorities that have been identified. Each morning, focus on a selected improvement action that you will strive
to implement during the day. Execute the improvement activity with emotional dedication, self-confidence, and
willpower and concentrate on the action. This must be in concordance with your present skills. Share your good
intentions with a trusted person (spouse, friend, colleague, or manager), who will ask questions and give you
honest feedback. Doing is related to acting with purpose and to deliver efforts to realize your objective. Ask often
for feedback from the trusted person. This gives you the opportunity to measure the progress you have made. Start
with habits, which restrict you, influence your life unfavorably, and deliver poor results.
294 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
ActAct
Check whether the improvement activity is working and take action when it is not. Review the results according to
the defined personal performance measures and targets, measure your progress, and check to what extent you have
realized your personal objectives—as suggested by the “assess my progress” portion of the mountain-climbing
goal. If you have not been able to realize your objective, start again. You will improve steadily as it becomes a
habit to do good things right the first time and evaluate your scorecard each month with your trusted person. Think
of three people who can act as your trusted person, who provide you with inspiration and motivation support
for realizing your objectives and improvement actions. Plan to meet with each one of them regularly. Listen
enthusiastically to them, brainstorm with them, and take their wise counsel. Develop your skills and competencies
to achieve the objectives you selected. Recognize your responsibility to constantly develop yourself. Implement
the proven personal improvements, assess the personal results, document the lessons learned, and improve and
monitor your actions and thinking continuously. Also think about bringing your personal ambition and your
personal behavior into balance, which will result in influencing your ethical behavior. According to Steven Covey,
author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, after a few weeks, you will notice small differences in
yourself. In two months, the behavioral change will become firmly embedded. After five months, the important
personal quality will be yours.
DareDare
Accept larger challenges by daring to take on a more difficult objective and corresponding improvement action
from your scorecard and get on with it. Take a chance and be conscientious to choose a more challenging objective
in line with your improved skills when the current improvement action becomes boring. Enjoy the pleasant
experience, and document what you have learned and unlearned during the execution of the improvement action.
Refine it, and review your scorecard regularly.
Key Takeaway
The purpose of this section was to help you translate the Balanced Scorecard to your own personal and
professional situation. You learned how you might construct the scorecard, and take action to achieve
personal results. Through this process, you might also learn more about where and how a Balanced
Scorecard can be applied in an organizational context in your role as a manager or employee.
Exercises
1. What can you achieve by applying the concept of a Balanced Scorecard to your personal
situation?
2. How similar or different does the scorecard seem to function at an individual level as opposed to
an organizational level?
3. What are key characteristics of effective objectives?
6.8 YOUR PERSONAL BALANCED SCORECARD • 295
4. Why should personal objectives and measures of performance be specific?
5. What are some of the activities you can undertake to implement your scorecard?
6. When is the implementation of a personal Balanced Scorecard completed?
ReferencesReferences
Drucker, P. (1954). The Practice of management. New York: HarperCollins. Drucker coined the usage of the
acronym for SMART objectives while discussing objective-based management.
Manochio, M. (2008, September 30). http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080930/
COMMUNITIES12/809300311 (accessed November 10, 2008).
Rampersad. 2005. Personal Balanced Scorecard: The way to individual happiness, personal integrity, and
organizational effectiveness. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
296 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Chapter 7: Organizational Structure and
Change
7.1 Organizational Structure and Change
7.2 Case in Point: Toyota Struggles With Organizational Structure
7.3 Organizational Structure
7.4 Contemporary Forms of Organizational Structures
7.5 Organizational Change
7.6 Planning and Executing Change Effectively
7.7 Building Your Change Management Skills
297
7.1 Organizational Structure and Change
Figure 7.1
The structures of organizations vary and influence the ease or challenge of organizational performance and
change.
karanja – Pixabay – CC0 public domain.
What’s in It for Me?
Reading this chapter will help you do the following:
1. Define organizational structure and its basic elements.
2. Describe matrix, boundaryless, and learning organizations.
3. Describe why and how organizations change.
4. Understand reasons why people resist change, and strategies for planning and executing change
effectively.
5. Build your own organizational design skills.
298
Figure 7.2 The P-O-L-C Framework
Creating or enhancing the structure of an organization defines managers’ Organizational Design task.
Organizational design is one of the three tasks that fall into the organizing function in the planning-organizing-
leading-controlling (P-O-L-C) framework. As much as individual- and team-level factors influence work attitudes
and behaviors, the organization’s structure can be an even more powerful influence over employee actions.
7.1 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND CHANGE • 299
7.2 Case in Point: Toyota Struggles With Organizational
Structure
Figure 7.3
The Toad – Labadie Toyota Building – CC BY-NC 2.0.
Toyota Motor Corporation (TYO: 7203) has often been referred to as the gold standard of the automotive
industry. In the first quarter of 2007, Toyota (NYSE: TM) overtook General Motors Corporation in sales
for the first time as the top automotive manufacturer in the world. Toyota reached success in part because
of its exceptional reputation for quality and customer care. Despite the global recession and the tough
economic times that American auto companies such as General Motors and Chrysler faced in 2009, Toyota
enjoyed profits of $16.7 billion and sales growth of 6% that year. However, late 2009 and early 2010
witnessed Toyota’s recall of 8 million vehicles due to unintended acceleration. How could this happen to a
company known for quality and structured to solve problems as soon as they arise? To examine this further,
one has to understand about the Toyota Production System (TPS).
TPS is built on the principles of “just-in-time” production. In other words, raw materials and supplies
are delivered to the assembly line exactly at the time they are to be used. This system has little room for
slack resources, emphasizes the importance of efficiency on the part of employees, and minimizes wasted
resources. TPS gives power to the employees on the front lines. Assembly line workers are empowered to
pull a cord and stop the manufacturing line when they see a problem.
300
However, during the 1990s, Toyota began to experience rapid growth and expansion. With this success, the
organization became more defensive and protective of information. Expansion strained resources across
the organization and slowed response time. Toyota’s CEO, Akio Toyoda, the grandson of its founder, has
conceded, “Quite frankly, I fear the pace at which we have grown may have been too quick.”
Vehicle recalls are not new to Toyota; after defects were found in the company’s Lexus model in 1989,
Toyota created teams to solve the issues quickly, and in some cases the company went to customers’ homes
to collect the cars. The question on many people’s minds is, how could a company whose success was built
on its reputation for quality have had such failures? What is all the more puzzling is that brake problems in
vehicles became apparent in 2009, but only after being confronted by United States transportation secretary
Ray LaHood did Toyota begin issuing recalls in the United States. And during the early months of the
crisis, Toyota’s top leaders were all but missing from public sight.
The organizational structure of Toyota may give us some insight into the handling of this crisis and ideas
for the most effective way for Toyota to move forward. A conflict such as this has the ability to paralyze
productivity but if dealt with constructively and effectively, can present opportunities for learning and
improvement. Companies such as Toyota that have a rigid corporate culture and a hierarchy of seniority
are at risk of reacting to external threats slowly. It is not uncommon that individuals feel reluctant to pass
bad news up the chain within a family company such as Toyota. Toyota’s board of directors is composed of
29 Japanese men, all of whom are Toyota insiders. As a result of its centralized power structure, authority
is not generally delegated within the company; all U.S. executives are assigned a Japanese boss to mentor
them, and no Toyota executive in the United States is authorized to issue a recall. Most information flow
is one-way, back to Japan where decisions are made.
Will Toyota turn its recall into an opportunity for increased participation for its international
manufacturers? Will decentralization and increased transparency occur? Only time will tell.
Case written based on information from Accelerating into trouble. (2010, February 11). Economist.
Retrieved March 8, 2010, from http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15498249;
Dickson, D. (2010, February 10). Toyota’s bumps began with race for growth. Washington Times, p.
1; Maynard, M., Tabuchi, H., Bradsher, K., & Parris, M. (2010, February 7). Toyota has pattern of
slow response on safety issues. New York Times, p. 1; Simon, B. (2010, February 24). LaHood voices
concerns over Toyota culture. Financial Times. Retrieved March 10, 2010, from http://www.ft.com/cms/s/
0/11708d7c-20d7-11df-b920-00144feab49a.html; Werhane, P., & Moriarty, B. (2009). Moral imagination
and management decision making. Business Roundtable Institute for Corporate Ethics. Retrieved April
30, 2010, from http://www.corporate-ethics.org/pdf/moral_imagination ; Atlman, A. (2010, February
24). Congress puts Toyota (and Toyoda) in the hot seat. Time. Retrieved March 11, 2010, from
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1967654,00.html.
Discussion Questions
1. What changes in the organizing facet of the P-O-L-C framework might you make at Toyota to
prevent future mishaps like the massive recalls related to brake and accelerator failures?
2. Do you think Toyota’s organizational structure and norms are explicitly formalized in rules, or do
the norms seem to be more inherent in the culture of the organization?
3. What are the pros and cons of Toyota’s structure?
4. What elements of business would you suggest remain the same and what elements might need
7.2 CASE IN POINT: TOYOTA STRUGGLES WITH ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE • 301
revising?
5. What are the most important elements of Toyota’s organizational structure?
302 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
7.3 Organizational Structure
Learning Objectives
1. Explain the roles of formalization, centralization, levels in the hierarchy, and departmentalization
in employee attitudes and behaviors.
2. Describe how the elements of organizational structure can be combined to create mechanistic and
organic structures.
3. Understand the advantages and disadvantages of mechanistic and organic structures for
organizations.
Organizational structure refers to how individual and team work within an organization are coordinated. To
achieve organizational goals and objectives, individual work needs to be coordinated and managed. Structure
is a valuable tool in achieving coordination, as it specifies reporting relationships (who reports to whom),
delineates formal communication channels, and describes how separate actions of individuals are linked together.
Organizations can function within a number of different structures, each possessing distinct advantages and
disadvantages. Although any structure that is not properly managed will be plagued with issues, some
organizational models are better equipped for particular environments and tasks.
Building Blocks of StructureBuilding Blocks of Structure
What exactly do we mean by organizational structure? Which elements of a company’s structure make a
difference in how we behave and how work is coordinated? We will review four aspects of structure that have been
frequently studied in the literature: centralization, formalization, hierarchical levels, and departmentalization. We
view these four elements as the building blocks, or elements, making up a company’s structure. Then we will
examine how these building blocks come together to form two different configurations of structures.
CentralizationCentralization
Centralization is the degree to which decision-making authority is concentrated at higher levels in an organization.
In centralized companies, many important decisions are made at higher levels of the hierarchy, whereas in
303
decentralized companies, decisions are made and problems are solved at lower levels by employees who are closer
to the problem in question.
As an employee, where would you feel more comfortable and productive? If your answer is “decentralized,” you
are not alone. Decentralized companies give more authority to lower-level employees, resulting in a sense of
empowerment. Decisions can be made more quickly, and employees often believe that decentralized companies
provide greater levels of procedural fairness to employees. Job candidates are more likely to be attracted to
decentralized organizations. Because centralized organizations assign decision-making responsibility to higher-
level managers, they place greater demands on the judgment capabilities of CEOs and other high-level managers.
Many companies find that the centralization of operations leads to inefficiencies in decision making. For example,
in the 1980s, the industrial equipment manufacturer Caterpillar suffered the consequences of centralized decision
making. At the time, all pricing decisions were made in the corporate headquarters in Peoria, Illinois. This meant
that when a sales representative working in Africa wanted to give a discount on a product, they needed to check
with headquarters. Headquarters did not always have accurate or timely information about the subsidiary markets
to make an effective decision. As a result, Caterpillar was at a disadvantage against competitors such as the
Japanese firm Komatsu. Seeking to overcome this centralization paralysis, Caterpillar underwent several dramatic
rounds of reorganization in the 1990s and 2000s (Nelson & Pasternack, 2005).
Figure 7.4
Changing their decision-making approach to a more decentralized style has helped Caterpillar compete at
the global level.
Aconcagua – Bauma 2007 Bulldozer Caterpillar 2 CC BY-SA 3.0.
304 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
However, centralization also has its advantages. Some employees are more comfortable in an organization where
their manager confidently gives instructions and makes decisions. Centralization may also lead to more efficient
operations, particularly if the company is operating in a stable environment (Ambrose & Cropanzano, 2000;
Miller, et. al., 1988; Oldham & Hackman, 1981; Pierce & Delbecq, 1977; Schminke, et. al., 2000; Turban & Keon,
1993; Wally & Baum, 1994).
In fact, organizations can suffer from extreme decentralization. For example, some analysts believe that the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) experiences some problems because all its structure and systems are based
on the assumption that crime needs to be investigated after it happens. Over time, this assumption led to a situation
where, instead of following an overarching strategy, each FBI unit is completely decentralized and field agents
determine how investigations should be pursued. It has been argued that due to the change in the nature of crimes,
the FBI needs to gather accurate intelligence before a crime is committed; this requires more centralized decision
making and strategy development (Brazil, 2007).
Hitting the right balance between decentralization and centralization is a challenge for many organizations. At
the Home Depot, the retail giant with over 2,000 stores across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China,
one of the major changes instituted by former CEO Bob Nardelli was to centralize most of its operations. Before
Nardelli’s arrival in 2000, Home Depot store managers made a number of decisions autonomously and each store
had an entrepreneurial culture. Nardelli’s changes initially saved the company a lot of money. For example, for
a company of that size, centralizing purchasing operations led to big cost savings because the company could
negotiate important discounts from suppliers. At the same time, many analysts think that the centralization went
too far, leading to the loss of the service-oriented culture at the stores. Nardelli was ousted after seven years
(Charan, 2006; Marquez, 2007).
FormalizationFormalization
Formalization is the extent to which an organization’s policies, procedures, job descriptions, and rules are written
and explicitly articulated. Formalized structures are those in which there are many written rules and regulations.
These structures control employee behavior using written rules, so that employees have little autonomy to decide
on a case-by-case basis. An advantage of formalization is that it makes employee behavior more predictable.
Whenever a problem at work arises, employees know to turn to a handbook or a procedure guideline. Therefore,
employees respond to problems in a similar way across the organization; this leads to consistency of behavior.
While formalization reduces ambiguity and provides direction to employees, it is not without disadvantages. A
high degree of formalization may actually lead to reduced innovativeness because employees are used to behaving
in a certain manner. In fact, strategic decision making in such organizations often occurs only when there is a
crisis. A formalized structure is associated with reduced motivation and job satisfaction as well as a slower pace
of decision making (Frederickson, 1986; Oldham & Hackman, 1981; Pierce & Delbecq, 1977; Wally & Baum,
1994). The service industry is particularly susceptible to problems associated with high levels of formalization.
Sometimes employees who are listening to a customer’s problems may need to take action, but the answer may not
be specified in any procedural guidelines or rulebook. For example, while a handful of airlines such as Southwest
do a good job of empowering their employees to handle complaints, in many airlines, lower-level employees have
limited power to resolve a customer problem and are constrained by stringent rules that outline a limited number
of acceptable responses.
7.3 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE • 305
Hierarchical LevelsHierarchical Levels
Another important element of a company’s structure is the number of levels it has in its hierarchy. Keeping the
size of the organization constant, tall structures have several layers of management between frontline employees
and the top level, while flat structures consist of only a few layers. In tall structures, the number of employees
reporting to each manager tends to be smaller, resulting in greater opportunities for managers to supervise and
monitor employee activities. In contrast, flat structures involve a larger number of employees reporting to each
manager. In such a structure, managers will be relatively unable to provide close supervision, leading to greater
levels of freedom of action for each employee.
Research indicates that flat organizations provide greater need satisfaction for employees and greater levels of
self-actualization (Ghiselli & Johnson, 1970; Porter & Siegel, 2006). At the same time, there may be some
challenges associated with flat structures. Research shows that when managers supervise a large number of
employees, which is more likely to happen in flat structures, employees experience greater levels of role
ambiguity—the confusion that results from being unsure of what is expected of a worker on the job (Chonko,
1982). This is especially a disadvantage for employees who need closer guidance from their managers. Moreover,
in a flat structure, advancement opportunities will be more limited because there are fewer management layers.
Finally, while employees report that flat structures are better at satisfying their higher-order needs such as self-
actualization, they also report that tall structures are better at satisfying security needs of employees (Porter &
Lawler, 1964). Because tall structures are typical of large and well-established companies, it is possible that when
working in such organizations employees feel a greater sense of job security.
306 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Figure 7.5
Companies such as IKEA, the Swedish furniture manufacturer and retailer, are successfully using flat
structures within stores to build an employee attitude of job involvement and ownership.
Ikea almhult – Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 3.0.
DepartmentalizationDepartmentalization
Organizational structures differ in terms of departmentalization, which is broadly categorized as either functional
or divisional.
