• How can we better measure our ROI on R&D spending?
• Do we have the infrastructure to support our global innovation and product development needs now—and three years from now?
• Who owns product lifecycle management? Who should own PLM for the company?
• Do we have a definition, strategy and roadmap for PLM?
• How do our current CRM, SCM and ERP initiatives link to PLM?
• What impact could improvements in PLM

… [ Read more ]

Authors: A. J. Gupta, Kevin P. Prendeville
Source: The innovation enabler goes mainstream
Subject: Products & Services Questions

• Does it violate any strategic laws of gravity?
• Do my numbers match my strategy?
• Will it create value?
• Is it material?
• Is it differentiated?
• Is it just ‘PowerPoint engineering’? (assuming that anything people say they can do, they can do)
• Where are we in our strategic journey?
• Are we properly balancing growth and risk?
• What are the facts?
• Is the problem solvable, and do we care?
• Who can solve that problem?
• Why might we fail?
• How

… [ Read more ]

Authors: David Speiser, Gail Lumsden, Jeffrey Elton, Raymond Gilmartin
Source: How We Do It: Strategic Tests From Four Senior Executives
Subject: Strategy Questions

• Can we create a reliable story around what we do?
• Can we create symbols, rituals, or culture around our offerings?
• Can we create and mobilize tribes to help our cause?
• Can we leverage the power of every individual within our company to humanize our brand and create more passion around what we do?

Author: Francois Gossieaux
Source: The Seven Myths of Hyper-Social Organizations: Why Human 1.0 is Key
Subject: Customer Questions

The following series of five yes-or-no questions can help you manage future performance in a new way. Your answers will steer you toward a turnaround conversation appropriate to the situation and the underperformer.

Once you become familiar with the questions, you’ll be able to assess which conversation is needed in a matter of minutes. You’ll be on your way to managing underperformance instead of living with … [ Read more ]

Author: Jim Bolton
Source: How to Turn around Problem Performance in Five Questions or Less
Subject: Human Resources Questions

1. What are your company’s distinctive capabilities — those that support your strategic priorities — and how can they be improved with information technology?
2. How should you prioritize your IT projects accordingly?
3. What sequence of investment and activity will allow you to reach the goals you’ve set, and close the gaps you need to close?
4. What kinds of cultural and governance support do you need to put

… [ Read more ]

Authors: Eduardo Alvarez, Srini Raghavan
Source: Road Map to Relevance
Subject: IT Questions

Value proposition

• Is your value proposition well aligned with customer needs?
• Could someone offer a better deal?
• What other jobs could you do on behalf of customers?

Customer segments

• Are you continuously acquiring new customers?
• Could the market become saturated?
• What new segments could you serve?

Channels

• Are your delivery channels efficient?
• Are your channels in danger of becoming irrelevant?
• How can you improve channel effectiveness?

Customer relationships

• Are you easily replaced by a

… [ Read more ]

Author: Matthew E. May
Source: How To Create A Disruptive Business Model
Subject: Strategy Questions

1. Customer Segments. For whom are we creating value? Who are our most important customers?
2. Value Propositions. What value do we deliver to the customer? Which one of our customer’s problems are we helping to solve? Which customer needs are we satisfying? What bundles of products and services are we offering to each Customer Segment?
3. Channels. Through which Channels do our Customer Segments want to be

… [ Read more ]

Authors: Alexander Osterwalder, Matthew E. May, Yves Pigneur
Source: The 9 Elements Of An Ironclad Business Model
Subject: Strategy Questions

1. Are you able to break down your operating inventory into the three major categories when reporting levels—safety, replenishment and excess or obsolete stock?
2. Is your company using the most effective method to calculate your safety stock levels? Are you using statistical formulas that incorporate the accuracy of sales forecasts, required production lead times, manufacturing schedule adherence and service-level data for each SKU? Or are

… [ Read more ]

Authors: Francois Faelli, Pratap Mukharji, Raymond Tsang, Sam Israelit, Thierry Catfolis
Source: Inventory management: 10 questions to diagnose your inventory health
Subject: Operations Questions

What a company should ask itself

• Do we understand customer profitability at the transaction level (by product, customer, and channel)?
• Who really buys our product and why?
• Which customers would we fire? Which customers should we be doing our best to keep?
• Do we scientifically measure pricing choices made by customers?
• What drives our customer segmentation? How do we approach our customers differently?

What a company should ask customers

• Are

… [ Read more ]

Authors: George Stalk, Jr., Peter Stanger, Peter Wetenhall, Philippe Morel
Source: Pricing Myopia
Subject: Pricing

1. Why does your business exist?  This question reveals your true purpose.  It is the most powerful question, and all other questions revolve around this nucleus. Go beyond just products and profits in expressing your purpose.  What is your company’s unique value contribution to the world?
2. Which business are you really in?  This question implies a choice among alternatives.  Choosing wisely depends on the linkage

… [ Read more ]

Author: Norm Levy
Source: Want Better Answers? Try Better Questions
Subject: Miscellaneous Questions