The model suggests that any organisation, irrespective of the business sector, or whether it is in the private or public sector, requires in addition to financial viability, three determinants to be uppermost in the minds of managers and leaders:

• The first determinant focuses on the management of technology. Here the organisation’s ability to understand the pervasive impact that technology will have on the future of the operations, is imperative. The process is all about a new decision making paradigm – an ability to ask the right questions and to make informed decisions, recognising the impact that such decisions will have on the operation. It is also about the organisation’s ability to stay well informed on technological changes, which requires constant vigilance, using competitor intelligence and other sources of information. Further, within this environment is the critical issue of research and development. These organisations recognise that their future is vested in their ability to develop and protect their Intellectual Property.
• The second determinant is concerned with the organisation’s ability to manage the innovation process. Issues such as creating an environment which is conducive to constant interrogation and re-examination of the way business is conducted, is mandatory. A winning organisation is characterised by an inherent restlessness purposely generated by management. The innovation process goes way beyond the generation of new ideas and is concerned with minimising risks whilst maximising opportunities. It is uniquely integrated into the research and development process. The successful organisation has processes in place such as stage gates, which determine when it is advisable to cut expenditure or embark on another course of action.
• The third determinant is all about the human-technology interface, and what processes are in place to ensure the change management required to re-position the organisation during changing circumstances are adequate. There is much merit in the adage that there is no such thing as “bad technology” – the failure rests in the developers who fail to take the human element into account. Winning organisations have innovative processes in place. They are able to imbue a sense of“ownership” amongst employees and ensure that they have processes in place to re-educate their customers as well.

These determinants are inextricably linked to the notion of the organisation as a system. Managing this fourth determinant is a critical element, which distinguishes the winners from the rest. The ability to manage operations from a systemic viewpoint, is fundamental to organisations being able to understand their core competencies and to uniquely position themselves in the market. An appreciation of the system goes beyond the internal forces and places significant emphasis on external factors. The winners constantly “test” the impact of their actions using s
systemic approach.

There are 3 interconnecting elements to the model which are fundamental for a sustainable, higher performance organisation to achieve their goals:

• Alignment (linking Technology and People) – ensuring that all the elements of the operations are aligned to meeting its strategic objectives.
• Engagement (linking Innovation and People) – ensuring that the organisation has processes in place to gain total “buy-in” from all employees. In this context the notion of Connectedness, Contribution and Credibility are paramount.
• Agility (linking Technology and Innovation) – ensuring that the organisation is able to meet the challenges of growing competition through the use of new tools. Here the concepts of First to Market, Productivity, and Rapid Prototyping are key attributes.