Business901

I first came across Dean Myer several years ago reading two other books,The Building Blocks Approach to Organization Charts and Decentralization: Fantasies, Failings, and Fundamentals. I had re-read them due to my recent foray into those two subjects and sought out Dean about his thoughts and he responded by sending me his latest book. I started out the podcast asking about that book, Internal Market Economics and never did get around to the other subjects for 30 minutes. As a result, I posted the first podcast, Show me the Money – The Truth about Performance last week. This podcast discusses Decentralization and Organization Structure.

Dean Meyer is one of the original proponents of running shared-services organizations within companies as businesses within a business, where every managerial group is an entrepreneurship funded to produce products and services for customers. Dean is the author of seven books. He invented FullCost, a business and budget planning process based on an internal product/service costing solution. He researched the science of organizational structure, captured in his Structural Cybernetics framework and reorganization process.

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In this enlightening podcast, N. Dean Myer discusses his new book, Internal Market Economics. Don Tapscott said it was “essential reading for executives interested in maximizing shareholder value or in running effective shared-services organizations.” Dean offers a fresh vision of empowered, entrepreneurial organizations, and practical solutions to a host of pressing financial and management challenges.

Dean Meyer is one of the original proponents of running shared-services organizations within companies as businesses within a business, where every managerial group is an entrepreneurship funded to produce products and services for customers. Dean is the author of seven books. He invented FullCost, a business and budget planning process based on an internal product/service costing solution. He researched the science of organizational structure, captured in his Structural Cybernetics framework and reorganization process.

I first came across Norm several years ago reading two other books,The Building Blocks Approach to Organization Charts and Decentralization: Fantasies, Failings, and Fundamentals. I had re-read them due to my recent foray into those two subjects.  I wanted to corner Dean about his thoughts and he responded by sending me his latest book. I started out the podcast asking about Internal Market Economics and never did get around to the other subjects for 30 minutes. As a result, a second podcast on Decentralization and Organization Structure will take place next week.

Dean’s websites are ndma.com or FullCost at http://ndma.com/resources/fc-.htm.

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In an earlier Business901 podcast, Lesson Learned in Project Management, Mel Bost and Idiscussed his thinking around Patterns of Behavior. I think you will find this short edition will add some excellent insight about not only the psychology of the Lessons Learned but also the role structure. This may have been my favorite part of the podcast. Amazing similarities to Dr. Deming’s work and Systems Thinking.

Mel is a principal with BOT International, a leading provider of software solutions for project management processes. BOT’s flagship product, Processes On Demand, helps project management offices (PMO) and IT organizations reduce costs, save time, and improve project results. He is engaged in Business Development with the PMO Processes on Demand products and provides on-site training to clients in a number of areas related to project management and Project Management Offices (PMOs), including project lessons learned, best practices, and knowledge management.

About Mel Bost: Mel is experienced in all aspects of project and program management, including strategic planning, design thinking, knowledge management, risk management, capital project audit and control, contactor audits and business process analysis. He has successfully developed the processes, standards, procedures, and organizational structures for the PMOs of several major corporations. Prior to becoming a consultant, Mel worked for a number of large national and international companies, including Exterran Corporation, ConocoPhillips, Phillips Petroleum, Tosco Corporation, UNOCAL, Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), and Ford Motor Company.

Mel Bost was part of a global merger-transition team that developed business analysis and best practices for a new PMO prior to the merger of Conoco and Phillips Petroleum. He also led a global team to create a blueprint for implementing a PMO for Duke Energy Field Services and LUKOIL. He is the author of the highly regarded blog, “MEL BOST PMO EXPERT,” which addresses the structure, activities, and behavior of a Program Management Office (PMO) environment.

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Are you good at closing out a project? By that time most of are so happy to see it completed that the drudgery of going back to point fingers and establish blame is the last thing we want to do. However, the greater value, even more than the actual project sometimes, is the lessons we learn from the project providing future benefit to others and the organization. Mel Bost is a specialist when it comes to Project Closeout.

Mel is a principal with BOT International, a leading provider of software solutions for project management processes. BOT’s flagship product, Processes On Demand, helps project management offices (PMO) and IT organizations reduce costs, save time, and improve project results. He is engaged in Business Development with the PMO Processes on Demand products and provides on-site training to clients in a number of areas related to project management and Project Management Offices (PMOs), including project lessons learned, best practices, and knowledge management.

