eiasm paper al-is pictures- rev7 5 2008

8/14/2019 Eiasm Paper Al-Is Pictures- Rev7 5 2008

1/17

Architectingorganizationaldomainsinthreespacesofstrategy

Communicationat

the

WORKSHOPONARCHITECTUREANDSOCIALARCHITECTURE:DISTURBINGNOTIONSOFSTRUCTUREINORGANIZATIONS

byAlbertLejeune,Professor,ESGUQAM,Montral(QC),Canada

IraSack,Professor,StevensInstituteofTechnology,Hoboken(NJ),USAERASMOExplorationandResearchgroup

intheArchitecture,SimulationandModelingofOrganizations

EIASM,THEEUROPEANINSTITUTEFORADVANCEDSTUDIESINMANAGEMENT

BRUSSELS,MAY1516,2008


2/17

2 Introduction|UQAM

IntroductionBusiness

and

enterprises

architects

tend

to

ignore

the

fact

that

at

the

end

of

a

modeling exercise, people will have to inhabit the designed organization. Borrowing

fromthesociologyofartandfromthesociologyofarchitecture,wewanttoshowthat

the architect is deeply dependant on a society that produces a particular space of

representation where the legitimacy, the tools and the theories are predefined. But

sociology of IT enterprise and business modeling are still lacking. The ITbusiness

modelersarenot spaceconscious in the sense that theydoesntknow inwhat social

spaceofrepresentationtheyarebuildingtheirsmodels. Ifwesimplify:somemodelers

are eager to empty the organization from any kind of human burden, while others,

takingtoo

an

abstract

and

engineering

stance,

architect

asubjects

independent

organization.

Weproposeinthispapertorevisecertaincontributionsinthestrategicmanagement

literaturearoundthreeconfigurationsofthespaceofthestrategy:theemptyspace,the

programmingspaceandthe inhabitedspace. Alongthejourney,wewilldiscusssome

aspectsoftheOMapproachi(OrganizationModeling),amodelingapproachconcerned

withboththehardandsoftdimensionsoftheorganization.

Designingin

a

space

of

representation

In1693, in theKingdomofSicily, thePrinceofButera,whodesignedaplan forhis

Occhiolacitydestroyedbyanearthquakewasrespectedlikeascholarforbeingableto

draw a hexagon onpaper and give the necessary instructions to a capomaestro to

postponeallonthegroundii. Inthiscase,thegroundwasemptiedbyanearthquake

andhexagonaltrajectory.

Theconceptofaspaceofrepresentationispropertoindividualsengagedinacreative

work or in a design work. Herbert Simon, in his book The Sciences of theArtificial,

definesthe

design

activity

in

these

terms:

Everyone

designs

who

devises

courses

of

actionaimedatchangingexistingsituationsintopreferredones(1969:129).Thisdesign

activity defining the work of engineers, doctors, painters, architects, managers and

strategists,carriesasinglelogic:thediscoveryofdifferentoptionsinordertomeetthe

design criteria. This process of seeking solutions, choice and implementation is an

ongoing process, because if this process starts in a particular context (the idea of a

startingpointforSimon),everystepinitsimplementationcreatesanewsituation,itself


3/17

3 Designinginaspaceofrepresentation|UQAM

anewcontextwhichrenewsthedesignactivity.ForSimon,toreachtheconstructionof

anartifactwhilerespectingthedesigncriteriaisfirstanissueofrepresentationSolving

aproblem

simply

means

representing

it

so

as

to

make

the

solution

transparent

(Simon

1969:153).Thedesignactivityquickly leadsusthereforetoconsidertheconceptofa

cognitivespaceofrepresentationthatisatthesametimetheinternalrepresentationof

theenvironmentofthetaskusedbythesubjectandtherepresentation,bythesubject

ofchangeandtransformationthatarepossibleintheenvironmentofthetask.

Belowweput fourthanddevelopthenotionofasocialspaceofrepresentationand

discuss theorganizationmodelingactivity in threedifferent spacesof representation:

empty,programmingandinhabited.

ThespaceofthearchitectRaymond,anarchitecturesociologist

iiiputsatthecenterofhisargument,thesociety

asaproducerofasocialrepresentationspace,whichhasbeenthesource,throughout

history, of the architectural space of representation. But what is the space of

representation of the architect? It is simultaneously a social legitimacy codified by a

power (the legitimacy to represent),a setof technicalprocessesandpractices,anda

complex of tools and forms suitable for the mental representation. According to

Raymond,thearchitectwhobest illustratesagap inthespaceofrepresentation isLe

Corbusier.Hewantedtogivethemodernerawhitecathedrals.Thereadingofhisworks

isindicativeofthatemptyspace,whichallowsalltrajectories:Cultureisanorthogonal

mindset.This leads to the rightwhenyou're strongenough,enougharmedandquite

lucidandwanttodrawperfectlines(1925).

