When management wants to make something happen, they change the structure of the organization. Whether its ad-hoc project teams to deliver a product or service, or departments developed around specific disciplines such as IT, engineering, procurement, or accounting, organizational structure provides the framework for business execution. It can also be a significant hurdle to successful change as people become entrenched within the practices of an established structure. How does this impact manufacturing and engineering technologies? This chapter examines how two organizations - Deuxieme Botte Manufacturing (DBM) and Premiere Chaussure Industries (PCI) – deal with the challenges of organizational boundaries.
