Abstract
The most frequent approach to improving white collar productivity is the meat axe—indiscriminate across-the-board staff cuts that can seriously weaken a division or department. Instead of going through a series of downsizings that yield no lasting cost reductions, companies need to manage internal operations and keep them under control. In turn, support units need to be made responsible for adapting their service functions to fit internal customer needs. They cannot be permitted to expand with few, if any, constraints on their growth.
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Ackoff, R.L., Pourdehnad, J. The irresponsibility and ineffectiveness of downsizing. Systems Practice 10, 5–11 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02557848
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02557848