Blue Ocean Strategy and Team Forming- A Shared Perspective

Ali Anani

Ideation

This presentation offers a new perspective to the Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS) and team building strategy.

Added on January, 2012 I suggest for you reading my post

presentation on slideshare entitled SNA of Blue Ocean Strategy. You may find Slides 17-19 of particular interest to you

SNA Social Network Analysis

Blue Ocean Strategy(BOS)

The probing of the components of BOS reveals they may be rearranged into two opposites as is shown the left.

Train Vs. Eliminate Raise Vs. Reduce

Team Building Stages

Likewise; the probing of the components of team building reveals they may be rearranged into two opposites as is shown the left.

Forming Vs. Performing Norming Vs. Storming

Storming

Forming

Performing

Norming

Team Building Stages- 2

The system dynamics show how stages develop over time.

This development is complex.

The output of one stage may bifurcate into two inputs.

Storming

Forming

Performing

Norming

Team Building Stages- 3

The system dynamics show how stages develop over time.

This development is complex.

The output of one stage may bifurcate into two inputs in the next stage.

Storming

Forming

Performing

Norming

Team Building Stages- 4

The system dynamics show how stages develop over time.

This development is complex.

The output of one stage may bifurcate into two inputs.

Storming

Forming

Performing

Norming

Output Bifurcating into Two Inputs

A very good example is that reported by Team DynamicsDefining the Team Essentials for Team Success

The positive effect of a strong friendship in a team might be:

the friends communicate a lot together... ...which naturally results in other members being drawn

into the discussion ...which results in a good 'social' feel to the group ...which makes people enjoy being in the group ...which improves motivation and commitment And the reverse is true

Output Bifurcating into Two Inputs- 2

The previous example shows how the cause might bifurcate into two effects. This adds to the complexity of the teams.

Which way this ball of events will

roll?

Output Bifurcating into Two Inputs- 3

The positive and negative chains produce positive and negative loops, which in turn influences the connectedness and richness of information exchange among team members.

Output Bifurcating into Two Inputs- 4

That one input bifurcates into two outputs stresses the system as it leads to the formation of two opposite sub-teams or more.

The harmony between the individual and the team either increases or decreases depending on how team members deal with an input

Sub-team A

Team Member

Sub-team

B

Output Bifurcating into Two Inputs- 5

The sub-teams interact with the organization with two different inputs.

Again, these inputs might bifurcate within the organization into different trajectories (paths) adding to the complexity of the system.

Sub-team A

Team Member

Sub-team

B

Organization

The Panarchy of Teams

The individual, team and the organization might move harmoniously and may not

The Prey – Predator System

We have more than one prey –predator sub-teams within the organization.

The Prey – Predator System- 2

The complexity of a prey–predator system is well-known

If two sub-teams have two different complexities then the whole system is not synchronized

Predictability becomes difficult

Team Synchronization

The complexity of the team may be also constrained by the capacity of the container space.

The container is defined by three dimensions, in emulation of the work of…………..

Team Capacity

In emulation of the work on Adaptation- and the Nature of Complex Systems, the three attributes that determine the capacity of a complex system are: wealth, connectedness and resilience

Forming

Storming

NormingPerforming

Wealth

Connectedness

Resili

ence

Team Capacity- 2

These cycles provide a framework for the opposing forces of growth and stability versus change and variety

Forming

Storming

NormingPerforming

Wealth

Connectedness

Resili

ence

Team Capacity- 3

These cycles provide a framework for the opposing forces of growth and stability versus change and variety

Team Capacity- 4

As a team forms its members are new to each other. There are ample opportunities for all.

Team Capacity- 5

Storming starts as opportunities become scarcer and as differences between team members surface out

Team Capacity- 6

Storming starts as opportunities become scarcer and as differences between team members surface out

Team Capacity- 7

Normalizing starts leading to increased communication, connectedness and exchange of information. This increase in connectedness may increase the rigidity of the team making it less adaptive to change (decreased resilience)

Team Capacity- 8

Performance initiates as connectedness increases and conflicts decrease; else, non-productive work results

Extending the Concept to BOS

Using a similar approach, Blue Ocean Strategy may be tackled along the same lines

Bioteams

Bioteams that emulate nature is a shining concept

Teams have four stages of development These are: founding stage, ergonomic

stage, reproductive stage and terminal stage

These four stages may be analyzed in a fashion similar to what we discussed in this presentation

Extending the Concept to BOS

Using a similar approach, Blue Ocean Strategy may be tackled along the same lines

The Four Building Blocks of BOS

Eliminate, Create, Reduce and Raise are the four building blocks of Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS)

Drawing the Four Blocks to Reflect Opposites

The four blocks may be redrawn as is shown on the left

Drawing the Four Blocks to Reflect Opposites- 2

The four blocks of political, organizational, interorganizational and individual in the above reference are replaced by create, eliminate, reduce and raise

Drawing the Four Blocks to Reflect Opposites- 2

One balance is balancing between old products and future ones. If the system changes and we keep looking at the past we suffer from rigidity

Drawing the Four Blocks to Reflect Opposites- 3

We put our thoughts, feelings and actions. Accordingly, we influence the output of the system.

Drawing the Four Blocks to Reflect Opposites- 5

we influence the three dimensions of the cube.

3 Attributes define the boundary of the cube and hence its

capacity

Conclusion

Systems such as teamwork and Blue Ocean strategy might seem distant to each other.This presentation shows that a common approach towards their study is feasible

A forthcoming presentation will show that the Balanced Scorecard is obedient to a similar approach