1. How is communication “across divisions and silos” different from communication “up and down the hierarchy”?
2. Define the term boundaryless corporation. You may want to do some research on Jack Welch and General Electric here.
3. If human networks “speed knowledge laterally through companies faster and better than old organizational models can,” and employees are “encouraged from their first day on the job to build a network or web of personal ties to speed problem solving and innovation,” how does BMW ensure that the right decisions are made?
4. Formal structures decide who to blame; informal structures decide how to get things done. What are the implications of this philosophy for a BMW manager?