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Designed for Work: Rethinking the Organization and the New Architecture of Getting Things Done
Gregory Michaud’s experience as a HR executive led him to realize that how we organize to do work has not changed in any material way since the industrial revolution, or even before. Like the drab concrete Soviet architecture of the Cold War, we seem to be resigned to perpetuating organizations that are an anathema to the entrepreneurial spirit of their founders and their employees.
Designed for Work argues that there is a crucial need for innovation in the design of the modern organization, and that architecture provides us with some of the most impactful thinking regarding the way people work.
Michaud looks at the writing and work of four innovative architects; Robert Venturi, Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas and Zaha Hadid; these thought leaders illustrate the importance and applicability of the principles of good design to the design of organizations.
The author also suggests tenets for a new way of thinking about organizational design informed not only by architecture, but also by advances in the human sciences, changes in society, and the promise of web technology. These tenets demonstrate that we are now at the point of using this new “design material” to create more meaningful, adaptable and innovative ways of getting work done.
Traditional organization design does very well in a world where events are relatively stable and predictable, and they have been for the most part up until recently. However, advances in technology and the web have begun to change the game. The demands of an e-enabled culture have put a strain on many large organizations whose structures are based on predictability and stability, not agility, innovation and speed.
Given the difficulty many organizations have with embracing or even understanding the value of social networking, traditional organizations are not serving employees or owners as they could. It’s the purpose of this book to help them to do so.
Designed for Work argues that there is a crucial need for innovation in the design of the modern organization, and that architecture provides us with some of the most impactful thinking regarding the way people work.
Michaud looks at the writing and work of four innovative architects; Robert Venturi, Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas and Zaha Hadid; these thought leaders illustrate the importance and applicability of the principles of good design to the design of organizations.
The author also suggests tenets for a new way of thinking about organizational design informed not only by architecture, but also by advances in the human sciences, changes in society, and the promise of web technology. These tenets demonstrate that we are now at the point of using this new “design material” to create more meaningful, adaptable and innovative ways of getting work done.
Traditional organization design does very well in a world where events are relatively stable and predictable, and they have been for the most part up until recently. However, advances in technology and the web have begun to change the game. The demands of an e-enabled culture have put a strain on many large organizations whose structures are based on predictability and stability, not agility, innovation and speed.
Given the difficulty many organizations have with embracing or even understanding the value of social networking, traditional organizations are not serving employees or owners as they could. It’s the purpose of this book to help them to do so.
126 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2012
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