An article on the challenges most companies face as they look to have the right organisation in dynamic times. written for NHRD Annual journal April 2012
Delivering outcome based Business TransformationBrowne & Mohan
In this paper we present an empirical framework of business transformation based on our experience of implementing business changes across several organization. The paper covers the PSPD Framework, drivers of integration framework used and some DOs and Don'ts of Organizational Transformation.
The urgency for adaptability presents the contradiction of innovation (new performance) versus regulation (allowed methods). Expanding the perspective on both terms presents an opportunity to coordinate their objectives under clear complementary guidance.
Juubix 2019 - 2020 Blue Print whitepaperSusanFalola
JUUBIX, Distributed Connected Cloud Based Network for internal and external activities.
This document listed is an authoritative representation that informs our reader’s concisely about the innovation & collaboration issues in today's society and presents the JUUBIX philosophy and solution to solve the problem. We want to help readers understand the issues, how we propose to solve the problems, and to inform potential customers to make a decision. This information presented are copyright protected, and the ownership of content and implementation are reserved rights of JUUBIX LTD.
Delivering outcome based Business TransformationBrowne & Mohan
In this paper we present an empirical framework of business transformation based on our experience of implementing business changes across several organization. The paper covers the PSPD Framework, drivers of integration framework used and some DOs and Don'ts of Organizational Transformation.
The urgency for adaptability presents the contradiction of innovation (new performance) versus regulation (allowed methods). Expanding the perspective on both terms presents an opportunity to coordinate their objectives under clear complementary guidance.
Juubix 2019 - 2020 Blue Print whitepaperSusanFalola
JUUBIX, Distributed Connected Cloud Based Network for internal and external activities.
This document listed is an authoritative representation that informs our reader’s concisely about the innovation & collaboration issues in today's society and presents the JUUBIX philosophy and solution to solve the problem. We want to help readers understand the issues, how we propose to solve the problems, and to inform potential customers to make a decision. This information presented are copyright protected, and the ownership of content and implementation are reserved rights of JUUBIX LTD.
Browne & Mohan consultants conducted a survey on what factors constitutes the best workplace or a place where employees would love to work. Findings show three aspects which influence an organisation to move towards being a 'lovable workplace'.
Is your company or firm at risk in the transient advantage economy? Take this brief test and see how you score. Get your senior team to take it and see if there is agreement or differences. Then see where your score is on page 2 and begin to think about how you can manage in a world of transient advantages.
Want to know how to deal with transient advantages and avoid disruption? See http://www.blionline.org/rita for more information
Rita will be coming to Maryland on January 30th at the BWI Hilton Hotel and via webcast. She will be returning from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland ready to share her latest insights. This program is produced by the Maryland Association of CPAs and the Business Learning Institute.
Event details here:
Date: January 30,, 2014
Location: BWI Airport Hilton Hotel, 1739 West Nursery Rd., Linthicum Heights, MD 21090
Time: 8am Registration & Book signing
9:00 am 11:00 am Rita McGrath Presents the End of Competitive Advantage
11:00 am 12:00 noon Reverse panel of C-level Executives moderated by Joann Sullivan, Editor of Baltimore Business Journal. The C-level panel will help bring Rita’s concepts home as BBJ editor, Joanna Sullivan moderates the panel with Carol Calandra, CFO of E&Y Global, Lisa Cines, Office Managing Partner of Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, and a CEO of a Maryland-based company. Followed by a working session for you to develop your next steps and "competitive edge" playbook for 2014.
12:00 noon 12:30 pm Creating your 2014 Competitive Edge Playbook
CPE: 4 hours
Cost: $195
Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Objectives: Understanding of the latest developments in strategy and competitive advantage
About the speaker:
Rita McGrath was just named the sixth most influential business thinker in the world by Thinkers50. FastCompany Magazine named her “one of the top 25 smartest women to follow on twitter.” She is Associate Professor of Management at Columbia Business School and has been featured in Harvard Business Review several times. She will be talking about her latest book, The End of Competitive Advantage – How to Keep Your Strategy Moving as Fast as Your Business.
Rita will address:
- How competitive advantage is changing in today¹s hyper-competitive environment
- The warning signs that you are at risk for being disrupted
- A test to determine how well your organization is positioned to take advantage of transient advantages
- The six components of the new strategy playbook
- How to think about resource allocation, budgeting and discovery-driven growth
04 an expanded mc kinsey’s 7s framework prospective cosimo gualanoNevion
Able to see the big picture from the balcony is not an easy task, especially when managers are busy with day-to-day operations. The balcony‟s view plays an important role in the process of lifting a manager in a leadership position. If for a moment you compare the day-to-day operational to a dance floor, you will notice that while spending the whole evening to the dance floor, you will be aware of what happens in your immediate vicinity. Much energy will be spent on dancing and avoiding other people dancing.
Lavacon 2012: Building Profitability into your ProcessEmmelyn Wang
Technical content is a commodity that leads the post-capitalistic society. Technical Writers must think of themselves as Knowledge Brokers and communicate the value they provide which includes increased revenue and improved customer retention. Christopher Ward (WebWorks Software) and Emmelyn Wang (STC Austin / Hoover's Software) provide real world examples of business strategies and the procedures that can align. This presentation will help you build business cases for your company to invest in Technical Communication/Publications as a revenue generator.
