Reinventing the rules of engagement: three strategies for winning the information technology race

Abstract

Purpose

From interviews in 2013 with more than 875 CEOs of companies in a variety of industries from around the world, IBM researchers found that the majority of them rank technology as the top issue they expect will exert the strongest influence on their organizations and strategy. this paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This report is the third installment in an ongoing Global C-suite Study, the seventeenth such IBM study to focus on the C-suite. To compile the data for the meta study, between February and June 2013, researchers met with 4,183 top executives, representing a wide range of public and private sector enterprises in more than 20 industries and 70 countries. This report focuses on the responses of more than 875 CEOs from 67 countries who participated in the meta study.

Findings

Analysis of the interviews identified three responses proactive firms have adopted to prepare for the future: embrace disruption; build shared value; and dare to be open.

Research limitations/implications

Create experimentation spaces. Runaway innovation requires places and spaces where people can think, interact and experiment. The creation of these innovation spaces should be a priority. These should include: physical spaces where co-located people with different backgrounds can cross-pollinate each other’s ideas; virtual spaces where large numbers of people across different locations can focus on specific topics; and the building of business ecosystems. Business environments are beginning to evolve from markets to ecosystems. Organizations that identify new ways to serve customers holistically will define new business ecosystems and benefit the most.

Practical implications

Taking action to embrace disruption: move out of bounds. Bringing together people from different industries, backgrounds, regions – and even generations – will be essential to predict and respond to new competitive threats. Expanding partnerships to deepen innovation capabilities will speed the discovery of new technologies and new business models.

Originality/value

CEOs in just about every industry have learned that customers, partners and employees that collaborate can go further, faster in an era of runaway innovation. Many are pushing the boundaries on their organizations as a result – opening up to empower collaboration among individuals and moving away from command-and-control hierarchies. In just one year the number of CEOs determined to open up their organizations has increased an astounding 27 percent.

Citation

Berman, S. and Marshall, A. (2014), "Reinventing the rules of engagement: three strategies for winning the information technology race", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 42 No. 4, pp. 22-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/SL-05-2014-0036