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Latest "Governance" Posts

Five Ways To Move Strategy From Boardroom Talk to Execution

CEO.com: Read Hope is not a strategy. Boards of Directors will often establish a general plan and
simply hope the executive team will know how to implement it to achieve the
intended results. Unfortunately, there are a lot of disappointments as a
frustrated board realizes the executive misinterpreted the… Read

 

Posted in Governance, Organizational Strategy, Strategic Planning, strategic planning, innovation by Dr. Sarah Layton on March 31, 2014.

Growth Strategies: Getting The Right People Part #3

When looking at a resume, what do you find most significant? 

In this series, we have polled HR experts in various fields to help determine what the Growth Strategies are in getting the right people for your organization. To see posts #1 and #2, go to www.corporatestrategy.com and click on blogs. Part #1 covered the question of the candidates technical fit for the job, part #2 covered the candidates cultural fit for the organization. In this, the 3rd part, we are asking the question: When looking at a resume, what do you find most significant?  

Posted in Governance, Growth, Organizational Strategy, Strategic Planning by Dr. Sarah Layton on July 29, 2013.
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Who Needs Shareholders?

The current issue of Harvard Business Review article* by Justin Fox and Jay Lorsch of Harvard are arguing the importance of the individual shareholder in the wake of the trend of institutional shareholders now comprising more than 50% of stock ownership. With Facebook’s Zuckerberg doing an end run around the individual shareholders, he owns controlling interest in Facebook.

Posted in Governance by Dr. Sarah Layton on August 9, 2012.
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Steve Jobs

Just finished reading the biography of Steve Jobs and the Zen of Steve Jobs. An interesting man who seemed tortured at times trying to find the meaning of life. Not known for his acts of kindness, yet he was driven to create products his market loved. A quick read with some lessons learned.

Posted in Governance, Organizational Strategy by Dr. Sarah Layton on July 26, 2012.

Strategic Planning: Who should be responsible?

Recently I was asked to comment on the question: Who is or should be responsible for Strategic Planning? Several people responded. Here is my response:

Of course I agree that the CEO is the ultimate decider of the final strategic plan. Strategy is the CEOs primary job and also one of the key areas of attention for the Board. While I agree with the philosophy of the other respondents, I don’t believe the responses take the issue of “who” to a deep enough level.

Posted in Governance, Organizational Strategy, Strategic Planning by Dr. Sarah Layton on November 11, 2011.

The Strategy Lesson of 9-11

For me, 9-11 started like many other mornings. There was the usual mad dash to the airport to catch my flight to New York. I had been working a lot in New York and I knew the routine. I had a very busy day planned so I was anxious to get to LaGuardia and get started.

Posted in Governance, Organizational Strategy by Dr. Sarah Layton on September 11, 2011.

You Can’t Win the Strategy Horse Race with a Planning Mule

One of the questions I was asked recently is: “How can you be so sure that the tools of Blue Ocean Strategy® will result in lower cost and increased revenue?”

The short answer is that clients find and capitalize on a large hidden market opportunity that will grow their business when they know how to look for the opportunities. Remember, a consultant (at least this consultant) doesn’t come up with all the brilliant ideas. The client (YOU!) does when you know how and where to look for them.

Posted in Governance, Organizational Strategy by Dr. Sarah Layton on September 8, 2011.

Can BP find a Blue Ocean Strategy?

BP has been in hot oil for months now. Can they find a Blue Ocean Strategy after all this? Click to see this video or cut and paste into your browser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VmrIwLpuIk

Posted in Blue Ocean Strategy, Governance by Dr. Sarah Layton on August 10, 2010.

Can a Community Association have a Blue Ocean Strategy®?

Why not?

According to Wikipedia, a community association is a nongovernmental association of participating members of a community, such as a neighborhood, village, condominium, cooperative, or group of homeowners or property owners in a delineated geographic area. Participation may be voluntary, require a specific residency, or require participation in an intentional community. Community associations may serve as social clubs, community promotional groups, service organizations, or quasi-governmental groups.

There are many communities around the US and the world and more are being developed every day. Many are aging and now must face the future competing with the fresh new developments unconstrained by age, and old construction material and design.

Posted in Blue Ocean Strategy, Governance by Dr. Sarah Layton on July 31, 2008.

Can Blue Ocean Strategy help Companies go Green?

According to Craig Barrett, Chairman of Intel Corporation, the United States will need to improve its capacity to innovate if it wants to maintain its economic position in the world,. Furthermore, government must make R&D more of a priority, as should private industry.

In an interview putblished by Insead Univeristy, Barrett says that INTEL is one of the largest venture capitalists in the world and no longer invests as heavily in the US and Europe, but rather in Asia.

Posted in Blue Ocean Strategy, Governance, Growth by Dr. Sarah Layton on March 25, 2008.