15 June 2012
The future of organisation design
Professor Daved Barry from Copenhagen Business School discusses organisation design.
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Academic staff and higher degree by research (HDR) students from the College of Business at RMIT University recently attended the PVC Design Lunch.
The event was hosted by Professor Ian Palmer, Pro Vice-Chancellor Business and Vice-President, and included a presentation by Professor Daved Barry from the Department of Management, Politics and Philosophy at the Copenhagen Business School.
“The PVC Design Lunch Series supports the College’s commitment to transforming the educational process and incorporating the latest in technology and design thinking by sharing ideas and encouraging debate around key issues,” Professor Palmer said.
Professor Barry’s presentation focused on New Organisation Design. He argued that simply putting designer cloaks on executives would not work, even with designers acting as executive coaches.
“If organisational design is to have a rebirth, it will need to accommodate both the executive’s need for fast answers and the designer’s mandate for originality and freshness,” Professor Barry said.
He explained that organisation design is one of the executive’s most important jobs and it should not remain as yet another purchasing decision.
“We need organisation design practices that somehow enable executives to stop and go afar while still accommodating their fire-fighting jobs.
“Similarly, we need practices that introduce delight – organisation designs that are as aesthetically appealing as they are practical.
“Without these kinds of changes we will keep replicating the organisation designs that have caused the world so much trouble, designs which have led to global financial disasters and psychological unhappiness.”
Professor Barry is also an Adjunct Professor at Nova School of Business and Economics, and the School of Management at RMIT.
His work focuses on how design and the arts can improve organising, problem-solving, innovation, managing, and leadership.
Following the presentation students and staff had the opportunity to ask questions, share ideas and network over lunch.
