In
1986, Edward Lawler alerted American business to the power of
the high-involvement organization - one that fosters quick adaptation
and change through fewer levels of hierarchy and satisfying work
relationships. The logic is simple and the results indisputable:
people give more to their work when they have more to say in how
the company is run. Now Lawler, called "one of today's most prominent
scholars" in management literature by Choice magazine, shows us
that high-involvement management is not just a good idea - it's
an economic necessity.
Rather
than try to copy other nations' management styles, Lawler says,
organizations should develop approaches rooted in their own cultures.
He explains, "We need an alternative to the total quality management
approach that builds on many of its key elements but goes beyond
it to provide a competitive advantage for organizations in societies
that are characterized by diversity, democracy, entrepreneurial
behavior and respect for the individual."
The
Ultimate Advantage is an informed and detailed overview of how
an organization must be designed to encourage innovation, increase
cost-effectiveness, and deliver enhanced quality, customer service,
and speed. Lawler demonstrates how to set up work teams, improvement
groups, skill-based pay systems, and other practices that can
create an environment where employees grow and the organization
prospers. And throughout, Lawler emphasizes the need for interrelated,
organization-wide implementation so that quality comes from within,
rather than being added on or "inspected in" at a later stage.
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