Collaborate to Compete: Driving Profitability in the Knowledge Economy

by Robert K. Logan

Book Overview

Knowledge has become the new source of wealth, and the co-creation and sharing of knowledge through collaboration, the key to the success of today's organization. Collaboration is everyone's business and every business's concern. Unfortunately, the mindset of most business people is not one of cooperation, but of competition. Collaborate to Compete , offers a practical, applied approach to fostering a spirit of cooperation not just within an organization, but also with suppliers, customers, and even competitors to gain a competitive advantage. Many knowledge management initiatives and approaches have failed in their attempt to harness and share the knowledge resident in organizations because they focus on technology, systems, and the valuation of intellectual property, but often neglect the human side. Collaborate to Compete goes beyond the traditional technological approaches of knowledge management systems to address the human challenges, as well as the psychological, cultural, and organizational barriers to employees, suppliers, and customers actually using these systems. Collaborate to Compete: Shows how to create an atmosphere of trust, teamwork and collaboration and the promotion of emotional intelligence. Offers practical tools, processes and exercises that are helpful in developing a culture of collaboration. Introduces a unique assessment instrument, the Collaboration Quotient, that measures the readiness of individuals and of their organization to collaborate. It is also used to monitor the organization's progress in developing collaboration. Provides a detailed design for a practical and effective Internet-based knowledge network that facilitates knowledge sharing and co-creation. Includes comprehensive coverage on: how to transform a command-and-control organization into a collaborative one; how to measure, maintain, and increase collaboration; how to identify and eliminate the systems and processes that hinder collaboration; how to reward and encourage collaboration; and much more. Features examples and case studies that provide a blueprint for implementation, including organizations such as Documentum, Hill & Knowlton, Intel, Northrop Grumman, Open Text, Siemens, Turner Construction, Vignette and others.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0470833009
• ISBN13: 9780470833001
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Length: 291 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Collaborate to Compete - Change of a Business Paradigm

I really enjoyed reading "Collaborate to Compete." The book is written in an understandable and beautiful language - it reads like a good novel. The narrative just flows. Yet, it is down-to-earth and without unnecessary frills.Since the current English of business borrows heavily from the "military language" and is full of war metaphors, I was afraid that it would be impossible to explain properly the idea of "collaborate to compete" and evoke a right Gestalt in the mind of the reader. However, the authors managed to overcome this obstacle by a very careful choice of expressions and metaphors, even create new ones. In my opinion that what is needed, if a paradigm shift from a "winner takes all" competition to "collaborate to compete" is to happen. Once we start talking and writing about business in a collaborative spirit and use "collaborative" metaphors, we will soon be "doing business by them."I also like ractical models that enable creation of collaborative organizations. The book is an excellent guide for people with a collaborative mind and soul, who want to be successful in business and change the business culture accordingly.Have a Happy and Collaborative New Year 2004,Marek Swinder

Collaborate to Compete - A New Business Paradigm

I really enjoyed reading "Collaborate to Compete." The book is written in an understandable and beautiful language - it reads like a good novel. The narrative just flows. Yet, it is down-to-earth and without unnecessary frills.Since the current English of business borrows heavily from the "military language" and is full of war metaphors, I was afraid that it would be impossible to explain properly the idea of "collaborate to compete" and evoke a right Gestalt in the mind of the reader. However, the authors managed to overcome this obstacle by a very careful choice of expressions and metaphors, even create new ones. In my opinion that what is needed, if a paradigm shift from a "winner takes all" competition to "collaborate to compete" is to happen. Once we start talking and writing about business in a collaborative spirit and use "collaborative" metaphors, we will soon be "doing business by them."I also like practical models that enable creation of collaborative organizations. The book is an excellent guide for people with a collaborative mind and soul who want to be successful in business and change the business culture accordingly.Have a Happy and Collaborative New Year 2004,Marek Swinder