Ecosystem design thinking

We still need to sell Business Ecosystems

by
The selling of Business Ecosystems needs facilitation and realization

So often, you get the question, “What are the arguments for selling B2B business ecosystems?”

Then why would enterprises invest in such a significant change to their systems and structures? Where is the value and payback?

It should be recognized that selling B2B business ecosystems to enterprises can be a compelling proposition as it offers several potential benefits and value propositions. Here are some key top level arguments for why enterprises might invest in adopting a B2B business ecosystem approach:

Read more

Valuing Business Ecosystems Driving Design and My Thinking

by
Connected Business Ecosystems for Impact and Value

After a short break, I have further solidified and deepened my approach to business ecosystem thinking and design through my “Hierarchy of business ecosystems” framework. This recent work has been focused on making this framework more robust, where integrating the suggested ecosystems of innovation, business, dynamic, and enterprise ecosystems brings out the value of such an overarching design.( see below for these as integrated value )

I provided a recent post “Returning to the Hierarchy of Business Ecosystems” where I summarized what the framework provided in its structured approach but also highlighted the area for improvement in its design value by offering a more robust, real and practical construct that offers components and bridging points for adoption. Some of these really important ones I will post upon as they need that “singled out focus” such as a more comprehensive Governance mechanisms, explicit integrations of dynamic adaptation and resilience, addressing interdependence and feedback loops and more quantitative metrics.

The Vision of the interconnected Business Ecosystem has this as its objectives.

“The Hierarchy of Business Ecosystem Needs presents a holistic approach to navigating the complexities of the modern business landscape. It emphasizes collaborative ecosystems as the key to unlocking untapped potential, driving sustained growth, and achieving collective prosperity.

Read more

Thriving in the Dynamic Ecosystem of the Hierarchy of Business Ecosystem Needs.

by

Sub-Title: “Dynamically thriving and evolving Business Ecosystems; Adapting Together.”

Understanding the Dynamic Ecosystem within the Hierarchy of Business Ecosystems

I am introducing the Hierarchy of Business Ecosystem Needs in several posts. This is the sixth post within the series introducing the fourth and most novel layer- the Dynamic Ecosystem. I find this the most exciting ecosystem, with the potential to transform and challenge all of what we do.

The Dynamic Ecosystem is a unique and critical layer within the Hierarchy of Business Ecosystem Needs. It plays a pivotal role in shaping the overall ecosystem; I would argue it is the unique essence of this design.

As I have previously mentioned, the design of this Hierarchy of Business Ecosystems is modular; each Ecosystem can stand alone and offer significant value, but it is part of a more extensive cohesive system where each layer contributes to the overall success of collaborative ecosystems.

Achieving any dynamics within the system generates the potential for change. Providing the Ecosystem environment to build out dynamism enables the capabilities to challenge and have the abilities to disrupt.

The Dynamic Ecosystem is a transformational part of future-proofing the business.

Read more

The Case for the Hierarchy of Business Ecosystem Needs

by

Why should we consider establishing the Hierarchy of Business Ecosystem Needs within a single organization and collaboratively between Enterprises? It is recognized today that Ecosystem design and thinking provide demonstrable value and gain.

Building the Case for the Hierarchy of Business Ecosystem Needs:

In the rapidly evolving business landscape, we face constant change and recognise complexity is rapidly becoming the norm. The hierarchy of ecosystem needs emerged from my work and studies of ecosystems as a compelling and viable alternative for organizations to consider, manage their business, and look to extend their growth and potential through the ability to open up and create in different, highly collaborative ways.

This strategic paradigm dramatically shifts individual organizations towards sustained prosperity and fosters collaborative ecosystems that amplify collective impact, knowledge exchange, value and growth potential.

Read more

Ecosystems for innovating for a sustainable future, back to basics

by

Sometimes, we need to go back to our original roots of thinking to remind ourselves and sometimes refresh the areas of focus we need to emphasise. Today, I focus increasingly on how innovation and ecosystem thinking and design need to combine in the Energy Transition.