Adetourthroughsomebooksonthearchitect,artandarchitectureivhasenabledus

toextendthisnotionofspacerepresentation.Likethepainter,thestrategisthas,before

acting,amentalmapwhichcontainsablueprint,powerfulandblunt,ofwhathewants

toachieve.ForthePrinceofButera it isahexagon,forLeCorbusierv,theobsessionof

the right angle, and for Andrew Fastow, the former Enron Corp. executive who

mastermindedthe

intricate

financial

deals,

it

is

the

magic

of

a57

%

annual

growthvi.

Priortotheirpublicationintheformofaplan,thesevisionsareasketchforthePrince

of Butera, a mockup for Le Corbusier or a spreadsheet for Fastow. Action is the

fundamentallinkbetweenthestrategyandwhatittakesasanobjectofreflectionand

actioninitsenvironment.ThePrinceofButera,LeCorbusierorFastow,asstrategists,is

notinapositionofperception(tryingtounderstandthecontext)orprojection(eagerto

generateconsensus).Thestrategistacts,butdoesntsharehismentalmap.Guidedbya


4/17

4 Threespacesofstrategyforthestrategistandtheorganizationalarchitect|UQAM

mental map, the strategy progresses according to a path through each of its acts,

dramatically,whenthestrategistisinastateofabsolutepower,orincrementallywhen

hispower

is

relative.

ThespaceofthestrategistandtheorganizationalarchitectTheconceptofthespaceofrepresentation isadaptedtotheorganizationalcontext

byusingtheterm:thespaceofstrategy. Inwhatspacedoesthestrategistatthetop,

visualizingtheorganizationsfuture,structureasituationtoreduceittoasmallnumber

ofcriticalproblems?Toanswerthisquestion,weneedtoconsiderarangeofpolitical

dimensions (the legitimacy of a strategist), instrumental dimensions (the toolsof the

strategist)and

theoretical

dimensions

(the

theories

underlying

the

action

of

strategist).

The realthingthatholds theattentionofthestrategist isclearlytheorganization's

performance.Butperformance isbornofa leverageeffectofaworkonX thecrucial

problemwhichbecomes theobjectof the strategy whichcanbe,dependingon the

situation,anamalgamoforganizationandenvironment,peopleandprocesses,culture

anddecisionmakingprocesses,structure,technologyandresources,etc.

TheworkonXmaybecalledavisualizationexercise.AsemphasizedbyMorabito,

Sack and Bhate (1999): stepping through the OM design process is an exercise in

visualization. Visualization is somewhat like composing a symphony or painting a

picture.Theartiststartswithanimagethefinalrenderingisvisualizedevenifnotfully

formed.Astheartistfills inthe image,thecompositionbeginstotakeform,theartist

shapes according to the image, but the form molds the image, too. Planned and

emergent, the molded image is a product of visualization. Visualization applies to

organizational design as well. Visualization is not a vision statement. Rather, it is a

collectionofdecisionsbywhichthestrategicintentofmanagementmaybeinterwoven

intothefabricofanorganization'sarchitecture.Typically,strategic intent isdefinedas

the longterm ambition of the business. From an organizational design viewpoint,

strategicintentmeansthedesiredemergentcharacteristicsoftheorganization.

Threespacesofstrategyforthestrategistandtheorganizationalarchitect

Intheemptyspace,thestrategisthasfullaccesstotheobjectofthestrategybecause

ithasthepoliticalability, instrumentalandtheoreticaltocreatetheemptinessaround


5/17


him inorderto impose itsown trajectory. In theprogrammingspace,constraintsand

opportunitiesoftheenvironmentandthestrengthsandweaknessesoftheorganization

arefilling

up

the

situation

of

representation,

reducing

the

role

of

strategist

architect

to

theprojectionratherthanaction.Intheinhabitedspace,thepurposeofthestrategyis

notonly accessible to the top strategist: it is sharedbymultiple actorswhowant to

contributetonewstrategiesandperformance.

TheemptyspaceWhatRaymondcalledemptyspace, isaspacedevoidofany social representation,

leaving room for an architected path: the development of an aesthetic intuition. In

strategicmanagement,itbringsusclosertothevisionaryentrepreneur.

Theempty

space

characterizes

this

type

of

architect,

who,

in

order

to

achieve

her

aesthetic intuition,createavacuumaroundhim:powervacuum;i.e.,no legitimacyfor

the others, tools vacuum; i.e., no constraints nor accepted way to work, theories

vacuum i.e.nopredeterminedwaytoactaboutthe future.Onlytheemptyspacewill

allowherpersonaltrajectorydevelopment,aswasthecase,withthemerchantsofSan

Gimignano,knownaroundtheworldforitsthirteenmedievaltowers.InSanGimignano,

every street leads to 15 towers (see fig. 1): the higher the tower, the richer the

merchant.

