FUTUREWORKS Business Expert
“Products,
systems and organizations evolve in predictable patterns, frequently
involving major predictable discontinuities.”
Innovation Imperative
The world is changing at an ever faster pace. The old way of
doing things is crumbling, yet new way has not yet taken root. Mass
customization (Also known as Lean or Toyota Production System) is
taking over and nothing can stem
the tide. Most US corporations have
tried to adopt, but if they are being honest with themselves, few have.
We improved 20% but we needed to improve 2,000%. Worse yet, the changes
seem to undo themselves in far less time than it takes to implement
them.
There is but one thing that can save most American corporations –
complete rebirth. It is not enough to change processes, or technology,
it is not enough to alter everything we know about the markets and
marketing, accounting and operations, it is not even enough to train
our people. Only a comprehensive change that simultaneously affects
management, workforce, technology, processes, markets, finances, risk
mitigation and organizational purpose can rebirth an organization.
Frankly, that is rarely an option in a business that is busy
functioning and is staying afloat. It is even less of an option in a
business that is going under.
Oh, but there is a solution. In this age of short product life cycles
an organization can be completely reborn by creating daughter
companies
that pursue new markets and new opportunities. In the process, they
have an opportunity to become a wholly new form of business, one that
actually cares about its customers and its employees, one that has lean
processes and big overwhelming purpose. This is where FutureWorks comes
in…
FutureWorks, not SkunkWorks
Any real change begins with the change in thinking. SkunkWorks
is a mass production concept of doing research in secret by trial and
error. FutureWorks instead uses a mass customization approach
of
directed inventive problem solving. A
small team of
people forms the heart of the new company. During the project
they
phase themselves out from the operations of the parent company and
focus on the new organization.
The team meets for two short sessions per week.
Each
meeting is a step in a sequence of researching and developing,
designing and engineering, modeling and completing the new organization
that serves a new market with a new product. The team actually gets to
learn and perform the tasks during the same week. They receive guidance
and feedback throughout the process.
Our FutureWorks program covers a lot of ground and requires a
long term
commitment. But then again, there are no shortcuts, if you want
something truly worthwhile. The group of participants works together
through the entire cycle of business research, planning and
implementation, using a very real opportunity in the actual business.
Everyone learns and has an opportunity to apply the latest
methodologies in key business disciplines ranging from accounting and
finances, marketing and engineering, supply chain and operations,
tooling and technology, workforce development and law. In this way, the
entire company is formed using only the new mass customization mindset,
without the carryover of the old systems. The deliverable for the
program is an extremely well thought out and documented business plan
and the plan’s execution that is performed in a space of a year.
The real power of our program is that it encourages the development of
internal management experts, who can in turn become trainers, managers
and leaders.
Generational Wealth Transfer
Not only can a viable new business be born out of an old stagnating one, thus creating employment opportunities for years to come, but the real wealth of the business, its knowledge, can be transfered to the next generation of owners in a way that prepares them for this ownership, gives them the pride and expertise that can only arise from having built it themselves, increases wealth, avoids sibling rivalry and reduces or eliminates the taxes associated with the wealth transfer. After all knowledge is an asset that is not listed on the books, is not recorded or documented in any way and is therefore not taxable.FutureWorks Promise
While with every new beginning there is a risk FutureWorks is
willing to share the risks (and rewards) of the new venture. We prefer
equity based compensation, since we want to share both the risks and
returns with our clients. The education that your team gains in the
process is yours to keep at no charge, no matter what the level of our
joint success.
Contact FutureWorks to setup your complementary review.