Organizations using functional structures group jobs based on similarity in functions. Such structures may
have departments such as marketing, manufacturing, finance, accounting, human resources, and information
technology. In these structures, each person serves a specialized role and handles large volumes of transactions.
For example, in a functional structure, an employee in the marketing department may serve as an event planner,
planning promotional events for all the products of the company.
In organizations using divisional structures, departments represent the unique products, services, customers, or
geographic locations the company is serving. Thus each unique product or service the company is producing will
have its own department. Within each department, functions such as marketing, manufacturing, and other roles
are replicated. In these structures, employees act like generalists as opposed to specialists. Instead of performing
specialized tasks, employees will be in charge of performing many different tasks in the service of the product.
For example, a marketing employee in a company with a divisional structure may be in charge of planning
promotions, coordinating relations with advertising agencies, and planning and conducting marketing research,
all for the particular product line handled by his or her division.
7.3 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE • 307
In reality, many organizations are structured according to a mixture of functional and divisional forms. For
example, if the company has multiple product lines, departmentalizing by product may increase innovativeness
and reduce response times. Each of these departments may have dedicated marketing, manufacturing, and
customer service employees serving the specific product; yet, the company may also find that centralizing
some operations and retaining the functional structure makes sense and is more cost effective for roles such as
human resources management and information technology. The same organization may also create geographic
departments if it is serving different countries.
Each type of departmentalization has its advantages. Functional structures tend to be effective when an
organization does not have a large number of products and services requiring special attention. When a company
has a diverse product line, each product will have unique demands, deeming divisional (or product-specific)
structures more useful for promptly addressing customer demands and anticipating market changes. Functional
structures are more effective in stable environments that are slower to change. In contrast, organizations using
product divisions are more agile and can perform better in turbulent environments. The type of employee who will
succeed under each structure is also different. Research shows that when employees work in product divisions in
turbulent environments, because activities are diverse and complex, their performance depends on their general
mental abilities (Hollenbeck, et. al., 2002).
Figure 7.6 An Example of a Pharmaceutical Company with a Functional Departmentalization Structure
Figure 7.7 An Example of a Pharmaceutical Company with a Divisional Departmentalization Structure
Two Configurations: Mechanistic and Organic StructuresTwo Configurations: Mechanistic and Organic Structures
The different elements making up organizational structures in the form of formalization, centralization, number of
308 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
levels in the hierarchy, and departmentalization often coexist. As a result, we can talk about two configurations of
organizational structures, depending on how these elements are arranged.
Mechanistic structures are those that resemble a bureaucracy. These structures are highly formalized and
centralized. Communication tends to follow formal channels and employees are given specific job descriptions
delineating their roles and responsibilities. Mechanistic organizations are often rigid and resist change, making
them unsuitable for innovativeness and taking quick action. These forms have the downside of inhibiting
entrepreneurial action and discouraging the use of individual initiative on the part of employees. Not only do
mechanistic structures have disadvantages for innovativeness, but they also limit individual autonomy and self-
determination, which will likely lead to lower levels of intrinsic motivation on the job (Burns & Stalker, 1961;
Covin & Slevin, 1988; Schollhammer, 1982; Sherman & Smith, 1984; Slevin & Covin, 1990).
Despite these downsides, however, mechanistic structures have advantages when the environment is more
stable. The main advantage of a mechanistic structure is its efficiency. Therefore, in organizations that are
trying to maximize efficiency and minimize costs, mechanistic structures provide advantages. For example,
McDonald’s has a famously bureaucratic structure where employee jobs are highly formalized, with clear lines
of communication and specific job descriptions. This structure is an advantage for them because it allows
McDonald’s to produce a uniform product around the world at minimum cost. Mechanistic structures can also be
advantageous when a company is new. New businesses often suffer from a lack of structure, role ambiguity, and
uncertainty. The presence of a mechanistic structure has been shown to be related to firm performance in new
ventures (Sine & Kirsch, 2006).
In contrast to mechanistic structures, organic structures are flexible and decentralized, with low levels of
formalization. In Organizations with an organic structure, communication lines are more fluid and flexible.
Employee job descriptions are broader and employees are asked to perform duties based on the specific needs of
the organization at the time as well as their own expertise levels. Organic structures tend to be related to higher
levels of job satisfaction on the part of employees. These structures are conducive to entrepreneurial behavior and
innovativeness (Burns & Stalker, 1961; Covin & Slevin, 1988). An example of a company that has an organic
structure is the diversified technology company 3M. The company is strongly committed to decentralization. At
3M, there are close to 100 profit centers, with each division feeling like a small company. Each division manager
acts autonomously and is accountable for his or her actions. As operations within each division get too big and a
product created by a division becomes profitable, the operation is spun off to create a separate business unit. This
is done to protect the agility of the company and the small-company atmosphere.
Key Takeaway
The degree to which a company is centralized and formalized, the number of levels in the company
hierarchy, and the type of departmentalization the company uses are key elements of a company’s structure.
These elements of structure affect the degree to which the company is effective and innovative as well as
employee attitudes and behaviors at work. These elements come together to create mechanistic and organic
structures. Mechanistic structures are rigid and bureaucratic and help companies achieve efficiency, while
organic structures are decentralized, flexible, and aid companies in achieving innovativeness.
7.3 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE • 309
Exercises
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of decentralization?
2. All else being equal, would you prefer to work in a tall or flat organization? Why?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of departmentalization by product?
ReferencesReferences
Ambrose, M. L., & Cropanzano, R. S. (2000). The effect of organizational structure on perceptions of procedural
fairness. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85, 294–304.
Brazil, J. J. (2007, April). Mission: Impossible? Fast Company, 114, 92–109.
Burns, T., & Stalker, M. G. (1961). The Management of Innovation. London: Tavistock.
Charan, R. (2006, April). Home Depot’s blueprint for culture change. Harvard Business Review, 84(4), 60–70.
Chonko, L. B. (1982). The relationship of span of control to sales representatives’ experienced role conflict and
role ambiguity. Academy of Management Journal, 25, 452–456.
Covin, J. G., & Slevin, D. P. (1988) The influence of organizational structure. Journal of Management Studies,
25, 217–234.
Fredrickson, J. W. (1986). The strategic decision process and organizational structure. Academy of Management
Review, 11, 280–297.
Ghiselli, E. E., & Johnson, D. A. (1970). Need satisfaction, managerial success, and organizational structure.
Personnel Psychology, 23, 569–576.
Hollenbeck, J. R., Moon, H., Ellis, A. P. J., West, B. J., Ilgen, D. R., et al. (2002). Structural contingency theory
and individual differences: Examination of external and internal person-team fit. Journal of Applied Psychology,
87, 599–606.
Marquez, J. (2007, January 15). Big bucks at door for Depot HR leader. Workforce Management, 86(1).
Miller, D., Droge, C., & Toulouse, J. (1988). Strategic process and content as mediators between organizational
context and structure. Academy of Management Journal, 31, 544–569.
Nelson, G. L., & Pasternack, B. A. (2005). Results: Keep what’s good, fix what’s wrong, and unlock great
performance. New York: Crown Business.
Oldham, G. R., & Hackman, R. J. (1981). Relationships between organizational structure and employee reactions:
Comparing alternative frameworks. Administrative Science Quarterly, 26, 66–83.
310 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Pierce, J. L., & Delbecq, A. L. (1977). Organization structure, individual attitudes, and innovation. Academy of
Management Review, 2, 27–37.
Porter, L. W., & Lawler, E. E. (1964). The effects of tall versus flat organization structures on managerial job
satisfaction. Personnel Psychology, 17, 135–148.
Porter, L. W., & Siegel, J. (2006). Relationships of tall and flat organization structures to the satisfactions of
foreign managers. Personnel Psychology, 18, 379–392.
Schminke, M., Ambrose, M. L., & Cropanzano, R. S. (2000). The effect of organizational structure on perceptions
of procedural fairness. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85, 294–304.
Schollhammer, H. (1982). Internal corporate entrepreneurship. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Sherman, J. D., & Smith, H. L. (1984). The influence of organizational structure on intrinsic versus extrinsic
motivation. Academy of Management Journal, 27, 877–885.
Sine, W. D., Mitsuhashi, H., & Kirsch, D. A. (2006). Revisiting Burns and Stalker: Formal structure and new
venture performance in emerging economic sectors. Academy of Management Journal, 49, 121–132.
Slevin, D. P. (1988). The influence of organizational structure. Journal of Management Studies. 25, 217–234.
Slevin, D. P., & Covin, J. G. (1990). Juggling entrepreneurial style and organizational structure—how to get your
act together. Sloan Management Review, 31(2), 43–53.
Turban, D. B., & Keon, T. L. (1993). Organizational attractiveness: An interactionist perspective. Journal of
Applied Psychology, 78, 184–193.
Wally, S., & Baum, J. R. (1994). Personal and structural determinants of the pace of strategic decision making.
Academy of Management Journal, 37, 932–956.
Wally, S., & Baum, R. J. (1994). Strategic decision speed and firm performance. Strategic Management Journal,
24, 1107–1129.
7.3 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE • 311
7.4 Contemporary Forms of Organizational Structures
Learning Objectives
1. Explain what a matrix structure is and the challenges of working in a structure such as this.
2. Define boundaryless organizations.
3. Define learning organizations, and list the steps organizations can take to become learning
organizations.
For centuries, technological advancements that affected business came in slow waves. Over 100 years passed
between the invention of the first reliable steam engine and the first practical internal combustion engine. During
these early days of advancement, communication would often go hand in hand with transportation. Instead of
delivering mail hundreds of miles by horse, messages could be transported more quickly by train and then later
by plane. Beginning in the 1900s, the tides of change began to rise much more quickly. From the telegraph to the
telephone to the computer to the Internet, each advancement brought about a need for an organization’s structure
to adapt and change.
Business has become global, moving into new economies and cultures. Previously nonexistent industries, such
as those related to high technology, have demanded flexibility by organizations in ways never before seen. The
diverse and complex nature of the current business environment has led to the emergence of several types of
organizational structures. Beginning in the 1970s, management experts began to propose organizational designs
that they believed were better adapted to the needs of the emerging business environment. Each structure has
unique qualities to help businesses handle their particular environment.
Matrix OrganizationsMatrix Organizations
Matrix organizations have a design that combines a traditional functional structure with a product structure.
Instead of completely switching from a product-based structure, a company may use a matrix structure to balance
the benefits of product-based and traditional functional structures. Specifically, employees reporting to department
managers are also pooled together to form project or product teams. As a result, each person reports to a
department manager as well as a project or product manager. In a matrix structure, product managers have control
and say over product-related matters, while department managers have authority over matters related to company
312
policy. Matrix structures are created in response to uncertainty and dynamism of the environment and the need
to give particular attention to specific products or projects. Using the matrix structure as opposed to product
departments may increase communication and cooperation among departments because project managers will
need to coordinate their actions with those of department managers. In fact, research shows that matrix structure
increases the frequency of informal and formal communication within the organization (Joyce, W. F., 1986).
Matrix structures also have the benefit of providing quick responses to technical problems and customer demands.
The existence of a project manager keeps the focus on the product or service provided.
Figure 7.8
An example of a matrix structure at a software development company. Business analysts, developers, and
testers each report to a functional department manager and to a project manager simultaneously.
Despite these potential benefits, matrix structures are not without costs. In a matrix, each employee reports to
two or more managers. This situation is ripe for conflict. Because multiple managers are in charge of guiding
the behaviors of each employee, there may be power struggles or turf wars among managers. As managers are
more interdependent compared to a traditional or product-based structure, they will need to spend more effort
coordinating their work. From the employee’s perspective, there is potential for interpersonal conflict with team
members as well as with leaders. The presence of multiple leaders may create role ambiguity or, worse, role
conflict—being given instructions or objectives that cannot all be met because they are mutually exclusive.
The necessity to work with a team consisting of employees with different functional backgrounds increases the
potential for task conflict at work (Ford, R. C. and Randolph, W. A., 1992). Solving these problems requires a
great level of patience and proactivity on the part of the employee.
The matrix structure is used in many information technology companies engaged in software development.
Sportswear manufacturer Nike is another company that uses the matrix organization successfully. New product
7.4 CONTEMPORARY FORMS OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES • 313
introduction is a task shared by regional managers and product managers. While product managers are in charge
of deciding how to launch a product, regional managers are allowed to make modifications based on the region
(Anand, N. and Daft, R. L., 2007).
Boundaryless OrganizationsBoundaryless Organizations
Boundaryless organization is a term coined by Jack Welch during his tenure as CEO of GE; it refers to an
organization that eliminates traditional barriers between departments as well as barriers between the organization
and the external environment (Ashkenas, R., et, al., 1995). Many different types of boundaryless organizations
exist. One form is the modular organization, in which all nonessential functions are outsourced. The idea behind
this format is to retain only the value-generating and strategic functions in-house, while the rest of the operations
are outsourced to many suppliers. An example of a company that does this is Toyota. By managing relationships
with hundreds of suppliers, Toyota achieves efficiency and quality in its operations. Strategic alliances constitute
another form of boundaryless design. In this form, similar to a joint venture, two or more companies find an area
of collaboration and combine their efforts to create a partnership that is beneficial for both parties. In the process,
the traditional boundaries between two competitors may be broken. As an example, Starbucks formed a highly
successful partnership with PepsiCo to market its Frappuccino cold drinks. Starbucks has immediate brand-name
recognition in this cold coffee drink, but its desire to capture shelf space in supermarkets required marketing
savvy and experience that Starbucks did not possess at the time. By partnering with PepsiCo, Starbucks gained
an important head start in the marketing and distribution of this product. Finally, boundaryless organizations
may involve eliminating the barriers separating employees; these may be intangible barriers, such as traditional
management layers, or actual physical barriers, such as walls between different departments. Structures such as
self-managing teams create an environment where employees coordinate their efforts and change their own roles
to suit the demands of the situation, as opposed to insisting that something is “not my job” (Dess, G. G., et. al.,
1995; Rosenbloom, B., 2003).
Learning OrganizationsLearning Organizations
A learning organization is one whose design actively seeks to acquire knowledge and change behavior as a result
of the newly acquired knowledge. In learning organizations, experimenting, learning new things, and reflecting
on new knowledge are the norms. At the same time, there are many procedures and systems in place that facilitate
learning at all organization levels.
In learning organizations, experimentation and testing potentially better operational methods are encouraged. This
is true not only in response to environmental threats but also as a way of identifying future opportunities. 3M
is one company that institutionalized experimenting with new ideas in the form of allowing each engineer to
spend one day a week working on a personal project. At IBM, learning is encouraged by taking highly successful
business managers and putting them in charge of emerging business opportunities (EBOs). IBM is a company that
has no difficulty coming up with new ideas, as evidenced by the number of patents it holds. Yet commercializing
these ideas has been a problem in the past because of an emphasis on short-term results. To change this situation,
the company began experimenting with the idea of EBOs. By setting up a structure where failure is tolerated and
risk taking is encouraged, the company took a big step toward becoming a learning organization (Deutschman,
A., 2005).
314 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Learning organizations are also good at learning from experience—their own or a competitor’s. To learn from
past mistakes, companies conduct a thorough analysis of them. Some companies choose to conduct formal
retrospective meetings to analyze the challenges encountered and areas for improvement. To learn from others,
these companies vigorously study competitors, market leaders in different industries, clients, and customers. By
benchmarking against industry best practices, they constantly look for ways of improving their own operations.
Learning organizations are also good at studying customer habits to generate ideas. For example, Xerox uses
anthropologists to understand and gain insights to how customers are actually using their office products (Garvin,
D. A., 1993). By using these techniques, learning organizations facilitate innovation and make it easier to achieve
organizational change.
Key Takeaway
The changing environment of organizations creates the need for newer forms of organizing. Matrix
structures are a cross between functional and product-based divisional structures. They facilitate
information flow and reduce response time to customers but have challenges because each employee
reports to multiple managers. Boundaryless organizations blur the boundaries between departments or the
boundaries between the focal organization and others in the environment. These organizations may take
the form of a modular organization, strategic alliance, or self-managing teams. Learning organizations
institutionalize experimentation and benchmarking.
Exercises
1. Have you ever reported to more than one manager? What were the challenges of such a situation?
As a manager, what could you do to help your subordinates who have other bosses besides yourself?
2. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of being employed by a boundaryless
organization?
3. What can organizations do to institutionalize organizational learning? What practices and policies
would aid in knowledge acquisition and retention?
ReferencesReferences
Anand, N., & Daft, R. L. (2007). What is the right organization design? Organizational Dynamics, 36(4),
329–344.
