FUTUREWORKS Business Expert
“Products,
systems and organizations evolve in predictable patterns, frequently
involving major predictable discontinuities.”
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…
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 who will
form the heart of the new company is formed. 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.
While with every new beginning there is a risk FutureWorks is
willing to share the risks (and rewards) of the new venture. At any
time in the project you have the option of switching the compensation
plan for FutureWorks from billable to equity based compensation.
Contact FutureWorks to setup your complementary two hour review.