Mgmmayur's Blog

week 12: enterprise thinking

mgmmayur — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:17:22 +0000

In today’s turbulent business environment, leaders must begin to think more broadly about what a corporation is and how it can create a richer future. With the globalization of the world’s economies, the intensification of competition and recent quantum leaps in technological development, the insular and static strategic thinking of many global corporations has become inadequate for understanding the business environment and determining strategic direction.

This research provides comprehensive and practical analysis of what sustainable business development (SBD) is and how companies can use it to make a significant difference. studies of companies in the U.S., Europe, the Pacific Rim and South America demonstrate that achieving innovation and integration depends on a comprehensive understanding of all of the forces which drive change and responding to them with new ways of strategic thinking. It is compulsory reading for MBA students and executives as well as professional readers.

Enterprise Thinking, the Driving Forces of Change, and Leadership. Sustainable business development: overview and guiding principles. Enterprise thinking and the strategic logic of SBD. Crafting sustainable business strategies and solutions The driving forces of social, economic, and environmental related change. The forces driving market and stakeholder connectedness. Crafting a sustainable enterprise through leadership and capabilities. Innovation Management, Life Cycle Considerations, and Insights. Sustainable technology management and development. Crafting and implementing SBD programs. Life cycle thinking and framework LCA formulation: initiation and inventory assessment. LCA implementation: impact and improvement assessments. Inventing the future through enterprise thinking and SBD.

WEEK 11: STUDY OF HUMAN SIDE OF STRATEGIC CHANGE

mgmmayur — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:26:41 +0000

human side of strategic change:
synopsis: strategic change is basically change of the strategy that the oragnization is followed and out dated with it. The organization wanted to change the way the company is operating which is particularly subject to some aspectswit in the organization. Where as human side of strateic change is to change the mindset of workers in the organization and lead the organization to reach it s goals.
Critique:
Corporate restructuring became a prevalent strategic tool to respond to financial market demands. The ongoing strategic struggle to create and maintain competitive advantages in dynamic environments is illustrated by the proliferation of various other forms and labels of strategic changes, such as realignment, reengineering, rejuvenation, renewal, reorientation, revitalization, and transformation. The overall impression is that practitioners find strategic change difficult, yet they must try or else be left behind in the competitive race.
This study also indicates that order emerges at the boundary between the organization’s legitimate and shadow systems. It also questions the assertion that organizations are naturally complex adaptive systems producing novel forms of order. There is also an alternate viewfor strategic change which is in social systems, equilibrium-seeking behaviour is the norm, such systems can self-organize into hierarchy. Several difficulties were found in applying complexity-theory concepts to a social system and conclude by advocating the development of complexity theory through the incorporation of insights from psychology and social theory.
My learning:

There are numerous types of strategic changes occurring at multiple levels, in various industrial contexts and phases of the business cycle, and involving a multitude of strategic, marketing, economic, financial, organizational, human resource, and other management issues. However, studies of strategic change are typically limited to a single type at a single level of analysis in no surprise that the research field of strategic change suffers from conceptual as well as empirical fragmentation in trying to understand and explain this multifacetedness.

WEEK 10: EVALUATING SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE WORLD

mgmmayur — Fri, 15 May 2009 08:30:03 +0000

Communications for social change
It is a process of public and private dialogue and linkages through which people define who they are, what they want and how they can get it.
Social change is positive change in people’s lives – as they themselves define such change
This work seeks particularly to improve the lives of the politically and economically marginalised, and is informed by principles of tolerance, self-determination, equity, social justice, and active participation for all.
Critique:
For example take the numbers showing commercial success for the wireless industry are impressive. it is obvious that wireless technology has totally transformed the way we live. In poorer countries these simple acts of hooking up and looking up, of course, are much more than mere convenience. In Kenya, finding the best price for a crop before starting a long arduous journey to market can mean a substantial difference in daily income.
These examples matter, in varying degree, for quality of life. It is right that we hold wireless technology to the highest standards for tackling the world’s most pressing problems in economic and social development. The majority of mobile phones are already in the hands of people living in poor countries. Those sheer numbers, together with the technology’s timeliness, speed, dispersion, and decentralization, make wireless technology an instrument ideal for enabling the world’s poorest individuals to help themselves. A growing collection of examples show how individuals and groups in the poorest countries use mobile phones in ingenious, important, and even life-saving ways: price discovery in fishing villages in Kerala; violence prevention under armed conflict in Kenya; coordinating humanitarian relief in Syrian refugee camps and in tsunami-stricken Indonesia.
Conclusion:
anecdotes provide vivid understanding of how wireless technologies can make the world a better place. We now need to go beyond this, to provide top-down quantification of such effects, stacked against the largest challenges before humanity that wireless technology can yet address. In a world with limited resources we need quantitative evidence, if we are to choose wisely from the set of technologies all of which might potentially improve the state of the world. What is at stake is enormous.

