NEWS/BLOG
From Product to Product, Service and User Experience
- why every company has to broaden their business scope, and how to do it
Seminar in Ulricehamn
May 15, 2019
User Experience ("UX") has nowadays become one of the most popular and most frequently used buzzwords. And the reason is simple. Everyone knows that digitalization is a key improvement area for many companies. But major success has only been achieved when combining digitalization with first class Service Design and User Experience. We all know about successful companies like Amazon, Alibaba, Google and Apple, compared to low UX maturity companies like HP and Nokia. But also product based companies like Nike have been successful when adding great services and been focusing on UX. Seminar for CFOs from southern Sweden, a program arranged by Institutet för Chefsutveckling www.icu.nu
"Closing Deals Faster Than a Speeding Volvo"
- why Trust is a key success factor when doing business in USA, and what to do
Seminar in Stockholm
April 24, 2019
Seminar together with our business partner Tony Svensson from Palo Alto, California, USA. The seminar was focused on important "soft" issues when doing business, primari the importance of Trust when developing business relations and closing deals. People do business with people. Presentations and discussion, with examples from real life, covering how to manage the process from identification of those who ought to be interested, via profiling and getting contact, to closing the deal.
Successful Cooperation China-Sweden
- cooperation under New Business Format
Seminar in Stockholm
December 7, 2018
Seminar with 21 CEO and Vice Presidents from large Chinese companies regarding New Business Formats and how to optimize business cooperation between China and Sweden/Europe. Focus on importance of understanding Culture differences, and by that Behavior, as well as to build Relations and Trust.
In addition information regarding Sweden's strong position covering: Innovation (top 3 in world), Talents (top 5 in world), Sustainability (top 2 in world) and University ranking (all universities in top 1%).
On the lower picture we are voting if China is a Masculine or Feminine country (based on an often used definition). As you can see, there were different opinions in the group. Fun discussions regarding culture.
In cooperation with Manwen Xiong.
Business Success in USA
- Think Big. Think Eco-system. Think Partners
Seminar in Stockholm
December 6, 2018
Success in USA typically requires much more attention, business model rethinking, strategic renewal, a leading professional approach, engagement of several new business partners and specialists as well as more financial power than reaching success in countries more close to us. I.e. to be successful requires presence and engagement not only from Management but also from Owners and Board as well as and experienced Business Brokers and Business Partners.
At the seminar we had persons on stage representing the global Investor Community, Swedish and International Boards, Corporate Management, Global Business and of course a Business Partner with 30 years of experience from USA. The team: Ted Elvhage, Liselotte Engstam, Agneta Rosenberg and Lennart Almstedt.
User Experience
- driver of product & service development
Seminar in Gothenburg
October 30, 2018
It is well known that focus on User Experience has been a key success factor for many companies that have developed a leading global position during last 10 years. We can all recognize brands like Netflix, Google and Apple. How this knowledge and these insights can be used also in other product and service companies was discussed during the seminar.
Owners, Board & Management
- cooperation model for growth
Seminar at the Swedish Board Association
October 18, 2018
Presentation of globally important drivers that will force companies to renew their way of collaborate internally to be able to stay ahead of competition. The new innovative, and sometimes disruptive, models will primarily influence the way that the board and the management collaborate. But need of change will also influence the owners. The workshop, after the presentation, focused primarily on how these new requirements best could be implemented.
Is EQ more important than IQ?
Blog
September 19, 2018
Sweden's share of global export is going down every year. Competition is tough. But we want to get back. Growth markets and key competence partners can be found in EU, e.g. in Germany, UK and France. But, China, USA, India, Southeast Asia and other large areas are very important to consider, and a must for e.g. high-tech and competence intense companies under global competition.
Traditional market analysis and number crunching is always of value ("IQ" related). But to develop successful partnerships and successful business, in e.g. China, India or USA, will be dependent on finding the right partner and to develop and manage a first class relation ("EQ" related). Product and service performance is great, but not enough.
The good thing is that you and your company can manage your improvements in this field covering culture, behavior, networking, relations and match making.
- Step one for owners, board, management and the organization is to understand that this is top priority.
- Step two is to make a decision to be a leader in the EQ field, and to find out who are best in class to support your development as from today. Time for a cup of coffee?
Advisory Boards - a growing trend
Seminar at the Swedish Board Association
September 5, 2018
There is a trend in Sweden to establish strategically oriented Advisory Boards with the purpose to support today's boards and management teams in a fast, competent and dynamic way. There are several drivers for this trend, including the constantly increasing global competition, adding pressure on companies to manage change effectively, e.g. by
a) increasing speed in decision making, also on
the highest most complex corporate level
b) attracting top talents, on all levels, to understand
the landscape, strategic options and its
implementation.
The lunch seminar, where we participated in the panel, was arranged by the the Swedish Board Association and attracted over 70 board members.
Owners, Board & Management
- speed in corporate decision making
Seminar at the Swedish Board Association
June 17, 2018
High-tech and competence intense companies very often have to target customers, channels, business partners and investors in large countries, e.g. USA, China, India, Germany and France, to survive and to be successful. Decisions will be more complex than going to Norway.
To manage rapid decision making also Boards and Owners have to be up to date and engaged. And new competences and capabilities might be needed. In the seminar we discussed What to do, but also How to prepare for and manage this opportunity. (Video in Swedish)
Internationalization
- a best practice approach
Seminar at Uminova Innovation
May 31, 2018
"Internationalization, a Best Practice approach" was the title of our seminar at Uminova Innovation in Umeå. Many start-up companies from the university participated.
Owners, Board & Management
- cooperation model for growth
Seminar at the Swedish Board Association
May 28, 2018
Workshop discussing how communication and engagement can be strengthened between owners, board and management team, with the objective to manage successful rapid growth in a global world where innovation and strategic adjustments require discussions and decisions on a very regular basis.
Readiness for Internationalization
- outside-in & inside-out
Seminar at Swecare
May 8, 2018
Seminar at Swecare regarding Key Success Factor when targeting growth in "very large markets far away", e.g. USA, China and India, or Germany, UK and France. Big markets far away are very different from Norway, Denmark and Finland, but have 50-100 times more opportunities than our neighbors. We have to be ready, i.e. both to understand the market but also to understand if we are ready ourselves (including owners, board, management and partners).
To find a web-based tool to assess readiness, please take a look at Link
To dare to do new things
- the success factor of our time
After work seminar with Facesso and Daresay
October 19, 2017
Seminar together with Facesso. Invited guest speaker was Pernilla Dahlgren, CEO at Daresay AB, also CEO of the year 2015.