A company is in Prime when form and function are in balance. The what and the how are in balance. Prior to Prime, function is more important than form. In other words, what we do is more important than how we do it. After Prime, how we do it is more important than what we do. That is why, after Prime, how you do something and whom you know is more important than what you do. In Prime, the what and how are in balance. In Prime, the company is both flexible and in control. Prior to Prime, the company is flexible, but not very much in control of itself. After Prime, control is very high, and the company loses flexibility. In Prime, flexibility and control are together.
However, in a company in Prime, the management is not as flexible as before Prime, because there is professional management: The tendency to depend on any single indispensable individual does not exist as it does in younger companies. On the other hand, in Prime, the organization has a strategic outlook without losing attention to detail. Furthermore, the organization does not look only at detail without losing its strategic outlook, so the company in Prime has controlled flexibility, and it doesn’t depend on any single individual.
NEW HUMAN CAPABILITIES IN A DYNAMIC WORKPLACE
Point of view document December 2015
Large organisations are experimening with implementing lean methodologies, design thinking and open innovation to step up their innovation capabilities. However, these practices are not simply 'out of the box' processes that can be adopted into the current work model. To leverage their potential, we need a whole new way of working that is customer centric, commercially disciplined, and experimental.
Claro Partners set out to understand this new way of working by talking to and immersing into new types of organisations that are forging new human capability practices. We focused on three key elements of human capabilities to support new innovation practices: a new organisational design, a new type of employee, and a new work experience. This document shares our perspective on why organisations need a different way of working and describes how to achieve this through reframing the way we think about these three key elements. It's based on our own practice and research around the world with leading organisations.
Business in a modern world is a constant transformation. Markets, companies and even complete societies are subject to constant change. The ability to transform is a key success factor in business but also a major challenge. „How to“ transform? Which factors are relevant for a sustainable and successful transformation? This paper will give some answers to these questions and we will show, that transformation is strongly related to:
Why? The purpose of the future business and transformation process has to be carved out precisely and communicated well. This is essential to get the buy-in of all relevant stakeholders. They have to understand the necessity to change values, behaviors and develop the competencies needed for a future excellence.
How? A well-laid strategy in combination with operational excellence in organizational design and process layouts sets the direction, a structured development of competencies and skills ensures the necessary abilities are in place.
What? In the end the result oriented execution of strategies and plans will be the key factor for success. Only realized results make the difference!
Digital Strategy – Closing the Gap between Your Current Digital Reality and w...Formicio
In this Point of View Formicio explores the important difference between digital automation and digital disruption, and the digital organisational capabilities needed to successfully shift an organisation’s trajectory to one that leads to a digital future.
Enterprise transformation - What is transformed?Frederick Halas
The search for an enterprise operating-model model, can the Viable System Model help?
If you were asked to draw a picture of an enterprise before its transformation and a picture after its transformation, like in the classic before/after house renovation advertising, what would it look like?
As an enterprise architect looking for a way to represent an enterprise, we can interrogate TOGAF. It tells us that an enterprise is a system of systems, and that Enterprise Architecture is about managing enterprise transformation toward a target operating model; unfortunately TOGAF does not tell us how to draw a system of systems.
Fortunately there is a model, recently re-introduced by Patrick Hoverstadt in his book “The Fractal Organisation”, which is just about that, i.e. representing enterprise organisation as a system of systems. The Viable System Model tells us how viable organisations need to be structured in order to deliver their expected outcomes within their environment. For instance a malfunctioning performance management relationship between management and the operational units, is seen by the VSM as a structural defect, developing imbalances which affect the enterprise viability.
The VSM provides a mental model to observe, question and assess how an enterprise existing operating model compares to the required ingredients of viability. So, the picture of an enterprise before and after its transformation could probably be drawn with the help of the VSM.
Linking Theory & PracticeNavigating the innovation landsca.docxsmile790243
Linking Theory & Practice
Navigating the innovation landscape: past
research, present practice, and future trends
Shanthi Gopalakrishnan1,
Eric H Kessler 2,
Joanne L Scillitoe3
1School of Management, New Jersey Institute
of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA; 2Lubin School
of Business, Pace University, New York, USA;
3School of Management, New York Institute of
Technology, Old Westbury, NY, USA
Correspondence:
Shanthi Gopalakrishnan, School of
Management, New Jersey Institute of
Technology, Newark, NY 07102, USA.
Tel: þ973-596-3283;
Fax: þ973-596-3074
Abstract
The management of innovation is among the most critical capabilities
contributing to the success of modern organizations. It is also complex and
frequently misunderstood. In this paper we first provide a broad overview of
the organizational innovation literature [the Past] to distill five fundamental
themes: What is innovation, why is it important, where does it come from,
who engages in it, and how can it be best executed? Second, we illustrate how
these concepts are applied by three companies on the vanguard of innovation
management [the Present] – Google, Walt Disney, and Johnson & Johnson.
