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Managing Organizational Change A Multiple Perspectives Approach 3rd Edition Palmer Solutions Manual instant download all chapter
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Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
Chapter 6
Chapter Summary
Effective change is often linked to the presence of a well-established vision. Conversely, a
lack of vision is frequently associated with unsuccessful change and organizational
decline. The image one has of managing change influences the role one expects vision to
play in the change process. Vision is often confused with other terms such as mission
statements, goals and values.
Coach Vision emerges through the leader’s facilitation skills, shaping agendas and
desired futures.
Interpreter Vision articulates the core values and ideology that underpins the organization’s
identity.
Nurturer Visions are always temporary, emerging from the clash of shifting and
unpredictable forces for change.
The content of meaningful vision has sparked considerable debate. Some consideration
has been given to attributes, its style, and how it is differentiated from mission and
organizational values. Selected examples of these from the text are:
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 1
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
Visions as Stories: Creating vision stories allows a vivid description of the change to
which people can relate. Levin maintains that stories are more effective than simple vision
statements because people can imagine themselves and their actions in the future
Relationship of Vision to Mission and Goals: Vision is often confused with other terms
such as mission statements, goals, and organizational values. All these terms refer to
something that provides direction and identifies change actions that are needed. Goals and
objectives refer more to results that are desired without necessarily referring to the actions
needed to achieve this. Whereas vision usually paints a picture of the future and is
inspirational, mission statements are more purposive and instrumental in outlining what
needs to be done.
Relationship of Vision to Market Strategy: Some writers argue that if they are to create
competitive advantage, vision and strategy must be unconventional, often counterintuitive,
and differentiated from those of other companies. It has been argued that having a well-
specified market vision such as this helps to identify how the company will grow and
compete.
1. There are four organizational contexts in terms of their ability to produce visionary
change that should be considered. These are:
a. Rigid organizations are classified as those that have little in the way of
available resources and lack acceptance of the need for change.
b. Bold organizations have low resources but high acceptance of the need for
change. They are characterized by more organic structures and being less
rule-bound.
c. Overmanaged organizations have high resource availability but little
acceptance of the need for change. Associated with a more stable
environment and dominated by past practices that are seen to have worked
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 2
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
well and to remain relevant, they are limited in their ability to accept the
need for a new vision.
d. Liberated organizations are those where visionary processes are likely to be
most successful.
2. A vision will ―take‖ in an organization depending on whether there is a contextual
―trigger‖ that alerts people to the need for a new vision.
3. The national and cultural context in which the organization is embedded is also
important.
Visions fail for a number of reasons including being too specific, too vague, too
unrealistic, or just inadequate. A vision must be able to adapt over time; dominant visions
will be those that outlast others that may be present within the organization.
There are three key debates that link vision and change.
Does vision drive change or emerge during change?
Does vision help or hinder change?
Is vision an attribute of heroic leaders or of heroic organizations?
Page 3
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
The following table provides a brief summary of the key points in each sidebar.
Sidebar Page
The Coca-Cola Company Vision
Placed at the start of the chapter so that right from the beginning students 172
have a clear example of a vision that they can relate to.
What Makes an Effective Vision
Presents the rationale for having a vision 175
Vision Statements from Fortune 100 Companies
Exposes students to a range of vision statements 178
Provides a good range of examples to assess against the characteristics of
effective visions provided in Table 6.3 (p.177).
Purpose beyond Profit 185
Introduces the idea of purpose
Purpose-Driven Leadership 186
Proposes that clarity on purpose underpins a capacity to have a clear
statement of vision.
Be Specific
Citing former P&G CEO, Alan Lafley, this vignette argues the case for 187
backing up the vision statement with some specific details on what it
means at the operational level (relating actions to vision).
A Lack of Shared Vision?
Provides a humorous story intended to make the point that that the lack 188
of a shared vision can have unfortunate consequences.
Lou Gerstner on Vision
Tells the story about a former CEO of IBM, Lou Gerstner, who was often 192
(mis)quoted as being dismissive of the role of visions. The point Gerstner
was making was not that visions aren’t important, it was that once an
organization has a vision, priority must be given to operationalizing it
(execution).
