Beyond downsizing: recreating in Australia

The management literature is replete with articles on total quality management, just‐in‐time manufacturing, strategic partnerships between customers and vendors, re‐engineering the company, flattening the organisation, teams that replace individual decision making and horizontal organisational structures. The terms and descriptions used in the literature for these organisational changes vary, but the overall objective is the same, to increase organisational effectiveness and to ensure the future of these organisations by establishing more efficient operations. In many companies positive organisational change is often undertaken simultaneously with, or following on from a “downsizing” or “restructuring” programme. In business recreation, whether in Australia or any other country, operational efficiency built upon enhanced processes must not be seen as the final objective – the opportunities are much greater. Examples of successful Australian organisational recreation are given.