Abstract

The case examines the human resources (HR) restructuring exercise undertaken by the leading US-based telecommunication company - Lucent Technologies (Lucent) - in the early 2000s. The case discusses briefly the evolution and growth of Lucent and examines the various problems the company faced at the turn of the 20th century. It comments on the restructuring measures Lucent took to resolve these problems, and discusses the reasons for the restructuring of the company’s HR organization and practices. The case examines in detail the HR restructuring exercise at Lucent and the benefits reaped from it.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• HR Restructuring
• Standardization of HR Policies
• Employee Downsizing.

Keywords

Lucent Technologies, HR Restructuring, GROWS Initiative, HR Organization, Standardization of HR Policies, Empowerment, Global Organizational Structure, Employee Downsizing, Global Service Delivery Model