Third, we project the discussion forward by considering key issues and emerging
trends [the Future] of innovation management such as nanotechnology, ethical
dilemmas, information technology, globalization, and sustainability. Fourth,
we derive from the above analyses concrete guidelines for managers to
leverage these insights and enable more effective innovation practices.
Organization Management Journal (2010) 7, 262 –277. doi:10.1057/omj.2010.36
Keywords: innovation; management; industry; organization
Introduction
In today’s increasingly turbulent business environment, largely
attributed to continual and rapid globalization and technological
advancements, change has become a ubiquitous phenomenon.
Innovation has emerged as an important mechanism to facilitate
adaptation to this shifting competitive landscape. Although
considered controversial by some skeptics, innovation plays a
critical role in nurturing the economy, creating and radically
transforming industries, sustaining the competitive performance of
firms, and improving the standard of living and creating a better
quality of life for citizens. Understandably, research that is focused
on this climate of change displays a strong “pro-innovation”
perspective (Kimberly, 1981; Abrahamson, 1991) and visualizes
innovation as an inherently beneficial organizational activity with
profound consequences for multiple constituencies. Indeed, it is an
organization’s capability for sustained innovation that oftentimes
determines its success. However, when discussing the management
of innovation, one must also consider the more ambiguous,
potentially destructive, and less readily understood social and
ethical dynamics of the innovation process.
This paper attempts to provide a broad overview of the
innovation management landscape. First, we ...
Linking Theory & Practice Navigating the innovation landscape pas.docxSHIVA101531
Linking Theory & Practice Navigating the innovation landscape: past research, present practice, and future trends Shanthi Gopalakrishnan1 , Eric H Kessler 2 , Joanne L Scillitoe3 1 School of Management, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA; 2 Lubin School of Business, Pace University, New York, USA; 3 School of Management, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY, USA Correspondence: Shanthi Gopalakrishnan, School of Management, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NY 07102, USA. Tel: þ 973-596-3283; Fax: þ 973-596-3074 Abstract The management of innovation is among the most critical capabilities contributing to the success of modern organizations. It is also complex and frequently misunderstood. In this paper we first provide a broad overview of the organizational innovation literature [the Past] to distill five fundamental themes: What is innovation, why is it important, where does it come from, who engages in it, and how can it be best executed? Second, we illustrate how these concepts are applied by three companies on the vanguard of innovation management [the Present] – Google, Walt Disney, and Johnson & Johnson. Third, we project the discussion forward by considering key issues and emerging trends [the Future] of innovation management such as nanotechnology, ethical dilemmas, information technology, globalization, and sustainability. Fourth, we derive from the above analyses concrete guidelines for managers to leverage these insights and enable more effective innovation practices. Organization Management Journal (2010) 7, 262–277. doi:10.1057/omj.2010.36 Keywords: innovation; management; industry; organization Introduction In today’s increasingly turbulent business environment, largely attributed to continual and rapid globalization and technological advancements, change has become a ubiquitous phenomenon. Innovation has emerged as an important mechanism to facilitate adaptation to this shifting competitive landscape. Although considered controversial by some skeptics, innovation plays a critical role in nurturing the economy, creating and radically transforming industries, sustaining the competitive performance of firms, and improving the standard of living and creating a better quality of life for citizens. Understandably, research that is focused on this climate of change displays a strong “pro-innovation” perspective (Kimberly, 1981; Abrahamson, 1991) and visualizes innovation as an inherently beneficial organizational activity with profound consequences for multiple constituencies. Indeed, it is an organization’s capability for sustained innovation that oftentimes determines its success. However, when discussing the management of innovation, one must also consider the more ambiguous, potentially destructive, and less readily understood social and ethical dynamics of the innovation process. This paper attempts to provide a broad overview of the innovation management landscape. First, we survey the exi ...
Browne & Mohan consultants conducted a survey on what factors constitutes the best workplace or a place where employees would love to work. Findings show three aspects which influence an organisation to move towards being a 'lovable workplace'.
Is your company or firm at risk in the transient advantage economy? Take this brief test and see how you score. Get your senior team to take it and see if there is agreement or differences. Then see where your score is on page 2 and begin to think about how you can manage in a world of transient advantages.
Want to know how to deal with transient advantages and avoid disruption? See http://www.blionline.org/rita for more information
Rita will be coming to Maryland on January 30th at the BWI Hilton Hotel and via webcast. She will be returning from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland ready to share her latest insights. This program is produced by the Maryland Association of CPAs and the Business Learning Institute.
Event details here:
Date: January 30,, 2014
Location: BWI Airport Hilton Hotel, 1739 West Nursery Rd., Linthicum Heights, MD 21090
Time: 8am Registration & Book signing
9:00 am 11:00 am Rita McGrath Presents the End of Competitive Advantage
11:00 am 12:00 noon Reverse panel of C-level Executives moderated by Joann Sullivan, Editor of Baltimore Business Journal. The C-level panel will help bring Rita’s concepts home as BBJ editor, Joanna Sullivan moderates the panel with Carol Calandra, CFO of E&Y Global, Lisa Cines, Office Managing Partner of Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, and a CEO of a Maryland-based company. Followed by a working session for you to develop your next steps and "competitive edge" playbook for 2014.
