Churchman, Rittel and Webber: The “Wicked” Problem Monthly column in Outsource Magazine by Kate Vitasek published 27 March 2014. Also published in OM’s Spring 2014 edition #35. Do you have one of those really tough business problems that seems to plague you? No matter what you try, nothing seems to solve the problem?… Here’s the […]
collaboration
MHD Supply Chain Solutions — March/April 2014
How Do I Know I’m Getting a Good Deal in a Vested Arrangement? Article by Andrew Downard and Kate Vitasek in the March/April edition of Australia’s MHD Supply Chain Solutions. There is no direct link available to the article; here is a link to the overall site: http://www.intermedia.com.au/print/news-item/mhd-supply-chain-solutions-magazine
Dell’s Vested Vision: A “Legacy of Good”
A major corporate sustainability report from Dell contains some highly Vested ideas advocated by the company’s Chairman and CEO, Michael Dell. Dell’s 2020 Legacy of Good Plan—released late last year—is ambitious, realistic and philosophically consistent as it attempts to forge a long-term, multi-dimensional culture of sustainability both within the company and with its suppliers. “We […]
The Riddle of Experience versus Memory
I’ve written about the Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman and his groundbreaking work on cognitive biases and behavioral economics both here and more recently in my regular column for Outsource Magazine—but I wanted to share a TED video of his in which he talks about how our “experiencing selves” and our “remembering selves” perceive happiness differently. Kahneman, professor emeritus of Psychology at […]
Megatrends in the Future of Logistics
Earlier this year I came across the annual Material Handling & Logistics U.S. Roadmap, which focuses on long-term predictions—out to 2025!—with a focus on the “megatrends” that will transform logistics. The 67-page report compiles what more than 100 industry thought-leaders had to say about the future in this particular sector, and how it will need […]
Don’t Ignore that Elephant!
At some point we all face an issue or situation that’s commonly called “the elephant in the room”: an obvious truth that is either being ignored or not addressed. The expression arises frequently in business situations where there is a problem or risk that no one wants to talk about. I teach that this is […]
Seattle Seahawks: The Power of Alignment and Collaboration!
Of course I am a Peyton Manning fan. Is there a person at the University of Tennessee who is not? (For those not familiar with football – Peyton is a UT grad.) So while I am fan of the man and his accomplishments as a football legend – I have to say the Seattle Seahawks’ […]
Area Development Online — January 2014
One Size Fits All: “Vested” for Large and Small Companies Article published on January 28, 2014 by Kate Vitasek and Scott R. Schroeder (Owner/CEO, RelianceCM) Companies of all sizes are finding that negotiating and nurturing relationships with suppliers can provide a sustainable competitive advantage. Learn how the “Vested” model is lifting one small, Oregon-based contract manufacturer’s […]
Open Innovation and Knowing Too Much
There’s a somewhat perverse side to innovation that Andy Zynga has touched upon in a Harvard Business Review blog post. Zynga, CEO of NineSigma International, put it this way: “It is a profound irony that the more you know about a particular industry, and the more experience you gain in it, the more difficult it […]
Teaming and Innovation at GM
Mary Barra took the reins as General Motor’s new CEO last week, bringing the “teaming gene” to one of the more hierarchical and siloed major U.S. corporations. GM has been on my mind since mid-2012, when Randy Mott was installed as the company’s new chief information officer, followed quickly by his decision to move some […]
