Reengineering the Corporation
A Manifesto for Business Revolution
by Michael Hammer & James Champy
“The authors of Reengineering the Corporation have written a book of great importance, a book that will change the way we think about and do business.”
“The first step in any successful business revolution is understanding what needs to change. Reengineering the Corporation is the most comprehensive guide yet to the radical redesign of a company’s processes, organization, and culture.”
Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution is a book written by Michael Hammer and James Champy that was published in 1993. The book presents the idea of "reengineering" as a way for companies to drastically improve their performance and competitiveness by fundamentally rethinking and redesigning their business processes. The authors argue that traditional approaches to improving efficiency and productivity, such as downsizing or automation, are insufficient and that true change requires a radical redesign of processes.
The book starts by introducing the concept of reengineering and its importance for companies to stay competitive in the fast-paced business environment. The authors argue that reengineering is not just about making incremental improvements but about fundamentally changing how work is done. They introduce the idea of "business process redesign" which is a methodology for reengineering business processes in order to achieve dramatic improvements in performance.
The book then goes on to provide practical advice on how to implement reengineering in a company. The authors suggest that companies should start by identifying their core processes, the ones that are critical to the company's success and that have the greatest impact on customers and stakeholders. These processes should then be redesigned with the goal of eliminating unnecessary steps, reducing cycle time, and increasing quality and flexibility. The authors also emphasize the importance of involving employees in the redesign process, in order to gain their buy-in and ensure their ability to execute the new processes effectively.
One of the key themes of the book is the importance of technology in supporting reengineering. The authors argue that technology can play a vital role in enabling the redesign of processes, by providing new tools and capabilities that can automate and streamline work. They also stress the importance of using technology in a way that supports the redesign of processes, rather than trying to fit new technology into existing processes.
The book also addresses the organizational and cultural changes that are necessary to support reengineering. The authors argue that reengineering requires a culture of continuous improvement, where employees are encouraged to question the status quo and look for ways to do things better. They also stress the importance of creating a flat and decentralized organizational structure, where decision-making is pushed down to the lowest levels, in order to empower employees and increase flexibility and responsiveness.
The book concludes by highlighting the benefits of reengineering, such as increased productivity, improved quality, and greater flexibility. The authors also stress the importance of reengineering as a way for companies to stay competitive in the global economy and that it is not a one-time event but a continuous process.
Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution is widely considered as a classic management book and it remains relevant today as it was when first published. Its ideas of business process redesign and the use of technology to support it have been widely adopted by many companies around the world. The book provides a practical and actionable framework for companies looking to improve their performance and competitiveness through business process redesign and has had a significant impact on the way businesses are run today.
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