Employee empowerment in the high-tech R&D environment: a case study of successful “reengineering”

The R&D division of a major high-tech firm was dramatically “reengineered” in order to adapt to a changed environment and intensified global competition. The number of hierarchical levels was reduced, two-way communication was enhanced and all employees were empowered to develop their own initiative instead of awaiting orders from above. The transition from the old “imperial” approach to the management of technical people to the modern “participative” way was successfully accomplished over a period of three years. It was coupled with the parallel transition from the strongly technology-focussed corporate culture to a more customer-oriented one