| DNA Management: A Genetic Approach for Managers and Consultants |
| | Schwartz, Ned S. | Western New England College | nschwart@wnec.edu | 413-782-1496 |
| | This paper presents the prospectus of an innovative paradigm for assisting managers
and consultants with their decision-making in strategic assessment, formulation and
and implementation, using the "natural" metaphor of bio-genetic engineering. DNA Management is
predicated upon the principle that every living organization possesses unique genetic
characteristics, much like any living organism. These characteristics are represented by the
basic building blocks of nature, DNA, as reflected in an organization's genome. Although
competing organizations may have similar genetic characteristics, no two organizations share
identical DNA. The consultant or manager therefore has the opportunity for customized strategic
analysis, planning and management.
DNA Management is defined as:
The proactive introduction of newly combined genetic characteristics into an organization
through continuous experimentation and adaptation. The process is to continuously re-
combine corporate genetic material available from all stakeholders, in order to provide
management with the most effective attributes for facilitating the mobilization of
organizational resources to meet its mission.
DNA Management includes a powerful visual genome for both the internal and
external environments of an organization. By coordinating the existing and projected genome
charts, the manager is able to re-combine existing genetic material and/or acquire compatible
genetic resources from outside the organization. An organization's genome chart can then be
dynamically articulated with others in a company's eco-system to enhance its
competitive opportunities. |
| | Keywords: DNA; Organizational; Management |
| Post-Violence Interventions: Will Bullet-Proof Windows Replace the "Glass Ceiling"? |
| | McClure, Lynne | McClure Associates Management Consultants | no e-mail address | (602) 372-1568 |
| | Werther, Jr., William B. | Miami U. | wwerther@exchange.sba.Miami.Edu | (305(284-2706 |
| | Many employers see violence at work as an isolated event, which is unpredictable and not subjet to proactive efforts. When violence does occur, employee assitance, training and human resource professionals often lack the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to properly address the problem and develop proactive solutions to lessen its reoccurence. Thus, consultants are increasingly seen as the "source of wisdom" in dealing with employee violence at work.
This paper argues that consultants and in-house professionals need to reframe the violence-at-work issue and their response to it. First, violence is most likely to impact women. Homicide is the leadding cause of death for women who die on the job. And, most fatal assaults take place in work environments where the majority of employees are women. Second, violence at work can be anticpated and subject to proactive methods, best designed through client-consultant relationship. Though these proactive methods are best deployed prior to a violent incident, often it is the violent event that motivates employers to find outside expertise and take action. Third, awareness and skill-based training offer an effective way to reduce the potential for violence at work while making a good faith effort to comply with Occupationqal Safety and Health mandates for a workplace fee from recognized hazards.
The paper concludes with a description of a post-violence, field investigation that began after a neat tragic incident and illustrates the need to reframe the issue of violence at work. |
| | Keywords: Violence; Consulting |
| Collection and Connection: The Anatomy of Knowledge Sharing in Professional Service Firms |
| | Weiss, Leigh M. | Harvard U. | lweiss@hbs.edu | (617)-495-7866 |
| | Strategists have argued that knowledge and how it is managed is a key source
of competitive advantage. No where is this more important than in knowledge-
intensive professional service firms, where resources are almost exclusively
knowledge-based. Learning from past experiences and applying knowledge in
new situations are essential for improving future value creation for clients.
The paper introduces a framework for understanding how these firms can
leverage knowledge more effectively. The framework explains the core social
processes of knowledge collection and connection. These processes are essential
for making knowledge productive, using it to innovate, deliving better services,
and preventing "reinventing of teh wheel." Yet few professional service
firms focus on how these processes actually work. To understand these processes,
professional service firms must recognize the difference between rationalized
and embedded knowledge. The paper describes these concepts and shows how
this typology sheds light on the importance of reciprocity, trust, power,
politics and rewards and incentives as determining factors of whether
professionals share what they know. Data presented are based on extensive fieldwork
in a leading professional service firm. Extensive access to proprietary
data enabled me to employ multiple qualitiative methods, including more
than 100 structured, in-depth interviews with professionals at all levels of
the hierarchy, observations of teams in the office and with clients, and
confidential client proposals and project reports. Additionally, twenty
interviews with senior-level executives at eight other professional service
firms informed this research. |
| | Keywords: knowledge; professional; processes |