Many people start talking about entreprenuership without any own experiences. That's interstesting. How do they get these ideas about enterpreneurship and how do they become so sure about what makes an enterpreneur so succesfully? It seems so that the more you talk about it the more you have a good reason not to start at all. Many myths are created around the topic of enterpreneurship.
Daniel Isenberg illustrates through stories of real business builders the new rules of starting and growing a business.In his new book
Capgemini Consulting, the global strategy and transformation consulting brand of the Capgemini Group, has announced that its study conducted with the MIT Center for Digital Business -- ‘Digital Transformation: A road-map for billion-dollar organizations’ -- was ranked among the top 5 thought leadership publications of the last decade by Source*, following a thorough analysis of some 22,000 consulting reports globally.
Source, a leading market analyst firm for the consulting industry, assesses firms’ Thought Leadership performance through its White Space initiative. To celebrate 10 years of White Space, Source has identified five pieces of thought leadership from the last decade which have stood out and have been rated particularly highly. Capgemini Consulting was selected for a thought leadership research study revealing that only one third of large companies are succeeding in reshaping their business through digital technologies. The first phase of the study was published in November last year and phase two is due for launch later this year.
Didier Bonnet, one of the co-authors of the report and sponsor of Capgemini Consulting’s Digital Transformation programme, said: “We strongly believe that understanding the business implications of the new digital economy is at the top of the transformation agenda of business leaders. It is therefore very pleasing that Source has recognized the quality of our thinking on this critical topic.”
Fiona Czerniawska, Joint Managing Director, Source and Founder of White Space, said: “Capgemini Consulting’s work on digital transformation stands head-and-shoulders above other material in this space and will help put the firm in a strong position in this key market.”
White Space includes thought leadership from about 30 of the world’s leading consulting firms and provides detailed analysis. This analysis is updated regularly, giving up-to-date market intelligence on the state of the thought leadership market.
Every two years a collaborative platform of The Consumer Goods Forum, Capgemini, HP and Microsoft formulate key trends for the Value Chain. Together with top Executives from the Retail and Manufacturers Industry the third version is submitted.
In 2006 the first report 2016: A Vision of the Future Value Chain came out. The platform worked with 80 Executives of Global Organizations to collect the key trends for the industry. 2 global workshops are initiated (Utrecht, NL & Chicago, USA). The key message was: New Ways of Working Together in the Value Chain.
Two years later (2008) the second edition was born 2018: Succeeding in a Volatile Market. In this year already 130 Executives participated in several workshops: Global workshop (Utrecht, NL), Asian workshops: Hong Kong (Asian region), Mumbai (Indian market), Tokyo (Japanese market). The key trends pointed out: Changing society, Rising cost (and scarcity) of raw materials, Increasing awareness and action on sustainability, Growing consumer access to technology and Changing business models.
In 2010 the last report was fomulated 2020: Building Strategies for the New Decade. The number of participants in several workshops had been 200 Executives. Global workshop (Chantilly, FR), Regional workshop GS1 in Europe (Antwerp, BE) en diverse Country workshops: Australia (Melbourne), France (Paris), Netherlands (Utrecht), US (Chicago), Mexico (Mexico City). De most important trends from this year are: Make our business more sustainable (From niche to norm), Optimize a shared supply chain (Collaborate differently, compete differently); Engage with technology-enabled consumers (The consumer in the driver’s seat), Serve the health and wellbeing of consumers (Focus on quality of life). For more detailed outcome of the report please visit my slide share space.
What we see in the past 6 years is that Asia is rapidly becoming the key region for the new global innovative business strategies for corporate players. I like the discussion about the outcome of the Future value Chain reports during my Academic Guest Lectures or when I speak at international Innovation forums.
My experiences is that many organizations are talking about it but a few are acting upon it.
"When a word is used too many times a year and the context in which the word is used broadens in every article, it is very likely that the management community develops a sort of immunity. There are multiple examples of management terminology being coined as fast as falling out of favor.
Co-creation, as a phenomenon, was destined to have a similar lifecycle. The question that arises in such matters, is whether the term was a hype introduced by some management gurus, or an emerging domain just struggling with its maturity. As we see the world now, co-creation is here to stay. No matter what you would like to fit in the definition, co-creation is the result of a broad and irreversible shift in the society and corporate culture. During the growth to maturity we wonder what is left beyond the hype. What is the essence of co-creation? Which forms of co-creation proved to be most beneficial for the initiators and participants? Which processes are most suitable for ‘outsourcing to the crowd’?"
In a new report we will give you insights into the current status of co-creation, as perceived by top managers out of the FEM500 business list.
In my advisory practice we work a lot with large corporate companies. In our annual Global Innovation Survey we see the focus on Business Model Innovation and co-creation in the value chain getting more attention every year. The far majority of corporate companies invest in new business models to create sustainable value in a different way. A growing area for changing the current business model is to outsource not only supporting processes like Finance, IT or HR but also primary business processes such as Purchasing, R&D, Logistics and Manufacturing. Many well known Technology companies left their original core competences behind and become a Design, Marketing and Sales company (Philips is a clear example). I understand the business drivers behind this and that senior executives are seduced to go for short term sales growth and stock value. But I believe this is not a sustainable model for a leading innovator. In my opinion there is a need for a balance between R&D, Operations and Marketing & Sales within the boundaries of a corporate company in combination with an open innovation strategy to the outside world. Open innovation and co-creation seems to flourish if a company keeps substantially own core capabilities. The pitfall for large extend of outsourcing is that the company expect to manage the core process with contracts and SLAs. We see often that short term and top line successes are still hard to find. What is missing is a holistic view on collaboration an doing business! The leading success factor is all about trust and long term relationships.
I like to share two examples of successful business models in which core competences are not outsourced, the focus is not on short term money but collaboration with the outside world is based on many different but integrated aspect like economics, politics, social integration and education, green & sustainability, new style of leadership.
The first example is the Region of Voralberg in Austria. This is one of the most innovative industrialized export oriented region of traditional Europe. Many successful SMEs, traditional craft manufacturers like metal, wood, nutrition, electro, differentiate based on Product (high quality), Design (Modern Trendsetting) and Functionality (usable). There collaboration network enables them to find new product-market-combinations in a high frequency. The schools and education programs are a close partner in their network. The Region is relative small (less than 400.000 habitats) and accelerate on smartness, trust and regional proud rather than volume and power. (source: Prof. GJ Hospers, University Twente)
The second example is American Apparal. American Apparel is a vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor and retailer, based in downtown Los Angeles, California. We currently employ approximately 10,000 people globally (about 5,000 in LA), and operate more than 285 retail stores in 20 countries.
Within our business model, knitting, dyeing, cutting, sewing, photography, marketing, distribution and design all happen in the company's facilities in Los Angeles. The company operates the largest garment factory in the United States, at a time when most apparel production has moved offshore. With our recently opened stores in China, we are now selling Made in USA clothing in the largest consumer market in the world.
American Apparel leverages art, design and technology to advance the business process, while continuing to pioneer industry standards of social and environmental responsibility in the workplace.
(source: americanapparel website)
The most interesting thing about these examples is the strong vision and leadership on sustainable innovation. The strong believe in integrating the most important aspect of human life and living environment into the business model of their companies. It is not about short term, it isn’t about making fast and a lot of money, it isn’t about power play, it is about honesty, fairness, trust and real collaboration for every involved partner. And they are and will be successful! In my opinion the most corporate organization can learn a lot of these role models.