Theempty

space

is

characterized

by

the

strategist

search

for

maneuverability

and

selfrealization. He is the only human having access and defining the subject of his

strategy,andtoensurethatitsimplementationisinlinewithhervision.Theexampleof

FastowatENRONorJobsatAppleCorp.canbeseenasanarchetypeofwhatwecallthe

emptyspaceinstrategy.

Growth is key to the organizational strategist work or costcutting in a downturn

situationwhere reengineering,downsizingand radical transformationapproacheswill

empty the space of representation, privileging the tabula rasa. Growth enables the

buildingofastrongerandmorepowerfulorganization.AsrecalledbyMintzberg(1973)

writingaboutentrepreneurs: We'reempirebuilders.The tremendouscompulsionand

obsession is not to make money, but to build an empire. These strategists of empty

spacehaveunderstoodtheneedforavision,anobsession,andatrajectoryforpushing

performance. The strategist of empty space must come to represent, for potential

employees,thegreatestpotentialforsuccess.


6/17


Figure1

MedievaltowersinSanGimignano,Italy:emptyspaceWhy thisprimacyof theaction?As statedby Jobs, theentrepreneur,even ifhe is

managingaverybigcompany,isinbusinessforhimself.Whatthereforeshouldbedone

withallthatbureaucracyaroundhim?Leaderswhohaveafirmpathtowardsimproved

performance will try to break, through their actions, programming organizations to

encourage initiative, responsibilityandentrepreneurshipwithin theircorporation.The

strategistofemptyspacemustbestrongandhaveanexceptionalsavoirfaire.Asalso

highlightedbyMintzbergaboutSamSteinberg,theentrepreneurmustbothbereallyin

a position of control over his organization to ensure the legitimacy of its vision, its

trajectory.Andshemusthaveanintimateknowledgeofhisprofessionandtheworkof

thisorganization.

However,The

important

thing

is

the

vacuum!

This

expression

is

attributed

to

the

renownedBritishsculptorHenryMoore(whodied in1986).Thesculptor leastsawhis

workonmaterial,thatthebeautyofemptinesscreated.


7/17


Theprogramming

space

Programmingspaceisuniquetothearchitectwhoeventuallyabandonsanyapriori

aestheticvision forputtingtogetheraprogramresulting fromabudget,dataoncosts

and regulatory burdens (of land, materials, aesthetics rules and the construction

industry).

He leadsus to themechanicalandobjectivemanager functioningaccording to the

costs/benefits,opportunities/constraintsandstrengths/weaknesses.Programming

spaceis

full

and

dense,

charged

with

standards

and

constraints,

tools

for

representation

andpracticesrootedinideologiesandtheoriesinplace.Thearchitectwhoworksinthis

kindofspaceofrepresentationcannolongerdevelopitsowntrajectory.Hemakesonly

theformattingofvariousandmultipleconstraints:groundplanoflanduse,standardsof

urbanplanning,constructionstandards,specifications(seefig.2foranillustration).

Thisisthekindofspaceofrepresentationdescribedbyexpertsinproblemsolvingvii

:

aspacefilledwithoperatorswhereasolutionoranartifact(theproductofaconscious

design)onlydevelopsandcrystallizesaftermultipleiterations.Thestrategydesignedin

thisspace istheresultofaseriesofiterationsbetweennodesofknowledgeaboutthe

opportunitiesandthreatsintheenvironment,aswellasthestrengthsandweaknesses

ofthecompanyororganizationviii

. Thedominantdimensioninthisprogrammingspace,

in its concrete and visible aspects, is certainly the formal tools i.e. mental forms,

standards,routines,procedures,booksofknowledge,software,databasesetc.enabling

the analysis of the environment, modeling, strategic planning, and management by

objective,zerobasedbudgeting,projectmanagement,concurrentengineering,etc.

Theconfigurationofpoweristransformed;thespecialistsforstrategicplanning,the

projectmanagementofficeandthefinancepeopleforma largerteamaroundthetop

strategist.The

formal

plan

becomes

the

preferred

tool

for

the

strategy;

access

to

the

purposeofthestrategy isdifficult. Intheconfigurationoftheprogrammingspace,the

strategistislinkedtoaplanningsystemthatactsonhimandonwhichitacts.


8/17


Figure2

NorthAmericansuburbs,Duluth:programmingspaceThroughthisprocessofplanning,thepurposeofthestrategybecomesacompound

objectincreasingly

encompassing

the

whole

organization

and

increasingly

opening

on

theenvironmenttobuildmutualadjustment:thefit.Whatistherelationshipbetween

thestrategistandtheprogrammingspace?Theplanningsystemwillproduceastrategy

to theextent that the system treats the threebasiccomponentsofa strategy:goals,

resourcesandenvironmentalconstraints.

Thedominantrelationship,intheconfigurationofemptyspace,wastheactionofthe

strategist on the performance of his organization. In the configuration of the

programmingspace,thekeyrelationship istheprojectionofaplanonthepurposeof

thestrategy.