Challenges students to be sure of their reason(s) for arguing that the
development of a new vision is required rather than effective execution of
the current vision
The Complete Vision at Merck
Merck is a good example of an organization that has a ―complete vision‖ 196
which encapsulates the core ideology and an envisioned future.
This is an example for students to use for comparison with vision
statements from other organizations (see Exercise 6.2)
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 4
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
Purpose
This exercise is designed for students to gain an understanding of the range of perspectives
employees have on the link between vision and the process of change. The aim is to
broaden students’ knowledge about the role of vision in producing change, and the
different reactions of recipients of change to vision and vision statements.
Options/Techniques/Requirements
Format:
Individually or in groups of two students
Materials:
a few vision statements for students to give as examples while interviewing (if
needed) if employees are not sure what a vision statement is.
students should have a copy of the vision statement for the company the
employees work for, as some employees may not know the vision.
Time Required:
The longest time for this exercise will be spent in organising and conducting the
interviews. Each interview, once arranged by the student, will take about 15 to 20 minutes
depending on the level of information the employees have about a change. The time
required after the interviews are completed is approximately 30 minutes, unless the
exercise is to be submitted for formal assessment.
Undergraduate:
Students may need help in gaining access to employees due to their limited professional
experience. It would be preferable for these students not to try to interview employees in a
company where their contact is through a manager or owner, as the employees may feel
pressured to give the ―right‖ answer, and be concerned about a lack of confidentiality.
MBA/Executive:
Students with professional experience are likely to have enough contacts to be able to
readily find employees to interview. It may be better for them to approach someone
outside their own company as employees in their own company may feel pressured to give
the ―right‖ answers.
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 5
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
Students need to make sure that their comments and questions are kept in
everyday language as appropriate for employees (and the industry) they are
interviewing, and not use jargon.
Students may feel that an interview was unsuccessful when an employee didn’t
know much about the change situation. The information from this situation is
very useful as it tells a lot about the internal communication system in the
company and the structure of the change. Students should be encouraged to
assess this type of response from ―What would you expect an employee in this
position to know?‖
Undergraduate students may find it difficult to gain access to a number of
employees from the one company.
Debriefing
The emphasis in this debrief is on the way the change and vision was seen from the
employees’ perspective. Students should be encouraged to consider employees (aka the
recipients) when managing change, as employees are the ones that can ―make or break‖ a
change. Students should be encouraged to think through the implications of vision for
managing organizational change and strategies that they might utilize.
Your task is to interview three employees; they can be in the same or different
organizations. Ask them to think back to an organizational change that they experienced,
and to answer the following questions:
1. Were they presented with an organizational vision about the change, and if so:
• What was the vision?
• What effect did this have on them?
• Were they involved in developing the vision?
• To what extent did the vision motivate them to engage in the change?
• How central was the vision to implementing the change?
2. If your interviewees were not given an organizational vision for this change, ask them:
• Would a vision have helped them to understand and become involved in the change?
• How important is vision to achieving organizational change?
The answers to these questions should reflect thoughtfulness on the part of students in
their reporting of the interview. Any statements made should be supported by examples
and explained.
When you have completed your interviews, consider the responses that you have
documented. What general conclusions emerge regarding the relationship between vision
and organizational change? What have you learned from this exercise.
Students are required to compare and contrast their responses and then make some
concluding statements.
Page 6
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
Purpose
This exercise is designed for students to apply their skills to assessing the vision of an
organization they are currently working in (or the university they are studying at). Using
the framework from Collins and Porras (2005), they are to analyze the vision and arrive at
various conclusions.
Options/Techniques/Requirements
Format:
Preferably individually
Materials:
Vignette The Complete Vision at Merck (p.196)
Time Required:
This can be done outside of class as an assignment or in class time. The amount of time
spent will vary depending upon whether individuals have prepared prior to class and then
use the class time to compare and contrast their answers in groups. In the latter situation,
at least 40 minutes will be needed for the group work.
