General Electric Canada: Designing a New Organization

Lynda M. Applegate; James I. Cash Jr.

Case | HBS Case Collection | January 1989 (Revised March 1991)

General Electric Canada: Designing a New Organization

by Lynda M. Applegate and James I. Cash Jr.

Abstract

General Electric Canada used sociotechnical design techniques to restructure its financial, administrative, facilities, and information technology service from a decentralized, hierarchical organization to a centralized organization composed of self-managing, multi-skilled work teams. The case explores the role of information technology in supporting and enabling the intensive information sharing and communication required by the new organization design.

Keywords: Organizational Design; Information Technology; Groups and Teams; Change; Communication; Information; Industrial Products Industry; Canada;

Format: Print

24 pages

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Citation:

Applegate, Lynda M., and James I. Cash Jr. "General Electric Canada: Designing a New Organization." Harvard Business School Case 189-138, January 1989. (Revised March 1991.)

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General Electric Canada: Designing a New Organization

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