Lessons learned from mapping successful and unsuccessful Agile transformation journeys

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 3-11
Author(s):  
Stephen Denning
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
End Users ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Continuous Innovation ◽  
Management Models ◽  
Management Concepts ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this article is to show how companies that embraced the Agile management mindset succeeded at continuous innovation. Design/methodology/approach The article describes the processes and mindsets of companies that successfully and unsuccessfully adopted post-bureaucratic management models. Findings Pioneering companies that have adopted a post-bureaucratic mindset are obsessed with adding more value for customers and end-users. Practical implications A case example of the model in practice is included. Originality/value The article recounts the problems and advantages of both top-down and bottom-up adoption of Agile management concepts and practices.

Why management models are crucial to the success of business models

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Denning
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Management Model ◽  
Digital Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Models ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The author posits that the management model of an organization determines what kind of business models can be pursued within that organization and that successful 21st century management models are very different from those that succeeded in the 20th century. Design/methodology/approach The author compares and contrasts successful 21st century management models with models that succeeded in the 20th century. Findings Success in the digital age requires a 21st century management model and mindset based on an obsession with delivering value to customers. Practical implications The management model incorporates the key ‘written and unwritten rules’ of the firm. The success of digital innovation can be threatened by 20th Century management assumptions that thwart Agile initiatives. Originality/value Article explains how Agile mindsets and practices are essential to the 21st century management model, and how they potentiate the firm’s focus on creating customers.

Want to reduce the bullwhip? Measure it. Here’s how

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 297-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Jin ◽  
Nicole DeHoratius ◽  
Glen Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Small Perturbation ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Bullwhip Effect ◽  
End Users ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Beer Game ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The popular “beer game” illustrates the bullwhip effect where a small perturbation in downstream demand can create wild swings in upstream product flows. The purpose of this paper is to present a methodical framework to measure the bullwhip effect and evaluate its impact. Design/methodology/approach This paper illustrates a framework using SKU-level data from an industry-leading manufacturer, its distributors, end-users and suppliers. Findings Firms benefit from tracking multiple intra-firm bullwhips and from tracking bullwhips pertinent to specific products, specific suppliers and specific customers. The framework presented in this paper enables managers to pinpoint bullwhip sources and mitigate bullwhip effects. Research limitations/implications This paper presents a framework for methodically measuring and tracking intra-firm and inter-firm bullwhips. Practical implications A disconnect exists between what is known and taught regarding the bullwhip effect and how it is actually tracked and managed in practice. This paper aims to reduce this gap. For the various products analyzed herein, the authors show how using this framework has the potential to reduce delivered product cost by 2 to 15 per cent. Social implications Properly managing the bullwhip leads to lower inventories and potentially lower product prices while simultaneously increasing firm profits. Originality/value This paper presents a novel approach to systematically tracking intra-firm bullwhips along with bullwhips specific to a given supplier or customer.

Technology brokering and innovation: linking strategy, practice, and people

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Hargadon
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Innovation Strategy ◽  
Growth Opportunities ◽  
Main Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Leaders ◽  
Continuous Innovation ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe author has spent the last ten years studying the innovation process in modern organizations and found that the most successful firms pursue an innovation strategy termed technology brokering.Design/methodology/approachHow are the objectives achieved? Include the main method(s) used for the research. What is the approach to the topic and what is the theoretical or subject scope of the paper?FindingsRather than chasing wholly new ideas, these successful firms focus on recombining old ideas in new ways. The results have sparked many technological revolutions and produced a steady stream of growth opportunities for existing businesses.Research limitations/implicationsNeeds cases showing that technology brokering, and the complementary work practices and people, can successfully execute such a strategy.Practical implicationsBy transforming traditional R&D organizations through a strategy of technology brokering firms can build competencies for continuous innovation..Originality/valueTo pursue a strategy of recombinant innovation, corporate leaders must put themselves in position to be the first to see how existing technologies in one market could be used to create breakthrough innovations in another.

scholarly journals How open is OpenGLAM? Identifying barriers to commercial and non-commercial reuse of digitised art images