12:00 noon 12:30 pm Creating your 2014 Competitive Edge Playbook
CPE: 4 hours
Cost: $195
Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Objectives: Understanding of the latest developments in strategy and competitive advantage
About the speaker:
Rita McGrath was just named the sixth most influential business thinker in the world by Thinkers50. FastCompany Magazine named her “one of the top 25 smartest women to follow on twitter.” She is Associate Professor of Management at Columbia Business School and has been featured in Harvard Business Review several times. She will be talking about her latest book, The End of Competitive Advantage – How to Keep Your Strategy Moving as Fast as Your Business.
Rita will address:
- How competitive advantage is changing in today¹s hyper-competitive environment
- The warning signs that you are at risk for being disrupted
- A test to determine how well your organization is positioned to take advantage of transient advantages
- The six components of the new strategy playbook
- How to think about resource allocation, budgeting and discovery-driven growth
04 an expanded mc kinsey’s 7s framework prospective cosimo gualanoNevion
Able to see the big picture from the balcony is not an easy task, especially when managers are busy with day-to-day operations. The balcony‟s view plays an important role in the process of lifting a manager in a leadership position. If for a moment you compare the day-to-day operational to a dance floor, you will notice that while spending the whole evening to the dance floor, you will be aware of what happens in your immediate vicinity. Much energy will be spent on dancing and avoiding other people dancing.
Lavacon 2012: Building Profitability into your ProcessEmmelyn Wang
Technical content is a commodity that leads the post-capitalistic society. Technical Writers must think of themselves as Knowledge Brokers and communicate the value they provide which includes increased revenue and improved customer retention. Christopher Ward (WebWorks Software) and Emmelyn Wang (STC Austin / Hoover's Software) provide real world examples of business strategies and the procedures that can align. This presentation will help you build business cases for your company to invest in Technical Communication/Publications as a revenue generator.
A company is in Prime when form and function are in balance. The what and the how are in balance. Prior to Prime, function is more important than form. In other words, what we do is more important than how we do it. After Prime, how we do it is more important than what we do. That is why, after Prime, how you do something and whom you know is more important than what you do. In Prime, the what and how are in balance. In Prime, the company is both flexible and in control. Prior to Prime, the company is flexible, but not very much in control of itself. After Prime, control is very high, and the company loses flexibility. In Prime, flexibility and control are together.
However, in a company in Prime, the management is not as flexible as before Prime, because there is professional management: The tendency to depend on any single indispensable individual does not exist as it does in younger companies. On the other hand, in Prime, the organization has a strategic outlook without losing attention to detail. Furthermore, the organization does not look only at detail without losing its strategic outlook, so the company in Prime has controlled flexibility, and it doesn’t depend on any single individual.
NEW HUMAN CAPABILITIES IN A DYNAMIC WORKPLACE
Point of view document December 2015
Large organisations are experimening with implementing lean methodologies, design thinking and open innovation to step up their innovation capabilities. However, these practices are not simply 'out of the box' processes that can be adopted into the current work model. To leverage their potential, we need a whole new way of working that is customer centric, commercially disciplined, and experimental.
Claro Partners set out to understand this new way of working by talking to and immersing into new types of organisations that are forging new human capability practices. We focused on three key elements of human capabilities to support new innovation practices: a new organisational design, a new type of employee, and a new work experience. This document shares our perspective on why organisations need a different way of working and describes how to achieve this through reframing the way we think about these three key elements. It's based on our own practice and research around the world with leading organisations.
Business in a modern world is a constant transformation. Markets, companies and even complete societies are subject to constant change. The ability to transform is a key success factor in business but also a major challenge. „How to“ transform? Which factors are relevant for a sustainable and successful transformation? This paper will give some answers to these questions and we will show, that transformation is strongly related to:
Why? The purpose of the future business and transformation process has to be carved out precisely and communicated well. This is essential to get the buy-in of all relevant stakeholders. They have to understand the necessity to change values, behaviors and develop the competencies needed for a future excellence.
How? A well-laid strategy in combination with operational excellence in organizational design and process layouts sets the direction, a structured development of competencies and skills ensures the necessary abilities are in place.
What? In the end the result oriented execution of strategies and plans will be the key factor for success. Only realized results make the difference!
Digital Strategy – Closing the Gap between Your Current Digital Reality and w...Formicio
In this Point of View Formicio explores the important difference between digital automation and digital disruption, and the digital organisational capabilities needed to successfully shift an organisation’s trajectory to one that leads to a digital future.
Enterprise transformation - What is transformed?Frederick Halas
The search for an enterprise operating-model model, can the Viable System Model help?
If you were asked to draw a picture of an enterprise before its transformation and a picture after its transformation, like in the classic before/after house renovation advertising, what would it look like?
As an enterprise architect looking for a way to represent an enterprise, we can interrogate TOGAF. It tells us that an enterprise is a system of systems, and that Enterprise Architecture is about managing enterprise transformation toward a target operating model; unfortunately TOGAF does not tell us how to draw a system of systems.
