The Unison Effect: Aligned Communication Leading Operational Excellence

Abstract

This thesis sets out to investigate the options for a company to reach superior performance. The study is based on qualitative data collection and already established theoretical frameworks, in order to analyze the roadmap to operational excellence in large organizations. Operational excellence is the common term used in organizations that are set on continuous improvement, learning and optimizations. What this study emphasizes is the leadership aspect of facilitating operational excellence, and what kind of communication is needed in order to encourage people in an organization to cross-collaborate with different departments in the organization in order to drive organizational alignment.
Consequently, this study uncovers the main leadership skills that based on the nine leaders interviewed, are the most important in order to facilitate operational excellence. Namely quality as a mindset, storytelling, commitment, and proper communication amongst others. In addition, this study succeeds in identifying how the underlying organizational or departmental beliefs, values, and assumptions drive the cultural patterns of change or resistance to it.
This thesis is based on an empirical analysis of how organizations reach superior performance with operational excellence. Based on the data, this study develops a framework that illustrates what organizations and leaders can do in order to create a unison effect in the way that they communicate and lead according to contingencies or new strategic initiatives. Subsequently, this thesis adds to existing literature on value, by suggesting that the unison effect creates awareness throughout the steps to operational excellence, and how to achieve superior performance in the organization.