Michael Hammer (1) (1948–2008)

The authors assert that the current circumstances of business in America are not due to factors currently blamed (foreign competition, federal government, etc). The solution is not in automation, management-by-whatever concepts (e.g. TQM), but in totally rethinking a business in terms of whole processes. Reengineering is: "If I were re-creating this company today, given what I know and given current technology, what would it look like?" A business process is a "collection of activities that show more takes one or more kinds of input and creates an output that is of value to the customer" - the opposite of Adam Smith's breaking things apart (my comment: not really, it's just that we broke down beyond value in service and started administering processes because of rut thinking). Reengineering does not seek 5% or 10%, but much larger gains. Reengineering is about "reversing the industrial revolution." "The way to eliminate beaurocracy... is by reengineering the processes so that they are no longer fragmented. " Jobs change from tasks to multi-dimensional work. Advancement criteria changes from performance to ability (but pay is on performance). People's roles change from controlled to empowered. Job prep changes from training to education. It' s not a bad idea to burn bridges, eg "eine Flucht nach Vorn," and retreat forward (toward change). Team composition should include rising stars, insiders, and outsiders. show less

Substance: Although the examples are dated, the substance is not. Concentrates on methods of improving the company bottom-line by concentrating on what it is there to accomplish (can be applicable to other aspects of life).
Style: Straight-forward, with a refreshing absence of hype, false suspense, repetition, and inanity.

This was my pocket reference guide when I ran into major challenges transforming Fortune 500 processes from out of control to simply flowing with improved working climate. Timeless too.

Any Michael Hammer book is worth checking out. I have also read Beyond Reengineering.

"BPR reached its heyday in the early 1990s when Michael Hammer and James Champy published their best-selling book Reengineering the Corporation."