Michael Lissack
The canyon approach offers a powerful alternative to both rigid con- trol and directionless freedom. By establishing clear boundaries while enabling autonomy within them, organizations can achieve both coher- ence and adaptability—the essential balance for navigating complex environments. TE xhpe eBr iue sn Rc ei sd eC Sr et oa rt ey : CLoahnedr secnacpee Perhaps the most striking example of landscape imagery creat- ing organizational coherence comes from General Electric’s troubled range-building plant at Appliance Park in Louisville, Kentucky. The plant was losing $10 million annually, with declining employment and no new products in development. The plant’s new manager, Tom Tiller, organized a transformative experience:
“One day in April 1992 at 6:00 A.M., forty manufactur- ing workers climbed aboard a bus at General Electric’s range-building plant at Appliance Park in Louisville, Kentucky, and headed for the annual Kitchen and Bath Show in Atlanta. They were setting out on a crucial re- connaissance mission. Appliance Park, a sprawling old 1,100-acre complex, had once employed more than 23,000 workers. By 1992, the company had closed down one of its six large production buildings and stopped making room air conditioners and microwave ovens. Employment at Appliance Park had dwindled to 9,000. The range line was losing $10 million a year, and the jobs of everyone on the bus were in jeopardy.”
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