week 9: TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

mgmmayur — Fri, 08 May 2009 08:05:21 +0000

SYNOPSIS: When we talk about transformation, we normally describe it as a transformation of systems and organizations without the awareness of transformation within. The former reflects from a rational and linear approach to achieving organizational success. Emphasizing the need for transformational leadership for success in the current global marketplace, consultants in this field discuss levels of transformation, leadership traits, and performance mind- sets within an “organization of meaning” model. They include vignettes, a Life Plan document, leadership assessment survey, and summary lessons.
Critique: Transformational leadership, on the other hand, is concerned with engaging the hearts and minds of others. It works to help all parties achieve greater motivation, satisfaction and a greater sense of achievement. It requires trust, concern and facilitation rather than direct control. The skills required are concerned with establishing a long-term vision, empowering people to control themselves, coaching, and developing others and challenging the culture to change. In transformational leadership, the power of the leader comes from creating understanding and trust. In contrast, in transactional leadership power is based much more on the notion of hierarchy and position. According to Burns would not accept Hitler as a leader while, on the contrary, for interpretation of transformational leadership would call Hitler a transformational leader.
Transformational Leaders are always visible and will stand up to be counted rather than hide behind their troops. They show by their attitudes and actions how everyone else should behave. They also make continued efforts to motivate and rally their followers, constantly doing the rounds, listening, soothing and enthusing. It is their unswerving commitment as much as anything else that keeps people going, particularly through the darker times when some may question whether the vision can ever be achieved. If the people do not believe that they can succeed, then their efforts will flag. The Transformational Leader seeks to infect and reinfect their followers with a high level of commitment to the vision. One of the methods the Transformational Leader uses to sustain motivation is in the use of ceremonies, rituals and other cultural symbolism. Small changes get big hurrahs, pumping up their significance as indicators of real progress. Overall, they balance their attention between action that creates progress and the mental state of their followers. Perhaps more than other approaches, they are people-oriented and believe that success comes first and last through deep and sustained commitment

Bass, B. M. (1990). From transactional to transformational leadership: Learning to share the vision. Organizational Dynamics, (Winter): 19-31.

week:8 NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS through CHANGE MANAGEMENT

mgmmayur — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:04:36 +0000

In business and engineering, new product development (NPD) is the term used to describe the complete process of bringing a new product or service to market. Companies typically see new product development as the first stage in generating and commercializing new products within the overall strategic process of product life cycle management used to maintain or grow their market share. Taking our current offerings and somehow making them different or better. Here are the steps you’ll take in product development:
1. Idea generation. Use creative idea starters like brainstorming to help you find the ideas you’re looking for. Try to combine two products you have into a single package or perhaps a product and a service, something to set your offering apart from others.
2. Analysis. Analyze the potential success by asking some of your customers what they think. 3.
3. Development. If you’re packaging products or services together that already exist, the job is mostly done for you. However, you will still want to consider branding them as their own item. A simple example is the combination of 3 simple products (a burger, fries, and soft drink) into another product that is separately branded (a McDonald’s Happy Meal).
4. Testing. Although you did take a poll, polls are not always accurate.
5. Marketing. After the testing stage has helped you refine your product a little more, you can move on to actively marketing your new product on a full scale, hopefully with noticeable improvements in sales.

week 7: CONFLICT, POWER & POLITICS

mgmmayur — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:48:19 +0000

Power is the capacity to influence the attitudes or behaviour of others. It is a relationship between two parties, that serves to define the interactions of the parties. For example, while a manager may have the institutionalized right to fire a subordinate or have that person transferred to another organizational unit, that power is not necessarily exercised. It is the capacity to fire or transfer, known to both, that affects their relationship and interactions.

Organizational politics is the process of one person exerting influence over another. Politics is the exchange relationship as acted out in the day-to-day forum of the organization. Politics and influence depends on the power relationship between the parties involved.

The most effective political behaviours have been found to be rational persuasion, inspirational appeal, and consultation. Coalition, legitimating, and pressure are the least effective. Ingratiation and exchange are not effective strategies for influencing superiors but are moderately effective for influencing subordinates and peers.

Organizations can be thought of as arenas for staging conflicts with conflict as the essence of what the organization is. In this way of thinking, conflict is not a byproduct of normal operations or an unintended and unwanted consequence of day-to-day activities, but the way the organization makes choices for future action, makes changes in power relationships, and keeps itself flexible and adaptive.

