I found your website to be very helpful considering I am doing a term paper about Semco related to participatory management, for my Masters degree. My main question is about structure, obviously early on it was rigid and very hierarchical, and Ricardo Semler had an idea or vision of what he liked or wanted he may not have been able to see it fully from that early on acquiring the company from his father. So it seemed to me that with the changes in his life, as well as changes in economy in Brazil, he did a sort of trial and error with respect to organizational structure, - situational structure, to deal with threats, oppression, etc ... he ended up with something truly democractic and truly participative as far as management style / structure goes. Eventhough he did not have a clear cut vision and 5 year plan to achieve it. Events seem to gear him that direction of being participative and democratic (i.e. his health status and quality of life concerns), even without his knowledge. So I guess my question or I would like to ask for your opinion is.... How would you describe specifically what type of structural changes did Semco go through from early hierarchical to now. I have read both Maverick and the Seven-Day Weekend as well as extensive research on the net and our own text couvered him as a case study. I ask because you seem to be someone that would be a nice sounding board. Thanks! Monica
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I found your website to be very helpful considering I am doing a term paper about Semco related to participatory management, for my Masters degree. My main question is about structure, obviously early on it was rigid and very hierarchical, and Ricardo Semler had an idea or vision of what he liked or wanted he may not have been able to see it fully from that early on acquiring the company from his father. So it seemed to me that with the changes in his life, as well as changes in economy in Brazil, he did a sort of trial and error with respect to organizational structure, - situational structure, to deal with threats, oppression, etc ... he ended up with something truly democractic and truly participative as far as management style / structure goes. Eventhough he did not have a clear cut vision and 5 year plan to achieve it. Events seem to gear him that direction of being participative and democratic (i.e. his health status and quality of life concerns), even without his knowledge. So I guess my question or I would like to ask for your opinion is.... How would you describe specifically what type of structural changes did Semco go through from early hierarchical to now. I have read both Maverick and the Seven-Day Weekend as well as extensive research on the net and our own text couvered him as a case study. I ask because you seem to be someone that would be a nice sounding board.
Thanks!
Monica