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Foteini Valeonti ◽  
Melissa Terras ◽  
Andrew Hudson-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Art Museums ◽  
End Users ◽  
Institutional Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Image Tracking ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Risks And Benefits ◽  
Quality Image ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose In recent years, OpenGLAM and the broader open license movement have been gaining momentum in the cultural heritage sector. The purpose of this paper is to examine OpenGLAM from the perspective of end users, identifying barriers for commercial and non-commercial reuse of openly licensed art images. Design/methodology/approach Following a review of the literature, the authors scope out how end users can discover institutions participating in OpenGLAM, and use case studies to examine the process they must follow to find, obtain and reuse openly licensed images from three art museums. Findings Academic literature has so far focussed on examining the risks and benefits of participation from an institutional perspective, with little done to assess OpenGLAM from the end users’ standpoint. The authors reveal that end users have to overcome a series of barriers to find, obtain and reuse open images. The three main barriers relate to image quality, image tracking and the difficulty of distinguishing open images from those that are bound by copyright. Research limitations/implications This study focusses solely on the examination of art museums and galleries. Libraries, archives and also other types of OpenGLAM museums (e.g. archaeological) stretch beyond the scope of this paper. Practical implications The authors identify practical barriers of commercial and non-commercial reuse of open images, outlining areas of improvement for participant institutions. Originality/value The authors contribute to the understudied field of research examining OpenGLAM from the end users’ perspective, outlining recommendations for end users, as well as for museums and galleries.

The main topics of research on disclosures of intangible assets: a critical review

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisca Castilla-Polo ◽  
Dolores GALLARDO-VÁZQUEZ
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intangible Asset ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Journal Citation Reports ◽  
Principal Directions ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – We must acknowledge the importance of intangibles in today’s economies and the controversy over the accounting and reporting of these assets. For this reason, the purpose of this paper is to synthesize the lessons learned from research to date and identify gaps in that research that would be useful to academics and practitioners. Design/methodology/approach – The literature review was conducted after an analysis of the most important academic databases in the period of 1990-2013: ABI Inform Complete, CSIS, EconLit, ISOC, Journal Citation Reports, Scopus, Emerald, Springer, and Google Scholar. Findings – The authors offer a summary of the main gaps in the literature on intellectual capital disclosures, among which the authors perceive a need for increased qualitative or explanatory research, which would allow further analysis of such decisions. Research limitations/implications – Specifically, the main problem encountered in the research on voluntary disclosure of intangibles appears to relate to the type of methodology used, which is usually quantitative or descriptive. Practical implications – Given that the principal limitations in the field of the disclosure of intangibles have been discussed, the authors conclude by indicating the principal directions for future research. Social implications – Qualitative analysis is absent in the literature the authors reviewed, and considered it fundamental to understanding this type of disclosure. In fact, the development of future lines of research could provide better-quality intangible asset reporting. Originality/value – Although there are previous studies on this topic, the authors believe that the main contribution of this study is to offer an integrated framework of existing findings concerning decisions by companies to disclose information on intangibles, a topic on which previous literature is sparse.

Joining up care around the individual – lessons from Vancouver

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 32-38
Author(s):  
John P. Sloan
Keyword(s):  
Frail Elderly ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frail Elderly People ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Individual ◽  
And Function ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe lessons learned from a homecare practice for frail elderly people. Design/methodology/approach – It is strictly a description of a point of view in respect of care of frailty designed to avoid institution. Findings – Generally, frail elderly patients choose care focused on comfort and function as opposed to the traditional systematic healthcare goals of rescue and prevention. This choice should be respected. Research limitations/implications – There are no formal research findings. Practical implications – Cost-saving as well as improvement in care is possible through team-based relationship-oriented homecare of the frail elderly where that care emphasizes comfort and function. Originality/value – This paper is authored by Dr John Sloan and is entirely original.

What cliff is your business headed for? Are you listening and are the right people talking?

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 3-5
Author(s):  
Paul Ballman
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Right ◽  
Solution Focused ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Emissions Testing

Purpose This paper addresses one particular type of cliff edge – “Unknown Knowns” that organizations are often headed for and suggests ways in which it can be avoided. Design/methodology/approach The paper reports lessons learned through the author’s experience and draws on relevant literature. Findings Apparently unforeseen cliffs are actually well known about, deep in the organization, well ahead of time and either nobody is talking or nobody is listening. Practical Implications People need to change their cultures to ensure that the “Cassandras” (people who can be seen as “negative” and problem rather than solution focused) are genuinely listened to. Originality/value New scandals break every month. At the time of writing, the latest is Volkswagen (VW) emissions testing, itself a classic example of an unknown-known cliff.

