7-S Framework (McKinsey)

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                      ●  (Jersey)
                      
                    Implementing 7s
                    "Hi Loreen - try pilot programmes to allow the champions to prove to the dissenters of the benefits of change - once that has been achieved, the mass will follow"

                     
                      ● Morgan (UK)
                      
                    7S Framework is not Quantitative
                    "Nor, I believe your assumption that only what you can measure is useful puts you in the wrong 'thinking mode'. The 7S framework is not a quantitative method nor aimed at being very precise, yet certainly it is useful for other applications."

● Sarah (Malawi)	Leadership & Management	"there is a figure in a book by Watson (1983), its got demarcations for the hard and soft triangle. the hard one is for management and the soft one is for leadership. it might be of assistance"
● (Botswana)	7s, Leadership and Management	"Within the theory of management there exist a tool called SWOT. SWOT Analysis is used mostly in strategic management. The 7s model helps in the assessment of the internal environment, thus giving you the strengths and weaknesses."
● (Phil)	7-S Model for Programs	"Can the 7-S Model be used in evaluating programs and not the whole organization?"

                       
                        ●  (India)
                        
                      The Reason Why Shared Values are in the Center of the 7S-es
                      "The 7S framework of McKinsey when applied to organisations will have different systems, strategy, skills, staff etc for different departments. For example, the Skills required in the HR department would be different as compared to the Sales Department, however only Shared Values is something that will remain common for all the departments, and which keeps all the other S-es intact."

	● Boudewijn G (Netherands)	Post Merger with 7S Framework	"1. Assess current situation for each of the 7 S-es for both parts of the new organization. 2. Discuss and Agree on what is the desired situation for each of the 7 S-es 3. Strategy and business plan (Costs, Benefits, Migration, Communication, Risks, Projects, etc) to go from 1 to 2."
	● (South Africa)	Post Merger with 7S Framework	"I agree with the above post. I will look at the current situation of the 7 S, compare with the previous situation (if you had studied it before), put forward the desired situation and give recommendations on how to get there. All the best mwana wekumusha, drop me an email. Grant"

● Wallace (INDIA)	Answer	"Hello Mahamood, 4P's refer to Product, Price, Place, Promtion. But there is no end to it. Actually Politics of a country is the most important P. Similarly Packaging, Power, Pace are also equally significant. Similarly although you speak of three C's, we can add as many C's as we want."
● Nilesh (USA)	7S Framework	"It is really amazing to see how well models can fit into words from same alphabet. Or usually things can be divided into two/three main categories. Beyond the limitation or possibilities with words underlying theoretical concepts are more important. Key aspect of 7s framework lies in the interaction of hard and soft constructs such as strategy and style etc. Now any scheme that can comprehensively and distinctly cover these hard and soft factors would suffice."
● Wojtek (Scotland)	Frameworks	"Every framework aims to simplify things. That's what they are all about. You wont find a perfect one. One letter of alphabet is used to help you remember that's all. Basically it is up to you if you use a framework in a given situation or not."
● Jon (USA)	Use of one letter mnemonics	"I think the use of single letter mnemonics is ill advised, to be blunt. If the model is important, you'll put a copy on the wall and look at it and use it frequently anyway. I think many models really stretch to use the letter instead of the natural item that should be there. As a consultant I have seen dozens of these one-letter models and personally I can remember models if the concept clicks true much easier than trying to remember the 5 S's or whatever."

● swaraj vinjapuri (USA)	Hard and Soft S's	"Thanks Daeborah for your comments, I echo your thoughts. The last 4-S are more difficult and often neglected and are the major reason companies and organizations fail."
● John T. (Greece)	Hard and Soft S's	"It would be better if you have mentioned the writer of these thoughts !!!"
● Alan (UK)	Soft Ss and Hard Ss in Management	"At the time Pascale and Tanner and Athos wrote their book The Art of Japanese Management (1981), managers in US (Western) firms were preoccupied with the hard Ss. Japanese managers were believed to be superior, due to the attention they gave to the soft Ss. Partly because of this book and the 7S Framework in the last decades the overall trend in the US (and in Europe to a lesser degree) has been directed towards the soft Ss."
● Samuel Nduati Mbugua (Kenya)	Hard and Soft Factors in 7S Model	"The 7S-Framework is a very powerful model for carrying out organizational change since the seven factors can be used to carry out organizational structural changes and changes in human capital management. The model therefore can be used in organizational development since the hard factors i.e strategy, structure and systems are the ingredients of organization theory whereas the soft factors i.e shared values, skills, staffing and style are the ingredients of organizational behavior."

                       
                      
                        ●  (South Africa)
                        
                      Communication
                      "Structure - a beaurocratic structure can "choke" the information flow
Systems - do your processes and procedures facilitate good communication, how effective are they and can they be streamlined?
Skills - are your staff equiped with the right communication skills
Staff - do you have the right staff to facilatate effective communication and what value do you attach to communication skills during recruitment and selection?
Style - does management behave in a way that promote communication?
Strategy - how do you strive to reach your goals? Do you advocate for teamwork, collective continuous improvement (Kaizen) or individualistic innovation (Western Management theory)
Shared Goals - what is the organisations' belief system and attitude towards communication?"
                    

