The challenge of disruptive change

Most established companies have efficient processes, available resources, and competent people. When trying to innovate, managers can fail to leverage them properly. They can fail to put the right people in the right condition. In trying to transform a company, managers can destroy the very capabilities that substain it. This article helps companies understand how they can (and should) adapt their structure to the nature of the innovation pursued.

Meeting the challenge of disruptive change
HBR - Clayton M.Christensen and Michael Overdorf.

Asking the right questions
The key to corporate innovation is to use the correct team and the right organization structure that fit your innovation. The first step for a company is to ask itself these 4 questions : The bigger the organization, the more important it is to asses correctly.
 * 1) Does my organization have the right resources to support this innovation? assess people, tech, product design, brand, customers, suppliers, network, etc
 * 2) Does my organization have the right processes to innovate? Your processes - decision-making protocol, coordination patterns - support your business and may harm your innovation. Processes are meant to be efficient in the context of their creation, and therefore, by definition, will push against innovation. The blocking processes are more likely to be hidden processes like decision making or investment choices. The processes that define how business is done.
 * 3) Does my organization have the right values to innovate? In this context, values are broader and encompass how an employee make decisions, how do you decide whether to commit or not? which customer is more important and why? Are money profits, margins, etc important? They explain why decision are made.
 * 4) What team and structure will best support our innovation effort? dedicated team? spin-off?

Selecting the right structure for your innovation
Functional teams work on function-specific issues then pass it to the next team

Lightweight teams are cross-functional but stay under their boss' management

Heavyweight teams are completely dedicated to the project with a direct manager to lead them