I believe Ecosystems in design and thinking must form the future path to travel for innovation, collaborations, invention and growing cooperation. We need to think through more demanding challenges today that are highly complex and to do this with a higher degree of success in valuable outcomes. We need to open our thinking and minds and share knowledge to learn from each other.

A fundamental question to ask: “What do I need to consider for entering into an innovation ecosystem design?”

Read more

My building blocks towards Ecosystem thinking

by
Building blocks towards Ecosystem thinking and designing

Part-way through 2022, I drew up a list of my focal points in researching, stimulating my thinking and finding different validation points on my Ecosystem thinking and design approaches. In early January this year, I took a stop, more a reflective period in these past months, to deepen down even further my knowledge of Ecosystem thinking and design. I aim to achieve, even advancing, Ecosystem understanding for those interested to learn and seeking advice through direct engagements.

My main focus on Ecosystems comes from the innovation perspective. How can we finally combine all the different parts of the Innovation system into one, fully connected up and achieve a far more open design where contributors, both inside and outside organizations, can contribute as it is the diversity of experience needed today to give fresh value and impact on complex and challenging issues, We need that discovery to commercialization fully connected up to be leveraged fully in all the diversity of contributions.

Innovation in its challenges and problems has become more complex and challenging, both in solutions offered and in working out all the connected parts to provide products or services that are superior to the existing ones. The need to provide that essential “dynamic” of having customer engagement in their data, a growing network of connected partners providing their input, their exploring and experimenting so the inventor can learn and seek to improve the product or service accordingly.

Read more

A Statement of Ecosystem Intent – the CEO letter often missing

by

A Statement of Ecosystem Intent – the CEO letter that is often missing but highly essential to have as part of any ecosystem design thinking.

Ecosystems have become a really hot topic. The word “Ecosystem” is getting as much “air time” as the general use of the word “innovation” in business recently.

It generates buzz, it projects the impression you are looking to the future, managing your business in that progressive, outward way, that shareholders and your employees love to hear.

The shift taking place- Ecosystems are entering the lexicon of top management.

It does sound good to talk about “building our ecosystem” in every possible way. You need to ask though, has management actually sat down and defined the type of ecosystem it wants to design, participate in, or become part of? Or does this simply happen, a sort of drifting into, a grand experiment, not connecting all that is truly necessary for such a seismic move, stifling the real progressive sense?

Let’s take a different approach

Read more

Making Transition through Innovation, Ecosystem and Sustainable Approaches

by

Today, we need to transition through ecosystem thinking and designs, as we recognize the future value and impact for businesses to grow, is through collaborations and co-creation. We need to have a new open architecture for undergoing this transformation.

Making Sustainability central to innovation capability building in a new ecosystem designed way connects the parts into the future design.

Read more

Understanding Value Creation within Ecosystem Thinking

by

Value Creation is vital to know about. Where is it coming from? What is being put into place to nurture, develop and allow its creation to evolve and spread so that it can attract more understanding?

Within Ecosystem thinking, the more we open up our thinking and ideas, the more we can build from this. We attract others to work together and create new points of value that are mutually rewarding. That openness offers so much more value creation possibility, yet we don’t talk about it; we simply generalize it like a “buzz word.” We need to be explicit on our value creation capabilities.

When we begin applying our thinking to Ecosystem designs, knowing where and how your value creation is generated becomes vitally important.

So what is value creation?

Read more

A case for change; thinking out the evolution of platforms and ecosystems

by

What we offer today needs a change in emphasis of thinking out the evolution of platforms, into ones that are designed for building out thriving business ecosystems for all to collaborate around and build together.

I argue today, we need to change our stories into ecosystem thinking ones.

We need to shift our platform rhetoric into a vastly different one, one based on building the Ecosystem story, well defined in its understanding that requires a very intense focus on what it means within Industry design and expected outcomes.

Over the past three or more years, I have been studying and researching platforms and ecosystems. I feel we are at an inflexion point of significant business change from embracing ecosystem principles in the business world.

The key message from my reflection was, at the time, two years ago, “we do need to change our story; it is simply not about platforms“. It is thinking for the design for ecosystems, into “ecosystem mobilization.”

Read more