Business happening is making headlines with HP. The computer and IT giant’s share price has plummeted after announcing it would exit the PC and tablet computer business. The company’s rationale: Ability to improve focus on higher-margin cloud and business software solutions “with an emphasis on enterprise, commercial and government markets.” Exiting the PC market is […]
HBR
Learning How Not to Compete
From a very young age we’re taught about the virtues of competition, about how competing ferociously in every aspect of life leads to success and winning. From Ayn Rand we learn about the “virtue of selfishness,” a hallmark of the all-out egotistical, competitive spirit that was on display to the Nth degree in the recent […]
Outsourcing: Collaboration is More Than a State of Mind
The true test of collaboration occurs when you really have to collaborate, say during a crisis or when the powers that be ask you to do more or to do something radically different. In short collaboration is a nice word but it’s only truly effective and real when what you’re collaborating on is difficult, uncomfortable […]
Scrap the Purchase Order Mentality
Don’t mistake a transaction, even a friendly and efficient transaction, as true collaboration. If someone arranges to purchase widgets from a widget-maker that’s the essence of the make-buy decision but it’s not the crowning achievement of a real partnership. Or as Ben Gomes-Casseres puts it, “a partnership is not a purchase order.” Writing this week […]
Going Beyond the Handshake
I’m sure you have heard of the handshake deal. Some are amazingly successful and long-lasting, but it’s rare that the initial handshake is not followed up with a contract that formalizes the initial meeting of the minds. In a way the handshake is (or should be) a very Vested act, because it implies – if […]
Connect With Your Service Provider to Develop and Create Value
How does a company maintain and expand its core competence in the face of rapidly changing technologies, increasing competition and shrinking R&D budgets? The short answer is to forge a Vested Outsourcing relationship with a service provider that will add innovation and value over the long haul. That thought came to mind as I read […]
Outsourcing’s Different Box
I read an excellent post this month from Peter Bregman on the Harvard Business Review blog site, “If You Want to Be Original, Start from a Different Box.” It’s an excellent twist on the old think-outside-the-box refrain. Bregman, CEO of the global management consulting firm Bregman Partners Inc., speaks, writes and consults on leadership. He […]
Don’t Outsource the Leadership
A key thing to understand about any outsourcing endeavor is that once the decision is made to outsource the work, the work definitely is not done. In fact the real work at each end of the outsourcing equation is just beginning, particularly in a Vested Outsourcing relationship. Establishing a proper, flexible governance framework, setting systems […]