Ashkenas, R., Ulrich, D., Jick, T., & Kerr, S. (1995). The Boundaryless organization: Breaking the chains of
organizational structure. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Dess, G. G., Rasheed, A. M. A., McLaughlin, K. J., & Priem, R. L. (1995). The new corporate architecture.
Academy of Management Executive, 9(3), 7–18.
Deutschman, A. (2005, March). Building a better skunk works. Fast Company, 92, 68–73.
7.4 CONTEMPORARY FORMS OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES • 315
Ford, R. C., & Randolph, W. A. (1992). Cross-functional structures: A review and integration of matrix
organization and project management. Journal of Management, 18, 267–294.
Garvin, D. A. (1993, July/August). Building a learning organization. Harvard Business Review, 71(4), 78–91.
Joyce, W. F. (1986). Matrix organization: A social experiment. Academy of Management Journal, 29, 536–561.
Rosenbloom, B. (2003). Multi-channel marketing and the retail value chain. Thexis, 3, 23–26.
316 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
7.5 Organizational Change
Learning Objectives
1. Identify the external forces creating change on the part of organizations.
2. Understand how organizations respond to changes in the external environment.
3. Understand why people resist change.
Why Do Organizations Change?Why Do Organizations Change?
Organizational change is the movement of an organization from one state of affairs to another. A change in the
environment often requires change within the organization operating within that environment. Change in almost
any aspect of a company’s operation can be met with resistance, and different cultures can have different reactions
to both the change and the means to promote the change. To better facilitate necessary changes, several steps can
be taken that have been proved to lower the anxiety of employees and ease the transformation process. Often, the
simple act of including employees in the change process can drastically reduce opposition to new methods. In
some organizations, this level of inclusion is not possible, and instead organizations can recruit a small number of
opinion leaders to promote the benefits of coming changes.
Organizational change can take many forms. It may involve a change in a company’s structure, strategy, policies,
procedures, technology, or culture. The change may be planned years in advance or may be forced on an
organization because of a shift in the environment. Organizational change can be radical and swiftly alter the way
an organization operates, or it may be incremental and slow. In any case, regardless of the type, change involves
letting go of the old ways in which work is done and adjusting to new ways. Therefore, fundamentally, it is a
process that involves effective people management.
Managers carrying out any of the P-O-L-C functions often find themselves faced with the need to manage
organizational change effectively. Oftentimes, the planning process reveals the need for a new or improved
strategy, which is then reflected in changes to tactical and operational plans. Creating a new organizational
design (the organizing function) or altering the existing design entails changes that may affect from a single
employee up to the entire organization, depending on the scope of the changes. Effective decision making, a
Leadership task, takes into account the change-management implications of decisions, planning for the need to
317
manage the implementation of decisions. Finally, any updates to controlling systems and processes will potentially
involve changes to employees’ assigned tasks and performance assessments, which will require astute change
management skills to implement. In short, change management is an important leadership skill that spans the
entire range of P-O-L-C functions.
Workplace DemographicsWorkplace Demographics
Organizational change is often a response to changes to the environment. For example, agencies that monitor
workplace demographics such as the U.S. Department of Labor and the Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development have reported that the average age of the U.S. workforce will increase as the baby boom
generation nears retirement age and the numbers of younger workers are insufficient to fill the gap (Lerman, R. I.
and Schmidt, S. R., 2006). What does this mean for companies? Organizations may realize that as the workforce
gets older, the types of benefits workers prefer may change. Work arrangements such as flexible work hours and
job sharing may become more popular as employees remain in the workforce even after retirement. It is also
possible that employees who are unhappy with their current work situation will choose to retire, resulting in a
sudden loss of valuable knowledge and expertise in organizations. Therefore, organizations will have to devise
strategies to retain these employees and plan for their retirement. Finally, a critical issue is finding ways of dealing
with age-related stereotypes which act as barriers in the retention of these employees.
TechnologyTechnology
Sometimes change is motivated by rapid developments in technology. Moore’s law (a prediction by Gordon
Moore, cofounder of Intel) dictates that the overall complexity of computers will double every 18 months with no
increase in cost (Anonymous, 2008). Such change is motivating corporations to change their technology rapidly.
Sometimes technology produces such profound developments that companies struggle to adapt. A recent example
is from the music industry. When music CDs were first introduced in the 1980s, they were substantially more
appealing than the traditional LP vinyl records. Record companies were easily able to double the prices, even
though producing CDs cost a fraction of what it cost to produce LPs. For decades, record-producing companies
benefited from this status quo. Yet when peer-to-peer file sharing through software such as Napster and Kazaa
threatened the core of their business, companies in the music industry found themselves completely unprepared
for such disruptive technological changes. Their first response was to sue the users of file-sharing software,
sometimes even underage kids. They also kept looking for a technology that would make it impossible to copy
a CD or DVD, which has yet to emerge. Until Apple’s iTunes came up with a new way to sell music online, it
was doubtful that consumers would ever be willing to pay for music that was otherwise available for free (albeit
illegally so). Only time will tell if the industry will be able to adapt to the changes forced on it (Lasica, J. D.,
2005).
Figure 7.9
318 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Kurzweil expanded Moore’s law from integrated circuits to earlier transistors, vacuum tubes, relays, and
electromechanical computers to show that his trend holds there as well.
Wikimedia Commons – Moore’s Law, The Fifth Paradigm – public domain.
GlobalizationGlobalization
Globalization is another threat and opportunity for organizations, depending on their ability to adapt to it. Because
of differences in national economies and standards of living from one country to another, organizations in
developed countries are finding that it is often cheaper to produce goods and deliver services in less developed
countries. This has led many companies to outsource (or “offshore”) their manufacturing operations to countries
such as China and Mexico. In the 1990s, knowledge work was thought to be safe from outsourcing, but in the
21st century we are also seeing many service operations moved to places with cheaper wages. For example, many
companies have outsourced software development to India, with Indian companies such as Wipro and Infosys
emerging as global giants. Given these changes, understanding how to manage a global workforce is a necessity.
Many companies realize that outsourcing forces them to operate in an institutional environment that is radically
different from what they are used to at home. Dealing with employee stress resulting from jobs being moved
overseas, retraining the workforce, and learning to compete with a global workforce on a global scale are changes
companies are trying to come to grips with.
7.5 ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE • 319
Changes in the Market ConditionsChanges in the Market Conditions
Market changes may also create internal changes as companies struggle to adjust. For example, as of this writing,
the airline industry in the United States is undergoing serious changes. Demand for air travel was reduced after
the September 11 terrorist attacks. At the same time, the widespread use of the Internet to book plane travels made
it possible to compare airline prices much more efficiently and easily, encouraging airlines to compete primarily
based on cost. This strategy seems to have backfired when coupled with the dramatic increases in the cost of
fuel that occurred begining in 2004. As a result, by mid-2008, airlines were cutting back on amenities that had
formerly been taken for granted for decades, such as the price of a ticket including meals, beverages, and checking
luggage. Some airlines, such as Delta and Northwest Airlines, merged to stay in business.
How does a change in the environment create change within an organization? Environmental change does not
automatically change how business is done. Whether the organization changes or not in response to environmental
challenges and threats depends on the decision makers’ reactions to what is happening in the environment.
GrowthGrowth
Figure 7.10
In 1984, brothers Kurt (on the left) and Rob Widmer (on the right) founded Widmer Brothers, which has
merged with another company to become the 11th largest brewery in the United States.
M.O. Stevens – Widmer Brewing Company headquarters – CC BY-SA 3.0.
It is natural for once small start-up companies to grow if they are successful. An example of this growth is the
evolution of the Widmer Brothers Brewing Company, which started as two brothers brewing beer in their garage
to becoming the 11th largest brewery in the United States. This growth happened over time as the popularity of
their key product—Hefeweizen—grew in popularity and the company had to expand to meet demand growing
320 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
from the two founders to the 11th largest brewery in the United States by 2008. In 2007, Widmer Brothers merged
with Redhook Ale Brewery. Anheuser-Busch continues to have a minority stake in both beer companies. So, while
50% of all new small businesses fail in their first year (Get ready, 2008), those that succeed often evolve into
large, complex organizations over time.
Poor PerformancePoor Performance
Change can also occur if the company is performing poorly and if there is a perceived threat from the environment.
In fact, poorly performing companies often find it easier to change compared with successful companies. Why?
High performance actually leads to overconfidence and inertia. As a result, successful companies often keep doing
what made them successful in the first place. When it comes to the relationship between company performance
and organizational change, the saying “nothing fails like success” may be fitting. For example, Polaroid was
the number one producer of instant films and cameras in 1994. Less than a decade later, the company filed
for bankruptcy, unable to adapt to the rapid advances in one-hour photo development and digital photography
technologies that were sweeping the market. Successful companies that manage to change have special practices
in place to keep the organization open to changes. For example, Finnish cell phone maker Nokia finds that it is
important to periodically change the perspective of key decision makers. For this purpose, they rotate heads of
businesses to different posts to give them a fresh perspective. In addition to the success of a business, change in
a company’s upper-level management is a motivator for change at the organization level. Research shows that
long-tenured CEOs are unlikely to change their formula for success. Instead, new CEOs and new top management
teams create change in a company’s culture and structure (Barnett, W. P. and Carroll, G. R., 1995; Boeker, W.,
1997; Deutschman, A., 2005).
Resistance to ChangeResistance to Change
Changing an organization is often essential for a company to remain competitive. Failure to change may influence
the ability of a company to survive. Yet employees do not always welcome changes in methods. According to a
2007 survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), employee resistance to change
is one of the top reasons change efforts fail. In fact, reactions to organizational change may range from resistance
to compliance to enthusiastic support of the change, with the latter being the exception rather than the norm
(Anonymous, 2007; Huy, Q. N., 1999).
Figure 7.11
Reactions to change may take many forms.
7.5 ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE • 321
Active resistance is the most negative reaction to a proposed change attempt. Those who engage in active
resistance may sabotage the change effort and be outspoken objectors to the new procedures. In contrast,
passive resistance involves being disturbed by changes without necessarily voicing these opinions. Instead,
passive resisters may dislike the change quietly, feel stressed and unhappy, and even look for a new job without
necessarily bringing their concerns to the attention of decision makers. Compliance, however, involves going
along with proposed changes with little enthusiasm. Finally, those who show enthusiastic support are defenders
of the new way and actually encourage others around them to give support to the change effort as well.
To be successful, any change attempt will need to overcome resistance on the part of employees. Otherwise,
the result will be loss of time and energy as well as an inability on the part of the organization to adapt to
the changes in the environment and make its operations more efficient. Resistance to change also has negative
consequences for the people in question. Research shows that when people react negatively to organizational
change, they experience negative emotions, use sick time more often, and are more likely to voluntarily leave the
company (Fugate, M., Kinicki, A. J., and Prussia, G. E., 2008). These negative effects can be present even when
the proposed change clearly offers benefits and advantages over the status quo.
The following is a dramatic example of how resistance to change may prevent improving the status quo. Have
you ever wondered why the keyboards we use are shaped the way they are? The QWERTY keyboard, named
after the first six letters in the top row, was actually engineered to slow us down. When the typewriter was first
invented in the 19th century, the first prototypes of the keyboard would jam if the keys right next to each other
were hit at the same time. Therefore, it was important for manufacturers to slow typists down. They achieved this
by putting the most commonly used letters to the left-hand side and scattering the most frequently used letters
all over the keyboard. Later, the issue of letters being stuck was resolved. In fact, an alternative to the QWERTY
developed in the 1930s by educational psychologist August Dvorak provides a much more efficient design and
allows individuals to double traditional typing speeds. Yet the Dvorak keyboard never gained wide acceptance.
The reasons? Large numbers of people resisted the change. Teachers and typists resisted because they would lose
their specialized knowledge. Manufacturers resisted due to costs inherent in making the switch and the initial
inefficiencies in the learning curve (Diamond, J., 2005). In short, the best idea does not necessarily win, and
changing people requires understanding why they resist.
Figure 7.12
322 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Dvorak keyboard is a more efficient alternative to keyboard design. However, due to resistance from
typists, teachers, manufacturers, and salespeople, a switch never occurred.
John Blackbourne – Sony laptop with Dvorak keyboard layout – CC BY-NC 2.0.
Why Do People Resist Change?Why Do People Resist Change?
Disrupted HabitsDisrupted Habits
People often resist change for the simple reason that change disrupts our habits. When you hop into your car
for your morning commute, do you think about how you are driving? Most of the time probably not, because
driving generally becomes an automated activity after a while. You may sometimes even realize that you have
reached your destination without noticing the roads you used or having consciously thought about any of your
body movements. Now imagine you drive for a living and even though you are used to driving an automatic car,
you are forced to use a stick shift. You can most likely figure out how to drive a stick, but it will take time, and
until you figure it out, you cannot drive on auto pilot. You will have to reconfigure your body movements and
practice shifting until you become good at it. This loss of a familiar habit can make you feel clumsy; you may
even feel that your competence as a driver is threatened. For this simple reason, people are sometimes surprisingly
outspoken when confronted with simple changes such as updating to a newer version of a particular software or a
change in their voice mail system.
PersonalityPersonality
Some people are more resistant to change than others. Recall that one of the Big Five personality traits is Openness
7.5 ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE • 323
to Experience; obviously, people who rank high on this trait will tend to accept change readily. Research also
shows that people who have a positive self-concept are better at coping with change, probably because those who
have high self-esteem may feel that whatever the changes are, they are likely to adjust to it well and be successful
in the new system. People with a more positive self-concept and those who are more optimistic may also view
change as an opportunity to shine as opposed to a threat that is overwhelming. Finally, risk tolerance is another
predictor of how resistant someone will be to stress. For people who are risk avoidant, the possibility of a change
in technology or structure may be more threatening (Judge, T. A., et. al., 2000; Wanberg, C. R., and Banas, J. T.,
2000).
Feelings of UncertaintyFeelings of Uncertainty
Change inevitably brings feelings of uncertainty. You have just heard that your company is merging with another.
What would be your reaction? Such change is often turbulent, and it is often unclear what is going to happen to
each individual. Some positions may be eliminated. Some people may see a change in their job duties. Things
may get better—or they may get worse. The feeling that the future is unclear is enough to create stress for people
because it leads to a sense of lost control (Ashford, S. J., Lee, C. L., and Bobko, P., 1989; Fugate, M., Kinicki, A.
J., and Prussia, G. E., 2008).
Fear of FailureFear of Failure
Figure 7.13
One reason employees resist change is the fear of failure under the new system.
Intel Free Press – Lindsay van Driel and Anakha Coman Awake at Intel organizers – CC BY-SA 2.0.
324 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
People also resist change when they feel that their performance may be affected under the new system. People
who are experts in their jobs may be less than welcoming of the changes because they may be unsure whether their
success would last under the new system. Studies show that people who feel that they can perform well under the
new system are more likely to be committed to the proposed change, while those who have lower confidence in
their ability to perform after changes are less committed (Herold, D. M., Fedor, D. B., and Caldwell, S., 2007).
Personal Impact of ChangePersonal Impact of Change
It would be too simplistic to argue that people resist all change, regardless of its form. In fact, people tend to
be more welcoming of change that is favorable to them on a personal level (such as giving them more power
over others or change that improves quality of life such as bigger and nicer offices). Research also shows
that commitment to change is highest when proposed changes affect the work unit with a low impact on how
individual jobs are performed (Fedor, D. M., Caldwell, S., and Herold, D. M., 2006).
Prevalence of ChangePrevalence of Change
Any change effort should be considered within the context of all the other changes that are introduced in a
company. Does the company have a history of making short-lived changes? If the company structure went from
functional to product-based to geographic to matrix within the past five years and the top management is in
the process of going back to a functional structure again, a certain level of resistance is to be expected because
employees are likely to be fatigued as a result of the constant changes. Moreover, the lack of a history of
successful changes may cause people to feel skeptical toward the newly planned changes. Therefore, considering
the history of changes in the company is important to understanding why people resist. Another question is, how
big is the planned change? If the company is considering a simple switch to a new computer program, such as
introducing Microsoft Access for database management, the change may not be as extensive or stressful compared
with a switch to an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system such as SAP or PeopleSoft, which require a
significant time commitment and can fundamentally affect how business is conducted (Labianca, G., Gray, B.,
and Brass, D. J., 2000; Rafferty, A. E., and Griffin, M. A., 2006).
Perceived Loss of PowerPerceived Loss of Power
One other reason people may resist change is that change may affect their power and influence in the organization.
Imagine that your company moved to a more team-based structure, turning supervisors into team leaders. In the
old structure, supervisors were in charge of hiring and firing all those reporting to them. Under the new system,
this power is given to the team. Instead of monitoring the progress the team is making toward goals, the job of a
team leader is to provide support and mentoring to the team in general and ensure that the team has access to all
resources to be effective. Given the loss in prestige and status in the new structure, some supervisors may resist
the proposed changes even if it is better for the organization to operate around teams.
