Companies as traditional as those of the paper industry and as unorthodox as specialty-food mail-order houses are implementing skill- and knowledge-based work designs, an integral element of high performance work systems (HPWS). Such redesign or work systems emerge from a desire to provide employees with the appropriate motives and structures for increased productivity, improved customer service, and continuous business improvement.

The work designs unfortunately have built-in dilemmas. Some companies, including Colgate Palmolive and DuPont, have found an answer to this question. Interviews from across the business are the base of the paper. 11 pgs

11 pgs

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