Avoiding Mediocrity – An Exemplar of Sustainability…

Do you ever wonder if those reports you hear about a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability programmes are for real? or, like me, do you often think they are mere “Greenwash” i.e. all words and no action – talking it up, but not walking the talk? As a consultant working in the field I have come across more than one company who says all the right things but fails to put them into practice.

So I was really enthused last week when I came across a company that seems to really be putting its weight behind the development and implelentation of sustainable practices.  Adnams of Southwold are part of the historical fabric of this up-market seaside town in Suffolk.  After sampling some of their wonderful range of beers in local pubs, I came across the Sole Bay Brewery in the heart of town, then their fantastic new  flagship Cellar & Kitchen retail outlet, and then a magnificent new 40,000 square metre distribution centre on the outskirts of town, which boasts the largest green roof in the UK. Later that weekend I sampled really good food and wine at The Crown Hotel – owned by Adnams along with another major hotel in town. Everything that I observed about Adnams further convinced me that this is a company that gets really close to its customers, and lives and breathes sustainable working practices for the benefit of all stakeholders.  After seeing so much mediocrity in business it was truly refreshing – just like a pint of their Broadside beer!

As you can see from my comments, I am enthused by Adnams the beer and Adnams the company, and I will be using them as an example of best practice in my consutling work in future… I’d like to suggest thet you check them out when you get the chance.

Global Economic Outlook – The New World Order…

I went to a really fascinating talk at Warwick Business School last week.  Dr Gerard Lyons, Chief Economist at Standard Chartered bank and respected global economic forecaster, shared his expert knowledge, insight, and personal views on key economic issues with MBA students and Alumni.  In his talk he covered the following:-

• How the world got into the current economic crisis
• The immediate economic outlook for the short-term
• Further implications for the global economic system

In 45 minutes he was able to explain in plain English what myself and many in the audience have struggled to understand from watching hours of TV programmes and reading multiple articles in newspapers and magazines.  He was able to translate complex economic jargon, using metaphors from the  world of film to illustrate a concise picture of what has already happened, and a set out his vision of what is probably going to happen next.  He has a good track record of being able to do this as his Biography attests.

In summary, Dr Lyons explained how the state of our economy is driven by 3 key elements -  economic fundamentals;  policy responses from government and central banks; and confidence.  He described how the lessons learned from Japan’s deflationary cycle have been used to accelerate UK policy responses which have been designed to restore confidence by “throwing the kitchen sink…” at the problem. As a result Dr Lyons summarised the following for us:-

• “You can’t stop what’s coming” – the downturn will be steep, particularly in the west but less so in the east, for at least the next 12-18 months;
• There is a significant long-term shift in economic power from the western economies to the east – China, India and the Middle East; and
• The UK must face up to it’s challenges – increase added value and look to increase exports to strong and growing markets in the east.

I’ll be watching out for more comments from Dr Lyons as things develop. In the meanwhile there is a short video interview recorded on the night that can be seen here: Dr Lyons Interview

Change 2.0 – The power of Social Media in managing organisational change.

 

Employee communication is a key element within any successful organisational change programme.  Designing and implementing a co-ordinated communication plan is critical.  Communication can either help to make changes become effective quickly, or hinder changes by creating and fostering internal resistance to proposals. 

Some enlightened organisations are beginning to use social media tools e.g. Blogs, Twitter, etc, to supplement traditional communication tools such as briefings, meetings, one-to-one consultations, etc.  The word-of-mouth nature of social media can quickly spread messages, either good or bad, and the power of the crowd can be harnessed to promote or resist change. This is embracing the inherent power of new Web 2.0 technology, and many Change Management professionals are dubbing this Change 2.0.

I’m looking for examples of this… either ones where social media has been used effectively to positively promote change; or ones where social media has been used as a negative resistance mechanism by those opposing proposed changes. I would appreciate your ability and willingness to share any examples you may have by leaving a response on this site…

Thanks in advance.

James

On-line Video : The marketing tool for 2009

 

 

 

 

 You may have noticed that more and more leading brands are using on-line video as a key marketing communication tool as broadband speeds get faster, WiFi ever more accessible, and with everyone having a PDA or phone with fast internet capabilities.

This isn’t suprising.  Video has many advantages as a communication tool.  Messages can be conveyed quickly and in an entertaining way.  Everyone watches TV and increasingly that is delivered via the web.  In a recent survey I noticed that Generation Y consumers watch more TV delivered on-line than via terrestrial/satellite/cable television. They also spend increasing amounts of time on-line using sites like Facebook, MySpace, etc. On-line video meshes neatly with social media as it can be delivered via complimentary platforms such as Youtube, Vimeo, or iTunes.

I also read a really great blog about this subject by renowned social media guru Scott Monty, you can read this too if you click on this link:

http://www.scottmonty.com/2008/12/why-video-will-be-so-important-in-2009.html

This trend is also evident from the increasing amount of enquiries I am receiving from customers who are starting to understand the powerful capabilities of marketing via social media. This is something Cultivar can help clients with via our video and website production partners. Contact me if you would like to learn how we can help you to do this.