About Mel Bost: Mel is experienced in all aspects of project and program management, including strategic planning, design thinking, knowledge management, risk management, capital project audit and control, contactor audits and business process analysis. He has successfully developed the processes, standards, procedures, and organizational structures for the PMOs of several major corporations. Prior to becoming a consultant, Mel worked for a number of large national and international companies, including Exterran Corporation, ConocoPhillips, Phillips Petroleum, Tosco Corporation, UNOCAL, Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), and Ford Motor Company.

Mel Bost was part of a global merger-transition team that developed business analysis and best practices for a new PMO prior to the merger of Conoco and Phillips Petroleum. He also led a global team to create a blueprint for implementing a PMO for Duke Energy Field Services and LUKOIL. He is the author of the highly regarded blog, “MEL BOST PMO EXPERT,” which addresses the structure, activities, and behavior of a Program Management Office (PMO) environment.

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The Monitoring (Control) stage is where you learn how to put monitoring systems into place to ensure that their competitive value proposition accomplishes what is intended. This control effort focuses not only on the more strategic value proposition, but also can be set up to monitor specific transactions such as sales, repairs, inquires and other customer experiences. This monitoring process acts as a trip wire, providing information where there are potential people, product of process issues that require intervention.

5 Cs of Driving Market Share is a comprehensive program. It is not a project-by-project approach for reducing the costs of marketing activities, but rather an approach that seeks to enhance marketing’s effectiveness and efficiency. For organizations that have deployed Six Sigma or other quality initiatives, the 5 Cs approach provides a user friendly bridge for moving the quality focus from the manufacturing floor to the marketplace. Those seeking to become best in market must shift their focus from a product orientation to a market orientation, from an internal efficiency focus to an external focus. Best in market companies will be those that can make this transformation and make it soon.

Dr. Eric Reidenbach the creator of this program has allowed me to offer the audio section of the program on the Business901 Blog this week. An outline of this weeks activities:

1. Monday: Customer Identification
2. Tuesday: Customer Value
3. Wednesday: Customer Acquisition
4. Thursday: Customer Retention
5. Friday: Customer Monitoring

If you would like to learn more about this program visit 5Cs of Driving Market Share.

If you would like to purchase this program at a 50% discount for the next 7 days only,

use the link below.

Download 5 Cs of Driving Market Share

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The Retention (Improve) stage could also be called the Enhancement stage. For value leaders, the focus should be on enhancing value to sustain their leadership position. Extending the gap between the value an organization provides and the value provided by the nearest competitor can lead to best in market status. Value followers will want to improve those elements of the value creation and delivery system that will close the gap. This is when organizations need to enhance or improve their competitive value proposition in accordance to the directives of the market place.

5 Cs of Driving Market Share is a comprehensive program. It is not a project-by-project approach for reducing the costs of marketing activities, but rather an approach that seeks to enhance marketing’s effectiveness and efficiency. For organizations that have deployed Six Sigma or other quality initiatives, the 5 Cs approach provides a user friendly bridge for moving the quality focus from the manufacturing floor to the marketplace. Those seeking to become best in market must shift their focus from a product orientation to a market orientation, from an internal efficiency focus to an external focus. Best in market companies will be those that can make this transformation and make it soon.

Dr. Eric Reidenbach the creator of this program has allowed me to offer the audio section of the program on the Business901 Blog this week. An outline of this weeks activities:

1. Monday: Customer Identification
2. Tuesday: Customer Value
3. Wednesday: Customer Acquisition
4. Thursday: Customer Retention
5. Friday: Customer Monitoring

If you would like to learn more about this program visit 5Cs of Driving Market Share.

If you would like to purchase this program at a 50% discount for the next 7 days only,

use the link below.

Download 5 Cs of Driving Market Share

Listen Now:

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In the Acquisition (Analyze) stage you will use primarily the Competitive Value Matrix to guide you through the delivery of value delivery. An organization’s value is relative to that of its competitors. This is part of the buyers’ comparative calculus in assessing where to buy. The buyer is asking a simple question: “Is this brand worth it?” By understanding your organization’s competitive value proposition, leaders can make better decisions regarding market share growth.

