Kotter's Dual Operating System
John Kotter in his book
Accelerate proposes a dual operating system: the hierarchy to take care of business and the network to respond quickly to change and opportunities. Both operating systems work side-by-side and are necessary to sustain the business. This is not a question of "either/or" but "both/and".
The 8-step linear process continues to be used by the hierarchy to manage 'normal' change processes. The network provides what Charles Handy calls in his Sigmoid Curve model
second-curve thinking. The 8 accelerators are used to valuate the Big Opportunity and bring it to the hierarchy where it can be implemented to improve the bottom line.
You can watch how Kotter explains the origins of the Dual Operating System concept in
this YouTube video.
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Jaap de Jonge
Editor, Netherlands
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The Dual Operating System of Kotter A traditional management hierarchy is optimized for execution, delivery and efficiency but it is not structured or appropriate for innovation, concurrent, and responsive working. For that you need a more networked approach that is more agile, adaptive, and able to act at speed to capitalize on opportunity.
That is why Kotter describes the need for a dual operating system. Such dual system combines the entrepreneurial capability of a network with the organizational efficiency of a traditional hierarchy. Such a network looks like a start-up’s "solar system" rather than the "Giza pyramid" of a mature organization.
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