In summary, there are many reasons individuals resist change, which may prevent an organization from making
important changes.
7.5 ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE • 325
Is All Resistance Bad?Is All Resistance Bad?
Resistance to change may be a positive force in some instances. In fact, resistance to change is a valuable feedback
tool that should not be ignored. Why are people resisting the proposed changes? Do they believe that the new
system will not work? If so, why not? By listening to people and incorporating their suggestions into the change
effort, it is possible to make a more effective change. Some of a company’s most committed employees may be the
most vocal opponents of a change effort. They may fear that the organization they feel such a strong attachment
to is being threatened by the planned change effort and the change will ultimately hurt the company. In contrast,
people who have less loyalty to the organization may comply with the proposed changes simply because they do
not care enough about the fate of the company to oppose the changes. As a result, when dealing with those who
resist change, it is important to avoid blaming them for a lack of loyalty (Ford, J. D., Ford, L. W., and D’Amelio,
A., 2008).
Key Takeaway
Organizations change in response to changes in the environment and in response to the way decision
makers interpret these changes. When it comes to organizational change, one of the biggest obstacles is
resistance to change. People resist change because change disrupts habits, conflicts with certain personality
types, causes a fear of failure, can have potentially negative effects, can result in a potential for loss of
power, and, when done too frequently, can exhaust employees.
Exercises
1. Can you think of an organizational or personal change that you had to go through? Have you
encountered any resistance to this change? What were the reasons?
2. How would you deal with employees who are resisting change because their habits are
threatened? How would you deal with them if they are resisting because of a fear of failure?
ReferencesReferences
Anonymous. (December 2007). Change management: The HR strategic imperative as a business partner. HR
Magazine, 52(12).
Anonymous. Moore’s Law. Retrieved September 5, 2008, from Answers.com,http://www.answers.com/topic/
moore-s-law.
Ashford, S. J., Lee, C. L., & Bobko, P. (1989). Content, causes, and consequences of job insecurity: A theory-
based measure and substantive test. Academy of Management Journal, 32, 803–829.
Barnett, W. P., & Carroll, G. R. (1995). Modeling internal organizational change. Annual Review of Sociology, 21,
217–236.
326 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Boeker, W. (1997). Strategic change: The influence of managerial characteristics and organizational growth.
Academy of Management Journal, 40, 152–170.
Deutschman, A. (2005, March). Building a better skunk works. Fast Company, 92, 68–73.
Diamond, J. (2005). Guns, germs, and steel: The fates of human societies. New York: W. W. Norton.
Fedor, D. M., Caldwell, S., & Herold, D. M. (2006). The effects of organizational changes on employee
commitment: A multilevel investigation. Personnel Psychology, 59, 1–29.
Ford, J. D., Ford, L. W., & D’Amelio, A. (2008). Resistance to change: The rest of the story. Academy of
Management Review, 33, 362–377.
Fugate, M., Kinicki, A. J., & Prussia, G. E. (2008). Employee coping with organizational change: An examination
of alternative theoretical perspectives and models. Personnel Psychology, 61, 1–36.
Get ready. United States Small Business Association. Retrieved November 21, 2008, from http://www.sba.gov/
smallbusinessplanner/plan/getready/SERV_SBPLANNER_ISENTFORU.html.
Herold, D. M., Fedor, D. B., & Caldwell, S. (2007). Beyond change management: A multilevel investigation of
contextual and personal influences on employees’ commitment to change. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92,
942–951.
Huy, Q. N. (1999). Emotional capability, emotional intelligence, and radical change. Academy of Management
Review, 24, 325–345.
Judge, T. A., Thoresen, C. J., Pucik, V., & Welbourne, T. M. (1999). Managerial coping with organizational
change. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84, 107–122.
Labianca, G., Gray, B., & Brass D. J. (2000). A grounded model of organizational schema change during
empowerment. Organization Science, 11, 235–257
Lasica, J. D. (2005). Darknet: Hollywood’s war against the digital generation. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Lerman, R. I., & Schmidt, S. R. (2006). Trends and challenges for work in the 21st century. Retrieved September
10, 2008, from U.S. Department of Labor Web site, http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/herman/reports/
futurework/conference/trends/trendsI.htm.
Rafferty, A. E., & Griffin. M. A. (2006). Perceptions of organizational change: A stress and coping perspective.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 1154–1162.
Wanberg, C. R., & Banas, J. T. (2000). Predictors and outcomes of openness to changes in a reorganizing
workplace. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85, 132–142.
7.5 ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE • 327
7.6 Planning and Executing Change Effectively
Learning Objectives
1. Describe Lewin’s three-stage model of planned change.
2. Describe how organizations may embrace continuous change.
How do you plan, organize, and execute change effectively? Some types of change, such as mergers, often
come with job losses. In these situations, it is important to remain fair and ethical while laying off otherwise
exceptional employees. Once change has occurred, it is vital to take any steps necessary to reinforce the new
system. Employees can often require continued support well after an organizational change.
One of the most useful frameworks in this area is the three-stage model of planned change developed in the 1950s
by psychologist Kurt Lewin (Lewin, 1951). This model assumes that change will encounter resistance. Therefore,
executing change without prior preparation is likely to lead to failure. Instead, organizations should start with
unfreezing, or making sure that organizational members are ready for and receptive to change. This is followed by
change, or executing the planned changes. Finally, refreezing involves ensuring that change becomes permanent
and the new habits, rules, or procedures become the norm.
Figure 7.14 Lewin’s Three-Stage Process of Change
328
Unfreezing Before ChangeUnfreezing Before Change
Many change efforts fail because people are insufficiently prepared for change. When employees are not prepared,
they are more likely to resist the change effort and less likely to function effectively under the new system. What
can organizations do before change to prepare employees? There are a number of things that are important at this
stage.
Communicating a Plan for ChangeCommunicating a Plan for Change
Do people know what the change entails, or are they hearing about the planned changes through the grapevine or
office gossip? When employees know what is going to happen, when, and why, they may feel more comfortable.
Research shows that those who have more complete information about upcoming changes are more committed
to a change effort (Wanberg & Banas, 2000). Moreover, in successful change efforts, the leader not only
communicates a plan but also an overall vision for the change (Herold, et. al., 2008). When this vision is exciting
and paints a picture of a future that employees would be proud to be a part of, people are likely to be more
committed to change.
Ensuring that top management communicates with employees about the upcoming changes also has symbolic
value (Armenakis, et. al., 1993). When top management and the company CEO discuss the importance of the
changes in meetings, employees are provided with a reason to trust that this change is a strategic initiative. For
example, while changing the employee performance appraisal system, the CEO of Kimberly Clark made sure to
mention the new system in all meetings with employees, indicating that the change was supported by the CEO.
Develop a Sense of UrgencyDevelop a Sense of Urgency
People are more likely to accept change if they feel that there is a need for it. If employees feel their company is
doing well, the perceived need for change will be smaller. Those who plan the change will need to make the case
that there is an external or internal threat to the organization’s competitiveness, reputation, or sometimes even its
survival and that failure to act will have undesirable consequences. For example, Lou Gerstner, the former CEO
of IBM, executed a successful transformation of the company in the early 1990s. In his biography Elephants Can
Dance, Gerstner highlights how he achieved cooperation as follows: “Our greatest ally in shaking loose the past
was IBM’s eminent collapse. Rather than go with the usual impulse to put on a happy face, I decided to keep the
crisis front and center. I didn’t want to lose the sense of urgency (Gerstner, 2002; Kotter, 1996).”
Building a CoalitionBuilding a Coalition
To convince people that change is needed, the change leader does not necessarily have to convince every person
individually. In fact, people’s opinions toward change are affected by opinion leaders or those people who have
a strong influence over the behaviors and attitudes of others (Burkhardt, 1994; Kotter, 1995). Instead of trying
to get everyone on board at the same time, it may be more useful to convince and prepare the opinion leaders.
Understanding one’s own social networks as well as the networks of others in the organization can help managers
identify opinion leaders. Once these individuals agree that the proposed change is needed and will be useful,
they will become helpful allies in ensuring that the rest of the organization is ready for change (Armenakis, et.
7.6 PLANNING AND EXECUTING CHANGE EFFECTIVELY • 329
al., 1993). For example, when Paul Pressler became the CEO of Gap Inc. in 2002, he initiated a culture change
effort in the hope of creating a sense of identity among the company’s many brands such as Banana Republic, Old
Navy, and Gap. For this purpose, employees were segmented instead of trying to reach out to all employees at
the same time. Gap Inc. started by training the 2,000 senior managers in “leadership summits,” who in turn were
instrumental in ensuring the cooperation of the remaining 150,000 employees of the company (Nash, 2005).
Provide SupportProvide Support
Employees should feel that their needs are not ignored. Therefore, management may prepare employees for
change by providing emotional and instrumental support. Emotional support may be in the form of frequently
discussing the changes, encouraging employees to voice their concerns, and simply expressing confidence in
employees’ ability to perform effectively under the new system. Instrumental support may be in the form of
providing a training program to employees so that they know how to function under the new system. Effective
leadership and motivation skills can assist managers to provide support to employees.
Allow Employees to ParticipateAllow Employees to Participate
Studies show that employees who participate in planning change efforts tend to have more positive opinions
about the change. Why? They will have the opportunity to voice their concerns. They can shape the change
effort so that their concerns are addressed. They will be more knowledgeable about the reasons for change,
alternatives to the proposed changes, and why the chosen alternative was better than the others. Finally, they
will feel a sense of ownership of the planned change and are more likely to be on board (Wanberg & Banas,
2000). Participation may be more useful if it starts at earlier stages, preferably while the problem is still being
diagnosed. For example, assume that a company suspects there are problems with manufacturing quality. One way
of convincing employees that there is a problem that needs to be solved would be to ask them to take customer
calls about the product quality. Once employees experience the problem firsthand, they will be more motivated to
solve the problem.
Executing ChangeExecuting Change
The second stage of Lewin’s three-stage change model is executing change. At this stage, the organization
implements the planned changes on technology, structure, culture, or procedures. The specifics of how change
should be executed will depend on the type of change. However, there are three tips that may facilitate the success
of a change effort.
Continue to Provide SupportContinue to Provide Support
As the change is under way, employees may experience high amounts of stress. They may make mistakes more
often or experience uncertainty about their new responsibilities or job descriptions. Management has an important
role in helping employees cope with this stress by displaying support, patience, and continuing to provide support
to employees even after the change is complete.
330 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Create Small WinsCreate Small Wins
During a change effort, if the organization can create a history of small wins, change acceptance will be more
likely (Kotter, 1996; Germann, 2006). If the change is large in scope and the payoff is a long time away,
employees may not realize change is occurring during the transformation period. However, if people see changes,
improvements, and successes along the way, they will be inspired and motivated to continue the change effort. For
this reason, breaking up the proposed change into phases may be a good idea because it creates smaller targets.
Small wins are also important for planners of change to make the point that their idea is on the right track. Early
success gives change planners more credibility while early failures may be a setback (Hamel, 2000).
Eliminate ObstaclesEliminate Obstacles
When the change effort is in place, many obstacles may crop up along the way. There may be key people who
publicly support the change effort while silently undermining the planned changes. There may be obstacles rooted
in a company’s structure, existing processes, or culture. It is the management’s job to identify, understand, and
remove these obstacles (Kotter, 1995). Ideally, these obstacles would have been eliminated before implementing
the change, but sometimes unexpected roadblocks emerge as change is under way.
RefreezingRefreezing
After the change is implemented, the long-term success of a change effort depends on the extent to which the
change becomes part of the company’s culture. If the change has been successful, the revised ways of thinking,
behaving, and performing should become routine. To evaluate and reinforce (“refreeze”) the change, there are a
number of things management can do.
Publicize SuccessPublicize Success
To make change permanent, the organization may benefit from sharing the results of the change effort with
employees. What was gained from the implemented changes? How much money did the company save? How
much did the company’s reputation improve? What was the reduction in accidents after new procedures were put
in place? Sharing concrete results with employees increases their confidence that the implemented change was a
right decision.
Reward Change AdoptionReward Change Adoption
To ensure that change becomes permanent, organizations may benefit from rewarding those who embrace the
change effort (an aspect of the controlling function). The rewards do not necessarily have to be financial. The
simple act of recognizing those who are giving support to the change effort in front of their peers may encourage
others to get on board. When the new behaviors employees are expected to demonstrate (such as using a new
computer program, filling out a new form, or simply greeting customers once they enter the store) are made part
of an organization’s reward system, those behaviors are more likely to be taken seriously and repeated, making
the change effort successful (Gale, 2003).
7.6 PLANNING AND EXECUTING CHANGE EFFECTIVELY • 331
Embracing Continuous ChangeEmbracing Continuous Change
While Lewin’s three-stage model offers many useful insights into the process of implementing change, it views
each organizational change as an episode with a beginning, middle, and end. In contrast with this episodic
change assumption, some management experts in the 1990s began to propose that change is—or ought to be—a
continuous process.
The learning organization is an example of a company embracing continuous change. By setting up a dynamic
feedback loop, learning can become a regular part of daily operations. If an employee implements a new method
or technology that seems to be successful, a learning organization is in a good position to adopt it. By constantly
being aware of how employee actions and outcomes affect others as well as overall company productivity, the
inevitable small changes throughout organizations can be rapidly absorbed and tailored for daily operations. When
an organization understands that change does indeed occur constantly, it will be in a better position to make use
of good changes and intervene if a change seems detrimental.
Key Takeaway
Effective change effort can be conceptualized as a three-step process in which employees are first prepared
for change, then change is implemented, and finally the new behavioral patterns become permanent.
According to emerging contemporary views, it can also be seen as a continuous process that affirms the
organic, ever-evolving nature of an organization.
Exercises
1. What are the benefits of employee participation in change management?
2. Imagine that you are introducing a new system to college students where they would have to use a
special ID number you create for them for activities such as logging on to campus computers or
using library resources. How would you plan and implement the change? Explain using Lewin’s
three-stage framework.
3. Why are successful companies less likely to change? What should companies do to make
organizational change part of their culture?
ReferencesReferences
Armenakis, A. A., Harris, S. G., & Mossholder, K. W. (1993). Creating readiness for organizational change.
Human Relations, 46, 681–703.
Burkhardt, M. E. (1994). Social interaction effects following a technological change: A longitudinal investigation.
Academy of Management Journal, 37, 869–898.
Gale, S. F. (2003). Incentives and the art of changing behavior. Workforce Management, 82(11), 48–54.
332 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Germann, K. (2006). Legitimizing a new role: Small wins and microprocesses of change. Academy of
Management Journal, 49, 977–998.
Gerstner, L. V. (2002). Who says elephants can’t dance? Inside IBM’s historic turnaround. New York:
HarperCollins.
Hamel, G. (2000, July/August). Waking up IBM. Harvard Business Review, 78(4), 137–146.
Herold, D. M., Fedor D. B., Caldwell, S., & Liu, Y. (2008). The effects of transformational and change leadership
on employees’ commitment to a change: A multilevel study. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93, 346–357.
Kotter, J. P. (1995, March–April). Leading change: Why transformations fail. Harvard Business Review, 73(2),
59–67.
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press; Reay, T., Golden-Biddle, K., &.
Lewin K. (1951). Field theory in social science. New York: Harper & Row.
Nash, J. A. (Nov/Dec 2005). Comprehensive campaign helps Gap employees embrace cultural change.
Communication World, 22(6).
Wanberg, C. R., & Banas, J. T. (2000). Predictors and outcomes of openness to changes in a reorganizing
workplace. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85, 132–142.
7.6 PLANNING AND EXECUTING CHANGE EFFECTIVELY • 333
7.7 Building Your Change Management Skills
Learning Objective
1. Identify guidelines for overcoming resistance to change.
Overcoming Resistance to Your ProposalsOvercoming Resistance to Your Proposals
You feel that a change is needed. You have a great idea. But people around you do not seem convinced. They are
resisting your great idea. How do you make change happen?
• Listen to naysayers. You may think that your idea is great, but listening to those who resist may give you
valuable ideas about why it may not work and how to design it more effectively.
• Is your change revolutionary? If you are trying to change dramatically the way things are done, you will
find that resistance is greater. If your proposal involves incrementally making things better, you may have
better luck.
• Involve those around you in planning the change. Instead of providing the solutions, make them part of the
solution. If they admit that there is a problem and participate in planning a way out, you would have to do
less convincing when it is time to implement the change.
