Evolution and Revolution as Organizations Grow Larry E. Greiner

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Evolution and Revolution as Organizations
GrowLarry E. Greiner

• Discussion Leader
• Kim Barootjian

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• Each organization goes through a series of
  developmental phases which begin with a period of
  evolution, with steady growth and stability, and
  end with a revolutionary period of substantial
  organizational change and turmoil.

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Five Key Dimensions

• Age of the Organization
• Size of the Organization
• Stages of Evolution
• Stages of Revolution
• Growth Rate of the Industry

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Five Phases of GrowthEvolutionary
Revolutionary Periods

• Creativity - Leadership
• Direction - Autonomy
• Delegation - Control
• Coordination - Red Tape
• Collaboration - ?

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Five Phases of Growth
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Type of Leadership Needed Depends on Phase of
Growth

• William Bratton
• Revolutionary Phase, not evolutionary
• Organization that needs change
• Revolutionary Period of Autonomy (phase 2)
• Leads to Delegation (phase 3)
• Bratton decentralized organization
• Empowered employees

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Applies to Department or Business within Company

• Break down in Phase 2
• Supervisors not treated as autonomous decision
  makers
• Function of department stagnated within
  organization
• Lower level employees frustrated
• High rate of turnover