To increase market share and maintain its competitive position in the industry, a leading consumer packaged goods organization committed to achieving an Integrated Customer Development Process. It determined that this effort must receive equal priority to the restructuring, staffing and geographical relocations already in progress. The organization retained DHC to conduct an assessment of the business process, management tools and linkages to internal organizational touch points in achieving an integrated customer development process in addition to identifying and implementing opportunities to increase the effectiveness of the resources in achieving its business objectives.

After an organizational assessment and analysis based on the Dimensions of Organizational Effectiveness model, DHC worked closely with a core team of managers and key stakeholders to identify and reach consensus on the most effective approach for reaching the goals, including:

• Structure
  • An organization structured to facilitate a customer-focused approach to the full customer development process and an A2 approach to resource allocation
• Mechanics
  • Business process reengineering opportunities were identified and are in progress.
  • Management tool improvements to complement the restructured organization and reengineered processes have been identified and are in progress.
• Culture
  • Refocusing of the organization on the customer relationship.
  • Aligning corporate messages and image around the customer-focused approach.
• Motivation:
  • Restructuring performance indicators and incentives around the customer-focused goals.

To implement the changes, an organization-wide structured change management program was kicked off with a senior management team to plan the overall effort, develop a vision and strategy and define roles across the change effort. A cross-functional management team was established to determine and implement the tactics to attain the vision and strategy.

As of the date of this summary of the case, the team is still in the process of implementing tactics; thus, quantifiable results are not yet available. However, the following accomplishments are evident:

• There is a common understanding and shared goal around the ultimate nature and structure of the organization which foster greater teamwork and cooperation.
• Resources are allocated and assigned with consideration of the effort to reach the goals set by the senior management team.

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