Undergraduate:
Students may have some difficulty in determining the impact of the change in the
organization and this could be helped by the instructor explaining an example in class
time.
MBA/Executive:
Students with professional experience are likely to have enough experience to answer all
the questions without assistance from the instructor.
Debriefing
The debriefing should ask students to give their opinion of the approach to assessing a
vision using the framework of a core ideology and envisioned future. Some examples
could be given in class, and students asked for comments. Ask students to work out a
vision statement for the class that would capture the aspects of this approach.
1. Consider your own current organization or another with which you are familiar, which
could be the institution where you are studying.
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 7
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
2. Refer back to the description, from Collins and Porras (2005), of “The Complete Vision
at Merck.” Identify your chosen organization’s vision in those terms: core ideology (and
values), purpose, envisioned future (big hairy audacious goals [BHAGs], and vivid
descriptions).
3. Identify your organization’s vision in these terms. You may wish to do this by examining
company documents, talking to others, and reflecting on your own experiences.
The answer to these questions should include the vision statement and thoughtful
consideration of the parts of the vision according to Collins and Porras’ model. Comments
on the vision should be assessed in relation to the vision and any information that is
provided by the students to substantiate their claims.
This analysis can help students understand why vision is necessary and how it can
be best created. Discussions in this area look at the way vision was initially used to
interpret Mentor Graphics position and role in the marketplace. Later on, the vision
became a reflection of market ―fads‖ and had no real use or meaning—this is an
important point to realize. The less useful the vision became the more distanced
employees and customers felt from the organization.
This question asks students to highlight positive and negative aspects of the visions
used at Mentor Graphics. Although some may view the changing vision as having
strengthened or weakened the company there are arguments for both sides.
Removing the focus from the core competencies weakened the company’s vision.
This resulted in management not being able to make sound business decisions.
Using a consultant may have also weakened the identity of the organization for
employees by removing them completely from the process of creating the vision. It
strengthened the company by eventually renewing focus on the core business at
Mentor Graphics and where they wanted to be. The process of creating a new
vision led the organization full circle and re-emphasized why they are in business.
3. Of the reasons covered in this chapter relating to why visions may fail, which ones
are applicable to Mentor Graphics?
Students could discuss the many reasons why visions fail from the text and analyze
their applicability to this case. Some reasons are as follows:
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 8
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
4. Discuss issues of vision content, context, and process in how vision was introduced
and changed at the company. What emerges from this?
Vision Context: Four generic features that relate to how vision was
introduced and changed at Mentor Graphics are as follows.
Possibility: towards the end of the case study vision was positioned to
encourage more innovative practices, but employees were unable to
relate to the vision and the innovative possibilities it suggested.
Desirability: the need for a new vision came from employees, but it did
not draw on their values and norms.
Actionability: the later visions did not make necessary actions clear.
Articulation: the way vision was communicated did not create a clear
vision of where the organization was headed because it had little to do
with the actual business.
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 9
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
5. Based on what happened in this company, what are the implications in terms of the
three debates about vision discussed in this chapter (whether vision drives change
or emerges during change, whether vision helps or hinders change, and whether
vision is an attribute of heroic leaders or heroic organizations?)
By using these debates to stimulate discussion, students become aware of the three
key debates that link vision and organizational change. These debates illustrate
how this association influences the process of change. The key issues that emerge
in each of these debates are listed below.
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 10
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
6. Of the six change images outlined in Table 9.1, which images of vision can be
applied to this case study? What lessons emerge from this?
This question can be used to encourage students to work through each of the
images of change and find the applicable points in the case study. The case would
suggest that the director image is most dominant but ask students to look beyond
this. This will increase their understanding of the multiple images that can be
applied to every situation.
Purpose
Identifying the attributes of what makes a meaningful vision statement is an important
skill for the change manager. This exercise gives students practice in critically assessing
vision statements.
