The confluence of these dynamics is leading to the exploration of new organizational forms and combinations that in turn require new types of alignment, interaction, process management and leadership. Internally, companies become a combination of core employees, variables, in-sourced expertise and outsourced processes. Beyond the perimeter, connections reach out via collaborative ventures, varying equity agreements, research and design partnerships, supply and sourcing configurations, distribution arrangements, licensing agreements, knowledge sharing etc. Corporate leaders are increasingly looking at such arrangements as opportunities to form extended enterprise. Collaboration enables the extended enterprise, linking key members of the network together seamlessly.
Collaboration leverages the focus and specialized capabilities of the partners.
But the success of such ventures doesn t come from happenstance. It comes from effective design, integration and leadership. These key leadership competencies include the following, which although by title are not new executive requirements, by definition are centered far more in the net-worked world than the traditional corporate operating environment. Strategic Thinking Strategic thinking in this context includes the art of seeing the possible and knowing how to combine for value-creation and competitive advantage. Commercial Alignment Commercial alignment involves finding a platform of co-operation and collaboration of significance, and pooling the benefits together in ways that add value not just to the parties, but to the marketplace.