第一章

引言：美国工商业所面临的挑战

这个世界没有永恒，只有恒变。

————Jonathan Swift

有关管理的压力早已被没提充分渲染：惨烈的全球竞争、日益苛刻的客户、量子式跃升的技术等。一个主题词看他概括这些压力：变革——无情的、全方位的、无处逃避的、异常迅猛的变革。

变革的讯息早就传来，只是我们一直不信经理们必须了解有关顾客不满的琐碎的经过、一直不信自动化会带来冲击、一直不信只关注季度结果会很危险。我们认为，经理们只要按自己的意识根据需要去做既可。现在，我们必须把工作做得更加出色才行，要直面变革的挑战。

为应付外来压力，公司往往会频繁发起诸如此类的活动：

• 制定并传达新的企业愿景、新的公司战略

• 启动组织文化变革项目

• 让高管接受“领导力”培训（与“领导”相对应的“管理”已经被普遍认为是死气沉沉、毫无价值的差事）

• 发起建立质量意识、客户意识的全员总动员

• 开展“统计过程控制”培训

• 运营自动化

• 实施“工程再造”，其实是减员和降低成本的活动

Geary A. Rummler

Geary A. Rummler is the founder and chairman of the Performance Design Lab, a Tucson, Arizona–based research and consulting firm specializing in the design of performance systems for organizations in the United States and abroad. His research and consulting in the areas of performance analysis, design, and management have taken him around the globe.

His most recent book is Serious Performance Consulting According to Rummler (2007). He is also co-author of Improving Performance: Managing the White Space on the Organization Chart (1990, 1995, with A.P. Brache). He received his MBA and PhD from the University of Michigan and has served as the president of the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) and as a member of the ASTD Board of Directors. He was inducted into the Human Resource Development Hall of Fame in 1986, received ISPI’s Distinguished Professional Achievement Award in 1992, was awarded the Distinguished Contribution to Workplace Learning and Performance Award from ASTD in 1999, and received the Presidential Citation for Intellectual Leadership from ISPI in 2000.

Contributor to ASTD Handbook for Workplace Learning Professionals - Available as article-length Fast Fundamentals whitepaper (PDF download): Some Important Questions Regarding Needs Assessment and Analysis