The Task
1. Find the vision statements of 10 different companies that you are interested in. You
can get these either from annual reports or from online searches. If you prefer,
take the vision statements outlined in Vision Statements from Fortune 100
Companies (p.178).
4. What are your conclusions about each of the visions? Do they have the “wow”
factor? Why?
Options/Techniques/Requirements
Format:
Individually or in small groups
Materials:
Table 6.3 Characteristics of Effective Visions (p.177) and vignette Vision
Statements from Fortune 100 Companies (p.179)
Flip chart/easel and paper for group work
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 11
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
Time Required:
Time for the exercise is approximately 20 minutes once the vision statements have been
collected.
Undergraduate:
Students work best in small groups for assessing vision statements. They can start by
assessing the statements in Vision Statements from Fortune 1000 Companies and then turn
their attention to the vision statements that they have collected to assess.
MBA/Executive:
Students with professional experience will have more exposure to a variety of vision
statements. The instructor can review one or two examples of vision statements from
Vision Statements from Fortune 100 Companies in the lecture and then have students
work individually or in small groups to complete the exercise. To extend this exercise,
students can be asked to include vision statements from not-for-profit, charity groups, aid
agencies, educational institutions, as well as ones from their own companies, where
appropriate.
Debriefing
Start the debriefing by introducing two unusual visions statements and have the class as a
group work through the process of assessing the vision statements using the frameworks.
Spend some time on how the approaches to vision and change differ, and how the context
in which a vision is developed can influence the meaningfulness of the vision.
1. Find the vision statements of 10 different companies that you are interested in. You can
get these either from annual reports or from online searches. If you prefer, take the vision
statements outlined in Vision Statements from Fortune 100 Companies.
Students can start by working through the vision statements from Vision Statements from
Fortune 100 Companies and then assess others that they have found.
4. What are your conclusions about each of the visions? Do they have the “wow” factor?
Why?
The answer(s) for this question should relate to the student’s responses to Question 3, and
be supported by their reasons.
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 12
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
Purpose
This exercise is designed for the student to assess the way the business press write about
vision statements when a company is undergoing a time of change. First, they need to
realize that ―they can’t trust all they read.‖ The ability to interpret statements made in the
press and form their own opinion is an important skill for the student. This skill is also
needed for when they are working in a change situation, as the press can influence the
attitude of other stakeholders. An important factor to remember is that in most large
organizations the change process will be examined by others outside the organization who
may find fault. The match between vision and the current change may need to be
considered during the change process, and may require the introduction of a new vision
statement. This is a practical exercise to move students from theory to having some skill in
their identification of the match between vision and the way an organization can be
perceived from the outside during the process of change. The exercise also gets students to
think about the ―common-sense‖ understandings and assumptions that exist in the public
domain about the way change is linked to vision.
The Task
1. Locate up to half a dozen recent articles from the business press that discuss vision
in relation to specific companies going through organizational change. The
change could be growth, decline, or some form of restructuring. (Hint: Use an
electronic database search to assist you in locating relevant articles.)
4. How would you rate the tone of the article in relation to vision: positive, neutral,
or negative?
5. What overall message would a reader receive about vision after reading the
article?
6. To what extent are the articles similar in perspective? Are there any points of
difference? How would you explain these?
7. How influential do you think such articles are on the managers who read them?
Options/Techniques/Requirements
Format:
Individually or in groups of two to four students
Materials:
Revise Table 6.1 Images of Managing Change and How They Relate to Vision.
Flip chart/easels and paper for group work.
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 13
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
Time Required:
The longest time will probably be in finding the articles. However, this will vary
according to the expertise the students have in internet searches. Time required for the
actual exercise will vary according to the number of articles that are reviewed. Expect
students to take approximately 15 to 20 minutes per company.
Undergraduate:
Students should have little trouble completing this exercise.
MBA/Executive:
Students should have little trouble completing this exercise.
Debriefing
The debriefing takes students through the difficulty of completing a change program when
the process is watched externally and critiqued (often) publicly. The process of change in
an organization affects many aspects of the business and it is important that external
images are monitored (as well as the more obvious internal images). Students should be
encouraged to give examples of what they learned through this exercise, especially in
relation to their views on the relationship or importance of vision to change.
