Using Thematic Thinking to Achieve Business Success, Growth, and Innovation
Finding Opportunities Where Others Don't Look
Published on 20. June 2014
Book
Hardback
240 pages
978-0-13-344807-8 (ISBN)
Description
Leverage hidden similarities and connections to succeed in new markets and avert emerging business risks! Firmly rooted in the latest cognitive science, Thematic Thinking helps you recognize your great opportunities and grave threats in distant but related industries and markets. If you're an executive, entrepreneur, or strategist, it will help you illuminate blind spots on your strategic maps and innovation processes, by radically redefining what you see as similar to your core business.
Using Thematic Thinking to Achieve Business Success, Growth, and Innovation explains why this approach to innovation works so well, and how to successfully apply it in your business. Using realistic business cases, the authors show:
How Thematic Thinking responds to today's radically shifting business environment, and the collapse of traditional market boundaries
Why traditional approaches to innovation can often be counterproductive, and how to go beyond them
How to systematically uncover deep similarities where most managers only see differences
How to understand these similarities as immense new business opportunities - and uncover emerging risks you wouldn't otherwise notice until too late
How to explore and combine themes, identify similarities, create and evaluate thematic ideas, organize for Thematic Thinking, and overcome obstacles to success
Which Google manager would have imagined people substituting Facebook for Gmail? Which Nike manager recognizes the huge potential competitive threat now presented by Apple? With Thematic Thinking, linkages like this become clear - and innovative, once-hidden strategic options are revealed!
Using Thematic Thinking to Achieve Business Success, Growth, and Innovation explains why this approach to innovation works so well, and how to successfully apply it in your business. Using realistic business cases, the authors show:
How Thematic Thinking responds to today's radically shifting business environment, and the collapse of traditional market boundaries
Why traditional approaches to innovation can often be counterproductive, and how to go beyond them
How to systematically uncover deep similarities where most managers only see differences
How to understand these similarities as immense new business opportunities - and uncover emerging risks you wouldn't otherwise notice until too late
How to explore and combine themes, identify similarities, create and evaluate thematic ideas, organize for Thematic Thinking, and overcome obstacles to success
Which Google manager would have imagined people substituting Facebook for Gmail? Which Nike manager recognizes the huge potential competitive threat now presented by Apple? With Thematic Thinking, linkages like this become clear - and innovative, once-hidden strategic options are revealed!
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
NJ
United States
Publishing group
Pearson Education (US)
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
476 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-13-344807-8 (9780133448078)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Julia K. Froehlich conducts research at the Institute for Organization and Human Resource Management at the University of Bern (Bern, Switzerland). She worked at the Institute for Leadership and Organization at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit (TM)t Muenchen (Munich, Germany) and the chair for Leadership and Human Resource Management at the WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management (Koblenz, Germany), and was a visiting researcher at the University of Lugano (Switzerland). She is psychologist by training and devoted her doctoral thesis in management to thematic thinking. Her research focuses on managerial and organizational cognition in the fields of innovation and strategy. Her special interest lies in the idea itself; she is always on the lookout for great new ideas wherever she goes.
Michael Gibbert is professor of marketing at the University of Lugano (Switzerland). He is interested in innovation management and how creative ideas emerge and are turned into successful marketplace strategies. Unless he is in a bad mood, he uses Thematic Thinking every day. His academic work has been published in a variety of journals, including Journal of Product Innovation Management, R&D Management , Industrial Marketing Management , Research Policy , Strategic Management Journal , Organizational Research Methods , and others.
Martin Hoegl is professor at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit (TM)t Muenchen (Munich, Germany), where he heads the Institute for Leadership and Organization. Before joining LMU Munich, he served on the faculties of Washington State University (USA), Bocconi University (Milan, Italy), and WHU (Vallendar, Germany). His main research interests include leadership, collaboration, and innovation in organizations. Martin Hoegl held visiting professorships at the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University, USA) and at the National Sun Yat-Sen University (Taiwan), and has given guest lectures at various international universities. He has been published in the Academy of Management Journal , Journal of International Business Studies , Journal of Management , Journal of Product Innovation Management , MIT Sloan Management Review , Organization Science , and other journals.
