Designing Organizations: An Executive Briefing on Strategy, Structure, and Process – New and Revised

January 1, 2002

book coverJay R. Galbraith, (Jossey-Bass, 2002)

Since the landmark book Designing Organizations was first published in 1995, leaders have become more and more concerned with he challenges inherent in managing complexity within their organizations.

Jay Galbraith’s new and revised edition of Designing Organizations is a leader’s concise guide to the process of creating and managing an organization – no matter how complex – that will be positioned to respond effectively and rapidly to customer demands and have the ability to achieve unique competitive advantage. This thoroughly updated edition addresses the concerns and challenges of the new global economy. The volume includes an extensive chapter on the flexible organization and a new section that focuses on organizing around the customer. Expanding on the ideas presented in the first edition, Galbraith offers practical suggestions and information that will help practitioners select and implement an efficient design that will help them get superior results.

Galbraith uses a wealth of examples from such well-know companies as Intel, Motorola, 3M Company, and Toyota to show how various kinds of organizational designs operate differently. He presents his findings in a balanced approach and describes both the positive and negative aspects of each. Using his patented and successful star model, he outlines for any leader the basic design categories and processes that must be integrated to produce efficient systems. In this edition, you will find straightforward, easy-to-follow tools that outline parameters for selecting a design structure and can help you organize your company to acclimate to the changing needs of your customers, work its way to the top, and stay there!