Strategic control in reengineering the complex organization

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Jordan, Leland G.

Affiliations: College of Business Administration, Texas A&M International University, 5201 University Boulevard, Laredo, Texas, 78041, 210-326-2532, USA

Abstract: Reengineering a whole organization, rather than only a function or subelement, is an extraordinarily complex undertaking. The human and organizational complexities exceed those arising from technological innovations. The top-level strategic redesign is made first and the subsequent redesign of lower-level processes must support that new top-level design. The reality of time-based competition necessitates a simultaneous reengineering of the various elements of the organization. That simultaneity further increases the complexity of the reengineering. Control by enumeration becomes impossible and if attempted may defeat the reengineering effort. This paper presents methods for coping with the complexity and maintaining strategic control while empowering those change agents unleashed by the reengineering effort. A case study of an application is presented. A basis for strategic control and communication of strategies and authorized constraints to those redesigning the lower-level processes is established.

Keywords: Case study, communication and control systems, information technology, management support systems, reengineering, strategic decision making

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-1996-15403

Journal: Human Systems Management, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 219-225, 1996