Articles

Take a more in-depth look at key organizational improvement issues and challenges in articles and papers written by our experienced team.

Look beyond customer acquisition to unlock the value of healthcare system integration

Trends toward healthcare consolidation are likely to continue for some time; however, too often integrations that improve health outcomes, patient experience, and the total cost of care remain all too rare. Learn how a more holistic and results-focused approach to …

 

06.19.15  Ron Ashkenas

The Art of Keeping Things Simple

To combat complexity, organization leaders need to maintain their focus on a few key priorities for their organizations. Ron, an expert on simplicity, says executives must be open to periodically reexamining their value proposition, product portfolio, processes, an…

 

09.02.13  Ron Ashkenas

The Hidden Side of Complexity

Many in the business world have a tendency to make things more complex than they need to be, when simple solutions are faster, less expensive and often more desirable. It is up to individuals to break the cycle of complexity.

 

04.21.13  Hannah Prevett

Keep it Simple, Like the House Jack Built at GE

When Jack Welch was boss of GE, the giant American conglomerate, he extolled the virtues of “speed, simplicity and self-confidence”. Businesses are now realizing why he put such an emphasis on encouraging simplicity.

 

02.04.13  Ron Ashkenas

Three Strategies Against Complexity

This article offers managers three strategies to help them avoid creating complexity in their organization.

 

Are Banks Too Big to Manage?

Smaller is not necessarily better when it comes to banks. What makes banks so difficult is not their size, but the level of complexity that envelops so many of them. This article offers three approaches to simplify processes, products, and services.

 

05.07.12  Wes Siegal, Evan Smith

Streamlining Pharmaceutical Portfolios: Cutting the Gordian Knot

In this article, you'll learn how one global pharmaceutical company overcame deep-set resistance, cultural legacies and organizational barriers in order to systematically remove low-value products from its portfolio.

 

08.09.10  Ron Ashkenas

Overcoming Complexity

Over the last two years, we've all experienced the unhappy consequences of complexity on the world economy.

 

05.28.10  Ron Ashkenas

Six Steps to Simplifying Your Organization

Are you working more hours than ever, but feel like you’re getting less and less accomplished? If any of these complexity symptoms applies to you, this article can help.

 

05.03.10  Ron Ashkenas

Seven Deadly Sins of Making Demands

Leaders at the Say Yes to Education Foundation learned how to make demands -- and transformed both teachers and students in the process.

 

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