Strategic Agility: using Agile teams to explore opportunities for market-creating innovation

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 3-9
Author(s):  
Stephen Denning
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Management ◽  
Customer Value ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Marketing Concept ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Concepts ◽  
Strategic Agility ◽  
Agile Teams ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Describes how Agile teams can use strategic management tools and processes to discover market-creating innovations. Design/methodology/approach The related article “The next frontier for Agile: strategic management” in the previous issue of Strategy & Leadership explored the theory and possibilities of enterprise-wide Strategic Agility, a combination of Agile mindset and processes with strategic management theory to produce continuous market-creating innovation. This second installment offers insights from noted practitioners about implementing it. Findings The strategic concepts of Kim & Mauborgne’s Blue Ocean Strategy, Clayton Christensen’s Job to Be Done theory and Curt Carlson’s SRI Playbook – Need, Approach, Benefits per costs and Competition (NABC) can be adopted by Agile teams seeking innovations that create new customer value. Practical implications Identifying a well-defined Job to Be Done produces the start of an innovation blueprint which is unlike the traditional marketing concept of “needs” because of the much higher degree of specificity required to identify precisely what problem your potential solution would address. Originality/value Using strategic management concepts, Agile teams can redefine how needs are being met and in the process, discover value for customers from offering something or doing something that the company or the industry currently doesn’t provide.

scholarly journals Usability testing of the Letters of 1916 Digital Edition

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Wusteman
Keyword(s):  
User Experience ◽  
General Public ◽  
Digital Humanities ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Usability Testing ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Edition ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the process and implications of usability testing a prototype version of the Letters of 1916 Digital Edition. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents the testing, the lessons learned and how those lessons informed the subsequent redesign of the site. Findings Results imply that a majority of users, even digital humanists, were not looking for a unique and specialised interface, but assumed – and preferred – a user experience that reflects common search systems. Although the audience for digital humanities sites is becoming increasingly diverse, the needs of the different user groups may be more similar than had previously been assumed. Research limitations/implications The usability test employed 11 participants, five of whom were coded as “general public”. Four of these five had previously volunteered to transcribe and upload letters. This meant that they were already familiar with the project and with the Letters of 1916 Transcription Desk. However, their prior involvement was a result of their genuine interest in the site, thus ensuring that their interactions during testing were more realistic. Practical implications The lesson learned may be useful for the Digital Editions of future crowdsourced humanities projects. Originality/value Letters of 1916 is the first crowdsourced humanities project in Ireland. The theme of the project is topical, emotive and socially important in Ireland and among Irish diaspora today. The project’s content has been created by the “ordinary citizens of Ireland” and they are likely to be the major users of the Digital Edition. The study explores how the Digital Edition can support these users, while also facilitating the range of traditional scholars and digital humanities researchers.

scholarly journals Is innovation the future of quality management?

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 232-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Lilja ◽  
David Hansen ◽  
Johan Fredrikson ◽  
Daniel Richardsson
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Total Quality Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Innovation Management ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Concepts ◽  
Literature Reviews ◽  
Operational Excellence ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Upcoming as well as mature industries are facing pressure as regards successfully managing operational excellence, and, at the same time, driving and managing innovation. Quality management concepts and practices’ ability to tackle this challenge have been questioned. It has even been suggested that there is a need to provide and promote an updated/changed, and even re-branded, version of Total Quality Management, merging quality management (QM) and innovation management (IM). Can such a shift then actually be spotted? The purpose of this paper is to explore and see if there are any signs suggesting that QM and IM actually are about to merge. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on literature reviews, document studies and interviews. Findings The paper highlights three signs indicating that QM and IM indeed are approaching each other, and that it is a movement driven from both sectors, e.g., in the work with new ISO-standards and the Toyota Kata framework. Originality/value The indicated development has fundamental and extensive practical implications. It will for example have to be followed by a similar merging of the two fields in the educational system, and in the competences of future managers.

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