Waging War on Complexity Costs

Reshape Your Cost Structure, Free Up Cash Flows and Boost Productivity by Attacking Process, Product and Organizational Complexity

Stephen A. Wilson
, Andrei Perumal

McGraw-Hill Education, November 2009

Complexity costs are the single biggest determinant of your company’s cost competitiveness. For the past two decades the pursuit of growth has created massive complexity in processes, product portfolios and organizations, adding costs that companies can ill afford. The only good news is that your competitors may be carrying as much complexity as you are. Learn how to eliminate this complexity, and you can create a tremendous cost advantage over your competition.

In Waging War on Complexity Costs, Stephen Wilson and Andrei Perumal deliver a powerful and practical approach for reclaiming your cost advantage. This executive-level resource presents a wealth of insight and new research to definitively answer key questions such as:

  • How can I quantify the cost of complexity without getting lost in a sea of data?
  • Where are the biggest opportunities for reducing product, process, and organizational complexity, and how can I cut through the interdependencies that trap these costs?
  • How can I see results quickly by taking targeted actions against key levers?
  • How do I keep complexity costs at bay?

It is not enough to attack bloated product portfolios. Substantive cost improvements require addressing the complexity in the underlying processes and organizational structures. Waging War on Complexity Costs provides a wealth of relevant case studies with examples from Kraft, Tesco, Fiat and the U.S. Navy and highlights specific strategies for reducing costs by 15-30% in significant portions of your business.

Tomorrow’s consumers are emerging as well-informed customers who know what they want and the price they’re willing to pay for it. Complexity not only drives costs; it creates a barrier between you and the customer. Declare a war on complexity costs and prepare for profitable growth.

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About the Author

Stephen A. Wilson is managing director of management consultancy Wilson Perumal & Company, Inc. He is coauthor of Conquering Complexity in Your Business. He has an MBA from the Wharton School.

Andrei Perumal is managing director of Wilson Perumal & Company, Inc., and a former officer in the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He previously worked at Bain & Company and has an engineering degree from MIT.