Fortunately there is a model, recently re-introduced by Patrick Hoverstadt in his book “The Fractal Organisation”, which is just about that, i.e. representing enterprise organisation as a system of systems. The Viable System Model tells us how viable organisations need to be structured in order to deliver their expected outcomes within their environment. For instance a malfunctioning performance management relationship between management and the operational units, is seen by the VSM as a structural defect, developing imbalances which affect the enterprise viability.
The VSM provides a mental model to observe, question and assess how an enterprise existing operating model compares to the required ingredients of viability. So, the picture of an enterprise before and after its transformation could probably be drawn with the help of the VSM.
Linking Theory & PracticeNavigating the innovation landsca.docxsmile790243
Linking Theory & Practice
Navigating the innovation landscape: past
research, present practice, and future trends
Shanthi Gopalakrishnan1,
Eric H Kessler 2,
Joanne L Scillitoe3
1School of Management, New Jersey Institute
of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA; 2Lubin School
of Business, Pace University, New York, USA;
3School of Management, New York Institute of
Technology, Old Westbury, NY, USA
Correspondence:
Shanthi Gopalakrishnan, School of
Management, New Jersey Institute of
Technology, Newark, NY 07102, USA.
Tel: þ973-596-3283;
Fax: þ973-596-3074
Abstract
The management of innovation is among the most critical capabilities
contributing to the success of modern organizations. It is also complex and
frequently misunderstood. In this paper we first provide a broad overview of
the organizational innovation literature [the Past] to distill five fundamental
themes: What is innovation, why is it important, where does it come from,
who engages in it, and how can it be best executed? Second, we illustrate how
these concepts are applied by three companies on the vanguard of innovation
management [the Present] – Google, Walt Disney, and Johnson & Johnson.
Third, we project the discussion forward by considering key issues and emerging
trends [the Future] of innovation management such as nanotechnology, ethical
dilemmas, information technology, globalization, and sustainability. Fourth,
we derive from the above analyses concrete guidelines for managers to
leverage these insights and enable more effective innovation practices.
Organization Management Journal (2010) 7, 262 –277. doi:10.1057/omj.2010.36
Keywords: innovation; management; industry; organization
Introduction
In today’s increasingly turbulent business environment, largely
attributed to continual and rapid globalization and technological
advancements, change has become a ubiquitous phenomenon.
Innovation has emerged as an important mechanism to facilitate
adaptation to this shifting competitive landscape. Although
considered controversial by some skeptics, innovation plays a
critical role in nurturing the economy, creating and radically
transforming industries, sustaining the competitive performance of
firms, and improving the standard of living and creating a better
quality of life for citizens. Understandably, research that is focused
on this climate of change displays a strong “pro-innovation”
perspective (Kimberly, 1981; Abrahamson, 1991) and visualizes
innovation as an inherently beneficial organizational activity with
profound consequences for multiple constituencies. Indeed, it is an
organization’s capability for sustained innovation that oftentimes
determines its success. However, when discussing the management
of innovation, one must also consider the more ambiguous,
potentially destructive, and less readily understood social and
ethical dynamics of the innovation process.
This paper attempts to provide a broad overview of the
innovation management landscape. First, we ...
Linking Theory & Practice Navigating the innovation landscape pas.docxSHIVA101531
Linking Theory & Practice Navigating the innovation landscape: past research, present practice, and future trends Shanthi Gopalakrishnan1 , Eric H Kessler 2 , Joanne L Scillitoe3 1 School of Management, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA; 2 Lubin School of Business, Pace University, New York, USA; 3 School of Management, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY, USA Correspondence: Shanthi Gopalakrishnan, School of Management, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NY 07102, USA. Tel: þ 973-596-3283; Fax: þ 973-596-3074 Abstract The management of innovation is among the most critical capabilities contributing to the success of modern organizations. It is also complex and frequently misunderstood. In this paper we first provide a broad overview of the organizational innovation literature [the Past] to distill five fundamental themes: What is innovation, why is it important, where does it come from, who engages in it, and how can it be best executed? Second, we illustrate how these concepts are applied by three companies on the vanguard of innovation management [the Present] – Google, Walt Disney, and Johnson & Johnson. Third, we project the discussion forward by considering key issues and emerging trends [the Future] of innovation management such as nanotechnology, ethical dilemmas, information technology, globalization, and sustainability. Fourth, we derive from the above analyses concrete guidelines for managers to leverage these insights and enable more effective innovation practices. Organization Management Journal (2010) 7, 262–277. doi:10.1057/omj.2010.36 Keywords: innovation; management; industry; organization Introduction In today’s increasingly turbulent business environment, largely attributed to continual and rapid globalization and technological advancements, change has become a ubiquitous phenomenon. Innovation has emerged as an important mechanism to facilitate adaptation to this shifting competitive landscape. Although considered controversial by some skeptics, innovation plays a critical role in nurturing the economy, creating and radically transforming industries, sustaining the competitive performance of firms, and improving the standard of living and creating a better quality of life for citizens. Understandably, research that is focused on this climate of change displays a strong “pro-innovation” perspective (Kimberly, 1981; Abrahamson, 1991) and visualizes innovation as an inherently beneficial organizational activity with profound consequences for multiple constituencies. Indeed, it is an organization’s capability for sustained innovation that oftentimes determines its success. However, when discussing the management of innovation, one must also consider the more ambiguous, potentially destructive, and less readily understood social and ethical dynamics of the innovation process. This paper attempts to provide a broad overview of the innovation management landscape. First, we survey the exi ...
