Looking Beyond Your Industry For New Ideas

Wide-Angle Thinking – BusinessWeek.com
…advising that companies should roam far beyond their traditional bounds to better understand not just technology but myriad practices and processes. Say, for instance, a manufacturer needs to tap a team of top talent for a project that will be disbanded after a relatively brief period. Handy’s suggestion: Arrange a visit to one of the Hollywood studios. They manage high-end, short-term work all the time.

…an outfit such as Penguin Books might well be positioned to teach a high-tech company how to outsource intellectual capital more effectively. After all, a publisher’s entire business rests on this model. There are insights to be gleaned, as well, from peeking inside hospitals, theaters, and arts organizations. “Too many companies benchmark themselves against others in their industry,” says Handy. “They should be comparing themselves to totally different organizations.”

I 100% agree with this article. Some of my best ideas have come when I’ve been reading news about other industries or things completely outside of the business realm. Like I posted previously about Geek CEOs, I think that having well rounded interests, especially with my nerdy predilections, will play a major role in helping me to stay ahead of the competition.