We recently asked members of the HBR community to gauge the extent of “bureaucratic sclerosis” within their organization using our Bureaucracy Mass Index (BMI) tool. Since then, we’ve received over 7,000 responses from a diverse group of participants. Here are our initial takeaways:
What We Learned About Bureaucracy from 7,000 HBR Readers
Bureaucratic drag slows down work, wastes time, and stifles innovation.
August 10, 2017
Summary.
A survey of more than 7000 HBR readers shows the extent and consequences of bureaucracy in their organizations. “Bureaucratic drag” slows work down, wastes time, stifles innovation, and causes employees to focus too much on internal matters rather than their customers. Not surprisingly, the problem is much worse in larger companies. And it seems to be increasing over time.