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Beyond boundaries: an application of systemic tools to transcend corporate turfs
Author(s) -
Wailand Christine B.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
systems research and behavioral science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1099-1743
pISSN - 1092-7026
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1743(199805/06)15:3<249::aid-sres225>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - corporation , competition (biology) , quality (philosophy) , business , dimension (graph theory) , service (business) , process management , front office , knowledge management , public relations , marketing , computer science , political science , ecology , philosophy , epistemology , mathematics , finance , pure mathematics , biology
This paper describes a project in which the potentials of a common service delivery system were explored between corporate staff departments serving a common internal customer group within a corporation. Two Human Resources departments and the Corporate Quality Office are three separate sources of support to corporate senior staff. The products and services provided by these three departments are discrete, yet similar and frequently overlapping. The up‐front design genesis method called Evolutionary Guidance Systems (EGS) was used. This tool explores the primary dimensions of a social system and is based on the idea that only a ‘dimension‐balanced’ system has the capacity to evolve. Rather than focus on the existing services provided by the three departments, which reinforces competition, the department representatives explored future challenges affecting the environment, the company, and their support services, focusing on cooperation to meet these challenges. From this future horizon, implications for current tasks were discussed and plans developed. Implementation of the plans is in progress. The results are encouraging and representative of systemic change. Boundaries, though still respected, have become permeable, allowing alliances to transcend old limitations. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.