The

trained

strategist

and

planning

experts

at

the

summit

will

develop

a

model for the purpose of the strategy (the publication of a plan requires a prior

consensusonthedifferentperspectivesofexpertsandthemanageratthetop),andwill

publishthismodelintheformoftheplan.

Webrieflydiscussthedimensionsoflegitimacy,toolsandtheoriesofrepresentation

of thestrategy inaprogrammingspace.Assoonasthestrategist,byasenseofduty,

choiceornatural inclination, isrequiredtoconsider"objectively"bothhisorganization


9/17


and the environment thereof,he is committed to sharing its legitimacy to formulate

strategies (representing on paper, in the plan and by his actions, the future of his

organization)with

experts

in

planning

and

the

planning

system

in

place.

The

balance

will

befragileinapowerfulandeffectiveplanningserviceintheformulationandstrategist

powerfulandeffectiveintheimplementation.Thelegitimacyofthetechnocracyislikely

toproduceaweakeningofthestrategistandmanagementatthetop;andafailureto

implementthebeststrategiesonpaperix.

The picture (or perhaps, nightmare) of planning as the solution of almost

unimaginable numbers of simultaneous equations can be replaced by a picture of

planning as the construction of a series of unrelated action programsx. In the

programmingspace,thestrategistdoesnotactdirectlyonpeople,buthegiveshimself,

throughthe

planning

process,

the

means

for

scheduling

and

rescheduling

activities.

This

doesnotmeanthatinnovationisimpossible,butonceidentified,itmustbeintegrated

withroutinebehaviorsoftheorganization'smembers.Acomplexdecisionwillevolve,

withinanorganization,notonlyintermsofthepremisessetbyseniormanagement,but

also intermsofthepatternofcommunicationsandhumanrelationsthattransmitsto

the members of the organization information, the premises, goals, attitudes and

expectationsxi.

In the configuration of the programming space, conflicts around theories of

representationare

common

and

the

most

subtle

but

also

most

ruthless.

If

in

strategy

andpolicy,hardscience(decisiontheory,industrialorganizationandmicroeconomics)

and formulation analytics oppose inductive and qualitative approaches and the

resourcesbasedviewofthefirm.Forsomeexperts,thesoftapproachesarerelatedto

theart,andartdoesnotprogress andthereforedoesnotlogicallydeliverknowledge.

Therefore an attempt must be made to find a language that would objectively test

hypothesesandaccumulateverifiedknowledge.

Thecorporatemodels,artifactsofthestrategy,arederivedfromaconceptoflinear

time (clockpaced). In the programming space, the concept of territory to build (the

ENRON Empire) is replaced by the concept of a sequence of movements, always to

reprogram. Although the concept of space as territory is unique to the strategist of

empty space, the concept of a sequence of actions scheduled in time to keep afit

between the company and its environment is unique to the strategist of the

programmingspace.


10/17


TheinhabitedspaceTheinhabitedspaceispropertothesocialarchitectwhoislisteningtothecustomer,

seekingto

capture

and

reflect

only

the

needs

of

afamily,

community

or

organization

without imposing its aesthetics trajectory. As at Google corp., the inhabited space is

filledwithlivinglegitimizedsubjectsxii. Theyare,inarchitecture,thefutureinhabitants

ofanenvironmentbuiltforthecommunityliketheOiavillageinGreece(seefig.3);in

organizational life, future users, individuals or suborganizational systems making a

project or a strategy happen. But these people, even if they are not aesthetic and

technically competent as the architect, have a voice to express on their habitat.

AccordingtoRaymond(1984),thesepeopleholdthearchitecturalconcept.

The

inhabited

space

is

an

area

where

political

and

cultural

power

is

acting

from

both

insideandoutside theorganization. It is lessamatter for themanagerat the top to

ensure the strategys legitimacy than to understand the emerging pattern of the

strategy,whichisbeingbuiltaroundhim.Itmustdevelopanadequatetheoryaboutthe

intentionsandstrategiesoftheplayersinandaroundtheorganization.

Neither the vision of the leader or the strategic content will give meaning to an

organization.Theconcept isalreadythere,waitingtoberecognized (Raymond,1984).

But this recognitionwilldependon the relationshipbetween the social architectand

usersofthestrategy. Theleaderwasperhapstheonewhochosetheimageofallthose

whowere

available

at

that

time

But

it

is

rare

that

he

also

had

that

first

conceived

the

visionxiii.

The configuration of power is changed, everyone should have access to the

legitimacy of representation to define and access to the object of the strategy. The

strategist summit is less designer of the strategy than the designer of a space the

inhabitedspace allowingtheemergenceofnewstrategies,innovations,newprocesses

and new products. As at Google corp., the top strategists voluntarily define such a

context that allows the strategic autonomy of the greatest number of members and

managers

of

the

organization.

