Managing Complexity in Global Organizations

by Steger, Ulrich; Amann, Wolfgang; Maznevski, Martha L.

• ISBN13: 9780470510728
• ISBN10: 0470510722
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-05-07
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

This book delivers new IMD insights on an emerging challenge - how to deal with overwhelming complexity. Global organizations face a complex decision-making environment. On one side, diversity of cultures, customers, competitors and regulations creates complexity; on the other, competitive pressures cause expanding countries to extract more synergies across products and regions. In such a climate, a new way of thinking, acting and organizing is needed beyond the familiar 'control' mindset. Drawing together insights from across the expert faculty, Managing Complexity in the Global Organization presents IMD's framework on how to understand complexity and its four key drivers (diversity; interdependence; ambiguity and flux), along with solutions on specific issues in a variety of functions, industries and markets. The focus is on providing practical solutions based on real-life examples.

Author Biography

Ulrich Steger holds the Alcan Chair of Environmental Management at IMD. Switzerland, and is Director of the school's research project on Corporate Sustainability Management. He also directs major partnership programs including DaimlerChrysler and Allianz, and is or has been on the boards of several major organizations – including Volkswagen, where he was in charge of worldwide environmental strategy. Prior to becoming involved in management education he was Minister of Economics and Technology in the German state of Hesse, with particular responsibility for transport, traffic and energy.

Wolfgang Amann is a Fellow in Strategic Direction and International Business at Henley Management Centre, UK. He joined Henley from IMD, and has also been visiting fellow at the Wharton School and Indian Institute of Management. Prior to pursuing his PhD he worked for DaimlerChrysler and subsequently in management consulting. He has directed, delivered and contributed to open and in-company programs and courses on strategy, internationalization and governance in the US, Europe, China and India. His recent case study series on Hindustan Lever in India won the 2006 Oikos sustainability case competition.

IMD is one of the worlds leading business schools, with a particular focus on developing state-of-the-art concepts for the experienced manager.

Table of Contents

Conceptual framework and trends on the macro-level	p. 1
Managing complexity in global organizations as the meta-challenge	p. 3
The complexity of managing corporate social responsibility in multinationals	p. 15
Opportunities and threats in the global political and economic environment	p. 37
Impact of changes in the competitive landscape and business models on selected industries	p. 57
The need to look at complexity at the industry level	p. 59
Shipping organizations - the ultimate global players	p. 61
Managing complexity caused by industry dilemmas : the case of the automotive industry	p. 75
Managing complexity with an electronic manufacturing services supplier	p. 87
Managing complexity in the financial services industry	p. 103
Solutions for managing complexity on the functional level	p. 119
Breaking down complexity management to the functional level	p. 121
Complexity in global business strategies : the cumulative impact of the crisis of choices	p. 125
Various dimensions of complexity in effectively managing the innovation process - the role of China	p. 145
Managing complexity with diversity management	p. 157
The role of information in creating value efficiently	p. 169
Dealing with complexity by managing the knowledge-based competence of the organization	p. 191
Managing complexity in marketing and supply chains	p. 205
Additional complexity challenges	p. 229
The price tag of ignoring complexity in the globalization process	p. 231
Managing complexity in mergers and alliances	p. 239
Managing complexity : the family business experience	p. 249
The future of managing complexity	p. 261
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