Case Studies

Scroll down to find case studies related to your particular product(s) of interest.

Best Practice Case Study - Improving Leadership Performance at GE Financial

An interview with Dr Linda Sharkey by Richard Sharp GE Case Study

As Executive Director of Executive Networks, Inc.—an organization that connects key HR heads from the largest corporations in the
world—she provides members with new ideas, advice, practical materials and “early warnings” on key trends and innovations.She is also Strategic Partner with the Vaya Group (formerly Corporate Insights), where she plays an integral role in their
talent practice, and a founding member of the Marshall Goldsmith Group.

But what Sharkey is best known for is the work she did with leaders at GE—championing a process that was described by CEO and business icon Jack Welch as a “best practice in leadership development.”

Culture Makes a Difference in the Business - Objects and Crystal Decisions Merger

Diagnostic Tools Used: Objects and the Crystal Decisions Merger

In July of 2003, California-based software firm Business Objects completed a $1.3 billion merger with Canadian
company Crystal Decisions. It was a cross-border merger of mid-sized international leaders in the fastgrowing
business intelligence software realm, requiring the integration of not only competing technologies but
also vastly different cultures.

Optimizing Human Performance in the Health Care Industry

Diagnostic Tools Used: Organisational Culture Inventory & Life Styles Inventory

Overview

Dr. Fred Sanfilippo was appointed Dean of the College of Medicine and Public Health at Ohio State University and CEO
of the OSU Medical Center. The medical center had a three-part mission revolving around research, education, and patient care.
Related to this mission was the goal of dealing effectively with the financial challenges facing academic medical centers in the
United States. The senior leadership recognized that the key to reaching this goal and succeeding in their mission was first and
foremost investing in their people.

Creating a Customer-Driven Culture Using Project Teams in the Insurance Industry

Diagnostic Tools Used: Organisational Culture Inventory & Life Styles Inventory

Overview
A large multi-national insurance organisation identified the need to move into the expanding retirement savings market. This decision was forced by the presence of a mature and declining share in the bonds and premium sector, introduction of government charges, and entry of new competitors. The challenge was to initiate and create the shift towards a more customer-focused and quality driven culture that rewards quality, innovation and continuous improvement in a motivating environment.

Moving Toward Franchising in the Retail Industry: Building a Strong Sales Culture

Diagnostic Tools Used: Organisational Culture Inventory & Life Styles Inventory

Overview
The organisation wanted to transform its retail division into a highly responsive and customer driven operation and at the same time achieve stretch sales goals. Figure 1 shows a strong Conventional and Perfectionistic “bow tie.” This combination is quite common in retail organisations. Staff are expected to follow the rules and policies of the organisation perfectly. Such strong extensions create poor customer satisfaction because staff are expected to obsessively follow the rules of the organisation rather than achieve an outcome for the client.

Culture Change Results in Dramatic Improvement for Local Government Entity

Diagnostic Tool Used: Organisational Culture Inventory

Overview
The organisation was in a state of flux due to a number of changes including CCT (Compulsory Tendering), and the challenge of moving from a public service approach to a more commercially orientated and customer service focus. Large scale redundancies were also causing stress and tension in the workforce and workplace.

Developing a Sales Culture in Retail Banking

Diagnostic Tool Used: Organisational Culture Inventory

Overview
Few industries have experienced the rapidity of change as that imposed upon the Retail Banking Industry in the 1990’s. With economic conditions putting severe pressure on interest margins, banks have had to look for a totally different way of running their businesses. This comes at a time of increasing costs, and in a market where the consumer has become much more aware of the products, costs and values being provided.

Finance Industry—Leadership Development

Diagnostic Tool Used: Life Styles Inventory

Overview
The commercial property bust of the 1990s sent shock waves through many industries and, in particular, the finance industry. One of its victims is the focus of this case study. The following outlines the interventions taken by one of Australia’s oldest finance companies to “turn around” its worst financial result in its history. The measures taken by this organisation to pull itself back from the brink of financial disaster to being today in a solid financial position posting record profits are presented. This case study will particularly focus on the behavioral interventions taken to renew this organisation’s culture, including the use of the Life Styles Inventory in leadership development.

Olympic Gold - Achievement or Competitive?

Diagnostic Tool Used: Life Styles Inventory

Overview
Australian Olympic gold medallist swimmer John Konrads believes the difference between a gold and bronze medal is all in the way you think. Rome Olympics 1960.

A Cross Cultural Perspective

Diagnostic Tool Used: Life Styles Inventory

Overview
Since 1994, the client company, a government-owned telecommunications entity in East Africa, has been pursuing a Telecommunications Rehabilitation Program (TRP). The process was two-fold; it included both leadership development as well as strategies focused on improving infrastructure, systems, and HR practices. This application of LSI is a testament to the survey’s cross-cultural validity, as managers in East Africa created LSI Ideal profiles similar to those created by managers in Anglo countries. Moreover, as the managers current profiles moved towards their ideals, positive outcomes related to enhanced performance and reduced customer complaints resulted.

How Organisations Work: Improving Customer Service by Changing Culture

Diagnostic Tools Used: Organisational Culture Inventory & Customer Service Styles Survey

Overview
The impact of culture on customer service is demonstrated by this case
study, which focuses on the Production Engineering department of one of the
world’s largest technological organisations. Specifically, it illustrates
how the Organisational Culture Inventory (OCI) and Customer Service Styles
Survey (CSSS) can be used to motivate, guide, and monitor change. It also
demonstrates how the causal factors in the “How Culture Works” model can be
used to change culture and the quality of customer service. Lastly, the
study highlights some key issues that managers, consultants, and other
change agents should consider when planning a culture or customer service
assessment.