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Former Member
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"Why the world needs audacious business solutions" was a line I spotted on the cover of the September 2010 issue of the Harvard Business Review. It caught my attention (as it was meant to) and upon turning to the relevant pages I found that it was a case for "out-of-the-box thinking, audacious goals, and lots of experiments." It was also a case for entrepreneurial ventures, and how social entrepreneurs and corporations could make a difference in the world we live in.

It was a good read....but, I kept thinking of the line that attracted me to those articles in the first place. Traditionally, we have seen that disruptive technology or inventions have a way of providing an organization or industry a quantum advantage that allows them to operate on a whole new level. Over time that advantage erodes away as others catch up. Today we live in a world that is fraught with possibilities and influenced by the pervasive nature of technology; in such an environment, realizing game changing innovation quickly is not a far-fetched notion for many organizations. As these technological capabilities are more readily accessible by many, the playing field could stay fairly level for most players. How then, can an organization realize differentiating value quickly?

I believe the answer lies in that catch phrase, "audacious business solutions." The above-mentioned article lists some examples of such solutions and their success. What every organization must realize is that they need to encourage and foster a climate that supports such audacious behavior! We must not be afraid to question status quo. Working with several SAP customers I find that many ask the question of how best they can derive more advantage or greater returns from their not insignificant SAP investments. One concern that is often presented to me when I speak about rethinking processes is about those processes that should not be tinkered with, or those that are core to the business. This is a valid concern, and is best addressed in the light of how your business network is evolving. There is often considerable learning to be gained when communing with others who might be faced with similar dilemmas. In the world we now live in, your success is tied to how well you play within your business network.

Of late my response is much easier -  I merely point to the Co-Innovation program of the SAP Premier Customer Network (PCN) which in fact is based on the simple premise that the advantage from leveraging your network is invaluable when considering "audacious business solutions" and seeking to balance that aspect with the need for stability and good governance. If you are a member of the SAP Premier Customer Network you have dedicated programs available to you that are designed to ensure your success.

Are you ready to consider audacious business solutions?