Customer Reviews

Harvard Business Review on Turnarounds

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THis book give you some views about turnarounds. If you want to learn about turnarounds this is a book that can help. I suggest reading this and a more " hands on" to balance theory + pratical stuff.

Rather disappointing with what I considered largely facile commentary ~ yes entertaining but not illuminating

This is one in a series of several dozen volumes which comprise the "Harvard Business Review Paperback Series." Each offers direct, convenient, and inexpensive access to the best thinking on the given subject in articles originally published by the Harvard Business School Review. I strongly recommend all of the volumes in the series. The individual titles are listed at this Web site: www.hbsp.harvard.edu. The authors of various articles are among the world's most highly regarding experts on the given subject. Each volume has been carefully edited. Supplementary commentaries are also provided in most of the volumes, as is an "About the Contributors" section which usually includes suggestions of other sources which some readers may wish to explore. In this volume, the reader is provided with eight articles. Here are brief excerpts from the executive summaries with precede three of them:

Cracking the Code of Change (Michael Beer and Nitin Nohria): "In this article, [the authors] describe two archetypes -- or theories of corporate transformation that may help executives crack the code of change. Theory E is change based on economic value: shareholder value is the only legitimate measure of success, and change often involves heavy use of economic incentives, layoffs, downsizing, and restructuring. Theory O is change based on organizational capability: the goal is to build and strengthen corporate value." (May-June 2000)

Turning Goals into Results (Jim Collins): "In this article, [Collins] introduces the catalytic mechanism, a simple yet powerful managerial tool that helps translate lofty aspirations into concrete reality. Catalytic mechanisms are the crucial link between objectives and performance; they are a galvanizing, nonbureaucratic means to turn one into another...[They share] five characteristics. First, they produce desired results in unpredictable ways. Second, they distribute power for the benefit of the overall system, often to the discomfort of those who traditionally hold power. Third, catalytic mechanisms have teeth. Fourth, they eject `viruses' -- those people who don't share the company's core values. Finally, they produce an ongoing effect." (July-August 1999)

Changing the Way We Change (Richard Pascale, Mark Millemann, and Linda Gioja): "The authors identify three interventions that will restore companies to vital agility ands then keep them in good health: incorporating employees fully into the principal business challenges facing the company; leading the organization in a different way in order to sharpen and maintain incorporation and constructive stress; and instilling mental disciplines that will make people behave differently and then help them sustain their new behavior." (November-December 1997)

Hopefully these brief excerpts encourage those with whom I now share them to obtain a copy of this volume and then read each of the eight articles. Those who share my passion for athletic competition will be especially interested in Bill Parcells' article, The Tough Work of Turning Around a Team. His efforts to do so here in Dallas continue.

Many airlines worldwide are ailing. Many large airlines have been liquidated or are facing serious viability challenges. I work for an airline association which, among other things, seeks to find solutions to turnaround the fortunes of the legacy airlines. After searching for a book to guide me in this regard, I came across Harvard Business Review on Turnarounds.

The book proved to be useful as it is a collection of articles highlighting how others have effectively managed change and turned around failing organisations. From the compelling stories about successful turnarounds, one can also distil some ideas and principles that can be used to effect successful turnarounds. This book would be a useful reading for those people in businesses that require to be re-energising or revitalising to stay competitive and be customer focused.