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INTRODUCTION
Microsoft represents a new approach in organizational design. Whether Microsoft can be classified as a world class organization, all depends on individual perceptions and definitions of world class. But the fact is that Microsoft is a world class brand name, which has captured the world market due to its shrewd business strategies. A world class and effective organization should be able to maintain and extend that advantage by continuing to produce new quality products and services through extensive research and innovations.
To be effective in today's informational economy, organizations need to be creative to be ahead of the competitors. Product and service innovations breed success, while knowledge and information are the driving force. Flexibility in organizational structure allows fast decision-making in order to react swiftly to new form of competitions.
A world class organization is "An organization which has acquired the position of best of the best in the world in its given business and continuously strives to beat its own standards so as to retain that position" (Khan, 2005).
The definition above closely describes Microsoft as it continuously dominates the global market. Microsoft operates within an organization that embraces techno-business convergence where information is raw material. There are needs for innovations to increase competitiveness and productivity of the products and services. In that sense, its main focus is entrepreneurship.
The techno-business environment also requires adoption of new paradigms, which are based on flexibility of structures, such as networking, outsourcing etc. The focus is on flatter, flexible structures and team empowerm ...