Competing in a Flat World: Building Enterprises for a Borderless World

Description

“This is essential reading for anyone seeking to compete–and succeed–in the fl at world.” –John Hagel, Chairman of Deloitte Center of Innovation   “Competing in a Flat World provides an extraordinary glimpse into a new kind of organizational architecture, one built around the notion of orchestrating resources you don’t control and doing so in a way that builds both trust and agility. This architecture may well turn out to be the dominant model of the firm for the 21st century. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to compete in a flat world. Every chapter details new and powerful ideas.” –John Seely Brown, Former Chief Scientist of Xerox Corporation and coauthor of The Only Sustainable Edge   “We are led by unstoppable economic forces to connect our resources to form smart networks, either wired or unwired. The authors bring forward the notion of ‘network orchestration,’ an almost one-size-fits-all strategy for organizations to survive and excel in an ever-flattening world.” –John Chen, Sybase Chairman, CEO and President   In the “flat world,” everything changes…above all, what it takes to run a winning company. Success is less about what the company can do itself and more about what it can connect to. Find out how it’s done, from the company that pioneered “flat world” success, Li & Fung, which produces more than $8 billion in garments and other goods for the world’s top brands and retailers–without owning a single factory.   Victor and William Fung and Jerry Wind, author of the best-selling The Power of Impossible Thinking, reveal how they’ve replaced “old-fashioned” infrastructure and huge employee bases with a fluid, ever-changing network that can design, manufacture, and deliver almost anything, anywhere. The key to success in this world is a set of principles for “network orchestration,” described for the first time in this book. They examine how these principles can be applied in manufacturing, services and other industries. They show how to build and orchestrate your own world-class global network.       *   Compete “network vs. network”–and win!     *   Create a “big-small” company that combines scale and agility     *   Forge loose-tight relationships with suppliers     *   Balance control with empowerment, stability with renewal     *   Manage the “bumps” in the flat world–from politics to terrorism   Visit the authors' website: www.competinginaflatworld.net  Cover Contents Preface: Competing Flat Out Chapter 1: The Orchestration Imperative The Challenge of Globalization 3.0 Ripping the Roof Off the Factory Increasing Flexibility: Precipitating Supply Chains from the Network Orchestration: Most Evident in Its Absence The Broad Opportunities for Orchestration The Three Roles of Network Orchestration Role #1: Design and Manage Networks Role #2: Control through Empowerment Role #3: Create Value through Integration A Multiplier Bumps, Mountains, and Superhighways: The Need for Balance Not Where, but How Orchestrate or Be Orchestrated PART I: Focus: Firm and Network Chapter 2: Orchestrate the Network What Is Network Orchestration? The Constraints of Ownership Global Dispersion: Why Tickle Me Elmo Wasn’t Born in Manhattan Importance of the Conductor Chapter 3: Compete Network Against Network The New Competition Improving the Network The Wisdom of Networks Beyond the Cheapest Needle: The Logic of the Network Clustering in a Flat World A Robust Network Trust and Relationships A Machete and a PDA PART II: Management: Control and Empowerment Chapter 4: Take Responsibility for the Whole Chain (Whether You Own It or Not) There Is Greater Transparency in a Flat World Minding the Factory Addressing the Root Cause: Control Without Ownership Extending the Supply Chain: Return, Recycle, Reuse A Broader View of the Business Chapter 5: Empower “Little John Waynes” to Create a Big-Small Company The Perils of the Flat-World Frontier The Frontier Spirit Creating Plug-and-Play Enterprises The Wagon Trains: The Back Office and Middle Office Facilitating Growth How the West (and East) Were Won: Giving Wings to a Tiger Chapter 6: Establish the Three-Year Stretch to Balance Stability and Renewal The Problem with Moving Targets The Power of the Stretch Where’s the Stick?: No Penalties for Falling Short Formulating the Plan Planning for Networks A New Organization Every Three Years Chapter 7: Build the Company Around the Customer Launching a New Business Customers Evoking Supply Chains Cosourcing with Customers Understanding and Anticipating Customers Why Disintermediation Didn’t Happen: The Need for Thick Connections Customers Are the New Axis of the Flat World Chapter 8: Follow the 30/70 Rule to Create Loose-Tight Organizations Loose Coupling Leveraging Learning Leveraging Capital Benefits for Suppliers: Democratizing the Network Building and Expanding Relationships with Suppliers PART III: Value Creation: Specialization and Integration Chapter 9: Capture the “Soft $3” by Looking Beyond the Factory Opportunities to Capture the Soft Dollars Higher Stakes Chapter 10: Sell to the Source by Bridging Marketing and Operations From Outsourcing Programming to Selling Generators in India Opportunities in Emerging Markets Markets Follow the Factories Seizing Opportunities While Avoiding Ghost Malls Bringing Worlds Together PART IV: Implications for Policy and Practice Chapter 11: Policy: Building a Borderless Business in a World of Nation-States New Silk Roads Advantages of Nations Ferraris on Dirt Roads Chapter 12: Practice: A Lever to Move the World Rethinking the Business The Flat World Requires Network Orchestration Opportunities for Network Orchestration Beyond Business Striking a Balance in a Flat-Round World Participating in Networks Leading Networks An Ever-Flattening World Conclusion: Are You Ready to Compete Flat Out? A Plan for Action What Should You Do Next? How Do You Achieve Profitable Growth? How Can You Build the Competencies You Need to Compete? A New World View An Evolving World Appendix: About Li & Fung Notes Index A B C D E F G H I J–K L M N O P Q–R S T U–V W–Z