The Life of the Automobile by Steven Parissenien (2014, Thomas Dunne Books) presents a panorama of automotive invention and innovation over the past 150 years. There have been many hits, for example, Ford’s Model T, Mustang and Taurus; GM’s ’55 Chevy, GTO, and Escalade; VW’s Beetle and Golf, and Citroen’s 2CV and DS. The number […]
There are many problems in our societies, our organizations, and our relationships that no one wants to own. Owning a problem implies a responsibility for solving it. If one recognizes a problem but does not own it, one can often comfortably wait for others to solve it. After all, the problem is not yours. The […]
I have been involved in a variety of engagements with automotive companies over the past three decades. These companies’ abilities to understand marketplace desires 3-4 years in advance is a key element of success. There are several compelling examples of getting this right and numerous instances of getting it wrong. Beyond uncertainties about customers’ future […]
It’s a great idea, but can we do it? Can we make it happen? We are going to boil the oceans and then provide everybody gourmet seafood dinners. Ok for those who eat seafood, but how is this going to be accomplished? Making the elements of a solution happen – executing — tends to be […]
Consider two surprises for General Motors (GM) and how they reacted, initially poorly but later quite successively. Both illustrations involved Ford surprising GM. The first led to a major failure and the second to a substantial success. Indeed, failures to achieve corporate objectives are quite common in the automobile industry. Not every vehicle is a […]
Economic growth, many argue, stems from technological innovation. Does technological innovation depend on the flow of STEM talent from our educational system? That certainly was not the case in the 19th and 20th centuries. Inventors emerged from all corners of society, few equipped with degrees in science and technology. The transformation from inventions to innovation […]
I began my career as an engineering assistant at Raytheon over 50 years ago. Since then, I have founded and managed five high-tech companies, and held faculty positions at six universities. These experiences led to working with 100+ companies, agencies, foundations, etc. What has changed over the course of this journey? Increased computing power at […]
I recently finished James Suzman’s fascinating book Work: A Deep History, from the Stone Age to the Age of Robots (Penguin Press, 2021). He chronicles humans’ work practices over many millennia. The meaning of work has changed dramatically over this period. Perspectives that we take for granted emerged much more recently than one might have […]
There are many complex contexts that involve a wide range of stakeholders with a broad array of ideas for improving the context of interest. Such contexts can range from neighborhoods to wards to cities to states and countries. I am involved in one right now with 200+ ideas; a few years ago, I played a […]
Most organizations want members of their workforce to be more collaborative, share information, and make better and faster decisions. These pursuits are often termed workforce culture transformation. For very large organizations, for example, elements of the federal government, this can be a daunting aspiration. Consider experiences with two examples of transforming work. Over the past […]
What needs to change to transform our society in the ways needed to achieve new levels of equality, performance, and value creation? I have nine suggestions in two broad areas. In general, we need to move from status quo practices to best practices as shown in the table below. Function Best Practices Status Quo […]
Wicked problems defy formulation and resolution. They involve conflicting values, concerns, and perceptions that lead to conflicts, strong positions, and perhaps even hatred of the “others” who have opposing views. We are faced with roughly 50% of the country being in fundamental conflict with the other 50% of the country. Actually, Biden-Harris won 51.3% of […]
Subramanian, E., Reich, Y., & Krishnan, S. (2020). We Are Not Users: Dialogues, Diversity, and Design. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. The authors’ central argument is that we have a much deeper relationship with the things we create than just being users. Social media provides compelling examples of how the usability of the interface, while important, […]
I recently encountered an amazing app and I am dumbfounded as to how it works. It is called My History. You can watch any sporting event from the past, for example, the Colts-Jets Super Bowl of 1969. If you watch with the My History app, the Jets do not necessarily win. Their upset quest is […]
Unregulated capitalism developed a strategy in the 19th century, if not earlier, of the big players putting the small players out of business, either by acquiring them or cutting prices below which the smaller players could not survive. Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, and Carnegie excelled at this, often financed by JP Morgan. Once the small, possible innovators, […]
We are trying our best to physically distance ourselves from risks of the coronavirus. Along with washing hands and not touching your face, this practice seems to make much sense. Everyone I know seems to be doing these things. However, the phrase “social distancing” got me thinking. Most of us have been social distancing for […]
It is really wonderful to experience great service. In this post, I highlight five companies that epitomize my criteria for great services. One is 170 years old, another 98 years old, another 75 years old, and the others 39 and 32 years old. Several much younger companies, with whom I interact, do not make my […]
Over the past couple of decades, I have invested my energies in understanding complex enterprises in terms of the multiple levels of phenomena that underlie corporations, cities, countries, and even climate. These levels include people, processes, organizations, and society, all of which both enable and constrain each other. Ignoring any of these levels risks devising […]
In my last post, I noted how Kodak, Motorola, and Xerox delayed introducing new market offerings in order to avoid cannibalizing their existing offerings – film, analog cell phones, and paper copiers. They wanted to milk their cash cows as long as possible. Now these companies are shadows of their former selves. Their cash cows […]
All enterprises face a fundamental tradeoff. Do you invest in getting better and better at the products and services you already offer? Or, do you invest in creating innovative new products and services? The obvious answer would seem to be some mix of both. However, getting the mix right is rather difficult. This difficulty is […]
Invention is the creation of a new device or process. Examples include computers, software products, chemical processes, junk foods, and kitchen gadgets. Innovation is the introduction of change via something new. Cable television and video rental stores were innovations, as were overnight mail and communication via fax and the Internet. Each of these innovations took […]
