Organization Design Research
Leaders, whether they like it or not, wield power (position and personal) that influences the organizational environment and the degree to which it facilitates the creation of value for multiple stakeholders. The organizational environment includes the organization’s systems, the organizational culture, and the individuals who interact with the systems and culture. Much of my focus in this area has been on developing design methods, principles, and considerations related to organization and management design methods and understanding how the design of specific management systems and models create value for multiple stakeholders or sustainable excellence.
Selected publications:
Latham, J. R. (2013). How Much Does Your Organization Weigh? Innovation, 32(2), 4. Journal of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA)
Latham, J. R. (2012). Management System Design for Sustainable Excellence: Framework, Practices, and Considerations. Quality Management Journal, 19(2), 15. | 2013 ASQ Gryna Award Paper – Quality Management Paper of the Year
Latham, J. R. (2012). Latham’s Response to Commentaries [Response to commentaries on the 2012 Management System Design paper]. Quality Management Journal, 19(2), 3.
Latham, J. R. (2009). Complex system design: Creating Sustainable Change in the Mortgage-Finance System [Commentary]. Quality Management Journal, 16(3), 7.
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Leadership Research
My leadership research focuses on the leader as an organization designer and builder of the organization and systems. The leadership aspects of the framework include three key areas: individual characteristics, leadership style (behaviors), and the leadership system (activities). The individual leader characteristics include personality, attitudes, motivations, worldview, talents, abilities, spiritual life, purpose, meaning, and so on. These personal characteristics influence the leader’s behaviors which combine to create a particular leadership style. The individual leader and their style influence the activities the leader chooses, how they do them, and how well they do them. This leadership triangle influences the organizational environment and the people who occupy that environment.
Selected publications:
Latham, J. R. (2013). A Framework for Leading the Transformation to Performance Excellence Part I: CEO Perspectives on Forces, Facilitators, and Strategic Leadership Systems. Quality Management Journal, 20(2), 22.
Latham, J. R. (2013). A Framework for Leading the Transformation to Performance Excellence Part II: CEO Perspectives on Leadership Behaviors, Individual Leader Characteristics, and Organizational Culture. Quality Management Journal, 20(3), 22. | 2014 ASQ Gryna Award Paper – Quality Management Paper of the Year
Larson, M. D., Latham, J. R., Appleby, C. A., and Harshman, C. L. (2012). CEO Attitudes and Motivations: Are They Different for High Performing Organizations? Quality Management Journal, 19(4), 15.
Fry, L. W., Latham, J. R., Clinebell, S. K. & Krahnke, K. (2017). Spiritual Leadership as a Model for Performance Excellence: A Study of Baldrige Award Recipients. Journal of Management, Spirituality, and Religion.
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Research Agenda
My research agenda focuses on two interrelated areas of leading transformation and organization design. Shaped by my professional interests and practice, research literature, and collaboration with other researchers, research projects provide insights to improve organizational designs and the design process. The three articles below provide additional insights into my research interests.
Selected publications:
Latham, J. R. (2008). Building Bridges between Researchers and Practitioners: A Collaborative Approach to Research in Performance Excellence. Quality Management Journal, 15(1), 20.
Evans, J. R., & QMJ Editorial Board. (2013). Insights on the Future of Quality Management Research. Quality Management Journal, 20(1), 8.
Latham, J. R. (2014). Leadership for Quality and Innovation: Challenges, Theories, and a Framework for Future Research [Perspectives Paper]. Quality Management Journal, 21(1). 5.
