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Bring Back the General Manager

Harvard Business Review

Two decades ago, organizations were designed around stand-alone business units, so all managers had to understand finance, technology, manufacturing, sales, marketing, strategy, human resources, and more. Finally, carve out innovation incubators that will serve not only to build new businesses but also to grow general managers.

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Building a Software Start-Up Inside GE

Harvard Business Review

In a departure from GE’s traditional control systems, the Center was not set up as its own business unit with its own P&L, but rather was funded by a $1 billion investment by Jeff Immelt and became part of GE Global Research. Second, we are incubating new software talent and [creating] software DNA.