Tuesday 22 January 2008

In the Case of a Paradigm-Shift – Management Re-education comes before Product Investment Case!

Brand Killer Robots reveal::
In the high technology world, the term "paradigm" is used to describe the set of experiences, beliefs and values that affect the way an individual perceives reality and responds to that perception.
The term "paradigm-shift" infers that one can manage to shift their (experiences, beliefs and values) from where they have been in the past to where they are most viable today.
This enables them to better prepare for new challenges in the future.

If managers are used to thinking in highly specialised ways and in some company's "intensely so", how is it possible for them to interpret a paradigm-shift and in so doing, ask the right questions and set direction in respect of new investments? Many large companies's invest in a paradigm-shift, but rarely do so for any other reason than some short-term incidental gain, potentially stumbling on more return somewhere further down the road.

Unless you are able to alter the behavior of your management team, how will they truly be able to engage with the opportunities afforded by a paradigm-shift? How will they even know that what is in front of them is a significant opportunity?

Organizational behavioural analysis suggests that many companies are positioned for the past, not for the future. It suggests that their expectations for the future are being tested by behaviors that they have employed in the past.

It suggests that if they want to understand the potential of a paradigm shift, that they must first alter their ability for perceiving it.

It suggests that there should first be a case for investing in altering managements behaviour before expecting them to support a case for investment.

Businesses that are best able to address a paradigm-shift are those who effectively position for the paradigm-shift prior to developing the case for investment. They understand that in order to frame the opportunity effectively, that they must first engender commitment to the paradigm-shift.

It is possible to build rules and methods for the management of internal projects and processes, which support the investment in existing platforms. But if you are truly going to be able to grasp the opportunities before you in the paradigm-shift, you must be prepared to identify and adopt completely new ways of looking at investments and approaches to product development, both inside and outside the organization.

Instigating business reengineering, innovative design and cultural problem-solving/decision-making/educational communications development programmes will be helpful in moving the organization forward, towards this new paradigm.

If your business cannot bridge the education/decision-making/problem solving gap; how can it be asked to communicate and contribute effectively to engaging with this new paradigm? How can managers be expected to contribute effectively to investment planning if they have no real experience of contributing to the development of these new forms of paradigm?

It is important that you understand the market, but in the context of a new paradigm, firstly to ensure that your organizational belief system is capable of engaging, interpreting and aligning with this new paradigm.

Organizations that are flexible enough to handle paradigm-shifts, are best placed to develop innovative products that meet and exceed the expectations of the marketplace….

…by posturing for new opportunities and directing investment to where it gives the greatest return!

In the Case of a Paradigm-Shift – Management Re-education comes before Product Investment Case!

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