application of theory. The report will identify the constraints that impact upon implementing HIPOs and the strategies that have been successfully employed to bring about the kind of organizational transformations that are needed to sustain competitiveness and grow organizations. In essence, the report will draw upon previously published literature to argue that the forward looking organizations of today are those which recognize that cultural changes and behavioral transformations are key to fostering and then maintaining high levels of performance while providing quality to stakeholders of all types.
The Theory of High Performance Organizations
Kirby has stated that "the challenge of measuring companies' relative performance across industries and erasà is so daunting that it might seem a fool's errand to attempt" (30). It was only in 1980, said Kirby (31), that Tom Peters and Bob Waterman began to research and write about such a quest, ultimately publishing a text titled In Search of Excellence
...