Coming soon · Book Profile
Organization Gap Kemball Cook
A practical guide to bridging the gap between organization theory and daily management practice through Decision Centre Analysis, a systematic method for analysing and designing organization structures and management information systems.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
The Organization Gap addresses the frustration of practising managers who find that abstract organization theory offers little help with the concrete task of redesigning an actual organization or specifying the information each manager needs. Drawing on years of P-E Consulting Group experience, R. B. Kemball-Cook introduces Decision Centre Analysis (D.C.A.), a disciplined, detail-oriented procedure that treats an organization as a lattice of interlinked decision centres — combinations of roles, tasks, objectives, and information flows — all derived from and serving the corporate aims of the business. The book walks the reader from concepts through the practical steps of specifying, collecting, summarizing, and analysing data, to designing or revising structures and their supporting management information systems, extending the method to large multi-divisional groups via Group Structure Analysis. It is a hands-on manual for managers, students, and consultants who want a rational, repeatable way to diagnose organizational weaknesses and build purposeful structures that fit the real work people actually do.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A practising manager (or student/consultant) who wants to design or revise a workable organization structure that fits the real needs of a particular business.
- The problem
- An actual organization has become inadequate — responsibilities are unclear, deliveries are late, reports are irrelevant, and the manager must decide who does what and what information must circulate. The manager feels perplexed, frustrated, and alone, sensing a yawning gap between the theory he has read and the urgent day-to-day problems he must solve.
- The plan
- Gain a thorough understanding of the total business situation, corporate aims, environment, and resources.
- Specify and code the data needed for each decision centre — roles, tasks, objectives, and information.
- Collect the data through recorded sources, questionnaires, interviews, and observation.
- Summarize and analyse the data using matrices, edge-punched cards, or computer summaries.
- Design or revise the structure by testing each role-task combination against sound criteria.
- The payoff
- A purposeful organization structure in which every task serves an objective that contributes to corporate aims. · Managers carrying fair workloads with clearly defined responsibilities matched by authority. · An information system that delivers only significant, relevant, timely data to each decision centre.
See our guide
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Additional reading
- The Organism · Kurt Goldstein
Maslow sources the term 'self-actualization' from Goldstein and builds upon his holistic view of the organism.
- Explorations in Personality · H. A. Murray, et al.
Cited as providing an 'excellent discussion' on the basic principle of centering motivation theory on goals rather than instigation or behavior.
- Social Interest · Alfred Adler
Maslow credits Adler and his followers for stressing the importance of the 'esteem needs,' which he felt were neglected by Freudian psychoanalysts.
- Wisdom of the Body · W. B. Cannon
Provides the foundational concept of 'homeostasis,' which Maslow uses as the starting point for his discussion of physiological needs.
- Multipliers · Liz Wiseman
Explores how leaders can either amplify ('multiply') or diminish ('diminish') the intelligence and capabilities of their teams, a key concept for creating a positive, low-anxiety environment.
- The Fearless Organization · Amy Edmondson
Provides the foundational research and practical steps for creating psychological safety, which the book identifies as crucial for reducing interpersonal anxiety and encouraging people to speak up.
- Mindset · Carol Dweck
Explains the difference between a 'growth mindset' and a 'fixed mindset,' which is presented as a key tool for helping employees manage perfectionism and see failures as learning opportunities.
- Crucial Conversations · Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.
Recommended as a resource for employees to learn how to navigate difficult, high-stakes conversations, directly addressing the book's theme of moving from conflict avoidance to healthy debate.
- Better Allies · Karen Catlin
The author is quoted on specific, actionable steps for allyship, making her book a practical guide for implementing the principles in Chapter 7.
- Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People · Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald
Explains the science of implicit bias, which is central to the book's argument that leaders need to be proactive allies because 'not being racist/sexist' isn't enough.