Slide 4 of 11
Notes:
The most important organisational factors are to do with culture, behaviours, attitudes and expectations:
1. What is the management style?
If the enterprise has an “empowered” management style in which individual managers and employees make their own day to day decisions about their work and take responsibility for their own results, this is a positive indicator for and open and permissive approach to new methods of work. In contrast, a strongly bureaucratic organisation, with centralised decision making and little delegate authority should only adopt new methods of work on a very planned and controlled basis.
2. Communications culture?
Are their open communications across as well as up and down the organisation? Again open, any-to-any communications indicates a flexible, opportunist approach to new methods of work. In contrast, strong adherence to reporting structures and the organogram suggests a controlled and selective approach to new work methods.
3. Business stance or cycle?
Is the enterprise growing, profitable and well funded? New methods of work will be seen as a better way to get the job done. If the enterprise is struggling and in cut-the-bottom-line mode, it may be seen as a threat to job security.
4. Use of electronic networking methods?
Once email and other online communications are well established, new methods of work tend to become an obvious next step. Otherwise, communications problems will arise.
