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| Something for nothing | August, 2008 | ||||
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Dear I suspect the only strategy many of us are likely to be thinking about this month is how to get to the sunlounger nearest the pool without having to wake up at 6am. Nevertheless, for hardier souls the August issue of Long Range Planning will, as ever, provide plenty of food for more elevated thought. Overall, you may also take some time to think about revitalising your company/career/finances – whichever it is, put the SPS into your plans for September. If you're not a member, resolve to join the SPS and reap the benefits; and if you are already a member, put some time aside to read more of the great articles that are always available in the online library. Until next month, 
James Leaton Gray, Chairman |
» In this issue: SPS news Research and insight Events and workshops Sponsor |
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| » SPS news | ||||
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Long Range Planning published The latest issue (volume 41, number 4) of Long Range Planning focuses on the managerial challenges of innovation. Roger Miller, Xavier Olleros and Luis Molinié draw up a typology of seven innovation games that firms can play successfully and concentrate on how they are manifested in the dimensions of market creation, market maintenance and innovator support. Giovanna Padula explains how firms and their managers can improve innovativeness by exploiting the complementarity between densely clustered alliances and that between previously poorly connected entities, while Ajit Nayak investigates creativity in one of the UK's larger supermarkets. While he discovers the usual factors at work (the balance between intrinsic–extrinsic motivation, organisational politics and pleasure), the morality dimension seems to be overlooked. Finally, the concept of being 'born global' is explored by Neri Karra, Nelson Phillips and Paul Tracey, who examine how international opportunity identification, institutional bridging and a capacity and preference for cross-cultural collaboration are key success factors for global-thinking entrepreneurs.
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| » Research and insight | ||||
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Something for nothing The key to productivity is the knowledge, skill, flexibility and creativity of people, supported by technology. However, organisations tend to inhibit these capabilities rather than use them to increase productivity. Research within 500 organisations has revealed an untouched source of productivity which the generally-accepted means of improving productivity are unable to exploit. But, as Peter Bebb explains in issue 16 of Strategy Magazine, there is a way organisations can exploit these opportunities.
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Crafting strategies The strategising practice of crafting embodied metaphors involves the concrete, physical constructions that workshop participants both create and interpret at the same time. In the June 2008 issue of Long Range Planning (volume 41, number 3) the authors contend that this 'serious play' technique is recommended for its ability to: surface taken-for-granted assumptions by drawing on rich imagery and stories (rather than on dry, objectivist statistics and figures); and develop a memorable and shared vocabulary for debating future strategic actions. It also facilitates team-building and increases participants' sense of involvement and ownership of the issues and decisions they take as part of the process.
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The impetus for change It is quite possible that 'we ain't seen nothing yet', and that the painful situation of rising oil and food prices, coupled with falling house prices and ever tighter financial liquidity, will get even worse. However, that pain may provide the impetus for change on several fronts: genuine progress in Africa; a shift to ECO-nomics; changes to the way we structure work; more local food production; and rising demand for inner-city and urban living, and public transport.
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| » Events and workshops | ||||
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Ashridge Open Programmes The SPS and Ashridge have teamed up to offer SPS members some exclusive benefits, the first of which is a 10% discount on any of Ashridge's open strategy programmes. Ashridge has a wide variety of short, residential programmes to help individuals and organisations to achieve their development needs. These programmes focus on blending the practical experience of their faculty with leading-edge business thinking, to inspire and challenge you. In addition, learning in small classes – typically 12–30 participants – promotes collaboration on your own issues and ensures individual support, enabling all participants to return, better able to transfer learning to the workplace. For more details, visit Ashridge. Please quote your SPS membership number when booking. |
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| » Sponsor | ||||
Aid your strategic thinking Delivered by a faculty renowned for its contribution to management practice and profound working knowledge of business, our strategy programmes offer senior decision makers the opportunity to become more effective leaders. Our strategy programmes will aid your strategic thinking, equip you to make better strategic decisions and help you deliver strategic organisational change. The strategy programmes for 2008 are: Delivering Strategic Change October 2008 Developing Deliverable Strategies October 2008 To find out more or to book a place, visit our website or contact Diane Cain on +44 (0)1234 754503 quoting CSM1542. We look forward to welcoming you to Cranfield. Cranfield School of Management: improving the practice of management |
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