Boundary activities and readiness for ... - Projekti-Instituutti

CASE CHAIN
Boundary
aspect
Overall view in case Chain Indicators Illustrative quotes
Task The task boundary was somewhat clear
in a sense that program work was
clearly differentiated from but for most
people still closely related to the daily
tasks in the line organization. Many
were accustomed to project work and
viewed program work as similar but
still somewhat different due to the lack
of a clear plan and an overall picture of
the end state.
Authority Although program-related decisions
were largely made in the line
organization’s decision-making forums,
the program was led by the line
organization’s top managers and in that
sense there were no visible authority
boundaries. Authority stemmed largely
from the managers’ formal positions in
the line organization. The program’s
decision-making forums and processes
were considered to work well, although
sometimes there was confusion about
the decision-making responsibilities.
Physical and
spatial
Physical and spatial boundaries were
visible, as early program activities took
place mainly at Chain’s headquarters,
whereas the program was supposed to
significantly affect the personnel in
local units.
Many program participants worked with the same or
similar topics in their daily work as in the program.
Program work was seen somewhat different from
daily work that involved routine tasks.
Although Chain’s experts were accustomed to
projects, they were not used to large change programs
and to the program mode of working.
Top line managers were also responsible for the
corresponding areas of the change program,
providing a close linkage between the program and
the parent organization.
Program-related decisions were made by the line
organization's decision makers. Some complained
that line management was slow to make decisions,
which was claimed to delay the program.
There was some confusion about the decision-making
responsibilities between the program and the line
organization. When the program proceeded, the
program’s decision-making processes were
recognized as working well and there appeared a
tendency to bring issues outside the program’s scope
to the program steering group for decisions.
The program coordinator did not initially possess
much authority, but as the program progressed he
gained authority by proving his capabilities and was
officially nominated as the program manager.
While a majority of the early program activities took
place at the headquarters, there was significant
distance between the local unit personnel and the
program, especially concerning the most remote
locations in Chain’s network.
Sub-program manager: "[A part of the program] is naturally on the
responsibility of the person who is generally responsible for [the
corresponding area]. … This is on [N.N.’s] responsibility, as he is the one who
generally takes care of these issues.”
Sub-program manager and steering group member: “Since this is a huge
change, it is very different from our daily work, which is about setting prices,
contacting customers and so on.”
Development area director and steering group member: “I have never been
involved with such a massive effort, we have never had programs of this size
before.”
Sub-program manager and steering group member: ”In my own [development
area], I also genuinely have the business responsibility for this entity, so one
could say that I have a deeper interest to take care of all these entities and to
make sure that each reach their results.”
Steering group member: “If the business would make bolder decisions …, we
would make faster progress with [these projects]. Sometimes [the top
management] seems to have a strong mindset, but sometimes something else is
going on, and the struggle with this is slowing us down.”
Program coordinator (future program manager): “I myself [as program
coordinator] have to sometimes quite strongly remind [the steering group] that
we cannot mix line management … with the management of this program, they
are two different things. Although the same people sit in this steering group,
this is not the right forum for such business decisions.”
Support team manager and steering group member: “[The program manager]
has carried his role very well, he coordinates things and spots issues, is a
member in many steering groups and involved in many other things … He has
a strong coordinating role, and to call him a coordinator is actually an
underrating, he rather is … a program manager.”
Communications expert: ”This is, as I said, a challenge, as we live here in the
ivory tower [in the headquarters], and we cannot see the [daily operations at
the periphery].”