Rosabeth Moss Kanter (1943- )
American Harvard Business School professor and expert in innovation and change in organizations (pictured
right).
Key books
Men and Women of the Corporation
(1977)
A study of a company which treated women as socially inferior and excluded them from positions of power.
This powerlessness is the key issue (not sex discrimination), because “power begets power”.
Key quote on
empowerment
Powerlessness corrupts. Absolute powerlessness corrupts absolutely.
The Change Masters
(1984)
(see for more detail The Change Masters in the
Business Books section)
Innovation isn’t just new product development but is “the process of bringing any new, problem-solving
idea into use”, involving:
Innovation results from:
1. Integrative problem solving
This is based on holistic thinking -
i.e. seeing a problem as a whole and integrating different managerial activities and areas of knowledge.
This contrasts with anti-innovative segmentalist problem solving -
i.e. people work in isolation without regard to wider, interrelated issues.
2. Breaking down organizational barriers
Organization-wide exchange of information, conflict and debate to achive common aims.
3. Cross-functional teams
Combining people in teams from different functions, so that different views can be shared.
4. Empowerment
Encouraging people to take responsibility for innovative problem solving by
creating:
- power tools for innovation (information, resources and support).
5. Vision
An inspiring vision of the future.
6. Encouragement of learning
Openly debate and challenge existing ideas and problems without being tempted by easy (but incorrect)
solutions.
Key quotes on
innovation
Innovation requires a trust in the future.
The change master is partly a historian who knows which period of the past to honour and preserve while moving
toward a different future.
When Giants Learn to Dance
(1989)
Big companies must be “post-entrepreneurial”, combining:
- co-operation to achieve common aims.
They are:
1. Fast
(quickly responding to customer requirements).
2. Flexible
(adaptable to change).
3. Friendly (to employees).
4. Focused (on maximizing value to
customers).
Managers must inspire people’s co-operation and empowerment and be aware of the paradox that “creating
change requires stability”.
Business success also requires:
Key quotes on
innovation
Post-entrepreneurial companies want a climate for innovation in which every employee feels that innovation is
part of his or her job.
Key quote on
empowerment
The power of the position is giving way to the power of the person.
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