The results of this study offer a telling insight into how companies can be made more agile. However, this is not a challenge for an isolated project, a single intervention, or a handpicked group of enablers alone. What is needed to promote real agility is a permanent process covering and capturing the entire organization, a process that everybody can and should contribute to actively. Promoting agility therefore also needs a new type of cooperation and collaboration between different functions, groups, and levels of hierarchy across the organization!
Company ReBuilding : Moving into a new dimension of value creation (Compendium)Marc Wagner
About Company Rebuilding: Company what? Another buzzword? What does is mean! Using the analogy of cellular growth, corporate renewal is based on the principle of continual cell division, whereby organizational growth is controlled, organically and inorganically, by platforms that control communication and value creation, thus providing the basis for the creation of new, transformational products.
It is crucial that when creating new units or cells, that clear rules of organizational cooperation (New Work) are established where a common set of values are established and, in particular, rules for the creation of new cells are set. All organically created units carry one and the same DNA, which has customers and employees at each end of the double helix, ensuring that all kinds of non-value-adding structures and activities are eliminated immediately. All units of this newly created ecosystem must be guided by a clearly formulated vision (purpose), which specifically focuses on customer value and has the potential to produce transformational products. This purpose serves as a magnet for new partners and stakeholders in the value creation process.
The presentation provides an general overview of the Company ReBuilding concept, the underlying Communities of practices & references
For further information contact: marc.wagner@detecon.com
In this playbook, we outline the innovation challenge that leaders must overcome, and share our approach to embedding innovation into organisations. This includes an explanation of our Innovation Management Framework and a step-by-step guide to running a sprint that will quickly create a minimum viable innovation operating model. We based both these tools on our experience as heads of innovation and industry leaders, and honed them through our work with organisations around the world, from global financial institutions to market-leading drinks companies. Once on this transformative journey, leaders will instil an experimental culture across their organisations, something that’s necessary for achieving sustainable results. They’ll be able to respond to disruption in their industry, drive measurable returns from their innovation investments and become more efficient at responding to the needs of society and the environment.
An attempt to form a general overview of virtual organisations, innovation and its requirements within a business context, leading to the presentation of a candidate method for vBusiness Operations.
ODTI research and analysis on the impact of current VUCA on the Work Dynamic for Individuals and Teams in an Organisation, Guidance on securing gains and leveraging new practices, tools and skills to to enable Individuals & Teams be more Innovative, Agile, Digitally Confident, and Collaborative to thrive in this continuing VUCA world
Organization And Technical Aspects Of The Workflow
Nhrd Article Organisation Structures In Dynamic Times
1. Organisation Structures- Challenges in Dynamic times
K Shankar, Executive Director, HR, BhartiAirtel Ltd
Every now and then, businesses change their structures, usually following a string of badperformances,
or after a new CEO takes over. Some businesses do so proactively to drive new priorities or focus on
marketsmoreeffectively. It has become one of the most powerful levers for CEOs to generate
breakthrough improvement in organizational performance.
Why do structures (or to look at it holistically, 'formal organizational arrangements') become the obvious
tool for implementing changes? First, they are perceived to be substantially easier to modify than either
individual or collective behavior. Second, the formal organization has a much faster and direct result on
behavior, activities and performance. It is also directly linked to strategy and gives clear visibility to the
changes in priorities flowing from new strategic directions.Lastly, it serves as a good expression and
communication of intent – sends a clear message right through the organization and helps align priorities.
However, not all changes in the formal organizational arrangements are successful. An analysis would
show that there are two broad reasons for failures:
1. Not looking at organization design in a holistic way. A good framework for looking at organization
design is the ‘Congruence Model’ that was outlined by Tushman& Nadler, in their book‘Competing by
design-the Power of Organizational Architecture’. For effective organization design, the Congruence
Model advocates a fit between the four key elements:
The Work to be done, derived from the strategic direction
The People – their skills, capabilities, interests
The Formal organization – structures, processes and systems
The Informal organization –the culture
Therefore, changes in structures alone cannot bring about the desired result. First, they need to be
complemented by appropriate changes in processes(a specifically defined sequence of steps,
activities or operational methods) andsystems(application of physical or social technologies that
enable the performance of work i.e., HR systems, which outline specific sets of policies and
practices that influence how work gets done and by whom). These are integral part of the set of
‘Formal Organization’, and a misalignment here is sure case for failure. Further, the congruence or fit
amongst the other core elements, namely Work,People and Culture need to be ensured.
2. The other main reason for failure of structure changes is what I would call as ‘estimation
defect’ or ‘trade-off bias’. Most of our strategic decisions are about trade-offs between alternate
priorities or courses of actions. These decisions call for an ability to forecast, estimate or predict, and
we go sometimes wrong in those.Such issues are more common among businesses which compete
in highly dynamic environments with rapid &discontinuous technology change.
In this paper, we will focus on how we can understand and reduce such estimation/trade-off bias in our
design of organizations.
