Summary Of The Book 'Good To Great'
STRATEGIC PLAN TO ACHIEVE A LEAP IN PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE In social research, the question, assumption and development of theories are traditionally centered on a search for truth, knowledge or at least communicate information for decision making. My initial reading of Good to Great was by no means presented as a research project and left the reader feeling as if he had just been introduced to a motivational speaker or a misplaced stock broker. However, as a Doctoral student, I applied some basic analytic matrix learning and principles recommended in initial post graduate studies that emphasize critical reading, critical thinking and scholarly writing. The requirement of conducting a philosophical analysis; identify assumptions that are underpinnings of the research and methodology; explanations of the practical significance of the assumptions and effect on research’s
…show more content…
applicability. Include my observations as to how the author of Good to Great assumptions and research methodology relate to course readings and approaches associated with research theories. The author’s metaphor, “ in to the Black Box and turn the light on ironically matched his reasoning or justification as to why he conducted research , not to seek knowledge but research out of curiosity. The book outlines and promotes a How To process with respect to making a critical impact on organizational performance so that an organization can make a transformation from a good (status quo-mediocre) to a great (excellent, elite few, head of the pack) and Alpha Organization. The author’s approach appears to focus on external realities to measure and certifly a company already at great status > The organizations value is based on performance indicators or enablers designed to establish an organization as Great.
Identify the philosophical assumptions underlying the research and methodology The author pursues an answer to his curiosity by engaging a case-control methodology. His research exploration and focus was based on a sampling of 28 companies, who over a span of 30 years converted “good” performance credited organizations in to ‘’great’’ performance credited organization based on specific characteristics; later classified or defined as how to principles critical to the transition from good to great performance. Only 11 companies (00.77%) out of a universe of 1,435 met these strict criteria. They were then paired with control companies within their own industries whose stock returns were average during the same 30 year period. To assess what factors might explain the success of the control companies the author then examined available public records about these 11 pairs (22 corporations) including financial records and published reports. The author also conducted 84 interviews with the senior management and board members of the 11 case companies; no interviews were conducted with the control company management or board members. Once the twenty-eight companies have been selected (eleven good-to-great, eleven direct comparison (control group), and six (un sustained comparison) companies the following steps are performed by the research team: Data mining of major articles; materials obtained internal and external publications; industry and business school books and case studies and of course a series of Annual reports, proxy statements, analyst reports, and other materials on the company during the transition era (Collins, 2001, p. 236). The research implies an analytic selection procedure for validation and limiting bias through a systematic and methodical collection and scoring of all 28 selectee for good-to-great sample using the six criteria: Business Fit; Size Fit; Age Fit; Stock Chart Fit; Conservative Test; and Face Validity .The six criteria is scored on a scale of one to four, four considered extremely well Collins, 2001, p. 228-229).
Explain the practical significance of the assumptions and their effect on research’s applicability The research team mission was to define and analyze the practices that propelled and afforded companies the ability to transition from solid to outstanding performance status. This research and research methodology focus on 11 organizations based on an assumption-organizational performance theory that there are primary attributes and skills associated with transitional abilities from good to great when applied to an organization that have obtained a certain stock level growth and sustainment level for a given period of years. Those organizations that identify themselves as good and desire insight and methods to achieve a higher state of performance- “Greatness” then apply the following principles –attributes as part of a strategtic plan to propel an organization from “Good to Great” Based on analyses the author and his team reached a series of conclusions which they report as being “empirical deductions directly from the data.“ In the space of this brief review I will not comment on all of their findings since I will focus my review on the methodology. Let me just briefly touch on several findings which characterize the flavor of the book: “Level 5″ leaders Leadership is key in the transition. Hedgehogs – simple and dowdy. know “one big thing” and stick to it. The Flywheel concept: transformations “persistent pushing in a consistent direction over a long period of time…” The various “good to great” principles are considered generalizable so that “almost any organization can substantially improve its stature and performance, perhaps even become great, if it conscientiously applies the framework of ideas we’ve uncovered.” (page 5) The traditional methods of research may be used to produce results that sensitize the reader to alternative modes of understanding. Researchers must not objectify terms such as teams, values, competencies, etc.; instead they must remain sensitive to narrow-minded forms of reality that these terms sustain and estimate implication of technologies are not inconsistent with postmodernist arguments’ (Gergen & Thatchenkerry, 1996, p. 12).
Relate the assumptions and research methodology to the readings including your observations on how adherents of at least one approach….would respond to Collin’s research and its conclusions.
According to Berg (1989), “ In organization and management science today it is not important whether statements are true or false, its whether the fact or statement is accepted, saleable, or valid to a larger audience” (p. 195). The postmodernist contends that all science is understood to be the product of socio-linguistic construction that undermines sciences authority by pointing to how notions of truth, objectivity, facticity, and science are merely prestigious discursive, or linguistic, constructs (Johnson & Duberley, 200, p. 101).
The author has also published a Good to Great for the Social Sector which applies the principles of the book to the “social sector.” This does not appear to be based on any independent analysis of data but rather on how the author sees his principles enacted in the social sector. I will not discuss this since it is, in a sense, a series of case
histories. The traditional methods of research may be used to produce results that sensitize the reader to alternative modes of understanding. Researchers must not objectify terms such as teams, values, competencies, etc.; instead they must remain sensitive to narrow-minded forms of reality that these terms sustain and estimate implication of technologies are not inconsistent with postmodernist arguments’ (Gergen & Thatchenkerry, 1996, p. 12).
