Comments on: the real integrated marketing http://cultureby.com/2005/08/the_real_integr.html This Blog Sits At the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics Thu, 17 May 2012 21:10:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: steve http://cultureby.com/2005/08/the_real_integr.html/comment-page-1#comment-5885 steve Tue, 23 Aug 2005 21:28:28 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=889#comment-5885 I believe the term at Honda is that they want "T-shaped" people--deep in one area and broad (if shallow) across the rest. That way you can have cross-functional teams that a) have enough common ground to communicate and frame problems and b) enough differentiated specialist expertise to have something useful to say to one another. If any foolish person cares, I have a 2002 paper in Organization Science on "Islands of Shared Knowledge: Specialization and Mutual Understanding in Problem-Solving Teams" that tries to lay out some basic theoretical principles about when silos are or are not a good idea. (I don't mention Phil's excellent point about secrecy above, because the focus is on the problem-solving aspects of knowledge specialization.) Warning: It's pretty "academic," i.e. not a sprightly read, but it does try to get at some knotty basic stuff that usually gets ignored. I believe the term at Honda is that they want “T-shaped” people–deep in one area and broad (if shallow) across the rest. That way you can have cross-functional teams that a) have enough common ground to communicate and frame problems and b) enough differentiated specialist expertise to have something useful to say to one another.

If any foolish person cares, I have a 2002 paper in Organization Science on “Islands of Shared Knowledge: Specialization and Mutual Understanding in Problem-Solving Teams” that tries to lay out some basic theoretical principles about when silos are or are not a good idea. (I don’t mention Phil’s excellent point about secrecy above, because the focus is on the problem-solving aspects of knowledge specialization.) Warning: It’s pretty “academic,” i.e. not a sprightly read, but it does try to get at some knotty basic stuff that usually gets ignored.

]]> By: Peter McB. http://cultureby.com/2005/08/the_real_integr.html/comment-page-1#comment-5884 Peter McB. Tue, 23 Aug 2005 17:44:11 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=889#comment-5884 I recall a flurry of articles in the British press in 1988-89 about the urgent need in business for "hybrids" -- people with both IT and non-technological expertise. Has futurology now been around long enough that one can make a living as a futurologist by repeating past predictions? I recall a flurry of articles in the British press in 1988-89 about the urgent need in business for “hybrids” — people with both IT and non-technological expertise. Has futurology now been around long enough that one can make a living as a futurologist by repeating past predictions?

]]> By: Phil Psilos http://cultureby.com/2005/08/the_real_integr.html/comment-page-1#comment-5883 Phil Psilos Tue, 23 Aug 2005 12:22:26 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=889#comment-5883 Yet breaking down silos- when working across firm networks- can present other challenges. Many companies keep technical work in silos so they can outsource pieces of development and manufacturing without the risk that competitors or subcontractors could copy entire product specs/plans/etc and create counterfeits...in other words, to defend or preserve intellectual property...So there is a defensive dimension to "siloing" as well as an offensive one. Yet breaking down silos- when working across firm networks- can present other challenges. Many companies keep technical work in silos so they can outsource pieces of development and manufacturing without the risk that competitors or subcontractors could copy entire product specs/plans/etc and create counterfeits…in other words, to defend or preserve intellectual property…So there is a defensive dimension to “siloing” as well as an offensive one.

]]> By: Tom Guarriello http://cultureby.com/2005/08/the_real_integr.html/comment-page-1#comment-5882 Tom Guarriello Tue, 23 Aug 2005 11:15:55 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=889#comment-5882 Just found a quote by Charles Landry (speaking about creating creative cities) that may be relevant: "the key today is to think at the edge of one's competence, not at the center. We assume you know how to do what your specialty is, but 'solving the problem' is all about [crossing] boundaries, borders and all of that..." Just found a quote by Charles Landry (speaking about creating creative cities) that may be relevant: “the key today is to think at the edge of one’s competence, not at the center. We assume you know how to do what your specialty is, but ‘solving the problem’ is all about [crossing] boundaries, borders and all of that…”

]]> By: Tom Guarriello http://cultureby.com/2005/08/the_real_integr.html/comment-page-1#comment-5881 Tom Guarriello Tue, 23 Aug 2005 10:16:18 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=889#comment-5881 The whole notion of silos is being re-thought. More and more, one of those "non-technical skills" of successful innovators is an ability to walk the catwalk and integrate knowledge with that of others. The whole notion of silos is being re-thought. More and more, one of those “non-technical skills” of successful innovators is an ability to walk the catwalk and integrate knowledge with that of others.

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