Thecontextdefinedbythestrategistatthetop,wantingtobuildainhabitedspace,is

thefollowing:hemustlosepowertolegitimizetheactionsofotherpotentialstrategists,

butmustusetools,structuralandcultural,tocreateacontextcreatingandapproving

strategic behavior alone, but must retain an a priori vision for the future of his

organization,tobeattentivetotheemergingsituations(toencourageorprohibit).The

definitionofacontextratherthanthepublicationofamodeliscriticaltotheinhabited


11/17


space.Thereisconvergencebetweenresearchersinterestedinthestrategybeyondthe

conceptof solohero (empty space)orprogramming strategy (programming space) to

saythat

the

key,

to

create

strategic

self

management

behavior

is

the

context.

Figure3

ThevillageofOiainGreece:inhabitedspaceTheconceptofcorporatestrategyrepresentsthemoreorlessexplicitarticulationof

the firm's theoryabout itspastconcreteachievementsxiv

. Thereafter,new strategies

emergetotheextentthatstrategistsatthesummitadoptametastrategywhichturns

them intoarithmeticteachers:Thatmeanspeoplewhoseeffectiveness ismeasuredby

theabilityoftheirstudentstosolveproblems,ratherthantheirownabilitytosolvethese

problemsxv.The inhabited space includes literature,whichplaces theorganization (or

structure), in time,before the strategy.The key is that the emergenceof a strategic

autonomy,born

of

cognitive

processes,

social,

organizational

and

political

complexes

xvi

raisescontentstobetransmitted,rearrangedand incorporatedbymanagementatthe

top in their definition of a strategic content for the firm. The inhabited space

configuration is not necessarily limited to the company or organization. As with the

extended Toyota model, this configuration may extend outside the organization. The

closeexchangeswith suppliers, unionparticipation indecisionsof a strategicnature,

workingtogetherwithgovernmentalbodiesortheupcomingjointdevelopmentofnew

technologieswithcompetitorsillustratethispoint.


12/17

12 Architectinginaspaceofstrategy|UQAM

Withoutreducingthestrategytoagroupphenomenon,withoutdenyingtheroleof

leader, the configuration of the inhabited space implies that the formation of the

strategyoccurs

within

agroup.

It

is

the

group

that

acts

by

agreeing

on

the

means

of

its

action.Intheinhabitedspace,theconsensusiscrucialanditbearsonconcreteways.

Thetheorythatguidestheonewhoworksinthisspaceistheideologyandcultureof

thegroupororganization.Theinhabitedspaceworksforthemanagerandmembersof

theorganization,inacontextofempowermentculturaltoolsandunwrittentheorieson

whathasbeenthesuccesstheorganization.Whatisradicallynewinthisconfiguration

is that the direct and exclusive link between the top strategist and its strategy

disappear!Newformsofrealtimeand lateknowledgebindingxvii

areappearing,cross

linkingmemberstoeachother,totheinformationcontinuumandtotheenvironment.

Informationis

shared

and

immediately

interpreted

by

the

group.

Inside

the

pure

inhabitedspacetheprojectionofanartifact(theplan)hasdisappeared.Allthescience

andartoftheleaderareusedtodefineacontextofautonomy,initiativeandconsensus.

In largeorganizationsoverthepast fiftyyears,strategicspacehasbeenemptyasa

resultofstructuralcentralizationandTaylorsworkorganization. Itwasemptybecause

decreesfromaboveweresufficienttodirecttheorganization. Overthepasttwentyor

thirtyyears,organizationsoperating inamoreopen,morecomplexenvironmenthave

madeplanningexpertsintotheirnewhighpriestsandhaveundertakentoprogramthe

strategicspace.

Programming

space

is

based

on

the

development

of

aplan

through

a

systematicrepresentationoftheorganizationanditsenvironment. Inthe21stcentury,

however, innovativeandsuccessfulorganizationsareoftenorganizationsthatrely less

onplanning than on the largenumberof strategists in their workforce. The shiftof

structurestowardautonomy,legitimaciestowardinitiative,andguidelinestowardlocal

interpretationleadstotheappearanceofanewstrategicspace:inhabitedspace. While

strategyhasbeenand forthemostpartremainstheexclusivedomainofsenior

managers, strategic space belongs to organizers, i.e., men and women who develop

systems,processes and products at theirown level using the knowledge available to

them.

ArchitectinginaspaceofstrategyWhatcanbearchitected?

Theorganization isnot abuilt artifact: it is onenode, amore dense area within a

wider societyxviii

. An organization cannot be simplified into its structure. As a built


13/17

13 Architectinginaspaceofstrategy|UQAM

artifact,asimpletool,anorganizationwouldbesubmittedasanenclosedspace infull

reignoftheartifactstrategicallydesignedbyafew(SeeSelznickxix

oninstitutionalizing).

