The early 21st century is proving to be a watershed for most corporations worldwide. The era of "globalization" has left many managers scrambling to understand the nature of the forces of change in their particular functions and businesses, what responses are most appropriate, and, above all, how they can manage the more complex strategies and operations on an ongoing basis.

Lawson International's consulting services for organizational effectiveness helps companies and operating units within enterprises develop and manage the organizational capability to implement new and more complex domestic and global strategies.

The Elements of Organizational Effectiveness

Organizational Capability and Alignment

Many of the world's largest corporations are in flux. New pressures have transformed the global competitive game forcing these companies to rethink their traditional worldwide strategic approaches. The new strategies, in turn, have raised questions about the adequacy of organizational structures, systems and processes and staffing and skills used to manage domestic and global operations.

The disappointments and failures companies have encountered in their international and domestic operations are not due primarily to inappropriate strategic analysis but to organizational deficiencies. Most managers within worldwide companies recognize what they need to do to enhance global competitiveness. The challenge is how to develop the organizational capability, the organizational structures, administrative processes, and management perspectives to implement new strategies. For this to occur, an integrated, systemic approach is needed.

The Lawson International Approach

Our integrative process focuses broadly on the global competitive environment facing the organization, on the organization's purposes and internal functioning, and on the processes through which continuous organizational learning can be attained. This approach calls for assessing the organization from a multitude of perspectives.

We utilize an organizational assessment model that examines the alignment or fit among:

•The organization's strategy;
•Its structure;
•Supportive systems and processes;
•Staffing and talent capability;
•Needed skill sets;
•And the organization's shared values, or culture.

A variety of data generation and analysis techniques are utilized, including working sessions, individual and focus group interviews, benchmarking assessment, strategic business and competitive analysis and "consensus building" meetings framed against organizational improvement hypotheses, pinpointing change management, timing investment, and implementation requirements.

The Benefit

As a result of working with Lawson International, the client is able to implement needed organizational alignment changes by sequentially:

•Influencing the understanding and perceptions of individuals, particularly those in key positions.

•Modifying the communication flows and decision-making processes.

•Consolidating and confirming structural realignment and responsibilities.

Other benefits of the Lawson International approach include:

•An opportunity to build and manage effective internal organizational processes as a primary source of competitiveness.

•Senior management confidence in the business relevance of new, proposed functional processes, aligned with strategy.

•Renewed administrative systems, organizational processes, and management practices required to lead the organization going forward.

•Integrative management of the organization's internal and external network as a source of competitive advantage.