• Assess your credibility. When trying to persuade people to change their ways, it helps if you have a history
of suggesting implementable changes. Otherwise, you may be ignored or met with suspicion. This means
you need to establish trust and a history of keeping promises over time before you propose a major change.
• Present data to your audience. Be prepared to defend the technical aspects of your ideas and provide
evidence that your proposal is likely to work.
• Appeal to your audience’s ideals. Frame your proposal around the big picture. Are you going to create
happier clients? Is this going to lead to a better reputation for the company? Identify the long-term goals
you are hoping to accomplish that people would be proud to be a part of.
• Understand the reasons for resistance. Is your audience resisting because they fear change? Does the
change you propose mean more work for them? Does it affect them in a negative way? Understanding the
consequences of your proposal for the parties involved may help you tailor your pitch to your audience
334
(McGoon, 1995; Michelman, 2007; Stanley, 2002).
Key Takeaway
There are several steps you can take to help you overcome resistance to change. Many of them share the
common theme of respecting those who are resistant so you can understand and learn from their concerns.
Exercises
1. What do you think are some key reasons why people resist change?
2. Do you think some people are more resistant to change regardless of what it is? Why do you think
this is?
ReferencesReferences
McGoon, C. (March 1995). Secrets of building influence. Communication World, 12(3), 16.
Michelman, P. (July 2007). Overcoming resistance to change. Harvard Management Update, 12(7), 3–4.
Stanley, T. L. (January 2002). Change: A common-sense approach. Supervision, 63(1), 7–10.
7.7 BUILDING YOUR CHANGE MANAGEMENT SKILLS • 335
Chapter 8: Organizational Culture
8.1 Organizational Culture
8.2 Case in Point: Google Creates Unique Culture
8.3 Understanding Organizational Culture
8.4 Measuring Organizational Culture
8.5 Creating and Maintaining Organizational Culture
8.6 Creating Culture Change
8.7 Developing Your Personal Skills: Learning to Fit In
336
8.1 Organizational Culture
Figure 8.1
Just as water is invisible to the fish swimming in it, yet affects their actions, culture consists of unseen
elements such as assumptions and values that affect organizational life.
Alexandru Stoian – School of fish – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
What’s in It for Me?
Reading this chapter will help you do the following:
1. Describe what organizational culture is and why it is important for an organization.
337
2. Understand the dimensions that make up a company’s culture.
3. Understand the creation and maintenance of organizational culture.
4. Understand the factors that create cultural change.
5. Develop personal culture management skills.
Organizations, just like individuals, have their own personalities—more typically known as organizational
cultures. Understanding how culture is created, communicated, and changed will help you to be a more effective
manager. But first, let’s define organizational culture.
Figure 8.2 The P-O-L-C Framework
338 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
8.2 Case in Point: Google Creates Unique Culture
Figure 8.3
Ardo191 – Googleplex Welcome Sign – public domain.
Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) is one of the best-known and most admired companies around the world, so
much so that “googling” is the term many use to refer to searching information on the Web. What started
out as a student project by two Stanford University graduates—Larry Page and Sergey Brin—in 1996,
Google became the most frequently used Web search engine on the Internet with 1 billion searches per day
in 2009, as well as other innovative applications such as Gmail, Google Earth, Google Maps, and Picasa.
Google grew from 10 employees working in a garage in Palo Alto to 10,000 employees operating around
the world by 2009. What is the formula behind this success?
Google strives to operate based on solid principles that may be traced back to its founders. In a world
crowded with search engines, they were probably the first company that put users first. Their mission
statement summarizes their commitment to end-user needs: “To organize the world’s information and to
339
make it universally accessible and useful.” While other companies were focused on marketing their sites
and increasing advertising revenues, Google stripped the search page of all distractions and presented users
with a blank page consisting only of a company logo and a search box. Google resisted pop-up advertising,
because the company felt that it was annoying to end-users. They insisted that all their advertisements
would be clearly marked as “sponsored links.” This emphasis on improving user experience and always
putting it before making more money in the short term seems to have been critical to their success.
Keeping their employees happy is also a value they take to heart. Google created a unique work
environment that attracts, motivates, and retains the best players in the field. Google was ranked as the
number 1 “Best Place to Work For” by Fortune magazine in 2007 and number 4 in 2010. This is not
surprising if one looks closer to how Google treats employees. On their Mountain View, California, campus
called the “Googleplex,” employees are treated to free gourmet food options including sushi bars and
espresso stations. In fact, many employees complain that once they started working for Google, they tend
to gain 10 to 15 pounds! Employees have access to gyms, shower facilities, video games, on-site child care,
and doctors. Google provides 4 months of paternal leave with 75% of full pay and offers $500 for take-out
meals for families with a newborn. These perks create a place where employees feel that they are treated
well and their needs are taken care of. Moreover, they contribute to the feeling that they are working at a
unique and cool place that is different from everywhere else they may have worked.
In addition, Google encourages employee risk taking and innovation. How is this done? When a vice
president in charge of the company’s advertising system made a mistake costing the company millions
of dollars and apologized for the mistake, she was commended by Larry Page, who congratulated her for
making the mistake and noting that he would rather run a company where they are moving quickly and
doing too much, as opposed to being too cautious and doing too little. This attitude toward acting fast
and accepting the cost of resulting mistakes as a natural consequence of working on the cutting edge may
explain why the company is performing much ahead of competitors such as Microsoft and Yahoo! One of
the current challenges for Google is to expand to new fields outside of their Web search engine business.
To promote new ideas, Google encourages all engineers to spend 20% of their time working on their own
ideas.
Google’s culture is reflected in their decision making as well. Decisions at Google are made in teams. Even
the company management is in the hands of a triad: Larry Page and Sergey Brin hired Eric Schmidt to act
as the CEO of the company, and they are reportedly leading the company by consensus. In other words,
this is not a company where decisions are made by the senior person in charge and then implemented top
down. It is common for several small teams to attack each problem and for employees to try to influence
each other using rational persuasion and data. Gut feeling has little impact on how decisions are made.
In some meetings, people reportedly are not allowed to say “I think…” but instead must say “the data
suggest….” To facilitate teamwork, employees work in open office environments where private offices are
assigned only to a select few. Even Kai-Fu Lee, the famous employee whose defection from Microsoft was
the target of a lawsuit, did not get his own office and shared a cubicle with two other employees.
How do they maintain these unique values? In a company emphasizing hiring the smartest people, it is very
likely that they will attract big egos that may be difficult to work with. Google realizes that its strength
comes from its “small company” values that emphasize risk taking, agility, and cooperation. Therefore,
they take their hiring process very seriously. Hiring is extremely competitive and getting to work at
Google is not unlike applying to a college. Candidates may be asked to write essays about how they will
perform their future jobs. Recently, they targeted potential new employees using billboards featuring brain
teasers directing potential candidates to a Web site where they were subjected to more brain teasers. Each
candidate may be interviewed by as many as eight people on several occasions. Through this scrutiny, they
are trying to select “Googley” employees who will share the company’s values, perform at high levels, and
be liked by others within the company.
340 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Will this culture survive in the long run? It may be too early to tell, given that the company was only
founded in 1998. The founders emphasized that their initial public offering (IPO) would not change their
culture and they would not introduce more rules or change the way things are done in Google to please
Wall Street. But can a public corporation really act like a start-up? Can a global giant facing scrutiny on
issues including privacy, copyright, and censorship maintain its culture rooted in its days in a Palo Alto
garage? Larry Page is quoted as saying, “We have a mantra: don’t be evil, which is to do the best things we
know how for our users, for our customers, for everyone. So I think if we were known for that, it would be
a wonderful thing.”
Case written by information from Elgin, B., Hof, R. D., & Greene, J. (2005, August 8). Revenge of the
nerds—again. BusinessWeek. Retrieved April 30, 2010, from http://www.businessweek.com/technology/
content/jul2005/tc20050728_5127_tc024.htm; Hardy, Q. (2005, November 14). Google thinks small.
Forbes, 176(10); Lashinky, A. (2006, October 2). Chaos by design. Fortune, 154(7); Mangalindan, M.
(2004, March 29). The grownup at Google: How Eric Schmidt imposed better management tactics but
didn’t stifle search giant. Wall Street Journal, p. B1; Lohr, S. (2005, December 5). At Google, cube
culture has new rules. New York Times. Retrieved April 30, 2010, from http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/
05/technology/05google.html; Schoeneman, D. (2006, December 31). Can Google come out to play? New
York Times. Retrieved April 30, 2010, from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/31/fashion/31google.html;
Warner, M. (2004, June). What your company can learn from Google. Business 2.0, 5(5).
Discussion Questions
1. Culture is an essential element of organizing in the P-O-L-C framework. Do you think Google has
a strong culture? What would it take to make changes in that culture, for better or for worse?
2. Do you think Google’s unique culture will help or hurt Google in the long run?
3. What are the factors responsible for the specific culture that exists in Google?
4. What type of decision-making approach has Google taken? Do you think this will remain the
same over time? Why or why not?
5. Do you see any challenges Google may face in the future because of its emphasis on having a
risk-taking culture?
8.2 CASE IN POINT: GOOGLE CREATES UNIQUE CULTURE • 341
8.3 Understanding Organizational Culture
Learning Objectives
1. Define organizational culture.
2. Understand why organizational culture is important.
3. Understand the different levels of organizational culture.
What Is Organizational Culture?What Is Organizational Culture?
Organizational culture refers to a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that show people what is
appropriate and inappropriate behavior (Chatman & Eunyoung, 2003; Kerr & Slocum, 2005). These values have
a strong influence on employee behavior as well as organizational performance. In fact, the term organizational
culture was made popular in the 1980s when Peters and Waterman’s best-selling book In Search of Excellence
made the argument that company success could be attributed to an organizational culture that was decisive,
customer-oriented, empowering, and people-oriented. Since then, organizational culture has become the subject of
numerous research studies, books, and articles. Organizational culture is still a relatively new concept. In contrast
to a topic such as leadership, which has a history spanning several centuries, organizational culture is a young but
fast-growing area within management.
Culture is largely invisible to individuals just as the sea is invisible to the fish swimming in it. Even though it
affects all employee behaviors, thinking, and behavioral patterns, individuals tend to become more aware of their
organization’s culture when they have the opportunity to compare it to other organizations. It is related to the
second of the three facets that compose the P-O-L-C function of organizing. The organizing function involves
creating and implementing organizational design decisions. The culture of the organization is closely linked to
organizational design. For instance, a culture that empowers employees to make decisions could prove extremely
resistant to a centralized organizational design, hampering the manager’s ability to enact such a design. However,
a culture that supports the organizational structure (and vice versa) can be very powerful.
342
Why Does Organizational Culture Matter?Why Does Organizational Culture Matter?
An organization’s culture may be one of its strongest assets or its biggest liability. In fact, it has been argued
that organizations that have a rare and hard-to-imitate culture enjoy a competitive advantage (Barney, 1986).
In a survey conducted by the management consulting firm Bain & Company in 2007, worldwide business
leaders identified corporate culture to be as important as corporate strategy for business success. 1 This comes
as no surprise to leaders of successful businesses, who are quick to attribute their company’s success to their
organization’s culture.
Culture, or shared values within the organization, may be related to increased performance. Researchers found
a relationship between organizational cultures and company performance, with respect to success indicators such
as revenues, sales volume, market share, and stock prices (Kotter & Heskett, 1992; Marcoulides & heck, 1993).
At the same time, it is important to have a culture that fits with the demands of the company’s environment. To
the extent that shared values are proper for the company in question, company performance may benefit from
culture (Arogyaswamy & Byles, 1987). For example, if a company is in the high-tech industry, having a culture
that encourages innovativeness and adaptability will support its performance. However, if a company in the same
industry has a culture characterized by stability, a high respect for tradition, and a strong preference for upholding
rules and procedures, the company may suffer because of its culture. In other words, just as having the “right”
culture may be a competitive advantage for an organization, having the “wrong” culture may lead to performance
difficulties, may be responsible for organizational failure, and may act as a barrier preventing the company from
changing and taking risks.
In addition to having implications for organizational performance, organizational culture is an effective control
mechanism dictating employee behavior. Culture is a more powerful way of controlling and managing employee
behaviors than organizational rules and regulations. For example, when a company is trying to improve the
quality of its customer service, rules may not be helpful, particularly when the problems customers present are
unique. Instead, creating a culture of customer service may achieve better results by encouraging employees to
think like customers, knowing that the company priorities in this case are clear: Keeping the customer happy is
preferable to other concerns, such as saving the cost of a refund. Therefore, the ability to understand and influence
organizational culture is an important item for managers to have in their tool kit when they are carrying out their
controlling P-O-L-C function as well as their organizing function.
Levels of Organizational CultureLevels of Organizational Culture
Figure 8.5 Three Levels of Organizational Culture
8.3 UNDERSTANDING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 343
Adapted from Schein, E. H. (1992). Organizational Culture and Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Organizational culture consists of some aspects that are relatively more visible, as well as aspects that may lie
below one’s conscious awareness. Organizational culture can be thought of as consisting of three interrelated
levels (Schein, 1992).
At the deepest level, below our awareness, lie basic assumptions. These assumptions are taken for granted and
reflect beliefs about human nature and reality. At the second level, values exist. Values are shared principles,
standards, and goals. Finally, at the surface, we have artifacts, or visible, tangible aspects of organizational
culture. For example, in an organization, a basic assumption employees and managers share might be that happy
employees benefit their organizations. This might be translated into values such as egalitarianism, high-quality
relationships, and having fun. The artifacts reflecting such values might be an executive “open door” policy, an
office layout that includes open spaces and gathering areas equipped with pool tables, and frequent company
picnics.
Understanding the organization’s culture may start from observing its artifacts: its physical environment,
employee interactions, company policies, reward systems, and other observable characteristics. When you are
interviewing for a position, observing the physical environment, how people dress, where they relax, and how
they talk to others is definitely a good start to understanding the company’s culture. However, simply looking
at these tangible aspects is unlikely to give a full picture of the organization, since an important chunk of what
makes up culture exists below one’s degree of awareness. The values and, deeper, the assumptions that shape the
organization’s culture can be uncovered by observing how employees interact and the choices they make, as well
as by inquiring about their beliefs and perceptions regarding what is right and appropriate behavior.
344 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Key Takeaway
Organizational culture is a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that helps individuals
understand which behaviors are and are not appropriate within an organization. Cultures can be a source
of competitive advantage for organizations. Strong organizational cultures can be an organizing as well
as a controlling mechanism for organizations. And finally, organizational culture consists of three levels:
assumptions that are below the surface, values, and artifacts.
Exercises
1. Why do companies need culture?
2. Give an example of a company culture being a strength and a weakness.
3. In what ways does culture serve as a controlling mechanism?
4. If assumptions are below the surface, why do they matter?
5. Share examples of artifacts you have noticed at different organizations.
1Why culture can mean life or death for your organization. (September, 2007). HR Focus, 84, 9.
ReferencesReferences
Arogyaswamy, B., & Byles, C. H. (1987). Organizational culture: Internal and external fits. Journal of
Management, 13, 647–658.
Barney, J. B. (1986). Organizational culture: Can it be a source of sustained competitive advantage? Academy of
Management Review, 11, 656–665.
Chatman, J. A., & Eunyoung Cha, S. (2003). Leading by leveraging culture. California Management Review, 45,
19–34.
Kotter, J. P., & Heskett, J. L. (1992). Corporate Culture and Performance. New York: Free Press.
Marcoulides, G. A., & Heck, R. H. (1993, May). Organizational culture and performance: Proposing and testing
a model. Organizational Science, 4, 209–225.
Schein, E. H. (1992). Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Slocum, J. W. (2005). Managing corporate culture through reward systems. Academy of Management Executive,
19, 130–138.
8.3 UNDERSTANDING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 345
8.4 Measuring Organizational Culture
Learning Objectives
1. Understand different dimensions of organizational culture.
2. Understand the role of culture strength.
3. Explore subcultures within organizations.
Dimensions of CultureDimensions of Culture
Which values characterize an organization’s culture? Even though culture may not be immediately observable,
identifying a set of values that might be used to describe an organization’s culture helps us identify, measure, and
manage culture more effectively. For this purpose, several researchers have proposed various culture typologies.
One typology that has received a lot of research attention is the Organizational Culture Profile (OCP) where
culture is represented by seven distinct values (Chatman & Jehn, 1991; O’Reilly, et. al., 1991).
Figure 8.6 Dimensions of Organizational Culture Profile (OCP)
346
Adapted from information in O’Reilly, C. A., III, Chatman, J. A., & Caldwell, D. F. (1991). People and
organizational culture: A profile comparison approach to assessing person-organization fit. Academy of
Management Journal, 34, 487–516.