Historically, organizational design has meant changing structure. As other constructs

cametothefore,thecentralpositionofstructureremainedessentiallyunchanged.The

issue had been refined from "structure" to "determinants of structure." Does

technology or strategy determine structure? Is size more important? Or is it a

combination of factors?xx

But the game has changed. Structure is too static and

unresponsive The sources of competitive advantage are shifting to those

organizational constructs that characterize the behavior of an organization: culture,

people, process, information (data and knowledge), and learning (knowledge

creation)xxi

.

ThebehaviornotthestrategyThe architecture of processes and activities is the expression of a new effort in

businessdesignxxii

. Ascompaniesreorganizetheiractivitieswiththehelpofinformation

technology,thisundertakingrecallsthefirststepsofsystematicmanagementattheend

of the nineteenth century, and scientific management at the beginning of the

twentiethxxiii

. There is one difference: a century later, emphasis on the company's

activities has been incorporated into the center of reflections on corporate strategy,

chieflythroughthecontributionsofPorterxxiv

whichhavegainedwidecirculation.

Justasdecisionmakingatthetophasbeenatthecenteroftheconceptofstrategy,in

the contextof the21st century, innovation,knowledge creation, the reengineeringof

corporatesystems,activities,processesandprojectsmustdirectourunderstandingof

theconceptofstrategy.

Strategyisnowmorethanaseriesofrightdecisionstakenatthetopithasbecome

theoutcomeofmultiple reengineeringefforts thatcall forcomplexknowledgeat the

levelofactivities.

Inthat

sense,

the

future

business

analyst

will

be

an

integrator

of

organizational

constructs like information, process, people, learning, and culture. She will have to

address many complex interactions: data and knowledge, organizational learning

paradigms, culture change,businessprocess change, integration, andeven invention.

Knowledge creation and learning, collaborative problem solving and team structures,

new hardware and communication technologies, and the prevalence of knowledge

workers have made the business analyst key in the design of the organization as a


14/17

14 Designinginanemptyspaceandimplementinginaninhabitedspace|UQAM

whole. Thebusinessanalystmustbeanorganizationalarchitectresponsiblefordefining

andbuildingtheorganizationsnewsourceofadvantageitscorearchitecturexxv

.

Designinginanemptyspaceandimplementinginaninhabitedspace

Theanalogsideofarchitectureandtheorganizationalstrategyhasbeenunwittingly

highlightedbyLebaharxxvi

. Hecontendsaproblemexistswheneverthere isaneedto

transform the state of a given situation. He describes with great finesse reduction

operationsundertakenbythearchitect,fromthedata,constraintsanddemandsofthe

customer, since its first draft until the final plan. Reduction of uncertainty that

progresses through graphic grammars increasingly closed: topology, then projective

geometry,in

order

to

reach

the

Euclidean

space.

It

is

associated

with

various

definitions

of organizational strategy as proposed by Mintzberg and Watersxxvii

: From design to

implementation, strategy is, at various stages, position (topology), perception

(projectivegeometry)andplan (Euclideanspace).The ideaofpattern isuniqueto the

organizer inan inhabitedspaceseekingtorecognizeastrategicartifact(intentionalor

emerging)inthedevelopment,overtime,ofanorganizationorgroupoforganizations.

Successful companies are characterized by complex patterns. These patterns exhibit

clearpropertiesforexample,competitivedistinctivenessandgood strategic fit.These

organizationalpropertiesare longduration characteristics thatare largely responsible

forsustained

success.

Not

surprisingly,

the

underlying

patterns

responsible

for

such

distinctivequalities are complex,noteasily imitated, and depend largelyon amixof

hardandsoftcontractsxxviii

.

Designcannotbeseparated from implementation.There isnosuchthingasagood

designthatisnotwell implemented. AsJohnKayxxix

states:"WasNapoleon'sdefeatin

Russia a failure of strategy or implementation? It hardly makes sense to ask the

question,because inthehandsofaskilledstrategist,formulationand implementation

areinextricable."Designinganorganizationrequiresmanagerialchoiceateverystageof

development:

choice

associated

with

the

constructs

chosen

by

management

to

represent the organization, choice with respect to the organizational domains which

management is interested in proactively designing, choice of alignment among

organizational domains, and choice of operationalization. Throughout the design

process establishinganorganizationalbaseline,identifyingdomainsthatareinneedof

design, specifying an organization's invariant at all levels of abstraction, instantiating

appropriate molecules, and refining molecules into an implementation of one's own

designrefinementmayfollowanynumberofpaths.Thecoreorganizationalconstructs


15/17

15 Conclusion|UQAM

whichadecisionmakerincludesinthelayersofabstractionrepresentthefirstnecessary

choice. Concomitantwith this is the identificationof anorganization's invariant.One

importantpurpose

is

to

establish

abaseline

that

reveals

where

the

organization

is

and

whereitwouldliketobe.

ConclusionManagersrequireanewlanguagetodesignorganizations.Thefirstelementofanew

language isavocabulary toprescribe thebehavioroforganizationaldomains suchas

information,process,people,learningandculture.Thesecondingredientisagrammar

inwhich to model the associations amongdomains. Finally, managers require anew

manner of discourse by which to implement their intentions in a specific space of

strategy.