Michael Gibbert is professor of marketing at the University of Lugano (Switzerland). He is interested in innovation management and how creative ideas emerge and are turned into successful marketplace strategies. Unless he is in a bad mood, he uses Thematic Thinking every day. His academic work has been published in a variety of journals, including Journal of Product Innovation Management, R&D Management , Industrial Marketing Management , Research Policy , Strategic Management Journal , Organizational Research Methods , and others.
Martin Hoegl is professor at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit (TM)t Muenchen (Munich, Germany), where he heads the Institute for Leadership and Organization. Before joining LMU Munich, he served on the faculties of Washington State University (USA), Bocconi University (Milan, Italy), and WHU (Vallendar, Germany). His main research interests include leadership, collaboration, and innovation in organizations. Martin Hoegl held visiting professorships at the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University, USA) and at the National Sun Yat-Sen University (Taiwan), and has given guest lectures at various international universities. He has been published in the Academy of Management Journal , Journal of International Business Studies , Journal of Management , Journal of Product Innovation Management , MIT Sloan Management Review , Organization Science , and other journals.
Content
Preface xv
Chapter 1 Introducing Thematic Thinking: Start Seeing the World with Both Eyes 1
Strategic Opportunity Search 4
Recognizing Strategic Threats 6
Avoiding the Innovation Dead End: Reconsidering
What's "Distant" to Your Core Business 8
Takeaways 12
Chapter 2 Behind the Themes: How Thematic Ideas Are Motivated 13
Four Types of Motivation for Thematic Ideas 14
Improving the Experience 16
Achieving Customer Lock-On 19
Solving Problems 22
Reaching New Target Groups 26
Reaching Untapped Customer Groups:
Base of the Pyramid Innovation 27
Insights from the Base of the Pyramid 30
Takeaways 35
Case Overview 35
Case Study: Safe Cooking 38
Chapter 3 Kind(s) of Similar: Defining the Basics of Thematic Thinking 41
Types of Similarity 42
Themes 45
Association 46
Complementarity 48
Sources of Thematic Similarity 50
Operation 52
Evaluation 54
Effect 55
Complementarity 56
Takeaways 57
Chapter 4 Exploring Themes 59
Different Kinds of Themes (Not All Themes Are
Created Equal) 60
Creating New Themes (or Combining Existing Ones) 67
Thematic Distance 71
Abstract Themes 74
Analogies 76
Takeaways 79
Case Study: Washing Hands the Thematic Way 79
Chapter 5 The Thematic Power of Brands 81
Extending Brands 83
Coincidental Thematicness 87
Brand Alliances 91
Thematic Threats 97
Thematic Brand Extensions Do Not Work for
Everyone 99
Brands as Themes 104
Takeaways 105
Case Overview 105
Case Study: Italians' Lifestyle on the Road 107
Chapter 6 Thinking Thematic 111
Why Some Think Thematically and Others Don't 112
How to Create Thematic Ideas-and Don't Worry,
Everyone Can Do This 119
Guided Thematic Thinking 122
Fictional Case Study 1: TMD Furnishings 123
How to Recognize a Thematic Idea When
You See One 128
Takeaways 130
Fictional Case Study 2: The Coffee Team 131
Fictional Case Study 3: Tematech 132
Fictional Case Study 4: Lighthouse Theaters 133
Fictional Case Study 5: Tema Air 134
Your Task (For All Cases) 135
Chapter 7 Thematic Ideas in the Corporate Environment-Giving Them a Fighting Chance 137
What Makes a Good (Thematic) Idea? 139
Turning to Customers for Thematic Advice 141
Seeing the Whole Thematic Picture 144
Getting the Message Across 147
Surviving the Execution Gap 149
Selling Thematic Ideas 153
Takeaways 155
Case Study: Swedish Design Meets Chinese
Technology 156
Chapter 8 Linking Technological Innovation to Thematic Thinking 159
The New Life of Mobile Phones 162
Apps 167
Putting Real Life Online 168
The Internet of Things 169
Home Automation 170
High-tech Health Care 172
Takeaways 174
Case Study: Teenage Consumption 174
Chapter 9 Wrapping Up: Think Thematic 177
