The Boundaryless Organization

In 1995 The Boundaryless Organization showed companies how to sweep away the artificial obstacles-such as hierarchy, turf, and geography-that get in the way of outstanding business performance. Now, in this completely revised edition of their groundbreaking work, management experts Ron Ashkenas, Dave Ulrich, Todd Jick, and Steve Kerr offer an up-to-date version of their comprehensive guide to help any organization go "boundaryless"-and become a company with the ability to quickly, proactively, and creatively adjust to changes in the environment. With new examples, a new commentary on the developments of the last five years, and illuminating first-hand accounts from pioneering senior executives, the authors once again show why "boundaryless" is a prerequisite for any organization trying to succeed in the economy of the twenty-first century. Foreword by: C. K. Prahalad.
Foreword by: Lawrence A. Bossidy.
Preface.
The Authors.
* A New World Order: Rising to the Challenge of New Success Factors.
Stepping Up to the Line: How Boundaryless Is Your Organization?
Part One: Free Movement Up and Down: Crossing Vertical Boundaries.
First Person: Cesar Guajardo, General Director, Praxair Mexico.
* Toward a Healthy Hierarchy.
Stepping Up to the Line: How Healthy Is Your Organization's Hierarchy?
* Rewiring and Retuning the Hierarchy.
Part Two: Free Movement Side to Side: Crossing Horizontal Boundaries.
First Person: Daniel Vasella, Chairman and CEO, Novartis AG.
* Beyond Turf and Territory.
Stepping Up to the Line: How Congruent Are Your Organization's Horizontal Boundaries?
* Integrating Resources to Serve the Customer.
Part Three: Free Movement Along the Value Chain: Crossing External Boundaries.
First Person: Jim Madden, President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board, Exult.
* Toward Partnership with Customers and Suppliers.
Stepping Up to the Line: How Well Linked Is Your Organization's Value Chain?
* Strengthening the Value Chain.
Part Four: Free Global Movement: Crossing Geographic Boundaries.
First Person: Mieko Nishimizu, Vice President, World Bank South Asia Region.
* Toward the Global Corporation.
Stepping Up to the Line: How Far Along the Path to Globalization Is Your Organization?
* Actions for Global Learners, Launchers, and Leaders.
* Conclusion: Leading Toward the Boundaryless Organization.
Stepping Up to the Line: Are You a Boundaryless Leader?

Notes.
Index. Ron Ashkenas is a managing partner of Robert H. Schaffer & Associates in Stamford, Connecticut. A leading consultant to CEOs on organizational transformation, his articles have appeared in Harvard Business Review and other leading business publications. His clients have included General Electric, GlaxoSmithKline, the World Bank, and numerous other public and private sector firms.
Dave Ulrich is professor of business administration at the University of Michigan. He was named by Business Week as one of the world's top ten educators in management and the top educator in human resources.
Todd Jick, formerly a professor at Harvard Business School, is a managing partner with the Center for Executive Development in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has consulted with numerous companies in the United States and Europe including Merrill Lynch, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Novartis, and Cadbury Schweppes.
Steve Kerr is chief learning officer and a managing director of Goldman Sachs. A former dean at the University of Southern California and former professor of management at the University of Michigan, he was the first chief learning officer for General Electric. In the words of Jack Welch— the legendary former CEO of General Electric— today's organizations must become "boundaryless" if they are to be successful. In this thoroughly revised and updated edition of The Boundaryless Organization four of the management experts who helped GE create a boundaryless culture explain what it takes to make the boundaryless organization a reality. Drawing on both theory and practice, they show how to break through the four most common types of organizational boundaries-hierarchical (or vertical), functional (or horizontal), external, and geographic-to achieve the speed, flexibility, integration, and innovation needed to survive and thrive in today's business environment. Using examples from GE, Schwab, GlaxoSmithKline, and other successful companies, the authors demonstrate how the free flow of ideas, resources, and talent in and out of the organization, up and down the hierarchy, and across geographic boundaries can result in outstanding performance.

The Boundaryless Organization reveals how leaders can use four powerful "levers" to foster a shift from "command and control" methods to those that rely more on creating shared mind-sets, stretch goals, and empowered colleagues, including:

• Information-encouraging greater access to information across all boundaries
• Authority-giving people at different levels the power to make decisions
• Competence-helping people develop the skills they need to succeed
• Rewards-giving people the incentives to achieve shared organizational goals

With a focus on results, accountability, and tough decision-making, this new edition of The Boundaryless Organization shows why, more than ever, being "boundaryless" is an absolute requirement for organizational success in today's economy. In 1995 The Boundaryless Organization showed companies how to sweep away the artificial obstacles-such as hierarchy, turf, and geography-that get in the way of outstanding business performance. Now, in this completely revised edition of their groundbreaking work, management experts Ron Ashkenas, Dave Ulrich, Todd Jick, and Steve Kerr offer an up-to-date version of their comprehensive guide to help any organization go "boundaryless"-and become a company with the ability to quickly, proactively, and creatively adjust to changes in the environment. With new examples, a new commentary on the developments of the last five years, and illuminating first-hand accounts from pioneering senior executives, the authors once again show why "boundaryless" is a prerequisite for any organization trying to succeed in the economy of the twenty-first century.
Winner of the Executive Leadership Award

"If your organization is ready for transformation, The Boundaryless Organization will provide a simple but provocative framework either for getting started or for accelerating the pace."
— from the foreword by Lawrence A. Bossidy, chairman and CEO, Honeywell Corporation

"This is the best book on globalization and the seamless organization that I have read."
— David H. Komansky, chairman and CEO, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

"A very important contribution."
— from the foreword by C. K. Prahalad, coauthor of Competing for the Future

"Attacks the very core of traditional management structure, with all of its walls, boundaries, and limitations."
— Quality Progress

"Outlines how companies can make the change from rigid structures to ones where ideas, resources, and information can flow freely."
— HR Strategies & Tactics

"A refreshing guide to innovative ways to do business . . . . Each part includes a questionnaire that readers can use to determine where they stand on a continuum between boundaried and boundaryless status."
— Journal of Management Consulting

"Recommended reading."
— CIO

Winner of the Executive Leadership Award

"If your organization is ready for transformation, The Boundaryless Organization will provide a simple but provocative framework either for getting started or for accelerating the pace."
— from the foreword by Lawrence A. Bossidy, chairman and CEO, Honeywell Corporation

"This is the best book on globalization and the seamless organization that I have read."
— David H. Komansky, chairman and CEO, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

"A very important contribution."
— from the foreword by C. K. Prahalad, coauthor of Competing for the Future

"Attacks the very core of traditional management structure, with all of its walls, boundaries, and limitations."
— Quality Progress

"Outlines how companies can make the change from rigid structures to ones where ideas, resources, and information can flow freely."
— HR Strategies & Tactics

"A refreshing guide to innovative ways to do business . . . . Each part includes a questionnaire that readers can use to determine where they stand on a continuum between boundaried and boundaryless status."
— Journal of Management Consulting

"Recommended reading."
— CIO

"Outlines how companies can make the change from rigid structures to ones where ideas, resources, and information can flow freely."
— HR Strategies & Tactics

"A refreshing guide to innovative ways to do business . . . . Each part includes a questionnaire that readers can use to determine where they stand on a continuum between boundaried and boundaryless status."
— Journal of Management Consulting

"Recommended reading."
— CIO