Managing as Designing: Lessons for Organization Leaders from the Design Practice of Frank O. Gehry

Abstract

In the summer of 2002, our school moved into its new home, the Peter B. Lewis Building, designed by Frank O. Gehry. (Figure 1) We are faculty members at the Weatherhead School who have become involved in studying Gehry’s unique design practices and their implications for managing and organization design. We had an interest in design and its importance for management before encountering Frank Gehry,1 but our involvement with him took that interest to a new level of commitment.