Business Without Boundaries - (Jossey-Bass Business & Management) by Don Mankin & Susan G Cohen (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Traditional forms of collaboration are not sufficient for competing effectively in the more complex and dynamic environment of today's business world. Face-to-face meetings between people of similar backgrounds have given way to increasingly complex working relationships. Organizations must be able to gain rapid access to knowledgeable people to meet constantly changing conditions and demands. More fluid, flexible, and easily reconfigurable collaborative relationships are necessary to produce the innovations that can make or break organizations3/4even entire industries3/4 and provide the opportunities that attract the talented and motivated employees who will make the difference between success and failure.

Business Without Boundaries helps managers address these challenges. The authors explore a number of wide-ranging, real-world cases to identify hands-on principles for successful collaboration. They offer managers and executives practical steps and tools for creating, facilitating, and supporting complex collaborations throughout their organizations. And they explain how to "team" across boundaries in the new global economy. The recommendations are specific enough to apply to particular forms of complex collaboration (for example supply chains, global product development teams, interorganizational alliances) but general enough to apply to new forms that have yet to emerge.

From the Back Cover

The New World of Complex Collaboration

"The very nature of work has changed in our increasingly turbulent economy. We are now expected to work effectively with people we never see. We are expected to coordinate with people in other functions, other companies, other countries. How do we do these things? How do we span enormous distances and transcend traditional boundaries? How do we work in a world that discourages effective collaboration? Drawing from successful cases in highly visible companies, the authors answer these questions. They give us practical guidelines for resolving one of the most difficult issues of our time. This book is a must-read for anyone who seeks to flourish in the modern world of global business."
-Robert E. Quinn, professor of business administration, University of Michigan Business School

"When it comes to organizational effectiveness, no issue is more central or challenging than collaborating across geographic, cultural, and organizational boundaries. This is the first book to make a comprehensive analysis of how to make these complex collaborations work.
It offers interesting cases, insightful analysis, and a helpful framework for managers responsible for developing successful collaborations in an increasingly complex and shrinking world."
-Edward E. Lawler III, director, Center for Effective Organizations, University of Southern California; and professor of business, University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business

"A clear and insightful analysis of how functions and businesses can become more productive by improving collaboration. This well-constructed, easy-to-read book offers practical, usable conclusions. It is an essential handbook for any senior executive."
-Brian Cunningham, former marketing director, IBM Personal Systems, Europe

"Today's highly competitive business environment demands successful global collaborations, yet many companies are frustrated trying to create them. This book provides the much-needed road map for success."
-Patrick S. Feely, president and CEO, Radica Games, Ltd.

About the Author

Don Mankin is the president and founder of Co: e-laboration Design Associates, a consulting firm specializing in the development of complex collaborations involving dispersed teams, multiple organizations, and diverse cultures. He is the author of four books and numerous articles on team development, systems implementation, and collaboration in a global economy.

Susan G. Cohen is a senior research scientist at the Center for Effective Organizations at the University of Southern California. She is coauthor of two books and author of numerous articles and book chapters about teams and teamwork, employee involvement and empowerment, and human resource strategies.