J Paul Briggs

Improving Complex Organizations J Paul Briggs

Complex organizations are any large scale organizations of the private, public, or non-profit sectors that provide operational, administrative, and executive direction; possess at least three hierarchical levels of management; maintain formal as well as informal rules for organizing; and coordinate multi-purposed tasks for the meeting of goals. There are many sizes, shapes and purposes of complex organizations but due to operational necessity and bureaucratic tendency, all face common challenges. This book serves as an aid in identifying and responding effectively to the many challenges of government or big business. Organizational leaders know the way to success is through constant improvement and adaptation to environmental change, manager/employee attrition, and the need for technological improvement. This book offers a practical guide by suggesting the top ten things to consider in each chapter or subject area in order to improve complex organizations. Anyone working in an office environment can find humor in the cynical but sadly realistic comic-strip "Dilbert," in which a small group of employees struggle to make sense of an all-too-typical insane work environment. Alternatively, this book is intended to give those striving to improve the office situation and the overall complex organization many suggestions toward actually making a real difference. Despite all the stigmatization and burdens of bureaucracy, complex organizations can be reformed into successful performers. This book addresses the most pressing issues confronting complex organizations and serves as a reference guide for executives, managers, employees and consultants on a broad range of management, operational and administrative areas. In particular, the Ten Organizational Priorities (TOP) Model is developed to display the steps needed to assess and improve complex organizations. Moreover, the Integrated Management, Planning, Assessment, Correction and Tracking (IMPACT) Model is also developed to show how organizational structures designed for continuous improvement are organized. These two models can be used together to generate a "TOP IMPACT" by improving organizational performance and cost-effectiveness in any complex organization.