Let’s take the example of a company in thehi–tech industry. Normally, a high degree of technological
change exists in this industry, with an average of one big, discontinuous change every decade or so, and
2. numerous other changes. Tushman& O’Reilly, in their remarkable book ‘Winning through innovation’, talk
about four distinct periods in an innovation/product lifecycle. First, there is a period of technological
discontinuity – when a completely new technology breaks through. Take the example of Mobile Phones or
Digital Photography or Quartz watches – these create new paradigms. This discontinuity is followed by a
‘period of ferment’ when competing platform/technologies establish themselves. Continuing with the
example of mobile phone systems,it took a few years before the GSM technology got accepted as the
standard. Similarly, Blu-ray of Sony is an example of a platform establishing itself in a'period of ferment'
over the rival platform. This period is followed by a one of continuous improvement – where the focus is
on incremental change and architectural innovation, where the focus shifts to efficiency,scale,continuous
improvement and stability. Soon, this stability is disturbed by another discontinuity, another breakthrough
innovation – and the whole cycle starts again!
Based on this insight,Tushman& O'Reillyhave articulated three broad types of product lifecycle/innovation
stages- the Incremental/Process innovation usually with small extensions of existing technology, the
Architectural innovation which is reconfiguration of the technology or platform, and the Discontinuous
innovation with completely new operating principles. Each of these address both existing
market/customers and new markets, as shown in Table 2 with an example from the watch industry.
Table 1 – Product Lifecyle/Innovation Stages
Incremental/Process Architectural Discontinuous
( Small extensions of (Reconfigures existing (New operating
existing technology) technology) principles/
Discontinuous
innovation)
New Markets Inexpensive ‘SWATCH’ First Watch
mechanical watch
(TIMEX)
Existing Markets Thinner, smaller Quartz watches
mechanical watches
Now each of these different stages need a different 'eco-system' to thrive- a unique set of People, Formal
Organisation and Informal Organisation. That then is the challenge, more so when all three stages are co-
existing in a particular company. Table 2 outlines the features of the organization and culture for each
stage of the innovation cycle.
Table 2- Product Lifecycle Stages and Organisation/Culture Required
Incremental Architectural Discontinuous
Entrepreneurial
Relatively formalized roles Adding & linkingSub Decentralisedproduct
& responsibilities systems structures
Centralized procedures Relatively young and
Functional structures heterogeneous people
Focus on efficiency Focus on integration & Focuson experimentation,
linkages
3. &continuous improvement multiple but small failures,
learning by doing.
We are now entering an era where such technological discontinuities are far more regular – and this is
putting incredible challenges to our leaders, and our organizations. To add to this complexity, at times we
need to keep driving the business across all the above three stages of product lifecycles- becoming
'ambi-dextrous'! Given this level of heightened uncertainty or complexity, no wonder our 'estimation
defects' are increasing. Further challenges in our quest for 'best fit' organisationare to do with questions of
specialisationvs integration, reduced layers vs managing complexity, and centralisationvsdecentralisation,
etc. :
1. How do we manage our organizations for such dynamic changes?
2. How do we identify which technological changes or opportunities do we place our bets on? How
do we resource these? How do we manage the distractions to our existing core?
3. With each form of innovation needing different capabilities & culture, how do we manage these
seemingly different ‘organizations’ within one?
4. How do we build synergies across these different streams or product groups? How best can we
leverage scale, without losing focus?
5. To what extent do we split functions into further specialised verticals?
6. What needs to be decentralised to business/product units or geographies, and what should be
centralised? What principles help us get the right mix of focus vs synergies?
7. How do we get the matrix of a product line- function-geography to come together effectively?
We will explore some of these issues with a couple of examples, and then conclude with some 'learnings'
that we can use as practitioners.
Let’s take an example of BhartiAirtel, a leading Telecom company. It started as a Mobile services provider
in late 90’s and added a Landline business, and then an Enterprise business. It went into providing DTH
broadcast services in 2009. While the launch of 3G, Data services hasbecame a specialised,
differentiated product line. Airtel Money, a completely new ecosystem for mobile payments and money
transfers, has just got created. Mobile Entertainment (called Value added services in telecom jargon),
Mobile Health and the other new business opportunities are emerging, using the mobile network
platforms. The challenge was to design an organization that focused an efficiency, scale and synergies in
the traditional voice business, but have different set-ups for the emerging businesses. The company
chose to create an integrated Network Services Group to drive the technology backbone synergies, and
an integrated sales and 'go-to-market' organization, while each business unit had its independent CEO to
create and manage the products and its relevant ecosystem, in some ways building on the traditional
‘category organization’ in FMCG.
The other challenge in organization nowadays is the trade-off between specialization and integration.
Let'stake an example: In FMCG companies, the Sales & Marketing function of yore, that was integrated is
now broken up into 3-4 different verticals, as follows:
1. Brand Development
2. Brand Activation /Market Development
3. Consumer Insights
4. Customer Marketing or Trade Marketing
5. Sales or Customer Management
4. While Brand Development, Brand Activation and Consumer Insights are normally grouped by ‘categories’
(a division by product group), Sales is normally integrated across the product groups, but grouped
geographically. Brand Development, for instance, is usually managed globally.On one hand, the split of
the traditional marketing function helps builds deep expertise and provides focus.While Brand
development is on a regional orglobal scale to build on synergies, the Brand activation or Market
Development has a strong country P&Lfocus, thus ensuring a local country perspective.However, there is
a danger of too much 'salami-slicing' of jobs, requiring lot of interfaces between each of the above
verticals- and that's a trade-off we need to make as leaders.
