Outskirts Press, INC.

Unique interdisciplinary approach!
A practical guide to rethinking business transformation.

Context changes have been sudden, unexpected, and unsettling in an uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world, creating challenges and opportunities for business. This book proposes rethinking business transformation again to renew the organization and sustainably improve its competitiveness. Different studies have demonstrated that change efforts result in less-than-satisfactory results.

This publication is making unique contributions to the field of business management.

The Business Transformation Model. A holistic, interdisciplinary, flexible approach is proposed, considering the perspectives of 18 disciplines. The practical road map uses a medical analogy to facilitate comprehension: analysis (diagnosis and prognosis), innovation (prescription), execution (therapy), and consolidation (preventive medicine). It integrates previous knowledge, is “fad-proof,” and can be applied to organizations of various sizes in different industries and countries.

The Competitive Assessment. This guide allows the reader to distinguish between competitive positions. It indicates how profound the competitive gap is, how much time is available, what resources are needed, what restrictions exist, and what the main problems are to solve.

Innovation Formula. The number of essential recommendations is limited, a fact that is not obvious. Those 100 innovation ideas are listed and classified, and a general transformation formula is derived. A different formula is shown for each competitive position. Projects should have priorities and a specific sequence; the number of simultaneous projects is limited.

Execution Process. An action plan divided into seven phases (with 30 steps) is recommended. The implementation depends on the competitive position. Much thought, experience, and research went into that list of 30 steps oriented to practitioners.

CHAPTER 2  SUMMARY
 
1. Business transformation fundamentally changes how businesses operate to achieve new or improved business goals. It involves a comprehensive and strategic overhaul of the organization's structure, processes, systems, culture, and sometimes core values.
Business transformation may be necessary when a business needs to adapt to changes in its environment, such as new technologies, changes in customer needs, or shifts in the competitive landscape. It can also respond to internal challenges like inefficient processes, outdated technologies, or ineffective management practices.
The process of business transformation typically involves several key stages, including a thorough analysis of the organization's current state, the development of a new vision and strategy, the identification of necessary changes, the planning and implementation of those changes, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the desired outcomes are being achieved.
Business change is complex, and numerous experiences demonstrate that it is difficult to describe the problem, the optimum solution, and the best way to implement the selected recommendations.
 
2. Several methodologies are being used: (a) Organizational Development, (b) Change Management, (c) Turnaround, (d) Contingency approaches, (e) Process approach, (f) Organizational change and relational resources, (g) Business Process Reengineering, Six Sigma Quality Programs, Lean Management, TQM, (h) Digital Transformation approaches, (i) Management consultant firm’s models, (j) Recommendations from universities and professional societies, (k) Regenerative business.
 
3. The model proposed in this book has the following objectives:
a. Easy to understand to people with different backgrounds,
b. Easy to use at different organizational levels, a common language,
c. “Fad proof,” created to last,
d. A comprehensive integration of the approaches of different authors,
e. A roadmap for managers, helping them to improve business results;
f. A tool that could suggest the necessary change, the best solution, and its execution.
g. Applicable for different types of organizations of different sizes acting in different countries.
h. An interdisciplinary approach that could use concepts from science, engineering, business administration, economics, information technology, education and medicine.
i. A tool that could explain Interesting cases, examples, and data.
 
 
4. A holistic and practical three-phase business transformation model that uses a medical analogy to facilitate comprehension is proposed. The purpose is to determine the precise transformation that can substantially improve results. The phases to follow are: Analysis (Diagnosis and Prognosis). How much change is needed, and what is the urgency? Which prediction is correct? Sick, uncompetitive organizations need transformation, turnaround, radical, or disruptive change. Ideas (Prescription). Innovation proposals are projects to change the company structure, strategy, human resources, and management, improve productivity and quality, and renew the financial and legal structure. The formula for improving each competitive situation is different (usually, other names are used to mention it). The projects have different priorities and impacts.. Action (Therapy and Prevention). Change Execution, Consolidation, and Renewal, which have different names such as Action, Execution, Implementation, and Change Management, convert ideas into concrete results.  
 
5. This book has two brief introductory chapters (1 and 2), two chapters dedicated to the diagnosis (3 and 4), four chapters describing the prescription (5, 6, 7.8), and three chapters to the therapy (9, 10,11). Brief conclusions end the book.
Significant effort was made to limit the number of pages. A thorough revision of books and papers published until 2024 indicates that the book has a unique approach and several contributions to the field of business transformation.