>What I have
> found is that there are three primary reasons for downsizing:
> 1. Reduction in production rates - resulting in fewer people needed
> to deliver fewer products
> 2. Process improvements - sometimes referred to as re-engineering.
> This results in people working themselves out of a job.
> 3. Cost cutting - resulting in dollar goals being set without
> reference to work statements
>
These do not sound like reasons, more like the problems. Its not clear to
me that downsizing is the right solution to these problems. I need more
data and information. I have to ask the question, especially for #1 and
#3, is Why?
Why have production rates fallen? Why have cost cutting goals been set?
One complaint I hear most often in downsizing events is that people at the
bottom are being cut, where the reasons given (e.g. #1 & #3) aren't ones
that they directly control.
Upper levels are purported to monitor and manage sales, operating
efficiencies, etc. So if the upper levels are not "doing their job" (as
seen by the lower levels) why are the lower levels "paying the price" for
non-performance (donwsizing)?
I'd like to see us ask "Why" as many times as necessary to get the above
three down to an essence, and then see if downsizing is the right answer
to that essential problem. Often I've seen downsizing advocated as the
solution, when I'm not clear that it will solve the root problem....
-- scypher@perform.vt.edu (Scott R. Cypher)Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>