Postmodernist epistemology has important challenges for the way management research is undertaken, however anti-empiricist stance adopted by epistemological postmodernist skeptics means that research methodology by positivist are suspect (Johnson & Duberley, 2000, p. 104). To some this means postmodernist destroys the identity of subjects which are carefully constructed through postmodern analysis as they are reduced to philosophical theorizing which could be characterized as armchair research (Johnson & Duberley, 2000, p. 104). No research method is considered to have privileged status in terms of providing access to reality (Johnson & Duberley, 2000, p. 105).
applicability. Include my observations as to how the author of Good to Great assumptions and research methodology relate to course readings and approaches associated with research theories. The author’s metaphor, “ in to the Black Box and turn the light on ironically matched his reasoning or justification as to why he conducted research , not to seek knowledge but research out of curiosity. The book outlines and promotes a How To process with respect to making a critical impact on organizational performance so that an organization can make a transformation from a good (status quo-mediocre) to a great (excellent, elite few, head of the pack) and Alpha Organization. The author’s approach appears to focus on external realities to measure and certifly a company already at great status > The organizations value is based on performance indicators or enablers designed to establish an organization as Great.
Identify the philosophical assumptions underlying the research and methodology The author pursues an answer to his curiosity by engaging a case-control methodology. His research exploration and focus was based on a sampling of 28 companies, who over a span of 30 years converted “good” performance credited organizations in to ‘’great’’ performance credited organization based on specific characteristics; later classified or defined as how to principles critical to the transition from good to great performance. Only 11 companies (00.77%) out of a universe of 1,435 met these strict criteria. They were then paired with control companies within their own industries whose stock returns were average during the same 30 year period. To assess what factors might explain the success of the control companies the author then examined available public records about these 11 pairs (22 corporations) including financial records and published reports. The author also conducted 84 interviews with the senior management and board members of the 11 case companies; no interviews were conducted with the control company management or board members. Once the twenty-eight companies have been selected (eleven good-to-great, eleven direct comparison (control group), and six (un sustained comparison) companies the following steps are performed by the research team: Data mining of major articles; materials obtained internal and external publications; industry and business school books and case studies and of course a series of Annual reports, proxy statements, analyst reports, and other materials on the company during the transition era (Collins, 2001, p. 236). The research implies an analytic selection procedure for validation and limiting bias through a systematic and methodical collection and scoring of all 28 selectee for good-to-great sample using the six criteria: Business Fit; Size Fit; Age Fit; Stock Chart Fit; Conservative Test; and Face Validity .The six criteria is scored on a scale of one to four, four considered extremely well Collins, 2001, p. 228-229).
Explain the practical significance of the assumptions and their effect on research’s applicability The research team mission was to define and analyze the practices that propelled and afforded companies the ability to transition from solid to outstanding performance status. This research and research methodology focus on 11 organizations based on an assumption-organizational performance theory that there are primary attributes and skills associated with transitional abilities from good to great when applied to an organization that have obtained a certain stock level growth and sustainment level for a given period of years. Those organizations that identify themselves as good and desire insight and methods to achieve a higher state of performance- “Greatness” then apply the following principles –attributes as part of a strategtic plan to propel an organization from “Good to Great” Based on analyses the author and his team reached a series of conclusions which they report as being “empirical deductions directly from the data.“ In the space of this brief review I will not comment on all of their findings since I will focus my review on the methodology. Let me just briefly touch on several findings which characterize the flavor of the book: “Level 5″ leaders Leadership is key in the transition. Hedgehogs – simple and dowdy. know “one big thing” and stick to it. The Flywheel concept: transformations “persistent pushing in a consistent direction over a long period of time…” The various “good to great” principles are considered generalizable so that “almost any organization can substantially improve its stature and performance, perhaps even become great, if it conscientiously applies the framework of ideas we’ve uncovered.” (page 5) The traditional methods of research may be used to produce results that sensitize the reader to alternative modes of understanding. Researchers must not objectify terms such as teams, values, competencies, etc.; instead they must remain sensitive to narrow-minded forms of reality that these terms sustain and estimate implication of technologies are not inconsistent with postmodernist arguments’ (Gergen & Thatchenkerry, 1996, p. 12).
Relate the assumptions and research methodology to the readings including your observations on how adherents of at least one approach….would respond to Collin’s research and its conclusions.
According to Berg (1989), “ In organization and management science today it is not important whether statements are true or false, its whether the fact or statement is accepted, saleable, or valid to a larger audience” (p. 195). The postmodernist contends that all science is understood to be the product of socio-linguistic construction that undermines sciences authority by pointing to how notions of truth, objectivity, facticity, and science are merely prestigious discursive, or linguistic, constructs (Johnson & Duberley, 200, p. 101).
The author has also published a Good to Great for the Social Sector which applies the principles of the book to the “social sector.” This does not appear to be based on any independent analysis of data but rather on how the author sees his principles enacted in the social sector. I will not discuss this since it is, in a sense, a series of case
histories. The traditional methods of research may be used to produce results that sensitize the reader to alternative modes of understanding. Researchers must not objectify terms such as teams, values, competencies, etc.; instead they must remain sensitive to narrow-minded forms of reality that these terms sustain and estimate implication of technologies are not inconsistent with postmodernist arguments’ (Gergen & Thatchenkerry, 1996, p. 12).
Postmodernist epistemology has important challenges for the way management research is undertaken, however anti-empiricist stance adopted by epistemological postmodernist skeptics means that research methodology by positivist are suspect (Johnson & Duberley, 2000, p. 104). To some this means postmodernist destroys the identity of subjects which are carefully constructed through postmodern analysis as they are reduced to philosophical theorizing which could be characterized as armchair research (Johnson & Duberley, 2000, p. 104). No research method is considered to have privileged status in terms of providing access to reality (Johnson & Duberley, 2000, p. 105).