In Western management, we are obsessed with analysis. KPIs are designed to analyze deviation from the plan, we create graphs to analyze trends, and drill-down in a tree of information to analyze the root-cause of certain unexpected results.
But what about the opposite of analysis, called synthesis? Where analysis helps with straightforward problems taking them apart until you understand all elements (per definition an in-the-box activity), synthesis helps connecting different elements and create something new (an out-of-the-box approach). This is particular helpful when the business problems we deal with are not that straightforward and clean anymore, like dilemmas often are.
Sure, we all find this important, but think this is "creative" and "unstructured". But the process of synthesis is equally structured, and there are techniques that help dealing with dilemmas.
This is the topic of my new book, that I am currently writing. Taking business intelligence into an entirely new direction. Please take the survey at www.frankbuytendijk.com, and share anonymously how you think your company is dealing with its strategic dilemmas. As a "thank you" you can download a paper that was recently accepted by the Academy of Management, and was also accepted by the Performance Management Association (PMA) earlier this year. And if you contact me directly, I'd be delighted to share with you the thinking that led to the survey. But I wouldn't want to bias you responses too soon.
So please take the survey first, at www.frankbuytendijk.com !
Best regards, frank
