George Roth

From theory to practice: research territory, processes and structure at an organizational learning centre

By definition, all organizations that survive as their environment evolves are learning, at least to some degree, but proposes that the learning capabilities of most organizations are extremely limited, especially when learning requires that diverse constituencies build shared understanding of dynamically complex business environments. As such, learning capabilities become increasingly needed, and those organizations which possess them will have unique advantages. Discovering how organizations might develop such learning capabilities represents a unique opportunity for partnership between researchers and practitioners. Suggests that to do this will require consensus about the research territory, research methods and goals, and how meaningful field projects can be designed and conducted.

Lessons from the desert: Integrating managerial expertise and learning for organizational transformation

Reflection upon a field study of a corporate transformation provides insights into the application and integration of organizational learning theory and frameworks with local, corporate knowledge. In the corporate transformation studied this local knowledge came from consumer psychology, marketing campaigns and the use of media. When these ideas were applied and integrated with transformation efforts they provided scale and continuity to organizational learning efforts. The improved performance and success resulting from this corporate transformation provides lessons for all learning and improvement initiatives. Utilizing learning approaches that are modified and complemented by local knowledge improves the application of these concepts in the immediate setting and creates innovations that serve as examples for what can be applied elsewhere.

Doing More with Less at Ariens: A Leadership and Transformation Case Study

Ariens is a family-owned manufacturer of lawn and snow equipment that designs, manufactures, sells, distributes, and supports its products in the United States, and more recently, internationally. Ariens faced and overcame a number of difficult challenges over the last decade by adopting and sustaining lean production principles throughout the organization, as well as with its suppliers and customers. This case study describes earlier business challenges, the changes that were made, how they were led, and the response of the workforce. The case study focuses on the period from 1998 to 2005, and a post-script updates what has happened up through early 2009. Ariens was studied because industry experts suggested that it was an exemplar of making and sustaining lean transformation. Our research confirms the commendable nature of these changes and their results. This case study details what happened and provides commentary on why Ariens has been successful.

Sustaining Lean Transformation Through Growth and Positive Organizational Change

When faced with problems and the need for change, most organizations require external efforts to develop solutions, inspire improvements, and initiate and sustain change. The continuous improvement that managers desire, however, is based on the people in their organizations sustaining changes. Positive organizational change provides an alternative to traditional deficit-based change approaches, emphasizing positive affect, individual virtues, and social bonding as a basis for changes. Positive organizational change is, however, considered as distinct and in conflict with traditional change approaches. This article uses findings from case studies of successful lean changes and the literature on positive organizational change, as illustrated by appreciative inquiry method, to develop a new combined, change model. This new positive lean change model emphasizes 2 elements—attending to positive personal and interpersonal outcomes and balancing productivity gains with business growth—to improve performance and sustain change.

Comments by George Roth and Jennifer Hartwell on “Off the rails: understanding the derailment of a lean manufacturing initiative” by Turesky and Connell

This article does not have an abstract.

Paper Documents: Implications of Changing Media for Business Process Redesign

Office settings in the 21st Century will undoubtedly take on a different character from what we see today. The development of computer and telecommunications equipment over the past four decades allows almost unlimited options for organizations in creating new working arrangements. The predominant use of paper as the media for recording, storing and transmitting information is now giving way to new electronic forms. Not only is information technology providing faster access to, and easier routing of documents, it is enabling new approaches, such as workflow mapping, task sequence optimization and flexible worker scheduling. These innovations are likely to dramatically change the nature of work. Yet, current trends are paradoxical — the paper industry reports record use of its parchment as managers and workers wonder they improve work in a new electronic world.