Three Perspectives on Orgs. • Strategic design—grouping, linking, alignment • Political—interests, power, conflict, coordination • Cultural—traditions, deep values, unstated assumptions—the unconscious side • Value lies in sharp, focused analysis using each lens; don’t be too quick to combine Strategic Design: Case of MIT • What are MIT’s Goals—what’s it trying to do (better than others) • Teach – Undergrads – Grads – Others—executives, the world (OCW) • Research How is MIT Organized (SD) • President, Provost, Chancellor…. • Functional—Schools, Departments, Labs.. • Product/Customer—Undergrads, Grads – Then Functional again within DUE • Adm • Registrar • Writing??? So where and what are you in this structure? Customer? Product? Input? Challenges (Tasks) Facing DUE • List some challenges from your data Challenges (Tasks Facing DUE— Faculty Perspective • Implementing New General Institute Requirements (GIRs) • More responsive to faculty—e.g. more and analysis of student data Group Task • What if any changes in DUE would you recommend to address these challenges? • Remember your basic Strategic Design tools are: – Grouping—reorganization formal structure – Linking—new/better coordinating mechanisms – Alignment—get goals of subunits (and people) in synch with tasks and overall MIT goals Coping with Generic SD Problems • Getting lost in a big bureaucracy—lack of entrepreneurship—tips for navigating • The current cure all—flatten hierarchy and replace hierarchy with networked units/people – Use modern IT to have greater access to info and to people – But, how to deal with info overflow and unrestricted access? Summing Up: Key Questions to Ask Yourself in Reading an Organization’s SD • What is the organization trying to do and how is it structured? • Does structure fit goals/strategy? • Has environment changed in ways that create misfits of strategy—structure? • How do I get something done by using the structure? • How can I overcome limits or constraints of structure? Strategic Design • A good starting point for reading organizations----if • Complemented by: – Political Perspective – Cultural Perspective