5 Cs of Driving Market Share is a comprehensive program. It is not a project-by-project approach for reducing the costs of marketing activities, but rather an approach that seeks to enhance marketing’s effectiveness and efficiency. For organizations that have deployed Six Sigma or other quality initiatives, the 5 Cs approach provides a user friendly bridge for moving the quality focus from the manufacturing floor to the marketplace. Those seeking to become best in market must shift their focus from a product orientation to a market orientation, from an internal efficiency focus to an external focus. Best in market companies will be those that can make this transformation and make it soon.

Dr. Eric Reidenbach the creator of this program has allowed me to offer the audio section of the program on the Business901 Blog this week. An outline of this weeks activities:

1. Monday: Customer Identification
2. Tuesday: Customer Value
3. Wednesday: Customer Acquisition
4. Thursday: Customer Retention
5. Friday: Customer Monitoring

If you would like to learn more about this program visit 5Cs of Driving Market Share.

If you would like to purchase this program at a 50% discount for the next 7 days only,

use the link below.

Download 5 Cs of Driving Market Share

Listen Now:

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In the Value (Measure) stage of Driving Market Share, you will create a value model for each of your targeted product or markets. This value model is the voice of the market (VOM) that drives all operational and strategic initiatives undertaken by the organization. The VOM replaces agendas, hunches and strategic guessing as the guiding factor in growing market share. Value has been shown to be the best leading indicator of market share and top-line revenue growth. Learn how to use superior value creation and delivery to propel growth within the targeted product or markets.

5 Cs of Driving Market Share is a comprehensive program. It is not a project-by-project approach for reducing the costs of marketing activities, but rather an approach that seeks to enhance marketing’s effectiveness and efficiency. For organizations that have deployed Six Sigma or other quality initiatives, the 5 Cs approach provides a user friendly bridge for moving the quality focus from the manufacturing floor to the marketplace. Those seeking to become best in market must shift their focus from a product orientation to a market orientation, from an internal efficiency focus to an external focus. Best in market companies will be those that can make this transformation and make it soon.

Dr. Eric Reidenbach the creator of this program has allowed me to offer the audio section of the program on the Business901 Blog this week. An outline of this weeks activities:

1. Monday: Customer Identification
2. Tuesday: Customer Value
3. Wednesday: Customer Acquisition
4. Thursday: Customer Retention
5. Friday: Customer Monitoring

If you would like to learn more about this program visit 5Cs of Driving Market Share.

If you would like to purchase this program at a 50% discount for the next 7 days only,

use the link below.

Download 5 Cs of Driving Market Share Program

Listen Now:

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The first step in the 5 Cs of Driving Market Share is identifying specific products or markets that offer the organization its best options for growth. You will learn how to evaluate products and markets using metrics such as current market share, market growth rate and competitive intensity to assess the best targets for the organization. When completed, you will eschew the notion that a company can be everything to everybody, and instead focuses on key market opportunities. This occurs in the Define/Identification stage and differs from the more project-oriented approach that traditional Six Sigma uses.

5 Cs of Driving Market Share is a comprehensive program. It is not a project-by-project approach for reducing the costs of marketing activities, but rather an approach that seeks to enhance marketing’s effectiveness and efficiency. For organizations that have deployed Six Sigma or other quality initiatives, the 5 Cs approach provides a user friendly bridge for moving the quality focus from the manufacturing floor to the marketplace. Those seeking to become best in market must shift their focus from a product orientation to a market orientation, from an internal efficiency focus to an external focus. Best in market companies will be those that can make this transformation and make it soon.

Dr. Eric Reidenbach the creator of this program has allowed me to offer the audio section of the program on the Business901 Blog this week. An outline of this weeks activities:

1. Monday: Customer Identification
2. Tuesday: Customer Value
3. Wednesday: Customer Acquisition
4. Thursday: Customer Retention
5. Friday: Customer Monitoring

If you would like to learn more about this program visit 5Cs of Driving Market Share.

If you would like to purchase this program, use the link below.

Download 5 Cs of Driving Market Share Program

Listen Now:

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In this Thursday edition of the Business901 Podcast, Mick Campbell co-founder and Managing Partner of OPPM International discusses the most recent book, The New One-Page Project Manager: Communicate and Manage Any Project With A Single Sheet of Paper. This replaces the first book and has a section on Agile Project management. 

