Shfting Organizational Paradigms

Networking in the information age will make it virtually impossible to sustain the boundaries, narrow institutional or disciplinary paradigms, beliefs, myths and social constructions common in today’s independent bureaucracies. Every issue will present opportunities to develop new responses that are more effective than in the past. The network is the means.

The emerging business environment and therefore modern manager will increasingly focus on:

§ constant review and improvement of business processes

§ balancing vertical processes (bureacucratic silos) with horizontal business procedures which are emerging as the key to success

§ creating flexible teams with a lifespan defined by the duration of the need or priority

§ importing additional talent to project teams on a temporary basis to ensure that the correct balance of expertise and experience is available

§ dismantling any structures, procedures, rules, or agreements that limit flexibility and innovation

§ building partnerships and alliances with other organizations sharing similar missions to increase impact.

The table below provides another perspective on the workplace shifts that will continue to take place.

FROM	TOWARDS
responsive/rigid dependence on authority trained responses/conformity replication 'stop action' controls adverse to risk regular, scheduled hours centralized isolated bureaucracy authoritative managed individuals departments/units	adaptive/flexible independence/autonomy initiative/problem solving creativity monitoring controls calculated risk taking flexible work patterns decentralized networked cyberocracy democrative self-managed teams project teams