James Rock

email: james.rock@cultivar.co.uk

Business 2.0 – Delighting customers, shareholders and employees simultaneously

working at home...

There has been lots of excitement about Web 2.0 – using the latest internet innovations to re-invent how the web is used.  Recently I have been studying something called Transformation 2.0 – using latest web based communication tools such as blogging to improve how businesses implement change programmes. Now I’d like to propose that managers and business owners consider Business 2.0 – how to re-organise the business around a new business model that brings many benefits to all key stakeholders – again using recent innovations in communication technology as a core enabler.

Businesses are facing a multiplicity of pressures including demands from customer groups for improved corporate social responsibility, from suppliers raising input prices, from increased fuel and energy costs, from new legislation on energy usage, and increasingly from rising demands for bigger wage increases from staff who themselves are feeling the effects of inflation and the credit crunch.  Profitability is taking a hit and share values are falling as a result.  Businesses will need to re-act to these problems in the near future if they haven’t already done so.

In this situation the conventional responses may not be enough – sure, costs can be contained – in the usual conventional and predictable way by cutting expenses, restricting business travel, reducing stationery usage, blocking recruitment, etc. But will conventional responses like this position companies to be more competitive? To win increased market share whilst competitors struggle? Unlikely in my view.  However, managers who are bold and think creatively can re-invent their business in the Business 2.0 mould and simultaneously delight customers, shareholders and employees by making dramatic operating cost reductions that improve profitability, reduce personal costs and improve working arrangements for employees, and please environmental protagonists by reducing the company’s carbon footprint and improving business sustainability.

Working from home can be embraced on a much wider scale than it is currently by the majority of businesses. A recent research report by Siemens Enterprise Communications identifies that more than 70% of employees who are not currently working from home would like to – at least for part of their week. So can Business 2.0 help businesses use technology to become more virtual and less bricks and mortar?

I find that many managers worry about losing productivity by embracing the working from home model – perhaps because they are moving into a unknown way of managing and motivating people, and fear the loss of control? However, technology innovations and connectivity have improved dramatically in recent years, and the benefits of increased home working are getting bigger and bigger in the present economic situation, enabling smaller offices that are cheaper to run; employees to save on increasingly large transport costs now that petrol has dramatically increased in price; a happier workforce who are less stressed, improved business continuity plans as the risks of being unable to trade due to situations such as offices flooding or power cuts are lowered… and the benefits go on. The result will delight customers, shareholders and employees simultaneously!

The biggest hurdle in adopting this way of working – Business 2.0 or as I have also heard it called, the “Blown Apart Business Model…”   is conventionality.  For too long managers have failed to innovate the way businesses are organised – as I mentioned in my last blog article.  But history has shown that the biggest changes occur in turbulent times – so perhaps the result of “Turbulent Tuesday” as this weeks events are beginning to be called, might just convince some managers that there is an opportunity in pursuing this type of operational strategy on a much wider basis?  Could you be one of them, or are you happy to pull the blanket over your head and hope it all blows over so that we can return to service as normal?

I’d love to hear your views on this… and you can contact me via the website to learn more about how Cultivar can help you to create your own “Blown Apart” operating strategy – see: www.cultivar.co.uk

Management Innovation – Creativity leads to Business Success

In comparison with Product Innovation, there is very little Management Innovation i.e. how companies do business. This can be proven by just looking at the number of research paper citations for each of these subjects in journals and publications each year. Product Innovation papers outstrip Management Innovation papers many, many times over.

If innovation stems from creativity then it can be argued that business managers just aren’t being creative enough. Is this because managers do not use the right side of their brain enough? Is it because in constantly thinking systemically, logically and rationally then the left side of the brain becomes dominant at the expense of the more creative right side? Probably.

In my previous article below, I referred to the success of Apple Computers in the recent Business Week / Boston Consulting Group Global survey identifying the World’s most innovative companies. I find it interesting that Apple’s core values are based upon delivering a constant flow of new product ideas to customers. Their success in doing this has resulted in record growth of 51% for their Mac computer sales in the last quarter.

I ask myself is there a linkage between their customers and the amount of creativity and innovation they so visibly demonstrate? Unlike most computer companies that pursue sales into major corporations, Apple focus on products for individuals, in particular artists, designers and other creative professionals. So does working with creative customers rub off on their staff and the products they develop? Perhaps?

I was recently reading an article about Alliances and Allies. It said rightly that allies do not need to have common goals to create successful alliances – they merely have to share common enemies. In this respect Apple and their customers share common enemies – Microsoft and the PC manufacturers who run Windows as their operating system. In ignoring the creative professions – described by some in the PC world as “an insignificant minority” in terms of overall global PC sales – are the PC manufacturers missing out on a vital contribution in their product development programme?

What do you think?

For more information about how Cultivar Consulting can help you to invent better ways of doing business go to our website: www.cultivar.co.uk

Apple tops list of worlds most innovative companies

For the fourth year running Apple tops the Business Week magazine / Boston Consulting Groups’s global poll of the worlds 50 most innovative companies. Google and Toyota filled the other top places.

