Final answer:
Eddie Lampert's approach to major organizational change at Sears focused on decentralization and internal competition, which has been criticized for contributing to the company's decline. The strategy lacked investment in modernization and customer experience, fundamental areas needed for Sears to stay relevant in the evolving retail landscape.
Step-by-step explanation:
Assessing Eddie Lampert's approach to implementing major organizational change at Sears reveals a strategy that has received considerable criticism. Lampert, who served as chairman and CEO, implemented a decentralized management structure and put the company's various units in competition with each other. This approach ostensibly aimed to drive performance and innovation. However, Lampert's strategy is often cited as a factor that may have contributed to Sears' decline. Rather than fostering cooperative success, it led to internal conflict and an erosion of the shared vision essential for successful transformation.
Critics have argued that Lampert's focus on financial engineering, such as selling off assets and excessive cost-cutting, came at the expense of investing in stores and the customer experience. As retail and consumer expectations evolved, Sears appeared to fall behind competitors who prioritized modernization and adaptability. Hence, Lampert's approach to change may be viewed as a cautionary tale about the importance of strategic balance and investment in core business areas.