TheOM approachpresentsanew language fororganizationaldesign.The authors

drawonthedisciplineof informationmodelingtostructureorganizationalpieces,and

therefore,advanceanorganizationalarchitectureandmodelingapproach.

Inaddition,OMisstronglyanchoredinaphilosophicalfoundationthatsupportsthe

social sciences. It is therefore expected that in the future, not only managers and

businessexecutives,butalsosocialscienceresearcherswillfindOMtobeaconvenient

approachthatcomplementsmanyoftheirmodelingrequirements.

Managers are becoming architects. Their new roles include designing structure,

engineering processes, developing people, leveraging information technology,

facilitating learning, and changing the whole. The managerarchitect has an arduous

task:Heorshemustdesignacrossorganizationalboundaries,engineerprocesses into

strategiccapabilities,developindividualcompetenciesintoalearningorganization,align

informationtechnologywithbusinessstrategy,and integratethedisparatepiecesthat

constitutetheorganizationsothatthe"theoryofthebusiness" ispracticedeveryday.

Successfulorganizationshavemanagerarchitectswhopracticeadisciplinedapproach

tobothanalysisanddesign.

iMORABITO,J.SACK.I.ANDANILKUMARBHATE (1999).ORGANIZATIONMODELING.INNOVATIVEARCHITECTURESFORTHE21STCENTURY,

UPPERSADDLERIVER(NJ):PRENTICEHALL.

iiRAYMOND,H.(1984).L'ARCHITECTURE,LESAVENTURESSPATIALESDELARAISON,PARIS:COLL.ALORS,CENTREDECRATIONINDUSTRIELLE,

CENTREGEORGESPOMPIDOU.

iiiIDEM


16/17

16 Conclusion|UQAM

ivFrancastel,P.ArtettechniqueauxXIXetXXsicle, Paris:DenolGonthier,1956.Francastel,P.L'image,lavisionet

l'imagination,L'objetfilmiqueetl'objetplastique,Paris:DenolGonthier,1983.RAYMOND, 1984(OP.CIT).Bofill,R.

(1989).Espaces

d'une

vie,

Paris

:ditions

Odile

Jacob.

Le

Corbusier.

(1937).

Quand

les

cathdrales

taient

blanches,Voyageaupaysdestimides,Paris:DenolGonthier. Boudon,P.(1971).Surl'espacearchitectural,Essai

d'pistmologiedel'architecture,Paris:Dunod. LEBAHAR,J.C.(1983)LEDESSIND'ARCHITECTESIMULATIONGRAPHIQUEET

RDUCTIOND'INCERTITUDE,ROQUEVAIRE:DITIONSPARENTHSES. Virilio,P.(1984a).L'espacecritique.Essai,Paris:Christian

Bourgois.Virilio,P.(1984b).L'horizonngatif,Paris:ditionsGalile. Virilio,P.(1988).Lamachinedevision,Paris:

ditionsGalile.

vLECORBUSIER.(1937).QUANDLESCATHDRALESTAIENTBLANCHES,VOYAGEAUPAYSDESTIMIDES,PARIS:DENOLGONTHIER.

viBETWEEN1996AND2000,ENRONREPORTEDANINCREASEINSALESFROM$13.3BILLIONTO$100.8BILLION.TOPUTENRON'S57%FIVE

YEARSALESGROWTHRATEINPERSPECTIVE,DURINGTHATSAMEPERIOD,CISCOSYSTEMS ENJOYEDA41%SALESGROWTHRATE.INTEL'S RATE

WAS15%.INITSCREATIONOFREVENUE,IFNOTPROFIT,ENRONWASTRULYTHECORPORATIONFROMANOTHERPLANET.FORBES:

HTTP://WWW.FORBES.COM/2002/01/15/0115ENRON.HTML

viiNEWELL,A. SIMON,(1972). H.E.HUMAN PROBLEMSOLVING,ENGLEWOODCLIFFS,NJ:PRENTICEHALL.

viiiANDREWS,K.R.(1971). THECONCEPTOFCORPORATESTRATEGY,HOMEWOOD,ILL.:DOWJONESIRWIN.

ixANSOFF,H.I.(1979).STRATEGICMANAGEMENT,NEWYORK,WILEY.

xMARCH,J.G.SIMONH.E.(1958). ORGANIZATIONS,NEWYORK:JOHNWILEY&SONS.

xiSIMON,H.E.(1945)ADMINISTRATIVEBEHAVIOR,NEWYORK:THEFREEPRESS.

xiiGOOGLECORP.:HTTP://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/CORPORATE/INDEX.HTML. GOOGLE,INNOVATION,ANDTHEWEB:

HTTP://BLOG.FASTCOMPANY.COM/ARCHIVES/2004/03/14/GOOGLE_INNOVATION_AND_THE_WEB.HTML.MEETGOOGLE'SCULTURECZAR:

HTTP://WWW.NEWS.COM/MEETGOOGLES

CULTURE

CZAR/20081023_3

6179897.HTML.GOOGLESPAWN:THECULTURESURROUNDING

GOOGLE:HTTP://WWW.INFOTODAY.COM/SEARCHER/JUN04/PIPER.SHTML.

