LO a Means or End LO6461

Andrew Moreno (amoreno@broken.ranch.org)
Fri, 5 Apr 1996 20:21:21 -0800 (PST)

Replying to LO6425 --

I agree with your comments about examining the relationships between
parts of the system.

On Thu, 4 Apr 1996, William J. Hobler, Jr. wrote:

> In this instance, in particular we examine our competitors and their
> ability to draw customer business away from us.

I think a tricky part is to separate positioning with creation of new
stuff that meets other entities values (customer presupposes creation of
value with existing stuff).

[It's easy to go overboard with positioning - selection mechanisms. I
think this is one reason why big company's aren't very nimble - their
selection mechanisms - positioning - workforce - focuses on maintaining
the selection mechanisms - positioning - workforce hierarchy - rather than
other factors.]

Positioning with customers, other businesses, government, etc. is
very important. Positioning helps to create value.

Increasing capabilities to create new stuff that meets other entities
values - inventing - maybe is a way to circumvent issues of enforcement in
getting things in return for stuff we deliver to others.
_________________________

I think attitude is a big factor in increasing capabilities to create
stuff that meets other's values.

Id software, makers of Doom and Wolfenstein 3D - ultra successful video
games, have the attitude of "we want to do things nobody has ever done
before", "we thrive on competition".

[Granted, they started with a lot of capabilities, and they might not know
how to increase their capabilities to create new stuff that meets other
entities values, but the attitude seems right.]

Intel and other companies have the attitude of "we want to make our stuff
obsolete before other companies do".

[Granted, these processes become a sort of positioning, especially if one
entities products become a "standard" or "base" for what other companies
deliver and create.

Maybe standards are best left as "open specifications". Maybe companies
that develop a significant base technology should leave it open. The
question is, what constitutes a "base technology" or "standard" or "open
specification"?]

Andrew Moreno
amoreno@broken.ranch.org

-- 

Andrew Moreno <amoreno@broken.ranch.org>

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>