Comments for Lavery/Pennell

Comment on Video: How Nestlé reduced its energy use by 36% per tonne of product by www.dragonkicks.biz

www.dragonkicks.biz — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 13:23:03 +0000

http://www.dragonkicks.biz

dragon kicks

Comment on Transforming sustainability from cost centre to profit centre by Clare Feeney

Clare Feeney — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 17:48:35 +0000

Another most welcome article from Lavery Pennell linking sustainability to business success – wonderful!

Comment on Radical Strategy: Disrupt before you are disrupted by Karl Walter Keirstead

Karl Walter Keirstead — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 14:07:24 +0000

I believe this type of out-of-the-box thinking really works.

In our case, faced with market saturation of enterprise software suites in one of the industry areas where we operate, we decided to give free copies of our software to management consultants.

The consultants use the software during their as usual on-site engagements with clients, same as anyone might use PowerPoint. we ssk them not to mention the product unless asked but the interesting outcome is that the clients, after seeing the software in action over several days or perhaps a week, often ask at the end of the engagement whether they could use the software to run their day-to-day operations.

The best we could hope for in a traditional sales situation would be a 1-2 hour presentation in competition with 10 other vendors, we would have to travel great distances and possibly have to hire an interpreter.

The consultant, on the other hand, is usually local, and has a trusted relationship with his/her client.

We get a free referral, we don’t have to pay out finder fees, commissions – the big bonus to the consultant is they are often asked to stay on and help with the implementation so their use of our free software results in extended engagements with clients.

Why don’t others follow this model? Two reasons

You have to train the consultant pretty much at your expense. If your software is complex it takes a long time for training.

You also run the risk that the consultant will not be proficient and give your product a bad name. Our software only takes 4 hours to master but it took us ten years to tweak it to make it super easy to use.

Comment on New Industrial Model Identified by admin

admin — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 18:23:34 +0000

Steve, let’s hope so. Fortunately a range of companies including Interface, Unilever, Patagonia, and Body Shop are case studies in the model and the benefits that it brings.

Comment on New Industrial Model Identified by Steve McGrady

Steve McGrady — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 17:54:23 +0000

Interesting and important report. In the light of Apple CEO Tim Cook standing up to climate change denying investors, there may be an audience that is willing to take these ideas forward and implement this new model.

Comment on Radical Strategy: Disrupt before you are disrupted by admin

admin — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 16:09:23 +0000

Ted, are you referring to IBM’s decision a couple of years ago to exit computer hardware? If so then they have definitely adopted a radical strategy by “servicising” their business to avoid competing with low cost hardware producers.

Comment on Radical Strategy: Disrupt before you are disrupted by Theodore Caridi

Theodore Caridi — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 15:41:28 +0000

Do you think this is at the core of IBM’s strategy?
Ted Caridi

Comment on Video: Profitable sustainability explained by Bertil Linde

Bertil Linde — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 10:49:05 +0000

Dear Mr Lavery,
I find the video most interesting. Your message concerning value creation and skill set is forward thinking and a new way to summarize.
With all the best
Bertil Linde

Comment on 5 Hot Topics for Successful Companies in 2013 by Andy Hall

Andy Hall — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:40:47 +0000

Hi Nick and Greg,
good to have this positive scenario for 2013. For me, point number 5 is the strongest because it will mean that business models will be reinvented and products designed for recovery instead of disposal. All of the “reduction”actions follow a rule of diminishing return as the margins get less and less. However building and retaining value opens up so much possibility for profit and growth. I’m confident that 2013 will see some significant changes taking place. I’m just wonder which companies will be gutsy enough to do it first !

Comment on What is system value? by Julia Lawrence

Julia Lawrence — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 08:59:14 +0000

I couldn’t agree more, Karl. Of course, I have seen IT groups that do the same thing as the silos they serve – picking favourites from the existing architecture, rather than building bridges. Where is the impetus to be a leader of change? IT can sometimes be a conservative force.

The idea of solving these problems at the business model level has some distinct advantages. It diverts attention from the safety of the current architecture towards alternatives that might deliver more value. As managers start to think in terms of an alternative model, they may find it easier to accept the systems thinking approaches that don’t appear to work in their existing infrastructure. The “it won’t work here” argument become irrelevant if the discussion is about alternatives models in the first place.