BUILDINGA'GOOGLEY'WORKFORCE:HTTP://WWW.WASHINGTONPOST.COM/WP

DYN/CONTENT/ARTICLE/2006/10/20/AR2006102001461.HTML.

STRATEGICUSEOFINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYGOOGLE:HTTP://WWW.CRITO.UCI.EDU/PAPERS/2007/GOOGLE.PDF.

ASEARCHENGINETHAT'SBECOMINGANINVENTOR:

HTTP://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2006/07/03/TECHNOLOGY/03GOOGLE.HTML?_R=1&OREF=SLOGIN.

HOWGOOGLEWORKS:HTTP://WWW.BASELINEMAG.COM/C/A/PROJECTSNETWORKSANDSTORAGE/HOWGOOGLEWORKS%5B1%5D/.

xiiiBENNIS,W.,NANUS,B.(1985). DIRIGER.LESSECRETSDESMEILLEURSLEADERS,PARIS:INTERDITIONS.

xivBURGELMAN,R.A.(1983).AMODELOFTHEINTERACTIONOFSTRATEGICBEHAVIOR,CORPORATECONTEXT,ACADEMYOF

MANAGEMENT

REVIEW

,

8,

1983,

61

70.

xvHEDBERG,B.L.TNYSTROM,P.C.STARBUCK,W.H.(1977)DESIGNINGORGANIZATIONSTOMATCHTOMORROW,NORTH

HOLLAND/TIMSSTUDIESINTHEMANAGEMENTSCIENCES,5, 171181.

xviBOWER,J.DOZ,Y.(1979).STRATEGYFORMULATION:ASOCIALANDPOLITICALPROCESS,DANSSCHENDEL,D.E.ETCHARLESW.HOFER,

STRATEGICMANAGEMENT,ANEWVIEWOFBUSINESSPOLICYANDPLANNING,TORONTO:LITTLE,BROWNANDCOMPANY,152166.

xviiMORABITO,J. SACK,I.ANILKUMARBHATE(2000).DIMENSIONSOFORGANIZATIONALDESIGN.THEARCHITECTURALCONTINUUMAND

KNOWLEDGEBINDING,IEEETOOLS00.


17/17

17 Conclusion|UQAM

xviiiPFEFFER,J.SALANCIK,G.(1978).THEEXTERNALCONTROLOF ORGANIZATIONS,NEWYORK:HARPER&ROW,1978.

xixSELZNICK,P.(1957).LEADERSHIPINADMINISTRATION,NEWYORK:HARPER&ROW.

xxMORABITO,SACKANDBHATE(1999:156).

xxiMORABITO,SACKANDBHATE(1999:156).

xxiiDAVENPORT,T.H.ETJAMESE.SHORT,(1990).THENEWINDUSTRIALENGINEERING:INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYANDBUSINESS

PROCESSREDESIGN,SLOANMANAGEMENTREVIEW,SUMMER,1127.DAVENPORT,T.H.(1993).PROCESSINNOVATIONREENGINEERING

WORKTHROUGHINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY,BOSTON:HARVARDSCHOOLPRESS..

xxiiiYATES,J. CREATINGORGANIZATIONALMEMORY:SYSTEMATICMANAGEMENTANDINTERNALCOMMUNICATIONS,MIT,SLOANSCHOOLOF

MANAGEMENT,WORKINGPAPERNO.200688.

xxiv

PORTER

,

M.E.

(1987).

THE

STATEOF

STRATEGIC

THINKING

,

THE

ECONOMIST

,MAY

23.

PORTER

,

M.E.

(1980).

COMPETITIVE

STRATEGY,NEWYORK:THEFREEPRESS. PORTER,M.E.(1985). COMPETITIVEADVANTAGE,NEWYORK:THEFREEPRESS,1985.

xxvMORABITO,SACKANDBATHE(1999)

xxviLEBAHAR,J.C.(1983). LEDESSIND'ARCHITECTESIMULATIONGRAPHIQUEETRDUCTIOND'INCERTITUDE,ROQUEVAIRE:DITIONS

PARENTHSE.

xxviiMINTZBERG,H.WATERS,J.A.(1983). OFSTRATEGIES,DELIBERATEANDEMERGENT, WORKINGPAPER,MCGILLUNIVERSITY,JANUARY.

xxviiiMORABITO,SACKANDBATHE(1999:141).

xxixKAY,J.(1995).WHYFIRMSSUCCEED.OXFORDUNIVERSITYPRESS.

eiasm paper al-is pictures- rev7 5 2008

Documents