MegaChange: How Today's Leading Companies Have Transformed Their Workforces. - Review - book reviews

HR Magazine, Oct, 1999 by Patrick Mirza

By William F. Joyce The Free Press, 1999, 242 pages, ISBN: 0-684-85625-5.

Although 85 percent of U.S.-based companies went through restructuring between 1990 and 1995, 60 percent did not achieve their goals and nearly 70 percent restructured again within the year. Why are companies so unsuccessful in their restructuring efforts? Most change initiatives fail because corporations neglect to recognize their employees' capabilities, talent and creativity. "MegaChange" occurs when companies operate on the assumption of human capabilities instead of human limitations.

The book is divided into three parts. The first part introduces the concept of MegaChange, which draws upon the fields of management, organization theory, military strategy and psychology. The second part describes the four steps that organizations must take to achieve MegaChange. The third part discusses the big picture and shows how each step affects the whole process.

Companies that want to restructure must recognize the value of their people. Companies that do not trust their people waste time designing unnecessary bureaucratic procedures or waste money on outside consultants. Also, people will work harder if they feel their work is meaningful and they can see how their contributions make a difference in the organization.

To achieve MegaChange, organizations must pass through four stages. These include: empowering the workforce, engaging systems, reforming structures and remaking strategy.

Before empowering the workforce, managers must first be committed to change. This means they should embrace workforce empowerment in their mission statements, provide financial support, constantly question why change is necessary, be flexible when implementing change and become personally involved in change. Finally, employees become empowered once they recognize their motivations, abilities and job perceptions.

Engaging systems refers to the process of organizing practices and procedures, operating processes and human resource management tools. Reforming structures means embracing new ways of thinking, acting and cooperating within an adaptive culture. Finally, remaking strategy involves creating a shared meaning and mutually recognizing interdependence.

Diagrams are used throughout the book to illustrate key points.