
Some questions that come to mind in this context are:
- How do we deal with the new realities of the horizontal organization (leading across boundaries without the power of hierarchical control, empowerment of the periphery, informal network organizations – to name a few).
- How can an organization master the dynamics of the extended enterprise (drive a flat and global value chain and gain leverage among multiple stakeholders who compete for value).
- What capabilities do people and organizations need in this context? What structures, processes, systems can help drive and anchor such capabilities?
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How can technology help to master this conundrum? What capabilities are required to leverage the opportunities that come with technology?
- What are effective interventions to promote key organizational capabilities of a networked organization (e.g., collaboration)? Who should drive these interventions?
- What is the role of the corporate function in this context? How can corporate add value? Do we need to renegotiate the silent contract between businesses and corporate HQs?
Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas if one or more of these questions ring a bell. They’renumbered, so you can relate to the ones you’d like to comment on.
About the Author
Roland Deiser is a Drucker Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for the Future of Organization at the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. His most recent books are Designing the Smart Organization (2009) and Transformers: Executive Conversations about Creating Agile Organizations