Conflict in organizations occurs when an influence attempt is resisted, likely because of different preferences or goals of the parties involved, or because the influence would change the power dynamics between the parties involved.

week 6: CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIZATIONS

mgmmayur — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:50:45 +0000

One of the difficulties many observers have with the change management literature Is that it is overly pragmatic. The change process is depicted as a series of neat steps and stages. Almost all organizations are nervous about change. Many will resist it consciously or subconsciously. Sometimes those fears are well founded the change really will have a negative impact for them. In many cases, however the target population for the change will come to realise that the change was for the better. Organisational Change Management is a vital aspect of almost any project. It should be seen as a discrete and specialised work stream. The project management team frequently have to do their best to ensure that a technological change is successfully implanted into the business. In the worst case scenario, the project leadership do not see this as part of their responsibility either and blame the organisation’s line management when their superb new technical solution is not fully successful when put to use.
Here are some change styles that may be appropriate:
Collaborative – The target population are engaged in the change process, typically through cascading workshops or meetings. They will be kept up to date on the issues. Their views will be actively sought and acted upon. Feedback will demonstrate how their input has been acted upon.
Consultative – The target population is informed about the changes and their views are sought.
Directive – The workforce is informed about the changes and why those changes are important.
Coercive – The workforce is told that they must obey the new instructions.

week: 5 teaching smart people to learn

mgmmayur — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:08:20 +0000

An expert is a person who’s failed enough to succeed.

We realize that there are many people who just want to use the software we write, and who have no interest in learning technical details. For most people, a computer is merely a tool, a means to an end. They have more important things to do and lives to live. We acknowledge that, and don’t expect everyone to take an interest in the technical matters that fascinate us. Nevertheless, our style of answering questions is tuned for people who do take such an interest and are willing to be active participants in problem-solving. That’s not going to change. Nor should it, if it did, we would become less effective at the things we do best.
Describe the goal, not the step
If you are trying to find out how to do something as opposed to reporting a bug, begin by describing the goal. Only then describe the particular step towards it that you are blocked on. Often, people who need technical help have a high-level goal in mind and get stuck on what they think is one particular path towards the goal. They come for help with the step, but don’t realize that the path is wrong. It can take substantial effort to get past this.
Courtesy never hurts, and sometimes helps
Be courteous. Use “Please” and “Thanks for your attention” or “Thanks for your consideration”. Make it clear you appreciate the time people spend helping you for free.

week 4: IDENTIFYING AND DEVELOPING EFFECTIIVE CHAMPIONS OF INNOVATION

mgmmayur — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:41:46 +0000

The toughest sales job for anyone is to sell their own company on new ideas and new opportunities. Everyone agrees that innovation is important. At international, national and corporate level, there is consensus that long-term sustainability, survival and growth depend on our ability to come up with innovative products, services and processes. No one argues about the need to manage the innovation process in such a way that we gain competitive edge.High impact practices for innovation:

Innovative Visionaries within the Firm
These individuals distinguish themselves by their constant effort to develop, implement, promote, and diffuse new ideas. Furthermore, visionaries are different from champions in that visionaries promote the innovation on a long term and grand scale.
Presence of a Sponsor for the Innovation
An effective sponsor may support the concept, educate other employees about the concept and its benefits, improve upon the concept, and justify the concept to decision-makers and stakeholders in other divisions of the firm. Innovation as an Owner’s Goal for the Project
An owner with an explicit goal of innovation is more likely to cause innovation to occur throughout the lifecycle of the project. The owner’s goal is commonly assumed by other project team members who strive to incorporate it in their scopes of work.
Project Delivery Method
Design-build and other integrated project delivery methods provide the most opportunity for innovation. Innovation is enhanced through the communication, collaboration, and integration of design and construction disciplines that exists under a design-build framework.

week 3: ENHANCING CREATIVITY AT WORK

mgmmayur — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:46:54 +0000

WHAT IS CREATIVITY?

CREATIVITY IS THE ABILITY TO THINK IN NEW AND NOVEL WAYS

There are several to enhance creativity at work following will be a list of some tips and techniques.

1. Stimulating yourself, most of us know that ‘what goes in determines what comes out’ similarly the same concept works for our minds. Similarly when you are at your work place you think about the work every time even when you are working also. stop thinking about the work in workplace think how to do the work in different ways and easy ways, like this you can stimulate yourself to new ideas.

2. Give Yourself Space.

When it comes to physical fitness exercise is the best so as the rest. Nowadays life is busy for everyone, there is no concept of space and rest. The best way to overcome this is brainstorming, get a note of your workplace difficulties and problems everyday in work and do brainstorming you will get different ideas and different procedures to finish the work.

3. Mix up the environment.
Environment plays a major role when you are talking about creative, try and change the environment.

4. Be a people person.
People bring new ideas, perspectives, questions and experiences to the problems that you’re attempting to solve in your own work. It’s when these new perspectives come together with your own that the creative sparks often fly and some of the best new ideas come to life.

5. Record your ideas.

King, N 2002, ” Managing innovation and change: a critical guide for organizations”, Enhancing Creativity at Work, 2nd edn, pp. 12-53.