Flowing Stream Strategy

Though the concern regarding the confluence of continuity and change is well accepted, there is hardly any well known framework in the literature that can be used as a benchmark to deal with this paradoxical issue. Keeping in view the significance of the topic and the lack of practical frameworks in managing continuity and change this book is an endeavor to fill the gap. The main proposition of the book is that the strategic management of change could be better leveraged with clear understanding of continuity of the organization and consciously managing the vital and desirable areas of continuity along with change, rather than leaving the continuity to be managed by default. The continuity of any company provides the bedrock along which the flow of change could be channelized. It adopts flowing stream as the principal metaphor for continuity and change to be taken side by side. It can be treated as a stepping stone to inspire a lot of research in this area.

Though the concern regarding the confluence of continuity and change is well accepted, there is hardly any well known framework in the literature that can be used as a benchmark to deal with this paradoxical issue. Keeping in view the significance of the topic and the lack of practical frameworks in managing continuity and change this book is an endeavor to fill the gap. The main proposition of the book is that the strategic management of change could be better leveraged with clear understanding of continuity of the organization and consciously managing the vital and desirable areas of continuity along with change, rather than leaving the continuity to be managed by default. The continuity of any company provides the bedrock along which the flow of change could be channelized. It adopts flowing stream as the principal metaphor for continuity and change to be taken side by side. It can be treated as a stepping stone to inspire a lot of research in this area.

This book provides a conceptual framework for systemic flexibility and business agility, drawing on a basis of research/case applications in various types of flexibility and agility in business. The selected papers address a variety of issues concerning the theme of systemic flexibility and business agility and are organized into following five parts: (i) Systemic and Strategic Flexibility; (ii) Information and Business Agility; (iii) Flexibility, Innovation and Business Excellence; (iv) Flexibility in Value and Supply Chains; and(v) Financial Flexibility and Mergers & Acquisitions. Flexibility and agility in business are emerging as key dimensions of business excellence that encompass the requirements of both choice and speed. The two concepts, flexibility and agility, have been used in multiple ways and often interchangeably, both in literature and in practice. The growing need for flexibility/agility in business can be seen from reactive as well as proactive perspectives. A business enterprise is expected to possess reactive flexibility/ agility (as adaptability and responsiveness) in order to cope with the changing and uncertain business environment. It may also endeavor to intentionally generate flexibility/agility as a strategic change in a variety of ways, such as leadership change, reengineering, innovation in products and processes, use of information and communication technology, and learning orientation.

The need for enterprise flexibility in an era of rapidly advancing technology, increasing competition, and globalization, is apparent. Flexibility can be thought of as an ability of the enterprise to quickly and efficiently respond to market changes and to bring new products and services quickly to the market place. Beyond this definition, a truly flexible enterprise should proactively change the market through its ability to create new and innovative products and services. The proposed book is intended to provide a conceptual framework of ‘Flexible Enterprise’ supported by researches/case applications in various types of flexibilities exhibited by a flexible enterprise. The selected papers from a variety of issues concerning the planning and operation of a flexible enterprise are organized into following four parts: I Enterprise and Strategic Flexibility II Organizational Flexibility III Business Process and Information Systems Flexibility IV Operations Flexibility