Winning

Continuous Improvement Theory in High Performance Organizations

By Krysztof Obloj, Donald P. Cushman, and Andrzej Kozminski

Subjects: Business Administration
Series: SUNY series in International Management
Paperback : 9780791425220, 205 pages, September 1995
Hardcover : 9780791425213, 205 pages, September 1995

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Table of contents

List of Figures and Tables

Preface

1. Competitive Advantage, Organizational Coalignment, and Strategy

2. The Theory of Effective Continuous Improvement

3. Self-Managed Teams

4. Cross-Functional Teams

5. International Benchmarking

6. Developing Strategic Linkages

7. Breakthroughs: Future Mapping

8. Continuous Improvement Leadership Patterns

Notes

References

Index

This book shows how organizational frame-breaking changes can be used in order for an organization to learn from its own experience and continually improve.

Description

Winning provides a theory of how and when to use various types of teamwork in a continuous improvement program. These include self-managed, cross-functional, benchmarking, outside linking and breakthrough teams. Also discussed are team leadership, team strategy, and examples of teamwork tools and outcomes. The book teaches how to win through continuous improvement programs.

Krzysztof Obloj is Professor of Strategic Management and Director of the MBA Program at the International Management Center at the University of Warsaw. He has written several books, and is coauthor of Management Systems: A Global Perspective. Donald P. Cushman is Professor of Communication at State University of New York at Albany, and coeditor of the SUNY series, Human Communication Processes. He is the author of many books including Organizational Communication and Management: A Global Perspective edited with Andrzej K. Kozminski and also published by SUNY Press. Andrzej K. Kozminski is Professor of Management and Chair of the Management and Organization Department at the School of Management at the University of Warsaw. He is the Director of the university's International Postgraduate Management Program and President of the International Business School. He is the author of Catching Up? Organizational and Management Change in the Ex-Socialist Block, also published by SUNY Press.

Reviews

"This book introduces an exciting new concept of management theory that combines several individualized concepts which have been presented in recent years as the basis of management theories by themselves. The value of the blending of these theories is amply demonstrated by a great variety of documentation and illustration which justifies and supports its legitimacy. " — Rowland Baughman, Central Connecticut State University

"The book convincingly makes the case that successful organizations must practice both continuous improvement and organizational frame-breaking—either in a sequence or simultaneously—based on relevant competitive strategies devised by strategic leadership. Moreover, it emphasizes the strategic role of organizational communication.

"The topic concerns issues that are a matter of life or death for business organizations. It goes beyond the media hype on continuous improvement and frame-breaking organizational changes. It proffers a theoretical framework that gives coherence to strategic differences in application of continuous improvement and frame-breaking organizational changes. The topic is relevant to the field of organizational communication, management, and to a dialogue on issues of economic and social policy. " — Branislav Kovacic, University of Hartford