
We’ve recently seen the end of the myth that smaller companies, cash-strapped and resource-light, are the only businesses susceptible to disruption. From O2 and BlackBerry to Nationwide and Natwest, global giants are experiencing major, high profile instances of downtime that is causing outrage and disaffection among customers. If it’s not down to a lack of resources, what is the issue with the modern enterprise?
Enterprise hurdles
I was recently involved in a roundtable debate including the likes of Intellect, BDO LLP and Ascencus, which found that the challenge many larger companies are facing is one of a generational divide. There’s tension between today’s young, tech-savvy and mobile-ready workforce (with its expectations of 24/7 access to core information and resources) and the older workers, the “digital immigrants”, who either don’t fully understand or fully embrace emerging technologies, but will likely be in charge of purse strings. It’s a question of management; with new initiatives caught between internal politics and a fear of disrupting the status quo, how can companies instigate change to deliver around the clock efficiency? To overcome this, I’d suggest larger companies look to the “little guys” for inspiration. Although both large and small businesses measure success by the health of their bottom lines and financials, necessity also dictates that they operate on very different sets of principles. Increasingly, the limitations of smaller companies are also providing opportunity. Limited resources and financial backing dictate the need for overheads to be kept as low as possible at all times, meaning new technology is often seen as an enabler and a disruptive force in a positive light, rather than a controversial one.A network of innovation
While completely changing to a start-up mentality isn’t feasible for larger enterprises, they should look to turn necessity into opportunity, just as we’re seeing with successful smaller companies. Yes, larger companies are fragmented and sprawling, with operations spread over different geographies, time zones and cultures.Share this story