article thumbnail

GE’s Culture Challenge After Welch and Immelt

Harvard Business Review

In our opinion, culture is contextual, and what would have been appropriate in the 19 th century, when the company was a one-product, one-country organization, is very inappropriate in today’s far more globalized environment. (GE GE now operates in 175 countries across the globe.) The context demanded operational excellence.

Welch 8
article thumbnail

The 5 Requirements of a Truly Innovative Company

Harvard Business Review

By comparison, think of the long strides many businesses have made in reengineering their supply chains, boosting product quality, and rolling out lean six sigma. Global supply chains have been optimized, business processes have been outsourced, and huge investments have been made in new IT tools. What’s the problem?