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Papers by Harold Schroeder
Technology Innovation Management Review, 2013
Sustainability: The Journal of Record, 2016
Journal of environmental sustainability, Dec 1, 2012
Sustainability: The Journal of Record, 2015
Strategic HR Review, 2012
PurposeThis article intends to provide guidance to HR professionals and others involved in the pl... more PurposeThis article intends to provide guidance to HR professionals and others involved in the planning and implementation of post‐merger integrations. It seeks to argue that successful integration requires an “art and science” based approach to organizational change, and to illustrate the importance of this approach by drawing on a case study project from the financial services sector.Design/methodology/approachUsing a case study approach, the article describes key learnings from a financial services sector post‐merger integration project in which the author was directly involved. The problems and challenges that arose in the case study organization are described, and it is shown how these were addressed using the “Art and Science of Transformation”TM conceptual approach to achieve a successful integration.FindingsIn the case study project, a lack of detailed integration plans and the absence of integration performance metrics, as well as inadequate understanding of the likely impa...
International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 2013
High failure rates continue to be reported for organizational change projects in general and merg... more High failure rates continue to be reported for organizational change projects in general and mergers and acquisitions in particular, with the failures most often attributed to cultural incompatibilities or other people-related issues. The article identifies factors believed to be contributing to this situation, which mean that organisations are often inadequately prepared for the challenges of merger and integration. The Art and Science of TransformationTM framework developed by Schroeder & Schroeder, Inc. and two related organizational change readiness assessment tools are discussed as a suggested approach for improvement of the prospects for a successful merger. These enable organizations considering a merger to determine their current state of change readiness in terms of art and science skills as well as proven organizational change shaping levers, and identify the cultural and people-related factors that can facilitate or hinder transformation. In this way, potential risks can...
Academy of Information and Management Sciences Journal, 2013
INTRODUCTION The post-project assessment is an important, yet frequently overlooked, stage of pro... more INTRODUCTION The post-project assessment is an important, yet frequently overlooked, stage of project management. Projects represent a high investment for most organizations, and the effective use of post project assessments is likely to be one of the most reliable ways of reducing the risk of project failure and maximizing the business value of the project management function. Sometimes referred to by alternative names such as project review, project debrief and even the dismal-sounding "post mortem", the post project assessment allows lessons learned from projects to be identified and documented as organizational knowledge. By drawing on this knowledge when conducting future projects, the organization is able to build on successful practice and avoid past mistakes in order to ensure that the projects contribute most effectively to the achievement of business goals. AN UNDER-UTILIZED BUSINESS TOOL? Despite the many potential benefits of post project assessment, many organizations fail to review their projects on completion: one international study of twenty RD Keegan and Turner, 2001; Kumar), and that when they are used, it is often in an ad hoc or superficial way which does not contribute effectively to organizational learning (Busby 1999; Kululanga & Kuotcha, 2008). A review of the literature in this area indicates that, of the numerous reasons why organizations don't bother with post-project assessments, the most common appear to be: 1. Time and workload pressures (e.g.Kumar, 1990; Collier et al., 1996; Litsikakis, n.d.) 2. A lack of established assessment procedures or criteria (Kumar, 1990; Collier et al. 1996; Kasi et al., 2008) 3. A lack of relevant expertise in assessment data collection and analysis (Kumar, 1990; Collier et al., 1996) 4. Difficulties of accurately recalling project information retrospectively (Kumar, 1990; Kransdorff, 1996; Zedwicz, 2003; Kasi et al., 2008) 5. Fear of blame for project problems or failures (Kumar, 1990; Zedwitz, 2003; Litsikakis, n.d.) 6. A lack of support from senior management (Kasi et al., 2008; Litsikakis, n.d.) 7. Lack of incentives, or the belief that assessments are of little value (McAvoy, 2006; Kasi et al., 2008) As a result, where project reviews do occur, they are often more of a wrap-up on the project just completed than a learning exercise which will benefit future projects. However, avoiding post project assessments can be a risky and costly strategy for organizations. The documented high rates of project failure suggest that ineffective project management strategies and poor risk management are widespread, and that organizations are not learning from their project experiences in order to improve project success rates. In an international survey of senior business executives conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit in 2008, for example, 58% of respondents reported that at least half of their organizational change initiatives over the past five years had not been successful. Given the likely scale of many organizational transformation projects, this represents a major cost to business, not only in a direct financial sense but also in terms of lost time, damage to staff morale and customer relations and other adverse impacts. Even where smaller projects are concerned, the costs of failure can be considerable, and often far exceed the original intended costs of the project. AN ART AND SCIENCE APPROACH TO POST PROJECT ASSESSMENT In order to become established and highly-valued organizational practice, post project assessments must be effective in unearthing the key factors contributing to project successes and failures and translating these into non project-specific information that is useful to the organization. …
Strategic Direction, 2015
Purpose – To highlight that one of the main causes of transformation failure relates to project g... more Purpose – To highlight that one of the main causes of transformation failure relates to project governance, which is the primary responsibility of an Executive Sponsor. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology was based on a combination of literature review and experience. Findings – All too often, once a transformation project is underway, the Executive Sponsor passes the reins to the project manager and takes a back seat, with their involvement confined to Steering Group meetings or when problems are brought to their attention. This can be a very costly mistake, as weak governance is a common contributor to transformation project failure. Achieving good governance requires the Executive Sponsor, like the Project Manager, to have the right combination of “art” and “science” skills, though their roles as well as the relative balance of art and science involved in these will differ. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by s...
