Sony Corporation Introduction Characteristics of Learning Organizations Frequent Rotation of Managers Continual Training of Personnel Decentralization of Decision Making Encouragement of Multiple Experiments High Tolerance for Failure Openness and Diversity of Viewpoints Implementing Change in Static Organizations Resistance to Change in Static Organizations Lack of Awareness Lack of Interest Incompatibility With Cherished Values Fear of Cannibalization Fear of Personal Loss Change Steps Sense the Need for Strategic Change Build Awareness of Need to Change and Learn Foster Debate Create Consensus Assign Responsibility Allocate Resources From Static to Learning Organization Ethical Dimension Using Diversity to Enrich the Firm’s Knowledge Base. | strategie management Managing Strategic Change Building Learning Organizations CHAPTER OUTLINE CASE Sony Corporation Introduction Characteristics of Learning Organizations Frequent Rotation of Managers Continual Training of Personnel Decentralization of Decision Making Encouragement of Multiple Experiments High Tolerance for Failure Openness and Diversity of Viewpoints Implementing Change in Static Organizations Resistance to Change in Static Organizations Lack of Awareness Lack of Interest Incompatibility With Cherished Values Fear of Cannibalization Fear of Personal Loss Change Steps Sense the Need for Strategic Change Build Awareness of Need to Change and Learn Foster Debate Create Consensus Assign Responsibility Allocate Resources From Static to Learning Organization Ethical Dimension Using Diversity to Enrich the Firm s Knowledge Base Helping Employees Cope With Change Summary WHAT YOU WILL LEARN Why companies need to think about change The concept of a learning organization The key practices found in learning organizations Why static organizations have difficulty in responding to change The steps senior managers use in dealing with resistance to change 409 410 PART 4 Sustaining and Renewing Advantage Case Sony Corporation1 Sony Corporation is one of the world s most consistently successful innovators of consumer electronic products. With 1997 revenues of billion and billion in profits Sony has surprised and delighted consumers with superbly designed user-friendly high-technology products year after year. Many of its innovations the pocket-sized transistor radio Walkman portable radio cassette player videocassette recorder VCR Trinitron system color television set camcorder compact disc CD player and now personal computers and digital cellular phones have become staples throughout the world. In addition its most recent innovations such as the Mini Disc a miniature version of the portable CD player the Palmtop an electronic diary capable of .