The other perpetual challenge is on balancing the number of layers with increased span of control, and
thus the ability to manage scale & complexity. An additional layer may be a 'span-breaker' (managing a
set of similarroles, e.g National Sales Head, with regional sales heads reporting) or an 'integrator'
(managing and integrating disparate functions, e.g a CEO). As organisations drive to be more agile and
cut out layers, the span-breaking roles are coming under the microscope- and thus there is a need to find
different ways to manage the complexity. We see the emergence of 'interface' management roles, and
simultaneously a more empowering and liberating governance framework, and an increasing reliance of
the matrix relationship.
Perfecting the matrix relationship is the 'holy grail' for all effectiveorganisation design in these complex
times. It is now increasingly clear that more than structures, it is our behaviour and the ways of working,
i.e. the Informal organisation, that enable the success of the matrix.
Therefore, what are some lessons for us as we look at the right organisation design- here are some tips
for practitioners. Follow the SCRIPT:
1. Begin with a deep discussion on Strategy, identifying the key priorities and imperatives, in the context
of the environment and the future. A key learning is to ensure that this is sharply prioritised- the team
must be able to 'stack-rank' the different priorities, so that when it comes to certain trade-offs, we are
sure what is really critical.
2. Look at each business or product group, and identify the Critical factors as follows:
a. what is critical for success of that business
b. what is unique about that business, and our USP
c. what kind of people needed to make a difference in that business or product group
d. what should be the unique culture there to make it win in the market
e. what activities have to be specific to the business
f. what areas can benefit from synergies or scale
3. Assuming you cannot make any structural changes, look at how you could meet the objectives by
changing people. Research shows that most issues in a business can be addressed by a change of
leadership- having the Right Person will make all the difference. A good way to identify this is to first
list out what is ailing the business- in terms of specific shortcomings. Then, identify the key leader and
ask this question "what can this person do better (or stop doing) that will make the organisation more
effective". If the two lists are similar, it points to the issue of the individual. On a more generic level,
the organisation of the future will call for people to be able to work across silos and boundaries, and
depend less on hierarchical orders but more on influencing- and having such types of leaders is
imperative for every company.
4. Many companies are looking at various Innovative ways of managing the mix of People and
Structures. For example, new business project teams are kept as separate 'start-ups' with a group of
young, entrepreneurial people, but led by an esteemed senior person from the mother company to
ensure that they do their work unhindered but still get support from the mother company. Innovative
linkage of reward systems to ensure that relevant people have the skin in the game also helps in
5. managing the different priorities. Use of project/programme management offices also helps drive a
new focus area.
5. The next step, before you jump into structures, is to see if the issues can be addressed by any of the
following:
a. changing any systems or Processes- either a business process or any supporting HR
processes, especially rewards and performance management
b. prioritising new set of measures relevant to the strategy
c. changing or aligning KRAs/targets of key people
d. adding additional role or headcount to look after certain focus areas- there are many
examples where big issues have been sorted out by adding a co-ordinating/interface or a
project management role
6. Only after all the above have looked at, should you look at changes in structures,with strong buy-
in for the Transformation. While doing so, it would be good to use a rigourous structured process.
The methodology followed by the Haygroup is given below. Be sure to test the Congruence or fit
of the four elements- the Work to be done, the People with their skills & interests, the Informal
organisation, i.e the Culture, and the Formal organisation, including structures, processes and
systems.
Following the above SCRIPT- understanding Strategy, identify Critical factors, putting the Right People,
seeking Innovative ways to sort issues unique to your organisation, aligning Processes and finally
creating a strong buy-in for the Transformation will help us avoid the 'estimation defects' we spoke of.
In conclusion, as businesses go through increasingly dynamic environments, they need to be more
flexibile and multi-faceted in how they organise themselves. They would gain from a lot more holistic
approach to managing their organisation design, with a greater focus on People, Culture, Systems and
processes, rather than just structures, and need to come up with winning mix of these elements. In the
6. Indian context, we should be prepared for more frequent changes and tweaks as organsiationssearch for
this winning mix.The perfect organisation design is a myth! No sooner than you think you have found the
'perfect solution', you will find that there is a new problem coming up somewhere. We should be open to
continuous renewal and change, and be constantly looking at ways in which to get the most effective
organisation working for us.
Bibliography:
1. Competing By Design: the Power of Organisational Architecture, byDavid A Nadler and Michael
LTushman, Oxford University Press.
2. Winning through Innovation: A practical guide for leading organisational change and renewal, by
Michael LTushman and Charles A O'Reilly III, Harvard Business Review Press
3. Mastering the Dynamics of Innovation, by James M Utterback, Harvard
Article published in National HRD Network’s Annual Journal (Volume 5, Issue 2) in April,
2012.http://www.nationalhrd.org/quarterly-journal.php?year=2012