A multi-billion dollar consumer products company was implementing an organization-wide ERP system in 50+ locations. They were late and over budget. The organization historically was highly decentralized both in structure and culture. The ERP system was in effect centralizing the organization. There was lack of user commitment, ineffective senior leadership support, and turf wars between IT and the implementation teams.

The Denniston Consulting Group successfully repositioned the ERP, building executive support, accelerating the implementation, and moving through the cultural barriers of their decentralized organization.

A multi-billion dollar international manufacturing company with 15,000 employees had acquired five major competitors over the past five years. The conflicting cultures within the organization, ranging from self-directed to paramilitary, were affecting performance and productivity.

The company culture caused them to put their ERP implementation on hold. They had invested 100 million dollars on the ERP program prior to tabling the project.

Denniston Consulting assessed the cultural issues within the organization and facilitated the executive team through strategic decisions. We are working with the organization throughout the implementation of one culture. The company targets large gains in productivity which they translate to substantial stock price gains. Additionally, ERP is now being implemented.

The Denniston Consulting Group facilitated the executive team of a major insurance company through a process of evaluating whether they wanted a centralized or decentralized culture among their 30 business units. Union threat, movement from non-profit to for-profit, and a retiring CEO were some of the factors impacting the decision.

A 500 million-dollar manufacturing organization faced with firing its CIO, required assistance in stabilizing its organization during a major ERP implementation. Multiple divisions of the organization had various stages of different ERP systems being implemented. Denniston Consulting’s job was to determine the strategic role of technology for the organization and help it through leadership transition.

A new CIO inherited an entitled, fire-fighting, hospital IT shop. The Denniston Consulting Group assisted the IT department in determining its strategy in the healthcare system; building IT dependability, clarifying roles and developing its leaders, and build teaming within the IT organization. The resulting culture change included self-sufficient teams with clear objectives and contributions to the hospital.

A leading cataloger with over 100 years of business found itself in danger of bankruptcy. Employees viewed themselves as team players. Ninety percent had performance ratings of 4 or 5 (on a scale of 5 being the highest). Only a few people outside of the leaders knew what was going on (e.g., financial performance). Conflicting messages created undirected results (e.g., fully catered hot lunches and first class air travel to exotic photo shoots during severe financial difficulties).

In 1997, the company bottomed out. DCG supported the President in changing the systems by structuring, changing culture and facilitating a transformation team set up to align tools and policies, measurement, and communications with the strategic plan.

1999 was a banner year in terms of profitability and employee satisfaction.

A State University Dining Service organization was confronted with a labor force covered by both Union and Civil Service. The relationship was strained. Communications between management and labor was through grievance only.

DCG brought the two groups together, structured the organization so that each could become a self-directed work team and developed a culture of cooperation and accountability. The groups are progressing as planned towards self-direction. Productivity and quality have improved.

A leading global manufacturer needed technology to support its aggressive acquisition and market positioning strategies. This required a change in the attitudes and behaviors within the Information Technology organization of 1,100 people located throughout the world.

DCG supported the CIO in leading the organization through a cultural principles identification and implementation process. In addition, we supported the structuring, process improvement and leadership development projects. The organization today is supporting strategic imperatives in an efficient manner.

The nation’s leading nuclear power energy source was faced with an "us vs. them"

attitude among leaders in its business unit support departments. DCG was engaged to align these departments behind a common, shared vision. The engagement was successful and involved moving power, authority, responsibility and resources to a centralized source of service. Numerous additional projects were successfully completed for this client involving the change in cultural attitudes and processes.