1. Locate up to half a dozen recent articles from the business press that discuss vision in
relation to specific companies going through organizational change. The change could be
growth, decline, or some form of restructuring. (Hint: Use an electronic database search
to assist you in locating relevant articles.)
2. How does each commentator link vision to the change?
The answer to this question should outline the way the article links the vision statement to
the change in the organization. The answer will often include statements around the
change being visionary, lacking vision, having the wrong vision and the like.
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 14
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
4. How would you rate the tone of the article in relation to vision: positive, neutral, or
negative?
When a student rates the tone of the article, although a subjective answer, they will need to
support their reason with examples.
5. What overall message would a reader receive about vision after reading the article?
This answer should run along similar reasoning as for Question 4, yet consider the overall
picture, weighing up the individual statements that stand out as positive/neutral/negative
with the tone of the whole article. A poor answer would be if the student answers briefly
in absolutes of ―good‖ or ―bad.‖
6. To what extent are the articles similar in perspective? Are there any points of
difference? How would you explain these?
The answer to this question is a ―compare and contrast‖ response. Students can list the
similarities and differences and then explain.
7. How influential do you think such articles are on the managers who read them?
Given their experience, MBA/Executive students are likely to answer this question with
more sophistication and reasoning than the answers given by undergraduates. Answers
should include comments about: the writer’s reputation as a business analyst or
commentator; the reputation of the magazine/newspaper and the typical target audience;
what other information is available and if this is of similar opinion to the other
publications, or is it totally different, etc.
Interviewing Followers
Purpose
This exercise is designed for students to gain an understanding of the range of perspectives
employees have on the link between vision and the process of change. The aim is to
broaden students’ knowledge about the role of vision in producing change, and the
different reactions of recipients of change to vision and vision statements.
The Task
Your task is to interview three different employees - they can be in the same or different
organizations. Get them to think back to an organizational change that they experienced
and ask the following questions:
1. Were they presented with an organizational vision about the change? If so:
• What was it?
• What effect did it have on them?
• Did they participate in developing the vision?
• To what extent did the vision motivate them toward engaging in the change?
• How central do they think vision is to achieving organizational change?
2. If your interviewees were not presented with an organizational vision, ask them
the following questions:
• Would a vision have helped them participate more in the change?
• How central do they think vision is to achieving organizational change?
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 15
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
3. When you have completed your interviews, compare and contrast your responses.
What general conclusions emerge regarding the relationship between vision and
organizational change from the point of view of your respondents?
Options/Techniques/Requirements
Format:
Individually or in groups of two students
Materials:
a few vision statements for students to give as examples while interviewing (if
needed) if employees are not sure what a vision statement is.
students should have a copy of the vision statement for the company the
employees work for, as some employees may not know the vision.
Time Required:
The longest time for this exercise will be spent in organising and conducting the
interviews. Each interview, once arranged by the student, will take about 15 to 20 minutes
depending on the level of information the employees have about a change. The time
required after the interviews are completed is approximately 30 minutes, unless the
exercise is to be submitted for formal assessment.
Undergraduate:
Students may need help in gaining access to employees due to their limited professional
experience. It would be preferable for these students not to try to interview employees in a
company where their contact is through a manager or owner, as the employees may feel
pressured to give the ―right‖ answer, and be concerned about a lack of confidentiality.
MBA/Executive:
Students with professional experience are likely to have enough contacts to be able to
readily find employees to interview. It may be better for them to approach someone
outside their own company as employees in their own company may feel pressured to give
the ―right‖ answers.
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 16
Chapter 06 - Vision and the Direction of Change
assess this type of response from ―What would you expect an employee in this
position to know?‖
Undergraduate students may find it difficult to gain access to a number of
employees from the one company.
Debriefing
The emphasis in this debrief is on the way the change and vision was seen from the
employees’ perspective. Students should be encouraged to consider employees (aka the
recipients) when managing change, as employees are the ones that can ―make or break‖ a
change. Students should be encouraged to think through the implications of vision for
managing organizational change and strategies that they might utilize.