Strategic Direction, 2014
Purpose – Discusses the importance of a balanced approach to risk management. Design/methodology/... more Purpose – Discusses the importance of a balanced approach to risk management. Design/methodology/approach – Draws on the author's consulting experience to offer an insightful perspective. Findings – Opines that a combination of formalized tools and techniques, alongside more qualitative ‘right-brain’ thinking is the most effective means of developing a risk management strategy. Originality/value – Draws on the author's consulting experience to offer an insightful perspective.
Strategic HR Review, 2012
Sustainable Agriculture Reviews, 2012
There is an urgent need for organizations in the agricultural sector and the food industry to ado... more There is an urgent need for organizations in the agricultural sector and the food industry to adopt sustainable working practices to reduce the environmental impacts of their activities while meeting the challenge of an expected 50% increase in global demand for food. As in other sectors, however, organizations in agriculture and the food industry face economic pressures and must balance sustainability considerations with the need to operate a viable and competitive business. The adoption of sustainable working practices can make sound business sense, resulting in increased profits and other benefits; however, sustainability is still not a management priority in many organizations and relatively few have achieved the kind of holistic sustainability initiatives associated with business benefits.
Sustainability: The Journal of Record, 2013
Sustainability: The Journal of Record, 2012
Healthcare Management Forum, 2009
This article considers whether greater attention to the art and the science aspects of organizati... more This article considers whether greater attention to the art and the science aspects of organizational change can help achieve a smoother transition to future regionalized health services in Canada. The reported problems with the current system are considered and a key-point checklist based on the art and science of transformation is proposed for adoption by health system planners. It is argued that this will help address the current shortcomings of Canada's health system and improve the future delivery of Canada's health care services.
Technology Innovation Management Review, 2013
Sustainability: The Journal of Record, 2016
Journal of environmental sustainability, Dec 1, 2012
Sustainability: The Journal of Record, 2015
Strategic HR Review, 2012
PurposeThis article intends to provide guidance to HR professionals and others involved in the pl... more PurposeThis article intends to provide guidance to HR professionals and others involved in the planning and implementation of post‐merger integrations. It seeks to argue that successful integration requires an “art and science” based approach to organizational change, and to illustrate the importance of this approach by drawing on a case study project from the financial services sector.Design/methodology/approachUsing a case study approach, the article describes key learnings from a financial services sector post‐merger integration project in which the author was directly involved. The problems and challenges that arose in the case study organization are described, and it is shown how these were addressed using the “Art and Science of Transformation”TM conceptual approach to achieve a successful integration.FindingsIn the case study project, a lack of detailed integration plans and the absence of integration performance metrics, as well as inadequate understanding of the likely impa...
International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 2013
High failure rates continue to be reported for organizational change projects in general and merg... more High failure rates continue to be reported for organizational change projects in general and mergers and acquisitions in particular, with the failures most often attributed to cultural incompatibilities or other people-related issues. The article identifies factors believed to be contributing to this situation, which mean that organisations are often inadequately prepared for the challenges of merger and integration. The Art and Science of TransformationTM framework developed by Schroeder & Schroeder, Inc. and two related organizational change readiness assessment tools are discussed as a suggested approach for improvement of the prospects for a successful merger. These enable organizations considering a merger to determine their current state of change readiness in terms of art and science skills as well as proven organizational change shaping levers, and identify the cultural and people-related factors that can facilitate or hinder transformation. In this way, potential risks can...
