Author Description

STRATEGIC ORGANIZATIONAL DIAGNOSIS AND DESIGN, 3rd Edition, systematically surveys the substantive literature on organizational design and develops the theoretical framework of multiple contingency organizational design. The multiple contingencies in the theoretical framework cover the contingencies of size, technology, environment, and strategy, as well as leadership style and organizational climate and culture. These contingencies are mapped into design parameters such as organizational configuration, specialization, decision authority, information processing, coordination and control, and incentives. The book examines a variety of existing organizational situations - which can include the reader's organization - and provides the structure and analysis to diagnose and assess what can be done to have a more efficient and effective organization. Burton and Obel's dynamic multiple contingency theory of organizations provides the analytical framework and tools for the OrgCon© - a knowledge-base expert system which has been thoroughly vetted with business executives. The accompanying software, the OrgCon© with training guide and cases (CD bound into the book), provides a managerial tool kit to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of organizations. Specifically, OrgCon© offers the manager or student a "hands on" knowledge of organizational design. It guides the manager or student through cases or their own organization and enables them to analyze real world organizational problems and seek concrete organization design solutions. The book and the software tool kit are an integrated package and combine to provide the analytical framework and tools that will result in building intuitive understanding of organization design through interactive applications. For additional information on the book and OrgCon©, see the following URLs: http://www.wkap.nl/prod/b/1-4020-7684-3 (hardbound) http://www.wkap.nl/prod/b/1-4020-7685-1 (paperback)