The 7S Framework

Knowledge Center

• About
• Home
• Dictionary
• Encyclopedia
• Question?
• Views

• Register
• Log in
• Help

• Change & Organization
• Communication & Skills
• Decision-making & Valuation
• Ethics & Responsibility
• Finance & Investing
• HRM
• Knowledge & Intangibles
• Leadership
• Marketing
• Program & Project
• Strategy
• Supply Chain & Quality

Explanation of the 7-S Model of McKinsey.

What is the  7-S Framework? Description

The 7-S Framework of McKinsey is a management model that describes 7 factors to organize a company in an holistic and effective way. Together these factors determine the way in which a corporation operates. Managers should take into account all seven of these factors, to be sure of successful implementation of a strategy. Large or small. They're all interdependent, so if you fail to pay proper attention to one of them, this may effect all others as well. On top of that, the relative importance of each factor may vary over time.

Origin of the 7-S Framework. History

The 7-S Framework was first mentioned in the journal "Business Horizons" in an article "Structure Is Not Organization" by Robert H. Waterman, Thomas J. Peters and Julien R. Phillips in June 1980. It appeared also in "In Search of Excellence" by Peters and Waterman, and was taken up as a basic tool by the global management consultancy company McKinsey. Since then it is known as their 7-S model.

The meaning of the 7 Ss

Superordinate Goals (also called Shared Values).

The interconnecting center of McKinsey's model is: Superordinate Goals (Shared Values). This term includes higher elevation concepts of what an organization wants to achieve, stands for and what it believes in: purpose, vision, mission, shared values, central beliefs and attitudes. Compare: Strategic Intent

Strategy

Plans for the allocation of a firms scarce resources, over time, to reach identified goals. Environment, competition, customers.
 

Structure

The way in which the organization's units relate to each other: centralized, functional divisions (top-down); decentralized; a matrix, a network, a holding, etc.

Systems

The procedures, processes and routines that characterize how the work should be done: financial systems; recruiting, promotion and performance appraisal systems; information systems.
 

Staff

Numbers and types of personnel within the organization.
 

Style

Cultural style of the organization and how key managers behave in achieving the organization's goals. Compare: Management Styles.
 

Skills

Distinctive capabilities of personnel or of the organization as a whole. Compare: Core Competences.

Strengths of the 7-S Model. Benefits

• Diagnostic tool for understanding organizations that are ineffective.
• Guides organizational change.
• Combines rational and hard elements with emotional and soft elements.
• Managers must act on all Ss in parallel and all Ss are interrelated.

Book: Ethan M. Rasiel, Paul N. Friga - The McKinsey Mind: Understanding and Implementing the Problem Solving Tools and Management Techniques -

7-S Framework Forum   How to Use the 7S Model in Education? Does someone have an idea for using this method fo...           7S X 7S Matrix: Tracking the Mutual Congruency of the 7S Elements I have used the 7S for organisational assessment a...           Competitive Edge with 7S Model? (How) Can a firm achieve a competitive advantage w...           Changes in Shared Values and Staff The values of the organisation may change over ...           7S McKinsey for ISO 14001 How is the 7S Model from McKinsey used as frame wo...           One More S: Solidarity I think this is a sound model but Solidarity is mi...           7-s Model as Basis for a Project Audit Could McKinsey's 7-s model be used as a standard/n...           McKinsey 7-S Model on Innovation I am interested in the application of the 7-S mode...           What is the NEW 7S Framework? The new 7 S-es are: 1. Superior Stakeholder S...           McKinsey 7-S Background I am doing a presentation on the 7-S framework and...           7-S within Government It has come to my attention that the 7-S Model is ...           Extra S-es in the 7S Framework by McKinsey I was able to utlize the 7S model very effectively...           Applying the 7 S Framework. Implementation I believe the 7's is very difficult to implement a...         Begin a new topic

7-S Framework Special Interest Group Special Interest Group

7-S Framework Education & Events Find Trainings, Seminars and Events

Best Practices - 7-S Framework Premium   McKinsey 7S in Fast Changing Environment: A DYNAMIC 7S Model? Given that the business environment is changing al...           CDOCi Acronym | CDOCi Tool You can combine 7S analysis with a method called "...           7S Data Collection and Analysis What are some of your data collection methods for ...           Measuring the Scores on each S of the 7S Framework Hello all, have there been parameters developed to...           Guiding a Change Program with 7-S Model How can the 7-S model be used to inform or guide a...           Involving Staff in 7-S Framework Implementing the 7-S can be challenging especially...           Why are Shared Values in the Center of 7's? Why are Shared Values (or Superordinate Goals) in ...           Does the 7-S Model still holds true today? Does the 7-S Model still holds true in today's bus...           Applications of the 7-S Framework While some models of organizational effectiveness ...           Limiting choice of 'S' in 7S Framework? While reading for my management course, I couldn't...           How to Link 7S Model with Leadership and Management How do you link the 7 s framework with leadership ...

Expert Tips - 7-S Framework Premium   7S Checklist with Questions for Each S Here's a list of questions you can use to analyze ... Usage (application): Firm Analysis, Organizational Analysis       Categorizing the S-es in McKinsey's 7-S Model The seven S's can be broken down into: - 3... Usage (application): Strategy, Strategic Change, 7S Implementation       How to Identify Potential Problem Areas in 7S? You can create a 7S Confrontation Matrix with all ... Usage (application): Strategy, Strategic Change, 7S Implementation       Improved 8S Framework for Strategy Execution As the business environment becomes more complex a... Usage (application): Strategy, Strategic Change, 7S Implementation

Resources - 7-S Framework Premium Original Article Introducing the 7S Framework The 1980 Business Horizons article "Structure is N... Usage (application): History of 7S Framework   McKinsey's Approach to Problem Solving Presentation about some of McKinsey's thoughts on ... Usage (application): Consultancy, Organizational Analysis and Change   7-S Framework Presentation about the 7S framework.... Usage (application): Analyzing the state of an organization     News 7-s Framework Mckinsey         News Mckinsey Concept         Videos 7-s Framework Mckinsey         Videos Mckinsey Concept         Presentations 7-s Framework Mckinsey         Presentations Mckinsey Concept         More 7-s Framework Mckinsey         More Mckinsey Concept

Compare with the 7-S Framework: Causal Model of Organizational Performance and Change  |  Ashridge Mission Model  |  Strategic Alignment  |  McKinsey Matrix

Return to Management Hub: Change & Organization  |  Ethics & Responsibility  |  Marketing  |  Strategy

More Management Methods, Models and Theory