Kay Plantes

The following quote (courtesy of a blog post by Esther Dyson, savvy internet investor) should be posted on billboards next to every large company, especially in Japan where once-great electronics giants face the Herculean challenge of reversing an accelerating decline:

Has anyone noticed how many former market leaders are facing major revenue challenges? Sharp. Dell. Best Buy. HP. Penny's....

Einstein argued that a problem will never be solved with the same mindset that created it. His thinking is sorely needed to address an emerging physician shortfall.

Business model innovation lessons abound in the daily news, and not just in the business section. CNN and Fox News provide recent examples. Both offered breaking but inaccurate news that the US Supreme Court ruled Obama’s signature healthcare reform – the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – as unconstitutional. Their paradigm – a mental model for how things work – coupled with competition to offer breaking news resulted in their reporting mistake.

What would the late Gov. Lee Dreyfus think about Tuesday’s recall? The former chancellor of the University of Stevens Points brought a talented group of executives into his administration, people picked by their talent, not their politics. It was a joy to be part of the team.

I used to love “Meet the Press,” the Sunday morning TV show where I'd gain new insights into a pressing public issue. Today the show feels more like a platform for propaganda from different sides of the political debate.

“Situation” is a powerful lens for identifying business model innovation opportunities and protecting whatever market space you now command. “Situational segmentation” recognizes that any one customer's needs – for a restaurant for example – depend on the circumstances giving rise to the need – entertaining, date-night, shopping with a friend. You can disrupt a leader or protect your position by finding situations where existing offerings fail to address situational needs.

When strategic plans, effectively executed, fail to drive growth a number of root causes are usually at work. Leaders...

Is deflation a risk? Yes. That's the simple answer. However, understanding deflation's drivers is important for deciding whether to change your business model strategy to address that risk.

What does Harley-Davidson have in common with the Republican and Democratic Parties? Core customers have kept all three locked into business models that will fail as the baby boomers age.