Masters of Change: Transformational Growth Strategies at General Electric from 1982 to 2006

Abstract:     
Throughout the past 2.5 decades, General Electric (GE) has consistently attained high levels of growth and profitability. GE's astonishing accomplishments were the result of several brilliant organizational transformations, a metamorphosis of sorts; from a slow industrial-based, giant elephant into a technology-based, efficient and swift cheetah. These amazing transformations are not the result of circumstance but are calculated, coordinated, and driven efforts carried out by excellent leadership, strategy, and execution. In the new millennium, GE is in the process of a transformation while continuing its rapid expansion into the global marketplace. Although rapid growth is not new to GE, management is implementing new leadership tactics and untried strategies to sustain the company's level of success. Consequently, the company has arrived at a pinnacle period in its history. This paper will evaluate GE's organizational transformations during the period from 1982 to 2006 and evaluate how its leadership positively influenced the organization's primary growth strategy. The research will assess GE's transformational strategies within the framework of four perspectives that include rational thought, revolutionary thought, resource allocation, and technological change. In addition, the research will demonstrate how GE transformed itself under two specific leaders and sustained its ability as a master of transformational change.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 24

Keywords: Change, master, transformational, leadership, GE, General Electric, Welch, Jack Welch, Immelt, Jeffrey Immelt, globalization, strategy, global, organizational, change, technology,

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