Academy of Information and Management Sciences Journal, 2013
INTRODUCTION The post-project assessment is an important, yet frequently overlooked, stage of pro... more INTRODUCTION The post-project assessment is an important, yet frequently overlooked, stage of project management. Projects represent a high investment for most organizations, and the effective use of post project assessments is likely to be one of the most reliable ways of reducing the risk of project failure and maximizing the business value of the project management function. Sometimes referred to by alternative names such as project review, project debrief and even the dismal-sounding "post mortem", the post project assessment allows lessons learned from projects to be identified and documented as organizational knowledge. By drawing on this knowledge when conducting future projects, the organization is able to build on successful practice and avoid past mistakes in order to ensure that the projects contribute most effectively to the achievement of business goals. AN UNDER-UTILIZED BUSINESS TOOL? Despite the many potential benefits of post project assessment, many organizations fail to review their projects on completion: one international study of twenty RD Keegan and Turner, 2001; Kumar), and that when they are used, it is often in an ad hoc or superficial way which does not contribute effectively to organizational learning (Busby 1999; Kululanga & Kuotcha, 2008). A review of the literature in this area indicates that, of the numerous reasons why organizations don't bother with post-project assessments, the most common appear to be: 1. Time and workload pressures (e.g.Kumar, 1990; Collier et al., 1996; Litsikakis, n.d.) 2. A lack of established assessment procedures or criteria (Kumar, 1990; Collier et al. 1996; Kasi et al., 2008) 3. A lack of relevant expertise in assessment data collection and analysis (Kumar, 1990; Collier et al., 1996) 4. Difficulties of accurately recalling project information retrospectively (Kumar, 1990; Kransdorff, 1996; Zedwicz, 2003; Kasi et al., 2008) 5. Fear of blame for project problems or failures (Kumar, 1990; Zedwitz, 2003; Litsikakis, n.d.) 6. A lack of support from senior management (Kasi et al., 2008; Litsikakis, n.d.) 7. Lack of incentives, or the belief that assessments are of little value (McAvoy, 2006; Kasi et al., 2008) As a result, where project reviews do occur, they are often more of a wrap-up on the project just completed than a learning exercise which will benefit future projects. However, avoiding post project assessments can be a risky and costly strategy for organizations. The documented high rates of project failure suggest that ineffective project management strategies and poor risk management are widespread, and that organizations are not learning from their project experiences in order to improve project success rates. In an international survey of senior business executives conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit in 2008, for example, 58% of respondents reported that at least half of their organizational change initiatives over the past five years had not been successful. Given the likely scale of many organizational transformation projects, this represents a major cost to business, not only in a direct financial sense but also in terms of lost time, damage to staff morale and customer relations and other adverse impacts. Even where smaller projects are concerned, the costs of failure can be considerable, and often far exceed the original intended costs of the project. AN ART AND SCIENCE APPROACH TO POST PROJECT ASSESSMENT In order to become established and highly-valued organizational practice, post project assessments must be effective in unearthing the key factors contributing to project successes and failures and translating these into non project-specific information that is useful to the organization. …
Strategic Direction, 2015
Purpose – To highlight that one of the main causes of transformation failure relates to project g... more Purpose – To highlight that one of the main causes of transformation failure relates to project governance, which is the primary responsibility of an Executive Sponsor. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology was based on a combination of literature review and experience. Findings – All too often, once a transformation project is underway, the Executive Sponsor passes the reins to the project manager and takes a back seat, with their involvement confined to Steering Group meetings or when problems are brought to their attention. This can be a very costly mistake, as weak governance is a common contributor to transformation project failure. Achieving good governance requires the Executive Sponsor, like the Project Manager, to have the right combination of “art” and “science” skills, though their roles as well as the relative balance of art and science involved in these will differ. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by s...
Strategic Direction, 2014
Purpose – Discusses the importance of a balanced approach to risk management. Design/methodology/... more Purpose – Discusses the importance of a balanced approach to risk management. Design/methodology/approach – Draws on the author's consulting experience to offer an insightful perspective. Findings – Opines that a combination of formalized tools and techniques, alongside more qualitative ‘right-brain’ thinking is the most effective means of developing a risk management strategy. Originality/value – Draws on the author's consulting experience to offer an insightful perspective.
Strategic HR Review, 2012
Sustainable Agriculture Reviews, 2012
There is an urgent need for organizations in the agricultural sector and the food industry to ado... more There is an urgent need for organizations in the agricultural sector and the food industry to adopt sustainable working practices to reduce the environmental impacts of their activities while meeting the challenge of an expected 50% increase in global demand for food. As in other sectors, however, organizations in agriculture and the food industry face economic pressures and must balance sustainability considerations with the need to operate a viable and competitive business. The adoption of sustainable working practices can make sound business sense, resulting in increased profits and other benefits; however, sustainability is still not a management priority in many organizations and relatively few have achieved the kind of holistic sustainability initiatives associated with business benefits.
Sustainability: The Journal of Record, 2013
Sustainability: The Journal of Record, 2012
Healthcare Management Forum, 2009
This article considers whether greater attention to the art and the science aspects of organizati... more This article considers whether greater attention to the art and the science aspects of organizational change can help achieve a smoother transition to future regionalized health services in Canada. The reported problems with the current system are considered and a key-point checklist based on the art and science of transformation is proposed for adoption by health system planners. It is argued that this will help address the current shortcomings of Canada's health system and improve the future delivery of Canada's health care services.