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Article
Publication date: 1 June 2010

Klaasjan Visscher, J. Irene and A. Visscher‐Voerman

The purpose of this paper is to map the variety in organizational design approaches, to clarify their differences, and to find out what constitutes good designing in practice.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to map the variety in organizational design approaches, to clarify their differences, and to find out what constitutes good designing in practice.

Design/methodology/approach

A series of in‐depth interviews with experienced, high‐reputation consultants is used to reconstruct organizational design practice.

Findings

The paper presents a typology with three organizational design approaches, stemming from different theoretical traditions. The paper demonstrates that the three approaches comprise both traditional design activities – analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation – experimental activities, and political activities, but that the emphasis, elaboration, rationale and order of these activities are very different for each approach.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides a framework for further research on the contextualization of design processes, investigating which design approaches work under which conditions.

Practical implications

Practitioners can use the results of this study to clarify, improve and enrich their own approach of organizational designing.

Originality/value

Management literature contains many models of organization design processes, but empirical studies of these processes are rare, and not yet existing in the context of management consulting. The paper fills some of the gaps.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 48 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

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Article
Publication date: 1 June 2006

Klaasjan Visscher

The purpose of this article is to assess whether the effort of consulting firms and branch organizations to establish a shared and standardized methodology as a means to…

3961

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to assess whether the effort of consulting firms and branch organizations to establish a shared and standardized methodology as a means to professionalize consulting and as a standard for training is possible and sensible.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted among Dutch management consultants, which explored their ways of working and their ways of learning.

Findings

The study shows that efforts to develop a shared and standardized phase‐model methodology do not seem to be effective. Instead of following phase‐models, consultants appear to be improvising bricoleurs, tailoring their ways of working to specific situations, and using broad, heterogeneous and partly implicit repertoires, which are built through mainly through action‐learning. This requires another kind of methodology and another kind of training.

Research limitations/implications

The article gives a general direction for the development of a consulting methodology and the education of consultants. Further research on consulting practices and repertoires is necessary to explore this direction.

Practical implications

The paper concludes that the value of phase‐models as a standard is limited. Therefore, branch organizations, consulting firms and corporate universities should not focus their professionalization and training activities on these standardized methods.

Originality/value

Little work has been done yet on the relation between professionalization, methods, and training in management consulting, and no earlier publication has studied this topic quantitatively.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

Available. Content available
Article
Publication date: 1 June 2006

Darryl Dymock

168

Abstract

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Available. Content available

Abstract

Details

Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 30 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-3946

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Article
Publication date: 16 October 2009

Christer Karlsson and Chris Voss

In 2009, the European Operations Management Association (EurOMA) celebrates its 15th anniversary and its precursor, the UK OMA, its 25th anniversary. The purpose of this paper is…

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Abstract

Purpose

In 2009, the European Operations Management Association (EurOMA) celebrates its 15th anniversary and its precursor, the UK OMA, its 25th anniversary. The purpose of this paper is to review the origins and foundations of today's EurOMA and how it has progressed to being a vibrant and successful organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The review draws on archived documents, especially newsletters and board minutes, as well as memories of all of those involved.

Findings

The review shows an important evolution from two groups of like minded individuals, through building annual conferences and brings these together as one. It then shows how it has evolved both through formalisation of its activities, building international links and, most importantly, developing a portfolio of activities to develop and support young researchers.

Research limitations/implications

Where records are not available, the paper draws on individual memories of events from a long time ago.

Originality/value

As well as providing an invaluable record, it can provide a model for the development of similar organisations.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 29 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

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