1.) THemes: If there is no theme, it is not thematic 178
2.) INtegration: Entities should be integrated within ideas 179
3.) Keep practicing 180
4.) THematic ideas face great dangers in the corporate context 181
5.) Experience: To understand a theme, you need personal experience 182
6.) Many items make up a theme: Think big 183
7.) Association and cultural awareness matter 184
8.) Taxonomic ideas can be great, but you shouldn't limit yourself to them 185
9.) Individuals differ in their preferences for ideas and kinds of similarities 186
10.) Customers' perspectives should be taken 187
Glossary 189
Readings 195
Endnotes 199
Ch. 1 199
Ch. 2 201
Ch. 3 204
Ch. 4 207
Ch. 5 209
Ch. 6 211
Ch. 7 213
Ch. 8 214
Ch. 9 215
Glossary 216
Index 217
Chapter 1 Introducing Thematic Thinking: Start Seeing the World with Both Eyes 1
Strategic Opportunity Search 4
Recognizing Strategic Threats 6
Avoiding the Innovation Dead End: Reconsidering
What's "Distant" to Your Core Business 8
Takeaways 12
Chapter 2 Behind the Themes: How Thematic Ideas Are Motivated 13
Four Types of Motivation for Thematic Ideas 14
Improving the Experience 16
Achieving Customer Lock-On 19
Solving Problems 22
Reaching New Target Groups 26
Reaching Untapped Customer Groups:
Base of the Pyramid Innovation 27
Insights from the Base of the Pyramid 30
Takeaways 35
Case Overview 35
Case Study: Safe Cooking 38
Chapter 3 Kind(s) of Similar: Defining the Basics of Thematic Thinking 41
Types of Similarity 42
Themes 45
Association 46
Complementarity 48
Sources of Thematic Similarity 50
Operation 52
Evaluation 54
Effect 55
Complementarity 56
Takeaways 57
Chapter 4 Exploring Themes 59
Different Kinds of Themes (Not All Themes Are
Created Equal) 60
Creating New Themes (or Combining Existing Ones) 67
Thematic Distance 71
Abstract Themes 74
Analogies 76
Takeaways 79
Case Study: Washing Hands the Thematic Way 79
Chapter 5 The Thematic Power of Brands 81
Extending Brands 83
Coincidental Thematicness 87
Brand Alliances 91
Thematic Threats 97
Thematic Brand Extensions Do Not Work for
Everyone 99
Brands as Themes 104
Takeaways 105
Case Overview 105
Case Study: Italians' Lifestyle on the Road 107
Chapter 6 Thinking Thematic 111
Why Some Think Thematically and Others Don't 112
How to Create Thematic Ideas-and Don't Worry,
Everyone Can Do This 119
Guided Thematic Thinking 122
Fictional Case Study 1: TMD Furnishings 123
How to Recognize a Thematic Idea When
You See One 128
Takeaways 130
Fictional Case Study 2: The Coffee Team 131
Fictional Case Study 3: Tematech 132
Fictional Case Study 4: Lighthouse Theaters 133
Fictional Case Study 5: Tema Air 134
Your Task (For All Cases) 135
Chapter 7 Thematic Ideas in the Corporate Environment-Giving Them a Fighting Chance 137
What Makes a Good (Thematic) Idea? 139
Turning to Customers for Thematic Advice 141
Seeing the Whole Thematic Picture 144
Getting the Message Across 147
Surviving the Execution Gap 149
Selling Thematic Ideas 153
Takeaways 155
Case Study: Swedish Design Meets Chinese
Technology 156
Chapter 8 Linking Technological Innovation to Thematic Thinking 159
The New Life of Mobile Phones 162
Apps 167
Putting Real Life Online 168
The Internet of Things 169
Home Automation 170
High-tech Health Care 172
Takeaways 174
Case Study: Teenage Consumption 174
Chapter 9 Wrapping Up: Think Thematic 177
1.) THemes: If there is no theme, it is not thematic 178
2.) INtegration: Entities should be integrated within ideas 179
3.) Keep practicing 180
4.) THematic ideas face great dangers in the corporate context 181
5.) Experience: To understand a theme, you need personal experience 182
6.) Many items make up a theme: Think big 183
7.) Association and cultural awareness matter 184
8.) Taxonomic ideas can be great, but you shouldn't limit yourself to them 185
9.) Individuals differ in their preferences for ideas and kinds of similarities 186
10.) Customers' perspectives should be taken 187
Glossary 189
Readings 195
Endnotes 199
Ch. 1 199
Ch. 2 201
Ch. 3 204
Ch. 4 207
Ch. 5 209
Ch. 6 211
Ch. 7 213
Ch. 8 214
Ch. 9 215
Glossary 216
Index 217