Summary of Harvard Business Review

My understanding & appreciation of the journal articles

Issue

Article gist

Remarks

Mar 2002
  • Predicting the unpredictable
  • Emergent phenomena that defies top-down analysis

    • Jan 2001
    • Entrepreneur's non-disclosure agreement: implementation of proposals is the deciding C.S.F.
  • It is not only encouraged but necessary for entrepreneurs to disclose their ideas
    • Peer-peer system: Napster
  • Distributed client-client networks
    • Strategy in simple steps
  • Complex strategy in simple system, but simple strategy in complex system
    • Corporate athlete: for best performance, companies should for the total well-being of executives as athletes
  • 4-step performance pyramid:
    1. Physical health
    2. Emotional ease
    3. Mental dexterity
    4. Spiritual realisation

    Feb 2001
    • What prices human relations: balance of HR & performance
  • Too emphasis on HR & conformity results in stagnation & infantilism
    • Dot coms: business models not crucial
  • The degree of success is the responsiveness of marketing
    • Logistics: online SS chain management crucial
  • High volatility of SS changes prompts management of suppliers & data in XML
    • Gut feeling by CEOs: rules of thumb result in swift decisions especially in crisis
  • Emotions & feelings are necessary for decisions
  • All management & science can be reduced into patterns & trends
  • However, forming false patterns is detrimental
    • Strategic stars: marketing can be reduced into the creation of a strong, recognisable brand
  • The 3 parts or stars are vision, culture & image for senior management, employees & stakeholders
    • USS Benfold: attractive to the navy
  • Officers: listen & learn
  • Men: break them & then build them up
    • Enlightened experimentation: testing of technologies for competitive advantage; applicable to research
  • 4 aspects:
    1. Organisation for rapid experimentation
    2. Fail early & often, but avoid mistakes
    3. Anticipate & exploit early information
    4. Combine new & old technologies
    • Nestle CEO: leaders ensure not what to innovate, but what to stay focused
  • Identify the roots of competitive advantage
  • Willingness & learning from mistakes
  • Collaborative learning & sharing

    • Nov 2000
    • Reverse-mentoring: young pple are full of energy, push for changes & techno-savvy; old are experienced & better with relations; Combination of functional & cultural synergies; Obstacles are fear & insecurity
  • Factors crucial for success:
    1. Much more than coaching or teaching
    2. Friendship + care + concern
    3. Shared interest in profession
    4. Matching communication styles
    5. Openness to learning - collaborative

    July 1999
    • Why good companies go bad: successful companies are often the slowest to adapt due to entropy, compliance & literally stuck in the modes of its success termed as active inertia
  • How:
    1. Stuck in modes of success
    2. Values become dogmas
    3. Relationships become shackles
    4. Processes solidify into routines
    5. Strategic frames become blinders
    • Result: low responsiveness

    Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

    1