I took, of course, operational research and learning about system's problems, is what helped me understand the systemic nature of transformation that was required at Hewlett Packard. When you learn about complex systems problems,you know that you cannot solve one of those problems by only acting on or understanding one or two parameters of the problems. You have to understand all parameters of the problems, and how they interact with one another. All transformation is a system's problem. And so for me, when I came to Hewlett Packard, a company that was iconic, mythic, but also a company that was deeply troubled; a company that was lagging further and further behind that no longer was even among the top 25 innovators in the world. A company that had missed nine quarters in the row and the middle of biggest technology up-turning history, and yet employees were receiving record bonuses. A company that was so in love with its past it could not envision its future. I realized when I came to that company that this was a system's problem of deep complexity. And if we were going to transform this company, it would not only take time, it would not only take the energy of tens of thousands of employees but it would also take us working on the strategy of the firm, the structure and processes of the firm. How we measured and rewarded performance and as well what I called the software of the company, the culture, the values and behavior. I call culture the software of the company because like a computer, the hardware won't work if the software isn't up to the task. And for all you, I am sorry quantitative types that things, values and organizational behavior and culture, all that is just soft stuff, it is the hardest stuff. And it is the software of the firm.
adj. 动乱的,不安的;混乱的;困惑的