Building the Flexible Firm: How to Remain Competitive - Couverture rigide

Volberda, Henk W.

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 019829090X ISBN 13 : 9780198290902

Editeur : Oxford University Press, 1998

Synopsis

How do firms cope with changing environments? Is flexibility really the solution? How can we measure a firm's flexibility? Can a more flexible firm be created?;Based on an Igor Ansoff Award winning study, Henk Volberda's "Building the Flexible Firm" shows how flexibility has become the new strategic challenge for contemporary firms. Although traditional organizational forms have worked well in the relatively stable environments of the past, the globalization of markets, rapid technological change, shortening product life cycles, and increasing aggressiveness of competitors have radically altered the ground rules for competing in the 1990s and beyond. Increased competition forces firms to move more quickly and boldly than before, and to experiment in ways that do not conform to traditional administrative theory This book offers insights into the way firms can increase their flexibility. It is based on extensive interviews with practitioners and supported by many longitudinal case studies on flexibility improvement within large corporations. The author provides a strategic framework which explains what types of flexibility are effective under different organizational conditions and

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

How do firms cope with changing environments? Is flexibility really the solution? How can we measure a firm's flexibility? Can a more flexible firm be created? Based on an Igor Ansoff Award-winning study and now available for the first time in paperback, Henk Volberda's Building the Flexible Firm shows how flexibility has become the new strategic challenge for contemporary firms. Although traditional organizational forms have worked well in the relatively stable environments of the past, the globalization of markets, rapid technological change, shortening product life cycles, and increasing aggressiveness of competitors have radically altered the ground rules for competing in the 1990s and beyond. Increased competition forces firms to move more quickly and boldly than before, and to experiment in ways that do not conform to traditional administrative theory. This book offers a wealth of insights into the way firms can increase their flexibility. It is based on extensive interviews with practitioners and supported by many longitudinal case studies on flexibility improvement within large corporations. The author provides a strategic framework which explains what types of flexibility are effective under different organizational conditions and environmental characteristics. He also demonstrates an integrated method for diagnosing a firm's flexibility and for guiding the transition to greater flexibility and responsiveness.

Revue de presse

Managers on Diploma programmes or candidates working towards Level 5 S/NVQs will find that this demanding but insightful book can challenge their thinking about their role in determining organisational flexibility. Centres which offer consultancy services to public and private sector organisations may find that this book opens up a completely new set of opportunities for them in providing services to their clients ... There will be few practitioners who, having read Volberga's thought-provoking analysis, will not feel that meeting the challenge presented by the book has not been worth the effort. (Business Planning)

Volberda's book brings together much that has been written on strategic management thinking over the last thirty or forty years, and doesn't pretend to offer simple solutions to complex problems ... What it does offer is a thorough-going analysis of the nature of flexibility and well worked out programme for action to develop flexibility in organisations. (Business Planning)

A 'must read' for students and scholars in Strategic Management who desire a comprehensive review and synthesis of the extant literature on organizational flexibility and adaptivity. (Organization Studies)

An important addition to our overall understanding of flexibility. (Technology Analysis & Strategic Management)

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Oxford University Press
• Date d'édition: 1998
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 019829090X
• ISBN 13: 9780198290902
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 250
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: Ufficio Anagrafiche Messaggerie; ufficio.anagrafiche@meli.it; ; Via Verdi, 8; Assago Milano; 20090; Italie