June 2009 Deep Insights

Disruption of status quo is, has, and always will be a pathway to future cycles of prosperity. When organizations embrace the question “What happens after what comes next,” disruption of the status quo can begin.

The simple truth is an organization’s longevity is most often predicted by its ability to market products that customers will buy at a margin, producing a return on investment equal to or better than their competition. In the past the evolution of products moved at a pace that allowed early adopters to play, purchase and influence the market; developing years of success. Today’s new products move rapidly past early adopters into the mass market. Organizations must make the most of this small window for success or watch their profits quickly shrink below historical markers. Armed with this knowledge marketers must determine the best use of their influence over and communication to the mass market. The strategy must be confident and controlled. Quick and nimble execution must occur, so as not to allow competitors to displace the organization’s disruption initiative.

How do organizations prepare themselves to answer “What happens after what comes next” and profit from their own successful product disruption? First, they must create a culture of urgency, urgency that moves beyond individual gain and focuses on the whole winning. Second, an organization must be focused on OUTSIDE -- IN product development. Markets determine product development, not manufacturing or design capabilities. Third, research must be capable of searching for unseen synergy here-to-fore viewed as impossible. Through its research an organization must leave the comfort zone of home and visit all continents, countries and industries; it must be challenged to deliver innovations driven by connecting unexpected discoveries. Fourth, seamless integration must be embraced by stakeholders who play a part in the execution of new product development and introduction to mass markets. Fifth, “next” works best in an environment of the many versus the few. Therefore everyone must be accountable for their daily activities permitting more time to be spent on “next.”

Organizations must take charge of their future. They need to predict the future in an unpredictable climate, disrupting others, not being disrupted by others