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A Spanner in the Works

If everyone uses his own components, it will never result in a vehicle that works. This not very effective way of working did not actually become a risk at the automotive subcontractor, but it mainly paralyzed the innovation potential in the company. What can help in such stages of a company's development?

"The customer actually implemented the latest communications resources and network tools," reports CEO Dr. Monika V. Kronbügel (PhD.) from the analysis with which Global DiVision entered the project. "However, the flow of information between the individual departments and divisions was at a standstill." The fact that such a flaw was able to creep in almost undetected was blamed on the business success. "The numbers added up, so there was no obvious reason to think about corrections."

But, a closer look made it clear: The teams in the company were always going in their own directions when they didn't absolutely have to work together. As a result, they knew almost nothing about the work next to them which, at the end of the day, did cost money and opportunities.

The GDIC team began with a series of workshops to make adjustments. "Together with the fundamental mind-set of the employees and the management, we changed the communication structures." Instead of a workday with blinkers, there is now openness for new things. After the renaissance of the company pyramid, specialists sit at the interfaces and generalists are in the management. "That didn't happen overnight, of course," reports Dr. Monika V. Kronbügel (PhD.) further. In close collaboration with the company management, Global DiVision declared the objective to put thinking together, learning, fabricating and implementing in the guiding principles. In the meantime, networked and cross-department further training are in practice and: "In the future the person who knows many other sectors instead of only his own product will be successful."

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