Publication of 'The Dilemma of Corporate Transformation: Why Does Structural Incompetence Occur?'
My third book,
'The Dilemma of Corporate Transformation: Why Does Structural Incompetence Occur?' (Nikkei Publishing)
will be released on June 22nd. I would like to announce this to everyone here.
This book focuses on corporate transformation, thoroughly delving into the challenges Japanese companies face, considering the structure of these problems, and exploring paths toward a breakthrough.
When it comes to corporate transformation, there are classic works such as Tadashi Tadashi's 'V-Shaped Recovery Management' and John Kotter's 'Leading Change.' However, aren't there problems occurring in mature companies—whose performance is not necessarily bad at the moment—that these works cannot fully capture?
I have previously described this issue in my second book, 'Organizations Change,' as a 'chronic organizational disease.' In other words, it is an elusive problem that, while not immediately life-threatening, surely but slowly leads to corporate decline.
In other words, if the problems captured by Tadashi and Kotter are 'transformation in times of crisis,' my book deals with 'transformation in times of peace.'
That is to say, it is about how to transform a mundane, yet gloomy daily routine into a more positive one, and I believe it will be a useful reference for many people working in companies today.
It took nearly three and a half years to publish this book, because it took time for me to fully understand what the problems of companies in such situations really are and to organize the mechanisms in my own way.
I introduced the concept of 'structural incompetence' in the subtitle of this book, 'The Dilemma of Corporate Transformation,' and reaching this point was particularly difficult.
This indicates a mechanism where, as division of labor and routinization progress, the situation becomes fragmented without one realizing it (fragmentation), and because each person tries to grasp problems within a narrow scope of perception, they fail to grasp them well. As a result, they become unable to think of or execute appropriate strategies and transformation measures (dysfunction), and the repetition of superficial problem-solving to overcome this situation (superficiality) leads to a stagnation of transformation and an inability to escape corporate decline.
Even though each individual is by no means incompetent, why can't that power be demonstrated when they become an organization? Everyone is desperately worried about the company's future and trying hard to change it, so why doesn't it go well?
I gradually realized that it is a structural problem.
Can we escape from this, grasp changes, think of strategies, and create a better future?
And above all, can each of us, as human beings living in this era and this world, continue to engage in transformation as something meaningful while feeling our position and role in society?
I have written all of my 25 years of research with all my heart and soul, centered on the axis of corporate transformation.
I leave the evaluation of this book to all of you.
However, I am truly glad that I was able to write this book.
I would be happy if you could read it if you are interested.
________________________________
The cover design for this book is by Hideaki Kawazoe, who was also in charge of the design for 'Working with Others: Organizational Theory Starting from
Incomprehensibility
' (NewsPicks Publishing).
The actual book features a design using pearl foil.
According to Mr. Kawazoe, who designed it after reading the manuscript, he included the following meanings:
・A book that carefully unravels complex problems
・The color (problem) looks different depending on the angle from which you view itI am sincerely grateful for this wonderful design.