Your task is to interview three different employees—they can be in the same or different
organizations. Get them to think back to an organizational change that they experienced
and ask the following questions:
1. Were they presented with an organizational vision about the change? If so:
• What was it?
• What effect did it have on them?
• Did they participate in developing the vision?
• To what extent did the vision motivate them toward engaging in the change?
• How central do they think vision is to achieving organizational change?
2. If your interviewees were not presented with an organizational vision, ask them the
following questions:
• Would a vision have helped them participate more in the change?
• How central do they think vision is to achieving organizational change?
The answers to these questions should reflect thoughtfulness on the part of students in
their reporting of the interview. Any statements made should be supported by examples
and explained.
When you have completed your interviews, compare and contrast your responses. What
general conclusions emerge regarding the relationship between vision and organizational
change from the point of view of your respondents?
Students are required to compare and contrast their responses and then make some
concluding statements.
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education
Page 17
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20.
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21.
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säde, joka sitoi taivaan ja maan toisiinsa.
Oli ollut olemassa yksi — eikä enempää tarvittu kuin että oli yksi
ollut. Hänessä oli ollut se voima, johon kaikkien tuli uskoa. Hän tunsi
itse, että hän oli maailman pelastus.
Mutta kukaan ei voi vastata siitä, mitä toiset tekevät tai jättävät
tekemättä; jokainen vastaa vain itsestänsä.
Ellei sinulla ole rakkautta, niin olet kuin kilisevä vaski — niin tyhjä.
Sillä tärkeintä ei ole se, minkä tekee, vaan se, mitä on.
22.
Mutta ennenkuin hän sen enemmän siihen kajosi, otti hän pienen
rasian pöydältä ja sieltä kantasormuksen, jossa kiilsi suuri
karneolikivi keskellä.
Kun selailet tämän kirjan lehtiä, niin tiedät, että sitä ovat selailleet
ennen isämme ja esi-isämme elämänsä erilaisina ajankohtina,
sellaisina kuin ne jokaiselle eteen tulivat. Se oli papin työpöydällä
viikot läpeensä, mutta sunnuntaina hän otti sen mukaansa
saarnatuoliin. Vanhempana hän levitti sen eteensä ikkunalaudalle,
jotta näkisi paremmin, kiinnitti silmälasinsa ja luki sitä pitkät hetket
itseksensä. Se onkin sangen kulunut. Perästäpäin sitä ovat
kuluttaneet muut, hänen poikansa koskenperkkausretkiltään palattua
ja pojanpoikansa sairaan luota kotiin tultua. Jokainen heistä on
vuorostaan tarvinnut sitä — ellei ennemmin niin vanhetessaan.
Mutta luulen, että he ovat siitä myös jotakin löytäneet.
Nyt sinä sen saat — pidä se hyvin, ja ole nimellesi kunniaksi!
Mutta Yrjö näytti siltä kuin hän olisi saanut omakseen kalleinta
mitä oli olemassa. Jotakin joka oli arvokkaampaa kuin herraskartano,
kuin suvun kantatalo, jossa muistot säilyivät itsestänsä, ja jonka
hyllylle tämäkin vanha kirja olisi ollut asetettava kaiken perustaksi.
Sen kirjan lehdillä eli se vanha henki, josta vanhukset olivat
voimansa saaneet ja josta nuoret lähtökohtansa löytäisivät
pyrkiessään vuoroonsa jaloon ihmisyyteen.
Ja nyt oli isä asettanut Yrjön tuon kaiken perijäksi. Hän oli
työntänyt ponnahduslaudan hänen jalkojensa alle — ja sinä, Yrjö,
sinä sen kaiken hyvin oivalsit.
23.
Häntä olit sinä, Yrjö, odotellut, ja nyt istui hän joka päivä edessäsi
koulussa.
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— Olisi se! Jos sinä vain pyydät, niin kyllä minä tulen. Varmasti!
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