Harvard Business Review

OCTOBER 5, 2012

In our last blog post , we showed how Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault-Nissan and inventor of the concept of "frugal engineering", is reinventing his entire company so it can innovate faster, better, and cheaper in a complex and resource-scarce global environment. Carlos Ghosn isn't the only CEO spearheading the frugal innovation revolution.

CEO 8

CEO Innovation Restructuring Incentives 8

Harvard Business Review

JANUARY 29, 2015

As Marco Annunziata , Chief Economist at GE, told me, “We’re no longer selling customers just a jet engine, a locomotive, or a wind turbine; we’re bringing data and actionable solutions along with the hardware to reduce costs and improve performance.” The next question was where to establish the software center.

Software 8

Software Six Sigma Insourcing P&L 8

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 17, 2015

This intensive customer focus has increased as technology-enabled transparency and online social media accelerate an inexorable flow of market power downstream from suppliers to customers. The clients don’t have to own or maintain the technology. The technologies and trends shaping tomorrow’s businesses.

Productivity 8

Productivity Products Customer Intimacy Software 8

Harvard Business Review

JANUARY 25, 2011

I wanted to accept the consensus as a sign that the company had rounded the corner on its 3-year slog to be more relevant in their market. I knew that the new head of engineering and the head of product management had worked through a ton of issues to get to this review meeting prepared. The voice grew in clarity and volume.

CEO 16

CEO Engineering Consensus Innovation 16

Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

Dr Reddy's plan is to leverage Chirotech's scientific capabilities to optimize drug development processes, thus lowering manufacturing costs and speeding time-to-market. Suzlon's head of technology is John O'Halloran, a former Cummins Engine executive who now leads Suzlon's 500-strong global R&D team out of Hamburg.

Globalization 10

Globalization Innovation Decentralization Chemicals 10

Harvard Business Review

MAY 23, 2016

The deterministic behavior means everything is predictable, and more importantly, the system can be designed to be stable, a fundamental goal of control systems engineering (think of the supply-chain bullwhip effect as an example of instability). The technologies and processes that are transforming companies. Insight Center.

Supply Chain 10

Supply Chain Engineering System Efficiency 10

Harvard Business Review

NOVEMBER 27, 2013

A recent Fast Company profile hints that Flyknit’s small footprint and low labor intensity could help Nike put more factories in more places, slashing time-to-market as well as import duties. This makes it possible to replicate the factory in other parts of the world, closer to customer demand – something Tesla has already begun doing.

Offshoring 8

Offshoring Productivity Products Competitive Advantage 8

Harvard Business Review

OCTOBER 20, 2011

DuPont sent Donaldson Brown, a promising engineer-turned-finance staffer, to Detroit to sort things out, and sort them out he did. In their pursuit of margin, marketers sought market power even to the point of monopoly, requiring antitrust laws to cry stop at the last moment of the end game.

ROE 13

ROE Debt to Equity Ratio Innovation Incentives 13

Harvard Business Review

MAY 2, 2016

A big reason is technological complexity. Automatic lane-change or braking systems, electric power steering, complex engine controllers — all require microcontrollers and power semiconductors. While production is approaching all-time highs, the percentage of parts that come from U.S. sources continues to steadily decline.

Supply Chain 8

Supply Chain Globalization Cost Efficiency 8