Innovative CulturesInnovative Cultures
According to the OCP framework, companies that have innovative cultures are flexible, adaptable, and experiment
with new ideas. These companies are characterized by a flat hierarchy and titles and other status distinctions tend
to be downplayed. For example, W. L. Gore & Associates is a company with innovative products such as GORE-
TEX® (the breathable fabric that is windproof and waterproof), Glade dental floss, and Elixir guitar strings,
earning the company the distinction as the most innovative company in the United States by Fast Company
magazine in 2004. W. L. Gore consistently manages to innovate and capture the majority of market share in a wide
variety of industries, in large part because of its unique culture. In this company, employees do not have bosses
in the traditional sense, and risk taking is encouraged by celebrating failures as well as successes (Deutschman,
2004). Companies such as W. L. Gore, Genentech, and Google also encourage their employees to take risks by
allowing engineers to devote 20% of their time to projects of their own choosing.
8.4 MEASURING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 347
Aggressive CulturesAggressive Cultures
Companies with aggressive cultures value competitiveness and outperforming competitors; by emphasizing this,
they often fall short in corporate social responsibility. For example, Microsoft is often identified as a company
with an aggressive culture. The company has faced a number of antitrust lawsuits and disputes with competitors
over the years. In aggressive companies, people may use language such as “we will kill our competition.” In the
past, Microsoft executives made statements such as “we are going to cut off Netscape’s air supply…Everything
they are selling, we are going to give away,” and its aggressive culture is cited as a reason for getting into new
legal troubles before old ones are resolved (Greene, et. al., 2004; Schlender, 1998).
Figure 8.7
Microsoft, the company that Bill Gates co-founded, has been described as
having an aggressive culture.
IsaacMao – Bill Gates world’s most “spammed” person – CC BY 2.0.
Outcome-Oriented CulturesOutcome-Oriented Cultures
The OCP framework describes outcome-oriented cultures as those that emphasize achievement, results, and action
as important values. A good example of an outcome-oriented culture may be the electronics retailer Best Buy.
Having a culture emphasizing sales performance, Best Buy tallies revenues and other relevant figures daily by
department. Employees are trained and mentored to sell company products effectively, and they learn how much
money their department made every day (Copeland, 2004). In 2005, the company implemented a Results Oriented
Work Environment (ROWE) program that allows employees to work anywhere and anytime; they are evaluated
based on results and fulfillment of clearly outlined objectives (Thompson, 2005). Outcome-oriented cultures hold
employees as well as managers accountable for success and use systems that reward employee and group output.
In these companies, it is more common to see rewards tied to performance indicators as opposed to seniority
or loyalty. Research indicates that organizations that have a performance-oriented culture tend to outperform
companies that are lacking such a culture (Nohria, et. al., 2003). At the same time, when performance pressures
348 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
lead to a culture where unethical behaviors become the norm, individuals see their peers as rivals, and short-term
results are rewarded, the resulting unhealthy work environment serves as a liability (Probst & Raisch, 2005).
Stable CulturesStable Cultures
Stable cultures are predictable, rule-oriented, and bureaucratic. When the environment is stable and certain,
these cultures may help the organization to be effective by providing stable and constant levels of output
(Westrum, 2004). These cultures prevent quick action and, as a result, may be a misfit to a changing and dynamic
environment. Public sector institutions may be viewed as stable cultures. In the private sector, Kraft Foods is an
example of a company with centralized decision making and rule orientation that suffered as a result of the culture-
environment mismatch (Thompson, 2006). Its bureaucratic culture is blamed for killing good ideas in early stages
and preventing the company from innovating. When the company started a change program to increase the agility
of its culture, one of its first actions was to fight bureaucracy with more bureaucracy: The new position of vice
president of “business process simplification” was created but was later eliminated (Boyle, 2004; Thompson,
2005; Thompson, 2006).
People-Oriented CulturesPeople-Oriented Cultures
People-oriented cultures value fairness, supportiveness, and respecting individual rights. In these organizations,
there is a greater emphasis on and expectation of treating people with respect and dignity (Erdogan, et. al., 2006).
One study of new employees in accounting companies found that employees, on average, stayed 14 months
longer in companies with people-oriented cultures (Sheridan, 1992). Starbucks is an example of a people-oriented
culture. The company pays employees above minimum wage, offers health care and tuition reimbursement
benefits to its part-time as well as full-time employees, and has creative perks such as weekly free coffee for all
associates. As a result of these policies, the company benefits from a turnover rate lower than the industry average
(Weber, 2005).
Team-Oriented CulturesTeam-Oriented Cultures
Companies with a team-oriented culture are collaborative and emphasize cooperation among employees. For
example, Southwest Airlines facilitates a team-oriented culture by cross-training its employees so that they are
capable of helping one another when needed. The company also emphasizes training intact work teams (Bolino
& Turnley, 2003). In Southwest’s selection process, applicants who are not viewed as team players are not hired
as employees (Miles & Mangold, 2005). In team-oriented organizations, members tend to have more positive
relationships with their coworkers and particularly with their managers (Erdogan, et. al., 2006).
Figure 8.8
8.4 MEASURING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 349
The growth in the number of passengers flying with Southwest Airlines from 1973 until 2007 when
Southwest surpassed American Airlines as the most flown U.S. airline. While price has played a role in
this, their emphasis on service has been a key piece of their culture and competitive advantage.
Adapted from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Southwest-airlines-passengers
Detail-Oriented CulturesDetail-Oriented Cultures
Figure 8.9
Remember that, in the end, culture is really about people.
Chris Jones – Culture in the UK – CC BY-NC 2.0.
Organizations with a detail-oriented culture are characterized in the OCP framework as emphasizing precision and
350 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
paying attention to details. Such a culture gives a competitive advantage to companies in the hospitality industry
by helping them differentiate themselves from others. For example, Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton are among
hotels who keep records of all customer requests such as which newspaper the guest prefers or what type of pillow
the customer uses. This information is put into a computer system and used to provide better service to returning
customers. Any requests hotel employees receive, as well as overhear, might be entered into the database to serve
customers better.
Strength of CultureStrength of Culture
A strong culture is one that is shared by organizational members (Arogyaswamy & Byles, 1987; Chatman &
Eunyoung, 2003)).—that is, a culture in which most employees in the organization show consensus regarding
the values of the company. The stronger a company’s culture, the more likely it is to affect the way employees
think and behave. For example, cultural values emphasizing customer service will lead to higher-quality customer
service if there is widespread agreement among employees on the importance of customer-service-related values
(Schneider, et. al., 2002).
It is important to realize that a strong culture may act as an asset or a liability for the organization, depending
on the types of values that are shared. For example, imagine a company with a culture that is strongly outcome-
oriented. If this value system matches the organizational environment, the company may perform well and
outperform its competitors. This is an asset as long as members are behaving ethically. However, a strong
outcome-oriented culture coupled with unethical behaviors and an obsession with quantitative performance
indicators may be detrimental to an organization’s effectiveness. Enron is an extreme example of this
dysfunctional type of strong culture.
One limitation of a strong culture is the difficulty of changing it. In an organization where certain values are
widely shared, if the organization decides to adopt a different set of values, unlearning the old values and learning
the new ones will be a challenge because employees will need to adopt new ways of thinking, behaving, and
responding to critical events. For example, Home Depot had a decentralized, autonomous culture where many
business decisions were made using “gut feeling” while ignoring the available data. When Robert Nardelli became
CEO of the company in 2000, he decided to change its culture starting with centralizing many of the decisions
that were previously left to individual stores. This initiative met with substantial resistance, and many high-level
employees left during Nardelli’s first year. Despite getting financial results such as doubling the sales of the
company, many of the changes he made were criticized. He left the company in January 2007 (Charan, 2006;
Herman & Wernle, 2007).
8.4 MEASURING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 351
Figure 8.10
Walt Disney created a strong culture at his company that has evolved since its founding in 1923.
NASA – Walt disney portrait – public domain.
A strong culture may also be a liability during a merger. During mergers and acquisitions, companies
inevitably experience a clash of cultures, as well as a clash of structures and operating systems. Culture
clash becomes more problematic if both parties have unique and strong cultures. For example, during the
merger of Daimler-Benz with Chrysler to create DaimlerChrysler, the differing strong cultures of each
company acted as a barrier to effective integration. Daimler had a strong engineering culture that was more
hierarchical and emphasized routinely working long hours. Daimler employees were used to being part of
an elite organization, evidenced by flying first class on all business trips. However, Chrysler had a sales
culture where employees and managers were used to autonomy, working shorter hours, and adhering to
budget limits that meant only the elite flew first class. The different ways of thinking and behaving in these
two companies introduced a number of unanticipated problems during the integration process (Badrtalei
& Bates, 2007; Bower, 2001).
352 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Do Organizations Have a Single Culture?Do Organizations Have a Single Culture?
So far, we have assumed that a company has a single culture that is shared throughout the organization. In reality
there might be multiple cultures within the organization. For example, people working on the sales floor may
experience a different culture from that experienced by people working in the warehouse. Cultures that emerge
within different departments, branches, or geographic locations are called subcultures. Subcultures may arise from
the personal characteristics of employees and managers, as well as the different conditions under which work is
performed. In addition to understanding the broader organization’s values, managers will need to make an effort
to understand subculture values to see their effect on workforce behavior and attitudes.
Sometimes, a subculture may take the form of a counterculture. Defined as shared values and beliefs that are
in direct opposition to the values of the broader organizational culture (Kerr, et. al., 2005), countercultures are
often shaped around a charismatic leader. For example, within a largely bureaucratic organization, an enclave of
innovativeness and risk taking may emerge within a single department. A counterculture may be tolerated by the
organization as long as it is bringing in results and contributing positively to the effectiveness of the organization.
However, its existence may be perceived as a threat to the broader organizational culture. In some cases, this may
lead to actions that would take away the autonomy of the managers and eliminate the counterculture.
Key Takeaway
Culture can be understood in terms of seven different culture dimensions, depending on what is most
emphasized within the organization. For example, innovative cultures are flexible, adaptable, and
experiment with new ideas, while stable cultures are predictable, rule-oriented, and bureaucratic. Strong
cultures can be an asset or liability for an organization but can be challenging to change. Multiple cultures
may coexist in a single organization in the form of subcultures and countercultures.
Exercises
1. Think about an organization you are familiar with. On the basis of the dimensions of OCP, how
would you characterize its culture?
2. Out of the culture dimensions described, which dimension do you think would lead to higher
levels of employee satisfaction and retention? Which one would be related to company
performance?
3. What are pros and cons of an outcome-oriented culture?
4. When bureaucracies were first invented, they were considered quite innovative. Do you think that
different cultures are more or less effective at different points in time and in different industries?
Why or why not?
5. Can you imagine an effective use of subcultures within an organization?
8.4 MEASURING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 353
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354 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
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8.4 MEASURING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 355
8.5 Creating and Maintaining Organizational Culture
Learning Objectives
1. Understand how cultures are created.
2. Learn how to maintain a culture.
3. Recognize organizational culture signs.
How Are Cultures Created?How Are Cultures Created?
Where do cultures come from? Understanding this question is important in understanding how they can be
changed. An organization’s culture is shaped as the organization faces external and internal challenges and learns
how to deal with them. When the organization’s way of doing business provides a successful adaptation to
environmental challenges and ensures success, those values are retained. These values and ways of doing business
are taught to new members as the way to do business (Schein, 1992).
The factors that are most important in the creation of an organization’s culture include founders’ values,
preferences, and industry demands.
Figure 8.11 Model Describing How Cultures Are Created and Maintained
356
Founder ValuesFounder Values
A company’s culture, particularly during its early years, is inevitably tied to the personality, background, and
values of its founder or founders, as well as their vision for the future of the organization. When entrepreneurs
establish their own businesses, the way they want to do business determines the organization’s rules, the structure
set up in the company, and the people they hire to work with them. For example, some of the existing corporate
values of the ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Holdings Inc. can easily be traced to the personalities
of its founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. In 1978, the two high school friends opened up their first ice-
cream shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. Their strong social convictions led them to buy only
from the local farmers and devote a certain percentage of their profits to charities. The core values they instilled
in their business can still be observed in the current company’s devotion to social activism and sustainability,
its continuous contributions to charities, use of environmentally friendly materials, and dedication to creating
jobs in low-income areas. Even though Unilever acquired the company in 2000, the social activism component
remains unchanged and Unilever has expressed its commitment to maintaining it (Kiger, 2005; Rubis, et. al., 2005;
Smalley, 2007).
Founder values become part of the corporate culture to the degree to which they help the company be successful.
For example, the social activism of Ben and Jerry’s was instilled in the company because the founders strongly
believed in these issues. However, these values probably would not be surviving 3 decades later if they had not
helped the company in its initial stages. In the case of Ben and Jerry’s, these values helped distinguish their brand
from larger corporate brands and attracted a loyal customer base. Thus, by providing a competitive advantage,
these values were retained as part of the corporate culture and were taught to new members as the right way to do
business.
8.5 CREATING AND MAINTAINING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 357
Figure 8.12
Ben & Jerry’s has locations around the world, including this store in Singapore.
Waycool27 – BenJerry-UnitedSquare – public domain.
Industry DemandsIndustry Demands
While founders undoubtedly exert a powerful influence over corporate cultures, the industry characteristics also
play a role. Companies within the same industry can sometimes have widely differing cultures. At the same time,
the industry characteristics and demands act as a force to create similarities among organizational cultures. For
example, despite some differences, many companies in the insurance and banking industries are stable and rule-
oriented, many companies in the high-tech industry have innovative cultures, and those in nonprofit industry may
be people-oriented. If the industry is one with a large number of regulatory requirements—for example, banking,
health care, and high-reliability (such as nuclear power plant) industries—then we might expect the presence of
a large number of rules and regulations, a bureaucratic company structure, and a stable culture. The industry
influence over culture is also important to know because this shows that it may not be possible to imitate the
culture of a company in a different industry, even though it may seem admirable to outsiders.
How Are Cultures Maintained?How Are Cultures Maintained?
As a company matures, its cultural values are refined and strengthened. The early values of a company’s culture
exert influence over its future values. It is possible to think of organizational culture as an organism that protects
itself from external forces. Organizational culture determines what types of people are hired by an organization
and what types of people are left out. Moreover, once new employees are hired, the company assimilates new
358 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
employees and teaches them the way things are done in the organization. We call these processes attraction-
selection-attrition and onboarding processes. We will also examine the role of leaders and reward systems in
shaping and maintaining an organization’s culture.
Attraction-Selection-AttritionAttraction-Selection-Attrition
Organizational culture is maintained through a process known as attraction-selection-attrition (ASA). First,
employees are attracted to organizations where they will fit in. Someone who has a competitive nature may feel
comfortable in and may prefer to work in a company where interpersonal competition is the norm. Others may
prefer to work in a team-oriented workplace. Research shows that employees with different personality traits
find different cultures attractive. For example, out of the Big Five personality traits, employees who demonstrate
neurotic personalities were less likely to be attracted to innovative cultures, whereas those who had openness to
experience were more likely to be attracted to innovative cultures (Judge & Cable, 1997).
Of course, this process is imperfect, and value similarity is only one reason a candidate might be attracted to
a company. There may be other, more powerful attractions such as good benefits. At this point in the process,
the second component of the ASA framework prevents them from getting in: selection. Just as candidates are
looking for places where they will fit in, companies are also looking for people who will fit into their current
corporate culture. Many companies are hiring people for fit with their culture, as opposed to fit with a certain job.
For example, Southwest Airlines prides itself for hiring employees based on personality and attitude rather than
specific job-related skills, which they learn after they are hired. Companies use different techniques to weed out
candidates who do not fit with corporate values. For example, Google relies on multiple interviews with future
peers. By introducing the candidate to several future coworkers and learning what these coworkers think of the
candidate, it becomes easier to assess the level of fit.
Even after a company selects people for person-organization fit, there may be new employees who do not fit in.
Some candidates may be skillful in impressing recruiters and signal high levels of culture fit even though they
do not necessarily share the company’s values. In any event, the organization is eventually going to eliminate
candidates eventually who do not fit in through attrition. Attrition refers to the natural process where the
candidates who do not fit in will leave the company. Research indicates that person-organization misfit is one of
the important reasons for employee turnover (Kristof-Brown, et. al., 2005; O’Reilly, et. al., 1991).
Because of the ASA process, the company attracts, selects, and retains people who share its core values, whereas
those people who are different in core values will be excluded from the organization either during the hiring
process or later on through naturally occurring turnover. Thus, organizational culture will act as a self-defending
organism where intrusive elements are kept out. Supporting the existence of such self-protective mechanisms,
research shows that organizations demonstrate a certain level of homogeneity regarding personalities and values
of organizational members (Giberson, et. al., 2005).
