Networkorganisations at work

On January 26, the Financial Times published an article (commented by my colleague Prof Roobeek) illustrating the changes that Oxfam went through in order to become a networked organisation.  The claim made is that due to this transformation they have been able to be much more effective in the organisation of the relief help to the Tsunami countries. This is a nice illustration of the contribution of networked organisations to its effectiveness and efficiency.

Comments

[Anne-Laure]

I think that as organizations restructure to respond to their environment, there has been a growing recognition of the need for new kinds of organizational structure.And
the Networked Organization is one such response.

I really believe that a networked has a lot of benefits for example:
-In Being closer to the customer - there is rapid communication between those at the sharp-end and those who support them.
-Maximizing the knowledge potential of an enterprise; network members tap into expertise wherever it may reside.
-Minimizing disruption; a network has resilience to operate even if some parts fail (e.g. in a natural disaster).
Responsiveness and adaptiveness. Like an amoeba, a network is sensitive to stimuli and adjusts accordingly.
Those benefits as essential, but a networked organization works if all workers play the game.
Also,a network flexibility is key. Recognize that team players change and tasks change.
Working in such a network can change how people work in many ways.

I would like working in a network because
for leaders and managers it can mean creating the environment, structures and systems to ensure that such cross-functional working produces positive results. For example performance management and reward systems may need to be adapted to include cross-functional project work or processes. Resources, authority and accountability will need balancing to match success requirements, and ensure that no one group or function has too much influence.

At the individual level, people learn new ways of working as they cooperate more with others outside their own functions and locations. They each expand their personal network and have a greater opportunity to influence and be influenced. People also learn to adapt to a more fluid and flexible way of working and managing their roles and time, as well as improving their influencing and teamwork skills.