"... In particular, we must regrind our lenses to monitor the periphery, that is, the edges, of our business. At these edges lie our richest opportuntiies for value creation & our strongest protection against value destruction...
If we adjust our lenses accordingly, then we will begin to see something remarkable: The edges will reshape & eventually transform the core..."
~ business strategist John Hagel III & scientist John Seely Brown, writing in their wonderful book, 'The Only Sustainable Edge: Why Business Strategy Depends on Productive Friction & Dynamic Specialization';
[I like the authors' battle cry: "Embrace the edge or Perish"!
From my understanding: "The edge" refers to the edge of the enterprise; boundaries of matured markets as well as industries; geographic edges of emerging economies; demographic edges between generations (old & new); & the edges of special domains of knowledge;
The "core" has two meanings: At one level, it refers to the inside of the enterprise - the core capabilities that determine our business success. At a global scale, it refers to the developed economies.
On both levels, the emerging patterns on the edges will force us - & help us - to rethink & reconfigure our core activities;
By the way, the two authors have a new book, 'The Power of Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things in Motion', which I have yet to procure & read.
Nonetheless, readers can also pop into their 'Edge Perspectives' website to download some interesting e-books, which explore some of the edge-themes in the foregoing book.
For me, as far as innovations from reading & observation are concerned, both futurists Joel Arthur Barker & Peter Schwartz, as far back as the nineties, had often referred to the significance of "the fringe", while innovation strategist Wayne Burkan took a different spin when he talked about fringe competitors, disgruntled or lost customers & rogue employees;
Interestingly, today, Joel Arthur Barker revels about "innovation at the verge".]
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