New Employee OnboardingNew Employee Onboarding
Another way in which an organization’s values, norms, and behavioral patterns are transmitted to employees is
through onboarding (also referred to as the organizational socialization process). Onboarding refers to the process
through which new employees learn the attitudes, knowledge, skills, and behaviors required to function effectively
8.5 CREATING AND MAINTAINING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 359
within an organization. If an organization can successfully socialize new employees into becoming organizational
insiders, new employees will feel accepted by their peers and confident regarding their ability to perform; they
will also understand and share the assumptions, norms, and values that are part of the organization’s culture. This
understanding and confidence in turn translate into more effective new employees who perform better and have
higher job satisfaction, stronger organizational commitment, and longer tenure within the company (Bauer, et.
al., 2007). Organizations engage in different activities to facilitate onboarding, such as implementing orientation
programs or matching new employees with mentors.
What Can Employees Do During Onboarding?What Can Employees Do During Onboarding?
New employees who are proactive, seek feedback, and build strong relationships tend to be more successful than
those who do not (Bauer & Green, 1998; Kammeyer-Mueller & Wanberg, 2003; Wanberg & Kammeyer-Mueller,
2000). For example, feedback seeking helps new employees. Especially on a first job, a new employee can make
mistakes or gaffes and may find it hard to understand and interpret the ambiguous reactions of coworkers. By
actively seeking feedback, new employees may find out sooner rather than later any behaviors that need to be
changed and gain a better understanding of whether their behavior fits with the company culture and expectations.
Relationship building or networking (a facet of the organizing function) is another important behavior new
employees may demonstrate. Particularly when a company does not have a systematic approach to onboarding, it
becomes more important for new employees to facilitate their own onboarding by actively building relationships.
According to one estimate, 35% of managers who start a new job fail in the new job and either voluntarily leave
or are fired within one and a half years. Of these, over 60% report not being able to form effective relationships
with colleagues as the primary reason for this failure (Fisher, 2005).
What Can Organizations Do During Onboarding?What Can Organizations Do During Onboarding?
Many organizations, including Microsoft, Kellogg Company, and Bank of America take a more structured and
systematic approach to new employee onboarding, while others follow a “sink or swim” approach where new
employees struggle to figure out what is expected of them and what the norms are.
A formal orientation program indoctrinates new employees to the company culture, as well as introducing them
to their new jobs and colleagues. An orientation program has a role in making new employees feel welcome in
addition to imparting information that may help them be successful in their new jobs. Many large organizations
have formal orientation programs consisting of lectures, videotapes, and written material, while some may follow
more informal approaches. According to one estimate, most orientations last anywhere from one to five days,
and some companies are currently switching to a computer-based orientation. Ritz Carlton, the company ranked
number 1 in Training magazine’s 2007 top 125 list, uses a very systematic approach to employee orientation
and views orientation as the key to retention. In the 2-day classroom orientation, employees spend time with
management, dine in the hotel’s finest restaurant, and witness the attention to customer service detail firsthand.
During these two days, they are introduced to the company’s intensive service standards, team orientation, and its
own language. Later, on their 21st day they are tested on the company’s service standards and are certified (Durett,
2006; Elswick, 2000). Research shows that formal orientation programs are helpful in teaching employees about
the goals and history of the company, as well as communicating the power structure. Moreover, these programs
may also help with a new employee’s integration to the team. However, these benefits may not be realized to
360 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
the same extent in computer-based orientations. In fact, compared to those taking part in a regular, face-to-face
orientation, those undergoing a computer-based orientation were shown to have lower understanding of their job
and the company, indicating that different formats of orientations may not substitute for each other (Klein &
Weaver, 2000; Moscato, 2005; Wesson & Gogus, 2005).
What Can Organizational Insiders Do During Onboarding?What Can Organizational Insiders Do During Onboarding?
One of the most important ways in which organizations can help new employees adjust to a company and a
new job is through organizational insiders—namely, supervisors, coworkers, and mentors. Leaders have a key
influence over onboarding and the information and support they provide determine how quickly employees learn
about the company politics and culture, while coworker influence determines the degree to which employees
adjust to their teams. Mentors can be crucial to helping new employees adjust by teaching them the ropes of
their jobs and how the company really operates. A mentor is a trusted person who provides an employee with
advice and support regarding career-related matters. Although a mentor can be any employee or manager who has
insights that are valuable to the new employee, mentors tend to be relatively more experienced than their protégés.
Mentoring can occur naturally between two interested individuals or organizations can facilitate this process by
having formal mentoring programs. These programs may successfully bring together mentors and protégés who
would not come together otherwise.
Research indicates that the existence of these programs does not guarantee their success, and there are certain
program characteristics that may make these programs more effective. For example, when mentors and protégés
feel that they had input in the mentor-protégé matching process, they tend to be more satisfied with the
arrangement. Moreover, when mentors receive training beforehand, the outcomes of the program tend to be
more positive (Allen, et. al., 2006). Because mentors may help new employees interpret and understand the
company’s culture, organizations may benefit from selecting mentors who personify the company’s values. Thus,
organizations may need to design these programs carefully to increase their chance of success.
LeadershipLeadership
Leaders are instrumental in creating and changing an organization’s culture. There is a direct correspondence
between the leader’s style and an organization’s culture. For example, when leaders motivate employees through
inspiration, corporate culture tends to be more supportive and people-oriented. When leaders motivate by
making rewards contingent on performance, the corporate culture tended to be more performance-oriented and
competitive (Sarros, et. al., 2002). In these and many other ways, what leaders do directly influences the cultures
of their organizations. This is a key point for managers to consider as they carry out their leading P-O-L-C
function.
Part of the leader’s influence over culture is through role modeling. Many studies have suggested that leader
behavior, the consistency between organizational policy and leader actions, and leader role modeling determine
the degree to which the organization’s culture emphasizes ethics (Driscoll & McKee, 2007). The leader’s own
behaviors will signal to individuals what is acceptable behavior and what is unacceptable. In an organization in
which high-level managers make the effort to involve others in decision making and seek opinions of others, a
team-oriented culture is more likely to evolve. By acting as role models, leaders send signals to the organization
about the norms and values that are expected to guide the actions of its members.
8.5 CREATING AND MAINTAINING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 361
Leaders also shape culture by their reactions to the actions of others around them. For example, do they praise
a job well done or do they praise a favored employee regardless of what was accomplished? How do they
react when someone admits to making an honest mistake? What are their priorities? In meetings, what types of
questions do they ask? Do they want to know what caused accidents so that they can be prevented, or do they
seem more concerned about how much money was lost because of an accident? Do they seem outraged when an
employee is disrespectful to a coworker, or does their reaction depend on whether they like the harasser? Through
their day-to-day actions, leaders shape and maintain an organization’s culture.
Reward SystemsReward Systems
Finally, the company culture is shaped by the type of reward systems used in the organization and the kinds of
behaviors and outcomes it chooses to reward and punish. One relevant element of the reward system is whether
the organization rewards behaviors or results. Some companies have reward systems that emphasize intangible
elements of performance as well as more easily observable metrics. In these companies, supervisors and peers may
evaluate an employee’s performance by assessing the person’s behaviors as well as the results. In such companies,
we may expect a culture that is relatively people- or team-oriented, and employees act as part of a family (Kerr
& Slocum, 2005). However, in companies in which goal achievement is the sole criterion for reward, there is a
focus on measuring only the results without much regard to the process. In these companies, we might observe
outcome-oriented and competitive cultures. Whether the organization rewards performance or seniority would
also make a difference in culture. When promotions are based on seniority, it would be difficult to establish a
culture of outcome orientation. Finally, the types of behaviors that are rewarded or ignored set the tone for the
culture. Which behaviors are rewarded, which ones are punished, and which are ignored will determine how a
company’s culture evolves. A reward system is one tool managers can wield when undertaking the controlling
function.
Signs of Organizational CultureSigns of Organizational Culture
How do you find out about a company’s culture? We emphasized earlier that culture influences the way members
of the organization think, behave, and interact with one another. Thus, one way of finding out about a company’s
culture is by observing employees or interviewing them. At the same time, culture manifests itself in some visible
aspects of the organization’s environment. In this section, we discuss five ways in which culture shows itself to
observers and employees.
Figure 8.13 Visual Elements of Culture
362 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Mission StatementMission Statement
A mission statement is a statement of purpose, describing who the company is and what it does. It serves an
important function for organizations as part of the first facet of the planning P-O-L-C function. But, while many
companies have mission statements, they do not always reflect the company’s values and its purpose. An effective
mission statement is well known by employees, is transmitted to all employees starting from their first day at
work, and influences employee behavior.
Some mission statements reflect who the company wants to be as opposed to who they actually are. If the
mission statement does not affect employee behavior on a day-to-day basis, it has little usefulness as a tool
for understanding the company’s culture. Enron provided an often-cited example of a disconnect between a
company’s mission statement and how the company actually operated. Their missions and values statement started
with “As a partner in the communities in which we operate, Enron believes it has a responsibility to conduct itself
according to certain basic principles.” Their values statement included such ironic declarations as “We do not
tolerate abusive or disrespectful treatment. Ruthlessness, callousness and arrogance don’t belong here (Kunen,
2002).”
A mission statement that is taken seriously and widely communicated may provide insights into the corporate
culture. For example, the Mayo Clinic’s mission statement is “The needs of the patient come first.” This mission
statement evolved from the founders who are quoted as saying, “The best interest of the patient is the only interest
to be considered.” Mayo Clinics have a corporate culture that puts patients first. For example, no incentives are
given to physicians based on the number of patients they see. Because doctors are salaried, they have no interest
in retaining a patient for themselves, and they refer the patient to other doctors when needed (Jarnagin & Slocum,
8.5 CREATING AND MAINTAINING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 363
2007). Wal-Mart may be another example of a company that lives its mission statement and therefore its mission
statement may give hints about its culture: “Saving people money so they can live better (Wal-Mart, 2008).”
RitualsRituals
Figure 8.14
Tradition is important at Mary Kay Cosmetics. Pink Cadillacs are given to top performers at large annual
events.
Phillip Pessar – Pink 1963 Cadillac – CC BY 2.0.
Rituals refer to repetitive activities within an organization that have symbolic meaning (Anand, 2005). Usually
rituals have their roots in the history of a company’s culture. They create camaraderie and a sense of belonging
among employees. They also serve to teach employees corporate values and create identification with the
organization. For example, at the cosmetics firm Mary Kay Inc., employees attend ceremonies recognizing their
top salespeople with an award of a new car—traditionally a pink Cadillac. These ceremonies are conducted in
large auditoriums where participants wear elaborate evening gowns and sing company songs that create emotional
excitement. During this ritual, employees feel a connection to the company culture and its values such as self-
determination, willpower, and enthusiasm (Jarnagin & Slocum, 2007). Another example of rituals is the Saturday
morning meetings of Wal-Mart. This ritual was first created by the company founder Sam Walton, who used these
meetings to discuss which products and practices were doing well and which required adjustment. He was able
to use this information to make changes in Wal-Mart’s stores before the start of the week, which gave him a
competitive advantage over rival stores who would make their adjustments based on weekly sales figures during
the middle of the following week. Today, hundreds of Wal-Mart associates attend the Saturday morning meetings
364 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
in the Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters. The meetings, which run from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., start and end
with the Wal-Mart cheer; the agenda includes a discussion of weekly sales figures and merchandising tactics. As a
ritual, the meetings help maintain a small-company atmosphere, ensure employee involvement and accountability,
communicate a performance orientation, and demonstrate taking quick action (Schlender, 2005).
Rules and PoliciesRules and Policies
Another way in which an observer may find out about a company’s culture is to examine its rules and policies.
Companies create rules to determine acceptable and unacceptable behavior and, thus, the rules that exist in a
company will signal the type of values it has. Policies about issues such as decision making, human resources, and
employee privacy reveal what the company values and emphasizes. For example, a company that has a policy such
as “all pricing decisions of merchandise will be made at corporate headquarters” is likely to have a centralized
culture that is hierarchical, as opposed to decentralized and empowering. The presence or absence of policies on
sensitive issues such as English-only rules, bullying and unfair treatment of others, workplace surveillance, open-
door policies, sexual harassment, workplace romances, and corporate social responsibility all provide pieces of the
puzzle that make up a company’s culture. This highlights how interrelated the P-O-L-C functions are in practice.
Through rules and policies, the controlling function affects the organization’s culture, a facet of organizing.
Impact of HR Practices on Organizational CultureImpact of HR Practices on Organizational Culture
Below are scenarios of critical decisions you may need to make as a manager one day. Read each question
and select one response from each pair of statements. Then, think about the effect your choice would have
on the company’s culture (your organizing function) as well as on your controlling function.
1.
Your company needs to lay off 10 people. Would you
a. lay off the newest 10 people?
b. lay off the 10 people who have the lowest performance evaluations?
2.
You’re asked to establish a dress code. Would you
a. ask employees to use their best judgment?
b. create a detailed dress code highlighting what is proper and improper?
3.
You need to monitor employees during work hours. Would you
a. not monitor them because they are professionals and you trust them?
b. install a program monitoring their Web usage to ensure that they are spending work hours
actually doing work?
4.
8.5 CREATING AND MAINTAINING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 365
You’re preparing performance appraisals. Would you
a. evaluate people on the basis of their behaviors?
b. evaluate people on the basis of the results (numerical sales figures, etc.)?
5.
Who will be promoted? Would you promote individuals based on
a. seniority?
b. objective performance?
Physical LayoutPhysical Layout
A company’s building, layout of employee offices, and other workspaces communicate important messages about
a company’s culture. For example, visitors walking into the Nike campus in Beaverton, Oregon, can witness
firsthand some of the distinguishing characteristics of the company’s culture. The campus is set on 74 acres and
boasts an artificial lake, walking trails, soccer fields, and cutting-edge fitness centers. The campus functions as a
symbol of Nike’s values such as energy, physical fitness, an emphasis on quality, and a competitive orientation.
In addition, at fitness centers on the Nike headquarters, only those using Nike shoes and apparel are allowed in.
This sends a strong signal that loyalty is expected. The company’s devotion to athletes and their winning spirit are
manifested in campus buildings named after famous athletes, photos of athletes hanging on the walls, and their
statues dotting the campus (Capowski, 1993; Collins & Porras, 1996 Labich & Carvell, 1995; Mitchell, 2002).
The layout of the office space also is a strong indicator of a company’s culture. A company that has an open layout
where high-level managers interact with employees may have a culture of team orientation and egalitarianism,
whereas a company where most high-level managers have their own floor may indicate a higher level of hierarchy.
Microsoft employees tend to have offices with walls and a door because the culture emphasizes solitude,
concentration, and privacy. In contrast, Intel is famous for its standard cubicles, which reflect its egalitarian
culture. The same value can also be observed in its avoidance of private and reserved parking spots (Clark, 2007).
The degree to which playfulness, humor, and fun are part of a company’s culture may be indicated in the office
environment. For example, Jive Software boasts a colorful, modern, and comfortable office design. Their break
room is equipped with a keg of beer, free snacks and sodas, an Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii. A casual observation
of their work environment sends the message that employees who work there see their work as fun (Jive Software,
2008).
Stories and LanguageStories and Language
Perhaps the most colorful and effective way in which organizations communicate their culture to new employees
and organizational members is through the skillful use of stories. A story can highlight a critical event an
organization faced and the organization’s response to it, or a heroic effort of a single employee illustrating the
company’s values. The stories usually engage employee emotions and generate employee identification with
the company or the heroes of the tale. A compelling story may be a key mechanism through which managers
366 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
motivate employees by giving their behavior direction and by energizing them toward a certain goal (Beslin,
2007). Moreover, stories shared with new employees communicate the company’s history, its values and priorities,
and create a bond between the new employee and the organization. For example, you may already be familiar with
the story of how a scientist at 3M invented Post-it notes. Arthur Fry, a 3M scientist, was using slips of paper to
mark the pages of hymns in his church choir, but they kept falling off. He remembered a superweak adhesive that
had been invented in 3M’s labs, and he coated the markers with this adhesive. Thus, the Post-it notes were born.
However, marketing surveys for the interest in such a product were weak and the distributors were not convinced
that it had a market. Instead of giving up, Fry distributed samples of the small yellow sticky notes to secretaries
throughout his company. Once they tried them, people loved them and asked for more. Word spread and this led
to the ultimate success of the product. As you can see, this story does a great job of describing the core values of
a 3M employee: Being innovative by finding unexpected uses for objects, persevering, and being proactive in the
face of negative feedback (Higgins & McAllester, 2002).
