The Change Masters:  Innovation for Productivity in the American Corporation

Rosabeth M. Kanter

Book | 1983

The Change Masters: Innovation for Productivity in the American Corporation

by Rosabeth M. Kanter

Keywords: Innovation and Management;

Format: Print

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Kanter, Rosabeth M. The Change Masters: Innovation for Productivity in the American Corporation. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1983. (Translated in Japanese. Reprintings include Chapter 10 in The Political Environment of Public Management, edited by Pollins, 1993. Chapter 9 in Quality and Productivity Management vol. 9, no. 4, 1992, pp. 33-59. Chapter 10 in Contemporary Ideas on Management, edited by J.W. Newstrom and J.L. Pierce. Duluth: University of Minnesota, 1985. Chapter 9 in Readings in Human Resource Management, edited by M. Beer and B. Spector. New York: Free Press, 1985. Chapter 10 in Organizations Close Up, edited by J.L. Gibson, J.M. Ivancevich, and J.H. Donnelly. Plano, TX: Business Publications, Inc., 1985. Chapter 2 in The Handbook of Research on Educational Administration, edited by D. Griffiths. 1985. Chapters 2 and 6 in The Leader Manager, edited by J. Williamson. Eden Prairie, MN: Wilson Learning Corporation, 1984. Portions of Ch. 12 in Directors and Boards, 1984. Ch. 10 in Management Review.)

Gun violence was a significant problem in America. Three Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellows Christy Wood, Russell Sternlicht, and Gareth Glaser each decided to do something about gun safety. They each used their professional and leadership experience to identify their own solutions to the issue. Wood created a set of principles for investments funds to pressure gun manufacturers and gun sellers within their portfolios to adopt safety standards. Sternlicht designed a membership-based lobbying and advocacy group in order to harness the power of mass movements to create positive change. And Glaser founded a smart-gun company whose product could help reduce certain types of deaths and injuries. Would any of these three innovations move beyond the historical gridlock on gun safety?

This is a teaching note to the original case: Gun violence was a significant problem in America. Three Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellows Christy Wood, Russell Sternlicht, and Gareth Glaser each decided to do something about gun safety. They each used their professional and leadership experience to identify their own solutions to the issue. Wood created a set of principles for investments funds to pressure gun manufacturers and gun sellers within their portfolios to adopt safety standards. Sternlicht designed a membership-based lobbying and advocacy group in order to harness the power of mass movements to create positive change. And Glaser founded a smart-gun company whose product could help reduce certain types of deaths and injuries. Would any of these three innovations move beyond the historical gridlock on gun safety?

From 2008-2010 Anand Piramal ran a series of pilots for his digital healthcare startup, Piramal e-Swasthya (PeS) to “democratize healthcare” in rural areas of India. PeS ran into difficulties so Anand Piramal had to decide whether to continue the organization and if so how. In 2010, an unexpected opportunity emerged that could have significant implications for PeS’s organizational structure and future prospects. Anand Piramal now faced several options for PeS. He needed to weigh the pros and cons of each option to make the best decision to fulfill his vision of providing quality healthcare services to “bottom-of-the-pyramid” populations. This case exemplifies the strategic decisions an entrepreneur must make to ensure that a social impact venture can be sustainable and scalable.

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The Change Masters: Innovation for Productivity in the American Corporation

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