                       
                        ●  (South Africa)
                        
                      Preparing to Implement Change
                      "I find the 7S framework very useful in analysing an organisation especially when preparing to implement change."

● Shirish (India)	7S is only theoretical	"I think the whole 7s concept is only theoretical. Organisations have to practise it without realising that it is 7S or otherwise! it is a holistic concept!!"
● seyi (Singapore)	Use 7S whether virtual or not	"I believe every company should still practise this holistic concept whether operating a virtual company or not. As long as there is an organisation strategizing to do business in a given structured system by a few or many staff with required skills and styles guided by the company's shared values."
● Aung (Myanmar)	Nike still has all elements	"It's especially useful when u r starting a new biz or assessing ur internal environment. It's a checklist. Nike still have all the elements no matter how lean it is."
● (India)	Know when and how to use 7S concept	"7-S model is a concept, is well accepted and practiced methodology. Suitability to time, situation, type of industry, the business conditions etc. are to be visualized and balanced between the present practices and the changes required. In other words it is a useful tool, only one should when and how it is to be used."
● Ellie (Netherlands)	Make or Buy for each S	"The value of the 7S model is that it helps you to design and verify all dimensions of a business. All S-es have to be arranged for, and this should be done in a holistic, interconnected way. However for each S there can be a make or buy (do it yourself or outsource) decision. This does not decrease the value of the framework in any way, because even outsourced dimensions still need to be taken care for in an integrated way."
● pedro (portugal)	7-model	"My view is that all the model depends on the communication processes. Sometimes everything looks like it is on the right place, but everyone still has his own perception, usually the reason for misleading problems"
● Sophia (Taiwan)	Philosophy & Educational management and Administration	"As you mentioned, the 7s is a kind theoretical concept, however, it can be transferred into practice. Further, except for the superordinate goal, the rest 6s can be divided into two parts, say, on for dealing with events, and the other dealing with people. In this way, the 6s will be available for leaders and managers to check what part should be changed and where to go."
● a jagan mohan reddy (india)	Refined 7-s model	"I agree with Tony. In the changing times we need to re-look at these existing models and if need be refine/modify them."
● R.Ravichandran (India)	7-s framework excellent reference point	"Although the business revolutionizes in today's context, it is necessary to visit the basics and have a check now and then to benchmark the progress and compare the value systems kept inside for the future. I believe that the framework is an excellent reference point for today's practicing managers."
● Gert Lubbersen (Netherlands)	7S model of Mckinsey	"The model is still valid, it can occur that in changing times some of the 7 elements will become wmore relevant. We used the model i.e. for a benchmark in a merger process."
● Samuel Nduati Mbugua (Kenya)	7-S Framework and the public sector management	"The 7-S Framework is a good tool of formulatiing and implementing change programmes in the private sector and not in the public sector. This is because the shared values or the superordinate goals are not clearly stated in the public sector. This makes it difficult to achieve the intended results as the achievement of superdinate goals is the overall purpose of organisational change."
● Musamali Martin (Kenya)	Is 7S model still valid?	"Yes indeed it is. Consider current delevelopments in the increasingly competitive business environment where a similar product (with some differenciation) is priced differently in different market segments. This act alone may result in a turnaround in profitability of an enterprise. It is all about having a perfect mix of the 7-S components that firms can still rise to enjoy market leadership advantages. Strategic Mergers and acquistions bring out a magical structure that delivers results.. The 7 S model is more than applicable today.. it only depends on the depth with which you analyse and apply it."
● Andrea Tedone (Italy)	7S & System Thinking	"The plus of the 7S framework, IMO, is the systemic approach, so that if you plan a change management initiative in one of the 7 domains, you can "easily" try to depict the snowball effect on the others. The minus, as all the others theoretical frameworks, is that you cannot apply just one model and full stop: you have to use this framework in your toolkit, together with others you are comfortable with, and then.... "the sky is the limit"!"
● Claude Balleux (Canada)	7S model	"A model is never more than theorical. But, it gives clue to understand something. That's the same for this one. And I think that it's still usefull."

                       
                        ●  (USA)
                        
                      How to Apply the 7-s Framework
                      "One can employ the 7-S framework to conduct an organizational Capacity Assessment or an Organizational Review as the as-is (and to-be) for preparing an organization for change and transformation. It is a template for conducting an organizational health check."

                       
                        ●  (Zimbabwe)
                        
                      More S-es needed?
                      "It appears this framework (sometimes) requires other attributes to be effective. The addition of other Ss as one member suggests or even other additions not necessarily starting with S can make the framework more effective."

7-S Framework
(McKinsey)

Explanation of the 7-S Framework of McKinsey.

What is the 7-S Framework? Description

Origin of the 7-S Framework. History

The meaning of the 7 Ss

Shared Values (also called Superordinate Goals).

Strategy

Structure

Systems

Staff

Style

Skills

Strengths of the 7-S Model. Benefits

7S Framework Special Interest Group

7S Framework Forum

7S Framework Education & Events