Business Case Studies & Business Publications

A Leader's Guide to Understanding Comple...

Weber, R. Jack

Technical Note

A Leader's Guide to Understanding Complex Organizations: An Expanded "7-S" Perspective

Weber, R. Jack

OB-0659 | Published November 23, 1998 | 22 pages Technical Note

Collection: Darden School of Business

Product Details

An updated version of the classic McKinsey "7-S" Model, this note is designed to help MBA students and practicing managers understand the dynamic relationship among an organization's superordinate goals, strategy, structure, systems, style, staff, skills, and shared values, and provides engaging, contemporary examples at each level of analysis. The note expands the classic model to include a fuller discussion of links among the external situation/stakeholders, internal Ss, and various metrics of organizational success. The note challenges students to provide leadership within their area of influence (e.g., to understand and promote corporate strategies in their business unit, function, or geography); to remedy misaligned aspects of the organization; and to foster change that would help the organization realize its superordinate goals, affirm its shared values, and enhance overall performance.