From the Field

Organization Workshop Intervention at a Pharmaceutical Company

by Tom Devane

An East Coast-based pharmaceutical company wanted to reduce the historical animosity between its production and quality assurance organizations. The company was planning a major new product launch, and leaders felt that fostering a more harmonious environment would be critical to its success. Past interactions between the two organizations had been tense, rooted in political power grabs, and marked by outbursts of strong emotion. More

The Organisational Workshop and the UK National Health Service

by Sue Beckman

Currently the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) is undergoing a vast programme of modernization. One area that is frequently overlooked in the change process i the human element, that is, how this modernization programme is going to affect the lives of the various stakeholders. When I first experienced the Organisational Workshop (OW), it became clear the contribution this work could make to the NHS effort. More

A Drive for Excellence at Ashland Inc.

By Bill Wilson

Jim O’Brien, Chairman of Ashland Inc., brings a vision of a cooperative synergistic company, all of whose multiple business units would rank in the top 25% of their industries. These business units, with 2004 revenues totaling $8.4 billion, include Valvoline, Ashland Specialty Chemical, Ashland Distribution Chemical, and Ashland Paving and Construction. One of his strategies is to use management development and training as a vehicle to achieve that vision. I’ll talk some about the shape that training is taking, but first it’s important to see how business targets and training connect at Ashland. More