As Western economies move into slowdown and possible recession then innovation could be a target for cutbacks. However, you can be sure that the best innovators will continue to develop and launch new products and services as a way of differentiating themselves from their competitors. In this respect innovation must be seen as a long term strategy and a philosophy that is core to the values of a business – Apple, Google and Toyota seem to do just that. They nurture cultures that value creative people in good times and bad. They develop a diverse portfolio of projects that helps them weather dud ideas.

Such is the long term success of these innovation strategies, many business guru’s are coining the term “Design Thinking” to describe the move to embrace creativity, innovation and design as top agenda items for board level discussion. Some go so far as to say that the worlds top design schools are fast becoming the new business schools of the future. What do you think?

For more information on the Business Week poll go here:

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_17/b4081061866744.htm?chan=magazine+channel_special+report

For more information about how Cultivar Consulting can help you with your innovation strategy go here:

www.cultivar.co.uk

Corporate Social Responsibility – Pangea Day 10 May 2008

What is Pangea Day? Pangea Day taps the power of film to strengthen tolerance and compassion while uniting millions of people to build a better future.  In a world where people are often divided by borders, differences, and conflict, its easy to lose sight of what we all have in common.  Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film. On 10 May 2008, Pangea Day sites in Cairo, Dharamsala, Kigali, London, New York City, Ramallah, Rio de Janeiro, and Tel Aviv will be videoconferenced live to produce a 4 hour programme of powerful films, visionary speakers, and uplifting music.  The programme will be broadcast live to the world through the internet, television, digital cinemas, and mobile phones. Of course, movies alone can’t change the world.  But the people who watch them can.  So following 10 May 2008, Pangea Day organisers will facilitate community-building  activities around the world by connecting inspired viewers with numerous organisations which are already doing groundbreaking work. For more information watch the short video clip below and  visit the website :-”“This is an opportunity for you to encourage friends and colleagues to participate in what should be an inspiring day, and become engaged in wider social issues afterwards.  I am trying to organise a group screening of the Pangea Day worldcast live in Birmingham.  If anyone would like to become involved and help me to do that then please contact me at: james.rock@cultivar.co.uk

Get Creative – knock a zero off your budget!

  

With maverick flair and a strategist’s disdain for accepted wisdom, globally renowned architect Jaime Lerner re-invented urban space in his native Curitaba, Brazil.  Along the way he managed to revolutionize bus transit, awaken green consciousness in a populace accustomed to litter and blight, and change the way city planners and bureaucrats world-wide conceive what’s possible within the tangled structure of the metropolitan landscape.

In his quest to revolutionize city design he constantly battled with city officials who said they couldn’t improve their cities because of budget constraints.  With elegant simplicity he suggested they think creatively about how improvements could be made that didn’t cost the earth, or get bogged down in red tape and planning.  He summarizes this philosophy by encouraging them to ” knock a zero off your budget – that forces you to think creatively”.  He goes on to suggest that knocking two zero’s off the budget makes you very creative!!  Try it some time with your design team…

In the meanwhile to see and hear Jaime speak about this I suggest you watch the following short video clip: www.ted.com/talks/view/id/213 

Cultivar Consulting helps organizations to knock zero’s off their product development budgets – contact us now to find out how! 

Are your employees like Battery Hens?

After his crusade on school dinners, Jamie Oliver has been recently launched a new crusade on the plight of Battery Hens Vs Free Range Hens.  He argues that the product of Free Range Hens is much better… for them and for us. I personally  haven’t come across anyone who argues against this, in other words it’s common sense!  Even the supermarkets have taken note as “consumers” (a strange word to describe people?) have elected to pay more for better quality products – what next?

 

I find this situation analogous to many businesses.  Desperate to drive down cost (seen as the be-all and end-all to their customer – “the consumer”) businesses squeeze employees into tiny spaces within uninspiring boxes, starved of daylight and other stimulation, and organised around tightly defined processes with strict roles and responsibilities.  This might be highly productive, yet I’m sure everyone with common sense can see that it’s hardly going to motivate people to give their best.  They might as well be battery hens.

 

In these times when more and more jobs are outsourced to low cost economies (to drive down cost further) businesses increasingly need to get more from their employees if they are to compete within the global economy. Creativity and Innovation are the new buzz words that are heard in the boardroom, but will treating employees like battery hens foster the very best from them? In the war-for-talent will your offices attract the very best?  How many of your employees will choose to look for a more rewarding environment in 2008? Do you really know the hidden cost of this?

 

I would like to suggest that forward looking businesses need to address this issue, indeed some of the best employers are already doing so and are reaping the rewards of their vision.  It would be nice to see more companies employing architects and interior designers again, creating working spaces that inspire individuals, foster teamwork, and result in higher levels of creativity and innovation.  The cost might be higher, but perhaps the result would be something your customers might pay more for, and put your business on the path to sustainable growth?

 

As Jamie might say:-     “food for thought”?

 

Cultivar Consulting has developed partnerships with architects and interior designers so that we can introduce changes that inspire with our clients – contact us now to find out more… www.cultivar.co.uk