The One-Page Project Manager sets a new standard as an understandable and easy-to-apply organizational tool, allowing managers to summarize complex projects on a single information-rich page. The third book in the OPPM series, The One-Page Project Manager for Execution: Drive Strategy and Solve Problems with a Single Sheet of Paper describes how to combine the OPPM with the Toyota A3 report to create an enhanced, integrated management tool.

About: Mick Campbell, MBA has 20 years of experience rooted in project management, innovation and technology, Mick helps individuals and organizations with leadership and communication to substantially improve project performance. Focusing on project innovation, Mick facilitates highly interactive sessions and workshops for PMI and AAPM certification requirements.

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In my mailbox several weeks ago from the website Academia.edu, I came across a an interesting article, How Instructional Designers Solve Workplace Problems, co-authored by Dr. Lisa Yamagata-Lynch. An abstract on the article:

The findings revealed differences between experts and novices with regards to tolerance of ambiguity, expectations about their own roles in finding solutions for their clients, adaptability, attention to appropriate details, and management of workplace stress. The contrast between instructional design processes taught in universities and actual workplace practice was noted by both expert and novice participants. Experienced participants demonstrated adaptability in processes and communications to efficiently arrive at viable solutions for their clients. Expectation setting and relationship building emerged as techniques for creating environments supportive of instructional designers' problem-solving activities.

Dr. Yamagata-Lynch authored the book Activity Systems Analysis Methods: Understanding Complex Learning Environments where she outlines Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT). CHAT is one of several theoretical frameworks that are popular among educational researchers because it conceptualizes individuals and their environment as a holistic unit of analysis.  Activity systems analysis is one of the popular methods among CHAT researchers for mapping complex human interactions from qualitative data.

I found the area fascinating and applicability to sales and marketing. I had a great time in the podcast as we explored the world of Design and discussed her present work in Design Thinking and Theory.

What Dr. Lisa Yamagata-Lynch says about herself:

Teaching Interests

In the classroom I encourage students to experience their own construction of understanding regarding the teaching-learning and design processes. I want my students to be aware of their beliefs regarding this process, and to be aware of what influences those beliefs have on their teaching and design practices. I encourage students to become involved in a dialogue with colleagues and mentors regarding their beliefs, and to become reflective practitioners. Through the activities I facilitate, I want students to pose questions that engage them in project-based problem solving activities. I do not want to promote the impression that there is one correct answer for issues related to teaching and design, but I want students to be able to find their own pedagogical solutions.

Research Interests

I identify myself as a Cultural Historical Activity Theorist (CHAT), and I believe that knowledge is not an isolated set of rules accessed only when necessary, but is a shared entity that is distributed among individuals, context, activity, artifacts, and in the interactions that take place among the above. I also believe that individuals belong in a community that enables them to share and negotiate their knowledge with other members. For the last several years I have focused my research in using activity theory, or more specifically activity systems analysis, for understanding the complex nature of human interactions within a community.

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Beyond Agile: Tales of Continuous Improvement is the latest publication of Modus Cooperandi. Co-author Maritza van den Heuvel is my guest on the podcast. Beyond Agile examines 10 companies, mostly in the tech world, but also in innovative automotive and business consulting, that have actively evolved their processes. Using tools from Lean, Agile and other schools of management thought, these companies have actively engaged in continuous improvement. Beyond Agile other authors are Jim Benson and Joanne Ho.

Maritza is also the author of the Becoming an Agile Family blog where she writes about the ways her family uses Personal Kanban to navigate work and life. You can also find Maritza on Twitter (@maritzavdh). Maritiza also appeared in another Business901 Podcast,  Becoming an Agile Family thru Kanban. A written excerpt of the blog appeared last week, Life does not stand still Work does not stand still.

About Maritza van den Heuvel: Maritza spent six years doing research in computational linguistics after completing a Postgraduate degree in Linguistics. She eventually left academia for the software industry where she cut her teeth on Agile and Scrum as a Scrum Master and Product Owner, helping teams to evolve from waterfall to Scrum. Along the way, her unquenchable thirst for knowledge led her to Kanban and Lean systems thinking. Since then, she has become a passionate proponent of the power of constraints and visual controls to transform the world of work in the 21st century. She is currently with Pearson Southern Africa, where she’s applying her background to leading innovation in technology-enabled education.

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