Language is another way to identify an organization’s culture. Companies often have their own acronyms and
buzzwords that are clear to them and help set apart organizational insiders from outsiders. In business, this code
is known as jargon. Jargon is the language of specialized terms used by a group or profession. Every profession,
trade, and organization has its own specialized terms.
Key Takeaway
Organizational cultures are created by a variety of factors, including founders’ values and preferences,
industry demands, and early values, goals, and assumptions. Culture is maintained through attraction-
selection-attrition, new employee onboarding, leadership, and organizational reward systems. Signs of a
company’s culture include the organization’s mission statement, stories, physical layout, rules and policies,
and rituals.
Exercises
1. Do you think it is a good idea for companies to emphasize person-organization fit when hiring
new employees? What advantages and disadvantages do you see when hiring people who fit with
company values?
2. What is the influence of company founders on company culture? Give examples based on your
personal knowledge.
3. What are the methods companies use to aid with employee onboarding? What is the importance of
onboarding for organizations?
4. What type of a company do you feel you would fit in? What type of a culture would be a misfit
for you? In your past work experience, were there any moments when you felt that you did not fit
in? Why?
5. What is the role of physical layout as an indicator of company culture? What type of a physical
layout would you expect from a company that is people-oriented? Team-oriented? Stable?
8.5 CREATING AND MAINTAINING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 367
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Bauer, T. N., Bodner, T., Erdogan, B., Truxillo, D. M., & Tucker, J. S. (2007). Newcomer adjustment during
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Capowski, G. S. (1993, June) Designing a corporate identity. Management Review, 82, 37–41; Collins, J., &.
Clark, D. (2007, October 15). Why Silicon Valley is rethinking the cubicle office. Wall Street Journal, 250, B9.
Driscoll, K., & McKee, M. (2007). Restorying a culture of ethical and spiritual values: A role for leader
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Giberson, T. R., Resick, C. J., & Dickson, M. W. (2005). Embedding leader characteristics: An examination of
homogeneity of personality and values in organizations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 1002–1010.
Higgins, J. M., & McAllester, C. (2002) Want innovation? Then use cultural artifacts that support it.
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Jarnagin, C., & Slocum, J. W., Jr. (2007). Creating corporate cultures through mythopoetic leadership.
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multiple antecedents and their pathways to adjustment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 779–794.
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8.5 CREATING AND MAINTAINING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE • 369
8.6 Creating Culture Change
Learning Objective
1. Understand the process of culture change.
How Do Cultures Change?How Do Cultures Change?
As emphasized throughout this chapter, culture is a product of its founder’s values, its history, and collective
experiences. Hence, culture is part of a company’s DNA and is resistant to change efforts. Unfortunately,
many organizations realize that their current culture constitutes a barrier against organizational productivity and
performance. Particularly when there is a mismatch between an organization’s values and the demands of its
environment, changing the culture becomes the key to the company turnaround.
Achieving culture change is challenging, and there are many companies that ultimately fail in this mission.
Research and case studies of companies that successfully changed their culture indicate that the following six
steps increase the chances of success (Schein, 1990).
Figure 8.15 Process of Culture Change
370
Creating a Sense of UrgencyCreating a Sense of Urgency
For the change effort to be successful, it is important to communicate the need for change to employees. One
way of doing this is to create a sense of urgency on the part of employees, explaining to them why changing
the fundamental way in which business is done is so important. In successful culture change efforts, leaders
communicate with employees and present a case for culture change as the essential element that will lead the
company to eventual success. As an example, consider the situation at IBM in 1993 when Lou Gerstner was
brought in as CEO and chairman. After decades of dominating the market for mainframe computers, IBM was
rapidly losing market share to competitors, and its efforts to sell personal computers—the original PC—were
seriously undercut by cheaper “clones.” In the public’s estimation, the name IBM had become associated with
obsolescence. Gerstner recalls that the crisis IBM was facing became his ally in changing the organization’s
culture. Instead of spreading optimism about the company’s future, he used the crisis at every opportunity to get
buy-in from employees (Gerstner, 2002).
Changing Leaders and Other Key PlayersChanging Leaders and Other Key Players
A leader’s vision is an important factor that influences how things are done in an organization. Thus, culture
change often follows changes at the highest levels of the organization. Moreover, to implement the change effort
quickly and efficiently, a company may find it helpful to remove managers and other powerful employees who are
acting as a barrier to change. Because of political reasons, self-interest, or habits, managers may create powerful
resistance to change efforts. In such cases, replacing these positions with employees and managers giving visible
support to the change effort may increase the likelihood that the change effort succeeds. For example, when Robert
8.6 CREATING CULTURE CHANGE • 371
Iger replaced Michael Eisner as CEO of the Walt Disney Company, one of the first things he did was to abolish
the central planning unit, which was staffed by people close to ex-CEO Eisner. This department was viewed as a
barrier to creativity at Disney and its removal from the company was helpful in ensuring the innovativeness of the
company culture (McGregor, et. al., 2007).
Role ModelingRole Modeling
Role modeling is the process by which employees modify their own beliefs and behaviors to reflect those of
the leader (Kark & Van Dijk, 2007). CEOs can model the behaviors that are expected of employees to change
the culture because these behaviors will trickle down to lower-level employees. For example, when Robert Iger
took over Disney, to show his commitment to innovation, he personally became involved in the process of game
creation, attended summits of developers, and gave feedback to programmers about the games. Thus, he modeled
his engagement in the idea creation process. In contrast, the modeling of inappropriate behavior from the top
will lead to the same behavior trickling down to lower levels. A recent example to this type of role modeling is
the scandal involving Hewlett-Packard board members. In 2006, when board members were suspected of leaking
confidential company information to the press, the company’s top-level executives hired a team of security experts
to find the source of the leak. The investigators sought the phone records of board members, looking for links to
journalists. For this purpose, they posed as board members and called phone companies to obtain itemized home
phone records of board members and journalists. When the investigators’ methods came to light, HP’s chairman
and four other top executives faced criminal and civil charges. When such behavior is modeled at top levels, it is
likely to have an adverse effect on the company culture (Barron, 2007).
TrainingTraining
Well-crafted training programs may be instrumental in bringing about culture change by teaching employees the
new norms and behavioral styles. For example, after the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated on reentry from
a February 2003 mission, NASA decided to change its culture to become more safety sensitive and minimize
decision-making errors that lead to unsafe behaviors. The change effort included training programs in team
processes and cognitive bias awareness. Similarly, when auto repairer Midas felt the need to change its culture
to be more committed to customers, they developed a program to train employees to be more familiar with
customer emotions and connect better with them. Customer reports have been overwhelmingly positive in stores
that underwent this training.1
Changing the Reward SystemChanging the Reward System
The criteria with which employees are rewarded and punished have a powerful role in determining the cultural
values of an organization. Switching from a commission-based incentive structure to a straight salary system may
be instrumental in bringing about customer focus among sales employees. Moreover, by rewarding and promoting
employees who embrace the company’s new values and promoting these employees, organizations can make sure
that changes in culture have a lasting effect. If the company wants to develop a team-oriented culture where
employees collaborate with one another, then using individual-based incentives may backfire. Instead, distributing
bonuses to intact teams might be more successful in bringing about culture change.
372 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Creating New Symbols and StoriesCreating New Symbols and Stories
Finally, the success of the culture change effort may be increased by developing new rituals, symbols, and stories.
Continental Airlines is a company that successfully changed its culture to be less bureaucratic and more team-
oriented in 1990s. One of the first things management did to show employees that they really meant to abolish
many of the company’s detailed procedures and create a culture of empowerment was to burn the heavy 800-page
company policy manual in their parking lot. The new manual was only 80 pages. This action symbolized the
upcoming changes in the culture and served as a powerful story that circulated among employees. Another early
action was redecorating waiting areas and repainting all their planes, again symbolizing the new order of things
(Higgins & McAllester, 2004). By replacing the old symbols and stories, the new symbols and stories will help
enable the culture change and ensure that the new values are communicated.
Key Takeaway
Organizations need to change their culture to respond to changing conditions in the environment, to remain
competitive, and to avoid complacency or stagnation. Culture change often begins by the creation of a
sense of urgency. Next, a change of leaders and other key players may enact change and serve as effective
role models of new behavior. Training can also be targeted toward fostering these new behaviors. Reward
systems are changed within the organization. Finally, the organization creates new stories and symbols.
Successful culture change requires managers that are proficient at all of the P-O-L-C functions. Creating
and communicating a vision is part of planning; leadership and role modeling are part of leading; designing
effective reward systems is part of controlling; all of which combine to influence culture, a facet of
organizing.
Exercises
1. Can new employees change a company’s culture? If so, how?
2. Are there any conditions under which change is not possible? If so, what would such conditions
be?
3. Have you ever observed a change process at an organization you were involved with? If so, what
worked well and what didn’t?
4. What recommendations would you have for someone considering a major change of culture
within their own organization?
1BST to guide culture change effort at NASA. (2004 June). Professional Safety, 49, 16; J. B. (2001, June). The
Midas touch. Training, 38, 26.
8.6 CREATING CULTURE CHANGE • 373
ReferencesReferences
Barron, J. (2007, January). The HP way: Fostering an ethical culture in the wake of scandal. Business Credit, 109,
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Gerstner, L. V. (2002). Who says elephants can’t dance? New York: HarperCollins.
Higgins, J., & McAllester, C. (2004). If you want strategic change, don’t forget to change your cultural artifacts.
Journal of Change Management, 4, 63–73.
Kark, R., & Van Dijk, D. (2007). Motivation to lead, motivation to follow: The role of the self-regulatory focus in
leadership processes. Academy of Management Review, 32, 500–528.
McGregor, J., McConnon, A., Weintraub, A., Holmes, S., & Grover, R. (2007, May 14). The 25 Most Innovative
Companies. Business Week, 4034, 52–60.
Schein, E. H. (1990). Organizational culture. American Psychologist, 45, 109–119.
374 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
8.7 Developing Your Personal Skills: Learning to Fit In
Learning Objectives
1. Understand what you can proactively do to understand a new organizational environment.
2. Some guidelines for proactive onboarding.
Before You JoinBefore You Join
How do you find out about a company’s culture before you join? Here are several tips that will allow you to more
accurately gauge the culture of a company you are interviewing with.
First, do your research. Talking to friends and family members who are familiar with the company, doing an
online search for news articles about the company, browsing the company’s Web site, and reading its mission
statement would be a good start.
Second, observe the physical environment. Do people work in cubicles or in offices? What is the dress code?
What is the building structure? Do employees look happy, tired, or stressed? The answers to these questions are
all pieces of the puzzle.
Third, read between the lines. For example, the absence of a lengthy employee handbook or detailed procedures
might mean that the company is more flexible and less bureaucratic.
Fourth, reflect on how you are treated. The recruitment process is your first connection to the company. Were you
treated with respect? Do they maintain contact with you or are you being ignored for long stretches at a time?
Fifth, ask questions. What happened to the previous incumbent of this job? What does it take to be successful in
this firm? What would their ideal candidate for the job look like? The answers to these questions will reveal a lot
about the way they do business.
Finally, listen to your gut. Your feelings about the place in general, and your future manager and coworkers in
particular, are important signs that you should not ignore (Daniel & Brandon, 2006; Sacks, 2005).
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You’ve Got a New Job! Now How Do You Get on Board?You’ve Got a New Job! Now How Do You Get on Board?
• Gather information. Try to find as much about the company and the job as you can before your first day.
After you start working, be a good observer, gather information, and read as much as you can to understand
your job and the company. Examine how people are interacting, how they dress, and how they act, in order
to avoid behaviors that might indicate to others that you are a misfit.
• Manage your first impression. First impressions may endure, so make sure that you dress properly, are
friendly, and communicate your excitement to be a part of the team. Be on your best behavior!
• Invest in relationship development. The relationships you develop with your manager and with coworkers
will be essential for you to adjust to your new job. Take the time to strike up conversations with them. If
there are work functions during your early days, make sure not to miss them!
• Seek feedback. Ask your manager or coworkers how well you are doing and whether you are meeting
expectations. Listen to what they are telling you and listen to what they are not saying. Then, make sure to
act on any suggestions for improvement—you may create a negative impression if you consistently ignore
the feedback you receive.
• Show success early on. To gain the trust of your new manager and colleagues, you may want to establish a
history of success early. Volunteer for high-profile projects where you will be able to demonstrate your
skills. Alternatively, volunteer for projects that may serve as learning opportunities or that may put you in
touch with the key people in the company.
Key Takeaway
There are a number of ways to learn about an organization’s culture before you formally join it. Take the
time to consider whether the culture you are observing seems like the right fit for you. Once you get a job,
you can do key things to maximize your onboarding success.
Exercises
1. What clues does your college or school give about its culture?
2. What are four things you could do today to learn more about an organization you are interested
in?
3. Imagine that your good friend is starting a new job next week. What recommendations would you
give your friend to help him or her do a great job onboarding into the organization?
ReferencesReferences
Daniel, L., & Brandon, C. (2006). Finding the right job fit. HR Magazine, 51, 62–67.
376 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Sacks, D. (2005). Cracking your next company’s culture. Fast Company, 99, 85–87.
8.7 DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL SKILLS: LEARNING TO FIT IN • 377
Chapter 9: Social Networks
9.1 Social Networks
9.2 Case in Point: Networking Powers Relationships
9.3 An Introduction to the Lexicon of Social Networks
9.4 How Managers Can Use Social Networks to Create Value
9.5 Ethical Considerations With Social Network Analysis
9.6 Personal, Operational, and Strategic Networks
9.7 Mapping and Your Own Social Network
378
9.1 Social Networks
Figure 9.1
Social networks are the patterned structure of relationships among people.
Chris Potter – 3D Social Networking – CC BY 2.0.
What’s in It for Me?
Reading this chapter will help you do the following:
1. Understand the social network vocabulary.
2. Know why social networks and networking are valuable.
3. Know some of the ethical considerations related to social network analysis.
379
4. Understand the difference between personal, operational, and strategic social networks.
5. Map your own social network and understand its implications.
Most management textbooks do not cover the subject of social networks. This is an unfortunate oversight. Social
networks can be considered “the invisible organization”—they are the pathways through which communication
and resources flow and how work actually gets done. We include this chapter on social networks in the organizing
section of the book because, like organizational design, the management of social networks is important in the
planning-organizing-leading-controlling (P-O-L-C) framework. An organization chart might communicate who
reports to whom, but it is ultimately the internal (within organization) and external (ties between members of
the organization and people outside the organization such as suppliers or customers) social networks that really
explain productivity (or impediments to productivity).
Figure 9.2 The P-O-L-C Framework
You are probably already active in social networks through such Web communities as MySpace, Facebook,
and LinkedIn. However, these sites are really only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the role of social
networks in management. Networks provide managers with three unique advantages: (1) access to information
and knowledge, (2) access to diverse skill sets, and (3) power. While managers see these advantages at work every
day, they might not pause to consider how their networks regulate them. In this chapter, you will learn about
the role and importance of social networks, and social network analysis, in the organizing facet of the P-O-L-C
framework. You will also have an opportunity to map and evaluate your own social network, and answer questions
about its effectiveness for you personally and professionally.
380 • PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
9.2 Case in Point: Networking Powers Relationships
Figure 9.3
Marjan Lazarevski – Talking on the Phone – CC BY-ND 2.0.
Networking has the potential to open doors and create possibilities for jobs and partnerships. Networking
establishes connections between individuals and access to information that one might not normally have
access to. Reaching out to strangers can be an intimidating and nerve-racking experience. In business, the
more central you are, the more power you have. Creating connections and ties to other people affords you
the opportunity for power and the ability to more closely control your future, so while at times networking
might feel awkward and uncomfortable, it is a necessary and important part of establishing and maintaining
a career.
Online social networking sites play an important role in this networking process for individuals both
professionally and personally. With 1,200 employees in 2010, Facebook has 350 million users around the
world, and LinkedIn has over 60 million members in over 200 countries. A new member joins LinkedIn
every second, and about half of the members are outside the United States. These online sites have
created new opportunities for networking and allow individuals to branch out beyond their normal world
of industry, school, and business. The key is to avoid costly missteps as employers have begun to search
381
online for information about prospective and current employees. In 2009, 8% of companies reported that
they had fired an employee for misuse of social media.
Many of these online sites have become a tool for business. For example, LinkedIn targets working
professionals and provides them a way to maintain lists of business connections and to use those
connections to gain introduction to people using mutual contacts. Unlike other social networking sites,
LinkedIn is almost entirely used by professionals. The power of social networking flows in both directions.
Employers can screen applicants through their online accounts and recruiters more than ever are using
these sites to view background information, individual skill sets, and employme